# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1998_S276 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 276 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 7-121 To Reexamine Classification and Organization of Ministers Wue)rEAS, The Nomenclature Study Committee produced their study of ministers of religion, ordained, and ministers of religion, commissioned; and WHEREAS, Christ’s ministry goes far beyond the nomenclature of synodically trained “‘minister’’; and WHEREAS, Congregations are recognizing workers as ministers of worship, music, health, education, family life, and other areas in the life of the congregation; and Wuereas, An auxiliary department of the LCMS, specifically Concordia Benefit Plans, has recognized and claimed a diversity of workers within our Synod; and WHEREAS, Paul discussed ministry clearly in 1 Corinthians. 12; and WHEREAS, Synod has certain legal responsibilities and needs to classify ministers; therefore be it Resolved, That a new committee, comprised of members more accurately reflecting the diversity of Christ’s workers, be empan- eled; and be it further Resolved, That the committee study and make recommenda- tions regarding the organization and classification of all church ministers within the LCMS; and be it finally Resolved, That the committee disseminate information in a timely manner for response prior to the 2001 synodical convention. Southeastern District Educators Conference 7-122 To Affirm Continued Use of Current Nomenclature for Ministers of Religion, Commissioned WHEREAS, The Pittsburgh convention in 1992 passed a resolu- tion to study the nomenclature for ministers of religion, commis- sioned, and present a report to the 1998 synodical convention; and WHEREAS, The synodical President did indeed impanel a com- mittee made up of seven ministers of religion, ordained, and three ministers of religion, commissioned, to study this issue; and WHEREAS, The report filed by this committee, or certain mem- bers thereof, was made public in July 1997 for input from church workers with the recommendation being to override Res. 5-09, “To Classify Ministers of Religion,’’ 1983 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and WHEREAS, The past 15 years have affirmed “Ministers of Reli- gion Ordained,’ and “Ministers of Religion, Commissioned,”’ in the ministry of our Lord, even though the function as each office differs yet contributes to the ministry of our Lord; and WHEREAS, The recommendations of the panel offer new termi- nology which may cause confusion among church workers and government offices, and is disheartening to the morale of ministers of religion, commissioned; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, in con- vention, affirm the continued use of the nomenclature “Minister of Religion, Ordained,’ and “Minister of Religion, Commissioned.” Southeastern District Educators Conference 7-123 To Affirm Continued Use of Current Nomenclature for Commissioned Ministers WHEREAS, Res. 5-09A, “To Classify Ministers of Religion,”’ was adopted by the 1983 convention of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod, “to declare unequivocally which positions are re- garded by the Synod as contributing vitally to discharging the of- fice of the public ministry,’’ by classifying them as “Ministers of Religion, Ordained,”’ and “Ministers of Religion, Commissioned’’; and WHEREAS, The ensuing 15 years of common usage and careful education have emphatically affirmed that ‘Ministers of Religion, Ordained’ and ‘Ministers of Religion, Commissioned,’ are re- garded fully by the Synod as ministers of religion, entitled to be re- garded as such by all, in recognition of the fact, that even though the functions between and within these two categories may differ, all these functions contribute vitally to discharging the office of the public ministry,’” and that this nomenclature has gained increas- ingly wide understanding and acceptance in the Synod and even by government agencies; and WHEREAS, The Nomenclature Study Committee has suggested alternative nomenclature titles, especially for commissioned min- isters, the purpose of which seems to be to remove the historically affirmed usage of “minister’” or “ministry’’ from called workers who are not ordained; and WHEREAS, These proposals would reverse 150 years of common usage, and would thus be confusing to the church and disheartening to those who serve in the officially rostered, commissioned min- istry of the church; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con- vention affirm the continued use of the current nomenclature, “Minister of Religion, Ordained,”’ and “Minister of Religion, Com- missioned,”’ to classify positions of the public ministry. Iowa District East; Lutheran Teachers Conference, Nebraska District; Education Conference, Minnesota South District; Teachers Conference, Southern District; Northwest District Teachers Conference; Lutheran Educators Conference, Pacific Southwest District; St. Matthew, Columbia Heights, MN; Fall Education Conference, Ohio District; Educator/DCE Conference, Texas District; Faculty Concordia University, St. Paul, MN; Board of Directors, Minnesota South District 7-124 To Affirm Continued Use of Current Nomenclature to Classify Positions of Public Ministry WHEREAS, The 1983 convention of The Lutheran Church—Mis- souri Synod unequivocally identified church work positions it re- garded as vitally contributing to discharging the office of the pub- lic ministry by classifying workers as “ministers of Religion, Ordained’’ and “Ministers of Religion, Commissioned’”’ (Res. 5-O9A); and WHEREAS, That nomenclature has gained acceptance in the Synod and by government agencies regardless of the different func- tions of these respective ministries; and WHEREAS, The Nomenclature Study Committee has suggested alternative nomenclature for titles, especially for the commissioned ministers, which may suggest that commissioned workers are nei- ther ministers nor involved in vital ministry; and WHEREAS, These proposals would have the effect of discourag- ing faithful servants in the commissioned ministry of the Synod; and WHEREAS, A survey issued by the Nomenclature Study Com- mittee did not provide an opportunity for recipients to indicate a preference for no change in nomenclature and, therefore, the survey might communicate a false impression of the preferences of minis- ters of religion, commissioned; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con- vention affirm the continued use of the current nomenclature, “Minister of Religion, Ordained’ and “Minister of Religion, Com- missioned,”* to classify positions of the public ministry; and be it further Resolved, That church workers identified as “Category Three”’ by the Nomenclature Study Committee be listed in The Lutheran Annual under a separate and appropriate category. Lutheran Teachers Conference Northern Illinois District