LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 191

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Seminary and University Education
Whereas, Crown of Life Lutheran Church is one such small
congregation that cannot afford to pay for a full-time pastor and
consequently has been blessed with the service of two Spirit-gifted,
licensed deacons (one from 1997–2001 and the other from 2001 to
the present) to provide Word and Sacrament; and
Whereas, Because Crown of Life Lutheran Church is a small congregation located in a rural area dominated by Mormonism, we feel
it is critical for the people we reach with Word and Sacrament that
the congregation remain in existence; and
Whereas, Crown of Life Lutheran Church strongly believes there
is a continuing need for the district-licensed deacon program, not only
here but throughout rural areas in the US; and
Whereas, The LCMS has been greatly blessed for more than 20
years in numerous locations by the Spirit-gifted service of licensed
deacons who have touched the lives of thousands of people with
God’s Word and Sacraments; and
Whereas, Because the Synod’s Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP)
program was implemented with a greatly increased number of
courses and costs compared to the Northwest District program, it
will clearly not meet the needs of all ministry areas such as Crown
of Life Lutheran Church, based on the experiences of our currently
serving licensed deacon—which in effect would mean that our people would be denied Christian Word and Sacraments; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS affirm and encourage districts, circuits,
and congregations to continue the use of trained, examined, called,
and supervised licensed deacons in ministry settings that cannot be
served by ordained clergy; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS respectfully decline attempts to restrict
or cancel district-authorized ministries served by licensed deacons
and supervised by ordained pastors; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS respectfully decline attempts to require
licensed deacons to enter the SMP program when this would restrict,
hinder, or stop ongoing Word and Sacrament ministry in our local
congregations and mission areas; and be it finally
Resolved, That delegates to the 2010 LCMS convention rise to
thank the Lord of the harvest for the many gifts and blessings He has
bestowed on our congregations and local ministries through the dedicated and faithful service of licensed deacons.
Crown of Life
Rigby, ID
5-08

To Encourage and Affirm Ministry of Licensed
Deacons
Whereas, The need for proclaiming the Gospel is so urgent and
vital to the salvation of men and women’s souls that without such a
proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments
in a congregation’s midst, the church ceases to exist and people are
eternally lost; and
Whereas, The 1989 LCMS convention authorized district presidents to license certain laymen to perform functions belonging to the
pastoral office—preaching, leading in public worship, and administering the Sacraments—under supervision of an ordained minister and
in exceptional circumstances where no local pastor is available; and
Whereas, Currently 19 of our 35 districts make use of supervised
licensed deacons to reach hundreds of people in small congregations
and preaching stations that would be unable to support a pastor; and
Whereas, Martin Luther also advocated in his treatise (“That a
Christian Assembly or Congregation Has the Right and Power to
Judge All Teaching and to Call, Appoint, and Dismiss Teachers,
Established and Proven by Scripture”) that “where a congregation
is without anyone to proclaim the gospel, that it is the duty of every
believer to at once begin such a proclamation”; that “need knows no

191

law”; and that “Indeed, a Christian has so much power that he may
and even should make an appearance and teach among Christians—
without a call from men—when he becomes aware that there is a lack
of teachers, provided he does it in a decent and becoming manner,”
as clearly described by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 14; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod encourage and affirm the ministry of
licensed deacons and allow it to continue; and be it further
Resolved, That we rejoice and give thanks to God for the proclamation of Christ that is being faithfully carried out by licensed
deacons for the sake of Christ’s Church and as a witness for those
who do not yet believe.
Faith, Monmouth, OR;
St. John, Salem, OR
5-09

To Affirm, Encourage, and Expand Supervised
Licensed Deacons Ministry
Whereas, God has called us (1 Cor. 1:9; 7:15; 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim.
1:8–9; 1 Pet. 2:9; 2:21; 5:10); and
Whereas, God sends called Christians to proclaim the Gospel
(Matt. 28:19–20; Mark 16:15–16; Luke 24:46–47; John 20:19–23;
Acts 1:8); and
Whereas, God has established the Office of the Ministry to
strengthen and equip His people for the work of ministry (John 20:19–
23; Eph. 4:11–13); and
Whereas, God also calls lay people to serve with pastors in performing works of ministry (Acts 6:1–6; Rom. 8:28; Eph. 4:11–12; 2
Tim. 2:1–2; 1 Pet. 2:9); and
Whereas, The 1989 LCMS convention empowered the congregations of the LCMS to expand their ministry through the training and
use of lay ministers/licensed deacons; and
Whereas, The ministry of licensed deacons has assisted greatly
in maintaining and expanding Word and Sacrament ministry in many
remote or transportation-isolated areas that cannot be served by a fulltime pastor (the congregations are too small to afford a pastor), has
assisted with new mission plants not served by ordained pastors, and
has assisted pastors in large and growing congregations; and
Whereas, Those serving as licensed deacons have grown in their
faith, and many of these men have entered the seminary to pursue
pastoral ministry; and
Whereas, Licensed deacons do not appoint themselves to administer Word and Sacrament but instead are called to service by their
congregations through action of voters’ assemblies, following the
example of Acts 6:1–6 and satisfying Augsburg Confession XIV
concerns that those who administer the Sacraments and proclaim the
Word are “rightly called”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS affirm and encourage districts, circuits,
and congregations to support ministries and mission work served by
supervised licensed deacons; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS reject attempts to restrict or cancel
district-authorized ministries served by licensed deacons who are
supervised by ordained pastors; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS reject attempts to force licensed deacons to enter the Special Ministry Pastor (SMP) program when this
would restrict, hinder, or stop ongoing Word and Sacrament ministry
in local congregations and mission areas; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS again affirm the actions of the 1989
and 2001 conventions that reaffirmed the ministry of licensed deacons; and be it finally
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