# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2013_S416 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 416 Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Task Force ...As Offered By Faculty and Staff of Seminaries • • • • • • A need for faculty members specializing in distance learning was identified that would supplement the seminary faculty for this type of teaching. Distance education costs more than residential if it is done well, and, if the seminaries are going to do this, then they need to do it well. It was suggested that focus should be placed on well-defined paths to ministry and making sure to properly weed out students who should not be in the program. Work with faculty members so that they continue to get better at distance teaching. Train faculty in online pedagogy and recognize the discipline needed to be successful with online classes. Make learning more interactive, i.e. study and then come back and discuss. Raise the profile and commitment of SMP among the faculty. Give a clear path for SMP students to achieve their M.Div. and go on to general ministry. There should be a way for SMP students to receive credit toward a M.Div. degree. It was acknowledged that many of these suggested improvements for the SMP program will also improve residential teaching. Legitimate uses of a SMP pastor were identified by some professors as being ethnic outreach and providing pastors to areas that cannot afford a full-time pastor. There needs to be a way to make SMP truly specific. This could be done through bylaw changes through a floor committee. The fact that SMP students are being looked down upon by brother pastors in the church as not being good pastors needs to be addressed so that all are walking together as brothers in Christ. The issue of two classes of pastors is problematic. ... As Offered by District Presidents • • • • Provide safeguards to the SMP program so that it is not simply an easy route into the pastoral ministry.Make sure that SMP students are well equipped and well educated to deal with the multi-faceted ministries that are part of being a pastor in a congregation today. Provide some level of training to SMP students for use of the original languages in Bible study and preaching. Put more emphasis on the mission field contexts in which these men serve. The program recognizes the mission field reality of our world and attempts to address it. Because of the pervasiveness and complexities of today’s mission challenges, we need to be even more deliberate in forming the missionary heart and mind. Support the seminaries in their attempts to develop a program that is non-residential and that draws from the great strengths of this Synod’s theological education experiences. In addition, find ways to address those who pit those going through the M. Div. route against those going through the SMP route to pastoral ministry. ...as Offered by Mentors • • Provide better identification and coordination of responsibilities between the SMP mentor, district, and the seminary. Provide positive endorsement of the SMP program by LCMS leaders and pastors. ... as Offered by SMP Students • • • The concept of “specific” in the program has been somewhat of a misnomer thus far. So far, students have all pretty much been in the exact same course of study with no real differences allowing for “specific” ministry. As students continue in the program, the ministry in which a student is called may morph and change. Allowance should be made for a student to change his “specific” ministry if the situation dictates such a change. There needs to be an answer to whether or not this “specific” ministry affects how or where an SMP pastor can serve in the future. If the educational path of all the students is essentially identical, is it necessary 2013 Convention Workbook • • for a “specific” ministry to be identified? Would a common track be just as beneficial? If so, would a name change be advisable? Those having gone through several ongoing educational opportunities and starting and/or completing a couple of advanced degrees have found this program to be well thought out with a nice beginning design. Students understand the growing pains and are pleased with both the ability of the seminary to adapt and to deal with those growing pains. The program needs to continue to adapt as it goes forward. Have a break during the summer to allow time to rest, relax, and refuel. ... as Summarized by the Task Force In order to do distance education well, supplementing seminary faculties with faculty members who specialize in distance learning while also working with involved current faculty members to improve distance teaching skills will be helpful. It will also be helpful to raise the profile of and the level of commitment to the SMP program by the entire faculty, since improvements to the SMP program will also improve residential program teaching. Work also needs to be done to provide a clear path for SMP students to achieve M.Div. degrees. Work needs to be done to make the SMP program truly specific in its nature and content, with particular attention given to ethnic outreach and hard-to-serve ministries. Attention should also be given to address what currently results in two classes of pastors on the roster of the Synod. Better communication with district presidents and greater accountability of mentors for providing assistance and oversight will be helpful in the proper preparation of students. Improved guidelines for the application and acceptance process will also be helpful, not only creating more uniformity across the Synod but also helping to avoid abuse of the program by those who would otherwise attend the seminary residential program. Continued care should be taken to make certain that SMP students are firmly grounded in confessional Lutheranism, willing and able to defend the faith, and properly educated to carry out the work of the pastoral ministry. Some level of original biblical language training should be added to the existing SMP program. Attention will also need to be given to developing guidelines to regulate the calling and lateral movement of SMP pastors. Given the workload being borne by SMP students, working in opportunities for a break from studies would be helpful to the program. VI. Recommendations As tasked by the President of the Synod, the task force herewith offers a list of recommendations to make the existing program better. 1. Retain the SMP Program Special circumstances (e.g. small parishes which cannot afford a pastor) exist. Flexibility is vital as the church fulfills her vocational calling to preach the Gospel to everyone everywhere. While the church cannot maintain her theological integrity, fidelity, and courage in these bewitching times unless she has an overall well-trained and doctrinally steeped ministerium, special circumstances warrant less-trained pastors so the means of grace can be delivered by a called and ordained pastor. Therefore the task force recommends the retention of the SMP program for special circumstances. 2. Narrow the Specificity of the SMP Program According to Res. 5-01B of the 2007 convention, the SMP program is to address the needs of congregations and/or mission settings which cannot support a full-time pastor or missionary. Additionally, other categories included “church planter, staff pastor, and others as needs arise.”