LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 180

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180

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

4-04

To Increase Support for Seminaries
Whereas, The financial support given to our Synod’s two seminaries has continued to decline over the past years; and
Whereas, LCMS Constitution, Art. III 3 states that one of the
main objectives of our Synod is to “Recruit and train pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers and provide opportunity
for their continuing growth”; and
Whereas, The April 6, 2009 Reporter Online included an article
which stated that because of financial shortfall, some of our Synod’s
seminary professors are being encouraged to take an early retirement; and
Whereas, The article also stated, “The early retirement offer is the
first step in reducing personnel expenses, and other personnel reductions are likely”; and
Whereas, The seminaries are important for conserving and promoting the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6); therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2010 LCMS convention instruct the Board of
Directors of the LCMS, along with both seminary presidents and the
boards of regents of both seminaries, to develop a fiscally sound plan
for increased support for both seminaries; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board of Directors immediately implement
this plan for financial support.
Salem
Taylorsville, NC
4-05

To Support LCMS Seminarians and Seminaries
Whereas, The 2007 LCMS convention passed Res. 4-09A “To
Provide Financial Support and Adopt Funding Model for Seminaries,”
which resolved that a funding model be adopted including the provision: “The LCMS as a whole (individuals, congregations, circuits,
districts, corporate Synod, and agencies) assumes primary responsibility for gathering funds to support seminary students and assist
them in paying undiscounted tuition”; and
Whereas, Res. 4-09A also resolved that “the Synod as a whole
continue to support each seminary’s development efforts”; and
Whereas, Both LCMS seminaries have taken significant and
responsible steps to reduce staff and operating expenses in light of
the challenges presented by the recent economic downturn; and
Whereas, 74 percent (the average between the two seminaries)
of the pastoral ministry students who graduated from the two LCMS
seminaries in May 2009 did so with educational debt; and
Whereas, The average educational debt of those pastoral ministry students who graduated with educational debt was $39,689; and
Whereas, The average salary of seminary graduates placed in the
spring of 2009 was $38,008 (cash salary, not including other benefits); and
Whereas, Carrying large amounts of educational debt while
receiving a modest salary results in stress for the pastor, which negatively impacts his family, health, and service; therefore be it
Resolved, That individuals, groups, and congregations in the
LCMS be encouraged to increase their support of the two LCMS
seminaries with prayers, referrals of prospective students, and financial gifts; and be it further
Resolved, That corporate Synod continue to provide subsidy to
both LCMS seminaries through its annual budget; and be it further
Resolved, That LCMS seminaries continue their efforts directed
at reducing the discounting of tuition; and be it further

Resolved, That each congregation of the LCMS be urged to
include a line item in its operations budget to support the seminaries; and be it further
Resolved, That Concordia University System (CUS) schools
and the two seminaries require all students enrolled in church work
programs to receive instruction in biblical stewardship designed to
increase their ability to manage their personal finances wisely; and
be it finally
Resolved, That individuals, groups, congregations, circuits, districts, CUS schools, and seminaries in the LCMS be encouraged to
initiate or strengthen already-existing efforts to address seminary student/graduate educational debt through efforts designed to
• reduce the amount of educational debt students accrue prior to
seminary enrollment;
• reduce the amount of debt students accrue during seminary
enrollment; and,
• assist pastors in paying their educational debts following
seminary graduation.
Board for Pastoral Education
4-06

To Establish KFUO-FM Endowment Funds
for Seminary Tuition
Whereas, Holy Scripture mandates that all congregations should
be served by one of Christ’s undershepherds—a pastor (Titus 1:5);
and
Whereas, The Lutheran Confessions also describe the absolute
necessity of faithful and well-prepared pastors within every congregation (The Power and Primacy of the Pope, “The Power and
Jurisdiction of Bishops, ” pp. 60–61); and
Whereas, One of the “Objectives” of the LCMS is to “[r]ecruit
and train pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers
…”, (Constitution, Art. III 3); and
Whereas, The Synod in convention in 1995 (Res. 5-02A) voted to
set as a goal in the resolution’s final resolve “the ingathering of funds
sufficient to cover the cost of all tuition for every student enrolled
in the seminaries for the purpose of entering LCMS pastoral ministry”; and
Whereas, To date the LCMS has been unable to implement that
overture; and
Whereas, General ministry seminary students, due to the increasing costs associated with higher education and the decreased support
of the Synod to the seminaries, are incurring and graduating with educational debt loads often well beyond the means of a pastor’s average
salary to repay; and
Whereas, Such debt loads place an added burden upon the pastor and his family and thus also upon his ability to serve joyfully and
effectively in the parish; and
Whereas, General ministry seminary students incur the greatest
proportion of educational debt in preparation for entrance to the pastoral office; and
Whereas, President Gerald Kieschnick has frequently warned the
Synod that its future supply of pastors will be inadequate due to the
retirement of the “baby boomer” generation of LCMS pastors and the
need for pastors to serve new mission starts; and
Whereas, The sale of KFUO-FM has brought to the Synod unexpected income; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention establish two KFUO-FM
endowment funds for the support of tuition payments on behalf of
general ministry seminarians at our two seminaries by utilizing all

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 180

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