# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S226 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 226 HIGHER EDUCATION WHEREAS, The Scriptures encourage us to seek the counsel of many in Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed”; and WHEREAS, In the midst of such turmoil, many in the Synod sought counsel! from the faculties at our seminaries; and WHEREAS, The faculties at both St. Louis and Fort Wayne worked slowly, deliberately, and diligently to produce statements offering leadership and guidance to our Synod; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod, in convention, commend both semi- naries for providing timely, clear, and unequivocal] statements re- garding the controversy and the theological issues surrounding “A Prayer for America.” Zion Fort Wayne, IN §-13 To Commend and Affirm Need for Two Seminaries WHEREAS, Concordia Seminary, St Louis, Mo., has been train- ing men for the Office of the Public Ministry in our Lord’s church since 1839 and as part of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod since 1849; and WHEREAS, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., has been training men for the Office of the Public Ministry since 1846 and as part of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod since 1847; and WHEREAS, The Holy Spirit has used these two institutions for the greater good of the Kingdom of Grace; and WHEREAS, Concordia Seminary. St. Louis, was rocked with teaching false doctrine. and the vast majority of the faculty and stu- dents walked out in the early 1970s; and WHEREAS, The Holy Spirit continued to use Concordia Theo- logical Seminary, Springfield, IIl., at that time to provide pastors for the Synod; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con- vention commend the faculties of the two seminaries of the Synod for their dedicated service to our Lord; and be it further Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con- vention affirm the need for two seminaries for all times, but espe- cially for times of doctrinal crisis. Circuit Forum 20 (Mondovi Circuit) North Wisconsin District 5-14 To Require Parish Experience for Seminary Professors WHEREAS, The seminaries’ purpose and mission is to prepare men for serving the Lord in parish ministry; and WHEREAS, Moneys are solicited from congregations to support the seminaries in accomplishing this mission and expect those funds spent to benefit congregations served by the graduates; and WHEREAS, There are many and a growing number of parish va- cancies; and WHEREAS, There are a growing number of experienced pastors nearing retirement from the parish; therefore be it Resolved, That the Oklahoma District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod memorialize the Synod at its 2004 con- vention to establish a restriction on the two seminaries, that they not call pastors to professorships unless they have completed 10 years of parish pastor experience; and be it further Resolved, That after 10 years as professor they take a one-year sabbatical in a parish ministry setting. Oklahoma District 5-15 To Require Pastoral Experience for Seminary Professors WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was orga- nized for the accomplishment of corporate work in the kingdom of God, including to recruit and train pastors, teachers, and other pro- fessional church workers and provide opportunity for their contin- uing growth; and WHEREAS, The professors of theology in the seminaries of the Synod serve a fundamental role in the training and formation of pastoral candidates of the church; and WHEREAS, The formative education of pastoral candidates of the church involves application of doctrine to congregational practice and the pastoral care of souls; and WHEREAS, The ability to judge doctrine and practice in the church is learned not only in the formal education acquired in the seminary, but also in the formative experience acquired in the parish ministry; and WHEREAS, Some professors serving in our seminaries have not had the benefit of this formative experience as parish pastors after graduation from seminary; therefore be it Resolved, That the Montana District memorialize Synod in con- vention to require that every candidate for the office of seminary professor be required to have served at least five years in the parish ministry or in an office that is directly concerned with the spiritual care of souls in a pastoral fashion. Montana District 5-16 To Emphasize Mission Focus and Leadership Development in Pastoral Preparation WHEREAS, The mission and ministry of congregations, schools, and institutions of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod require well-prepared professional church workers; and Wuereas, The need for such workers to reach diverse peoples and cultures with the eternal truth of the Gospel calls us to contin- ually evaluate our methods of preparing workers for the church today; and WHEREAS, The Synod has entrusted this preparation of profes- sional church workers to our colleges/universities and seminaries of the Concordia University System; and WHEREAS, The Mission 21st Century Task Force has identified reasons for strengthening pastoral preparation; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod affirm the Twelve Themes for Pas- toral Education identified by the Board for Higher Education as guiding themes for the preparation of pastors to serve in the con- gregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod, in convention, desiring to expand the skills of pastors in the LCMS, require the curricula of all the semi- naries of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to include mis- sion-focused required courses such as these: ¢ Church planting ¢ Evangelism, with a practicum requiring students to practice evangelism in the field ¢ Outreach strategies ¢ Contemporary United States culture * Urban ministry outreach strategies; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod, acting in convention, require the fac- ulties of the seminaries and colleges/universities in the Concordia University System to meet at least once every two years with a rep- resentative group of North America mission executives and the na- tional mission office of the Board for Mission Services to review what they perceive congregations need in professional church