# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S174 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 174 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS training lay deacons as directed by the spirit of the 1989 Wichita Res. 3-05B”); and 2004 Res. 5-09 (“To Affirm District Programs that Equip Laity for Ministry”); and be it finally Resolved, That the church continue to ask the Lord of the har- vest to send out workers into His harvest field (Matt. 9:38) in ac- cordance with the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. Zion Ainsworth, NE 3-57 To Revisit 1989 Res. 3-05B WHEREAS, The situation in the United States today offers a plu- rality of cultures with which the opportunities for Word and Sacra- ment ministries continue to expand; and WHEREAS, 1989 Res. 3-05B established the category “Certified Church Workers, Lay” with the title deacon to provide Word and Sacrament ministry in “exceptional circumstances or in emergen- cies”; and WHEREAS, In the ensuing years since Wichita there has been misunderstanding, confusion, and misapplication of this resolution; and WHEREAS, It is the desire of the Texas District to ensure every opportunity for the expansion of Word and Sacrament ministries and the furtherance of the Gospel message; and WHEREAS, We have pledged faithful adherence to both the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions, e.g., AC XIV; there- fore be it Resolved, That the 2006 Texas District convention memorialize the 2007 LCMS convention to give further study to this matter, with a view to the establishment of a newly created office such as “ordained deacon”; and be it further Resolved, This newly created office be understood to fulfill the requirement of AC XIV, being vested with the full authority to preach, teach, and administer the Sacraments; and be it finally Resolved, that considerations be given to these guidelines for such an office: + The individual who serves as an “ordained deacon” has a call to this office to be limited in service to the parish into which the man is originally called and ordained. + Aman who is called and ordained to this office of “ordained dea- con” shall be assisted in his training by the pastors of the circuit in which he is located and he shall be under the supervision of the circuit counselor or another pastor designated by the district president. Texas District 3-58 To Rescind 2001 Res. 3-08B and Reinstate 1995 Res. 3-07A Whereas, Our Lord Jesus Christ has granted to His church the gift of the Office of the Holy Ministry (John 20:21-23, Eph. 4:11, Matt. 28:19-21); and WHEREAS, Christ has declared to those who have been placed into this office by Him, “He who hears you hears me” (Luke 10:16); and WuereaS, Our Lutheran Confessions make it clear that those who have been placed into this office stand in the stead and by the command of Christ so that it is Christ Himself who through the of- fice pronounces Absolution to His people, baptizes them, distrib- utes His body and blood to them in the Holy Supper and preaches to and teaches them through the voice of the called minister (SC V 27, AC V, XIV, XXV; Ap XIII 12; VII 28; XIV; XII 39-41; AC XXVIII 8-9; Ap XXVIII 19); therefore be it Resolved, That the MNN District convention submit as an over- ture to the 2007 Synod convention to reaffirm this doctrine of the Office of the Holy Ministry including that, according to ecclesias- tical order and its functions, “no one should publicly teach in the church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called” (AC XIV). In upholding this position, we guard against confusing the uniqueness of this office and its functions with the identity and responsibilities of the priesthood of all believers; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod through her district presidents, dis- trict vice-presidents, and circuit counselors assist the congregations of the Synod in upholding this doctrine of Christ; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod promote and instruct her congrega- tions, educational institutions and agencies in this essential confes- sional doctrine concerning the Office of the Holy Ministry; and be it finally Resolved, That the MNN District convention submit as an over- ture to the 2007 LCMS convention to rescind 2001 Res. 3-08B' and reinstate the 1995 Res. 3-07A, which required laymen who are licensed to perform functions of the public ministry to be trained and certified for admission into the Office of the Holy Ministry. ' Authorized the Synod’s districts to “continue training lay deacons as directed by the spirit of the 1989 Wichita Res. 3-O5B” and rescinded “1995 St. Louis convention Res. 3-07A (requiring such licensed lay- men to complete a seminary program for ordination).” Minnesota North District; Central Illinois District; Holy Cross, Albany, OR 3-59 To Urge Withdrawal of CTCR Report Christian Faith and Human Beginnings WHEREAS, Montana Lutherans for Life, in its report to the 2006 Montana District convention, has expressed serious concerms re- garding the CTCR report entitled Christian Faith and Human Be- ginnings (hereafter, “the report’); and WHEREAS, Questions regarding the status of newly conceived children often arise in discussions regarding embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning, in vitro fertilization, and other issues; and WHEREAS, It is important for Christians to view such matters in a way that is grounded in and consistent with God’s Word; and WHEREAS, The Bible speaks clearly to the status of human life from conception onward; and WHEREAS, The report (Christian Faith and Human Beginnings) was prepared in response to a request from the 1998 LCMS con- vention (Res. 3-15B) that the CTCR prepare “a study document to help the church, on the basis of the Word of God, make informed ethical judgments concerning cloning and attendant issues” (em- phasis added); and WHEREAS, The report includes a treatment of Bible passages re- lated to the status of unborn humans that is both very brief (e.g., the section entitled “The Relevance of Biblical Passages” is ap- proximately three pages long) and also notably lacking in depth (including very little discussion of the passages it does include), and WHEREAS, The report unnecessarily speaks dismissively and disrespectfully of approaches that have relied on the use of clear biblical passages regarding the status of unborn human life by say- ing that the alternative approach taken in this report (Christian Faith and Human Beginnings) enables us to “expand beyond those somewhat ‘set piece’ and ‘sterile debates’ regarding an individual’s ‘right to life’” (p. 36); and WHEREAS, The report draws an unbiblical distinction when it says that Bible passages about human life in the womb (including Luke 1:41) “do not seem immediately applicable to...questions con- cerning human embryos not yet in the womb” (p. 32), thereby im- plying that the status of a child before God is dependent upon its lo- cation (in the womb versus out of the womb); and WHEREAS, The report relies to a great extent on a “burden of proof” argument that is not shown to be derived from God’s Word and, therefore, does not have the same authority for Christians as the Word of God; and