# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S390 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 390 THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS—COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS gregations, District Presidents, and seminaries). And, some proce- dures have been developed to improve communication among the calling entities as a result of situations where a congregation’s hopes and expectations have not been fulfilled or met on a previous call (as some might say, they have been “burned”’). It must be ac- knowledged, however, that the problem of trust will not be solved by attempts to find the ideal or perfect procedure. Nor will the need for trust be eliminated by the adoption of different structures. In every case fallible human beings administer the process and mis- takes will be made. But the integrity of the divine call must always be preserved and nothing done that will cause people to manipu- late or pre-ordain the results of the process. In all calling situations congregations should be encouraged to remember that God’s Holy Spirit is at work throughout the process. How should names be solicited or nominated? In past practice, if a congregation desired to call a seminary graduate, it submitted a request to the seminary through the District President. The semi- nary and Council of Presidents together would then attempt to match a graduate with the needs of that congregation. If a congre- gation wanted to call a pastor from the field, it ordinarily invited its members to suggest names of potential candidates. Those were then shared with the District President who would take them into account and perhaps remove” or add names (based on availability of candidates and the needs of the congregation) to the recom- mended list. The congregation would then consider that list, modify it if so desired, and call an individual from it. These remain good and sound procedures. In recent years variations in the procedures outlined above have become more common. Congregational members may ask family members for names. Pastors in neighboring congregations may pro- pose names to members of the congregation or to the District Pres- ident. In whatever way names are identified for compiling an initial list of candidates, it is important that the list still be submitted to the District President for his recommendations. Congregations ought not to circumvent the process to which all of us have com- mitted ourselves, as we act together with the whole Synod and not in an isolated fashion. May a pastor place his own name on a call list in a particular region? Again, it is appropriate for a pastor to be open to receiv- ing a call from Christ to serve anywhere that Christ would make use of him. It is inappropriate, however, to “campaign,” “pull strings,” or “finagle” for a call to a particular position. As we have said earlier, one needs to consider carefully whether an “inner call” is being confused with personal ambition. This can lead to an ex- cessive focus on the human factors of a call, and regrettably to a lower view—and even disparagement—of the call itself. More se- riously, the focus may actually be shifted away from the office of the Gospel and the call turned into a mere stepping stone to a “bet- ter position.” How does a congregation decide whom to call? The recent past has witnessed a steady decline in the number of congregations that select and call an individual based only on the information pro- vided to them by the District President. If previously we have erred by obtaining insufficient information, today we risk erring on the side of seeking too much information. We must take care lest we assume that the Spirit works better either through more informa- tion, or through less information. Either approach may fail suffi- ciently to recognize that the call comes from Christ. Selecting a man from a traditional (early twentieth-century) Missouri Synod call list with relatively little information could result, for example, in calling the individual whose moving costs are the least expensive or—to cite a more trivial case—avoiding someone with a non-Ger- man name. On the other hand, more information may encourage inordinate attention to peripheral matters, with less concern shown for more important issues such as the characteristics of the pastor 2004 Convention Workbook (e.g., his aptness to convey God’s Word in its purity and power to the congregation). Interviews have become increasingly common when congrega- tions call from the seminary and from the field. The advantages and perhaps especially the disadvantages of this practice need to be se- riously considered. To be sure, an interview may provide much helpful information to a congregation about an individual. At the same time, however, a two-hour interview may not be as accurate an assessment as the process undertaken over years by seminary faculties, District Presidents, and others. And in the case of semi- nary graduates, the interview process may even produce the unin- tended result of creating discouragement and disillusionment in those candidates who are not interviewed. What should one do upon receipt of a call? When a pastor re- ceives a call, he has an obligation to inform his congregation, the Circuit Counselor, and the District President of that fact and not keep it to himself. He also has an obligation to acknowledge re- ceipt of the call to the calling congregation. Upon informing his congregation, a man should not treat the call as a bargaining chip in order to obtain, for instance, a better financial package. Further- more, the congregation should be a part of the decision process and should be encouraged to pray for the pastor. When a man accepts a call to serve elsewhere he should seek a peaceful release from the congregation that he has been serving. The reason for such a prac- tice is that the Christian congregation is not an aggregate of indi- viduals, but is part of an organic union called the body of Christ. Christian congregations, therefore, are mutually responsible and accountable to one another. How long should one take to make a decision about a call? No biblical mandate can be given in this area. It would seem wise, however, for an individual to take enough time prayerfully and pa- tiently to think through the decision, but not so much time as to hinder the ministry of a congregation by undue delay. An unwritten rule of thumb has generally been that a period of three to four weeks is most appropriate. This seems reasonable and maintains the above two principles. Excessive delays in making a decision may be due more to an individual’s own indecisiveness than to an earnest effort to discern the Spirit’s guidance. Should a congregation call twice? That is to say, should a con- gregation call an individual once again immediately after he has declined the call? The danger exists that a congregation may think that by issuing a call a second or even a third time in succession to the same individual they are showing “how much the Spirit really wants” this individual, or conversely that the individual has sim- ply failed to listen to the Spirit. It is possible, one might suppose, that a misunderstanding between the two parties could result in the need for a second call. As general rule, however, the congregation should take the individual’s declination at face value and move for- ward with nominating and calling another individual. The call should not be treated as a contract negotiation or a bargaining ses- sion that takes place over a period of several calls (or offers). Such a way of proceeding only trivializes the divine character of the call. Ordination-Installation Ordination is the public recognition by the church that a partic- ular man is qualified, has been elected by a congregation, and is recognized by the wider church as the pastor of a congregation and as an occupant of the pastoral office. Ordination follows the church’s approval for service in the pastoral office through its structures for assessing aptitude, and acceptance of a first call to a specific field of service. The District President or his designated representative administers ordination with the assistance of other colleagues in the office. In this way the entire church affirms pub- licly that the man has been placed into the office of the ministry and assigned to the particular congregation.