LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 4

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4

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
The Concordia University System

Following the 2013 Convention, we appointed a task force to look
at issues of mission and Lutheran identity at our universities. We’ll be
sorting through the task force recommendations, but let me publicly
acknowledge the presidents of the CUS schools. I’ve enjoyed getting
to know them. Collectively they worked with Dr. Dean Wenthe and
Dr. Gerhard Mundinger on ways to strengthen their work, mission,
and connection to the church. Pat Ferry and Concordia University
Wisconsin stepped in and have completely turned around Concordia
University, Ann Arbor. What blessings! The whole church rejoices!
Wittenberg
Our Welcome Center in Wittenberg’s Old Latin School is now
functioning. We have only $250,000 left to reach the funding goal,
and it will be completely paid for. With guest room rentals, the facility is actually already self-sustaining. The seminaries and Concordia
universities are beginning to schedule events. The international seminary meeting of all our partners will occur at the building this fall.
The International Lutheran Council (ILC) is in the process of developing a strategic plan to increase its capacity to serve our partners
worldwide and to reach more and more Lutheran churches to assist
with education for outreach. We hope to have an ILC office or headquarters associated with our building in Wittenberg. Thank you for
the support! Praise God!
International Missionaries Doubled
Last convention we resolved to double the number of career missionaries. We had hoped to reach that goal already last fall, but some
unexpected attrition and other factors prevented it. We have a large
class of new missionaries preparing for launch in the next few months,
so we trust we can reach the goal. Thanks so much for the tremendous
support for these men and women and their families. For more on this,
see the extensive report of the Office of International Mission below.

since 1989, when the Wichita Convention allowed for LLDs. The
direction of the Wichita resolution was to grant district presidents the
ability to license laymen to preach and administer the Sacrament in
select, difficult, ethnic, or remote situations, where ministries would
otherwise not be able to exist. Many were convinced (and I one of
them) that the way the Synod resolved to address these challenging
circumstances contradicted the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions.
“How can they preach unless they are sent?” (Rom. 10:15). Also AC
XIV, “No one should preach or teach without a regular call.” A “regular call” as the CTCR and the report note, includes an examination
of the candidate (is he apt to teach?), the call of the congregation, and
ordination as confirmation of the call and recognition by the broader
church that this man is a pastor.
There have been abuses of Wichita that continue and have gone
far beyond what was intended. We have men preaching and administering the Sacraments within congregations where there is an
ordained man and thus no emergency at all. We have men who were
formerly on the roster as pastors who were removed for cause and
who have been appointed LLDs. I recently spoke to a district president who inherited five LLDs, several of whom had been removed
for Sixth Commandment issues. Granted, some of these are unusual
cases, but they do demonstrate that our current system is in need of
improvement.
There are truly a number of cases where small and mostly rural
or inner-city churches would not be able to exist without LLDs.
The LLDs I’ve met are, as a group, marvelous Christians. The task
force proposals provide a way for us to resolve a difficult issue and
serve the genuine need, while holding to the Bible and our Lutheran
Confessions.
Note Bene!
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Follow the Money
Six years ago, the LCMS headquarters had borrowed as much as
$15 million from funds designated for other purposes. That was paid
back as of about a year ago. Our revenues have been under budget,
but we have at the same time not overspent our revenues. If we don’t
have the funds, we don’t spend the dollars. This is a challenge, particularly when the stock market and economy are underperforming.
It can also be frustrating at times, just when so many mission opportunities are burgeoning. But alas, good nonprofit practice is the right
way to go. And the Lord always, always blesses.
Convention Challenges
Licensed Lay Deacons
Please carefully read the Task Force Report on licensed lay
deacons below! I have found that when people have not read the
report, they often have inaccurate ideas or information about what
the task force is proposing. The task force has done thorough work.
They have visited the districts most invested in licensed lay deacons
(LLDs). They have met with the Council of Presidents numerous
times. It is the most thorough task force work I have seen done in the
LCMS. The proposal is to offer SMP colloquy to LLDs currently serving as pastors. This will involve regional colloquy committees who
will meet with each LLD and provide the appropriate route toward
ordination. This may involve some study at the LLD institute a district uses or short-term courses at one of the seminaries. There will
be passion about this on the convention floor. We must be patient
with one another.
The 2013 Convention gave the President the authority to appoint
a task force to work toward a resolution of the contention we’ve had
2016 Convention Workbook

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Both seminary faculties have passed resolutions in support of the task
force recommendations.
The CTCR unanimously resolved to support the task force
recommendations.
This proposal would affect about 225 men who are currently serving
as pastors. It would not affect those LLDs (including women) who are
not carrying out pastoral functions.
No one is calling into question the efficacy of the work of preaching
and administering the Sacraments of the men who have served since
Wichita in 1989. In fact, we thank God for their service.
This does not shut down LLD training efforts. We need laypeople (men
and women) trained to assist with appropriate work of all kinds in the
church.
There is concern that ending the LLDs’ functioning as pastors will
mean that a district president’s hands will be tied regarding truly difficult situations. I have recommended that the COP form a committee
that would take to the full council for approval recommendations for
cases that are truly exceptional. This would also prevent abuses.

Again, please read the Task Force Report! A convention resolution based upon the report will be forthcoming.
Why Pastor Esget?
Unfortunately, last year, Dr. Kuhn needed to resign his position,
due to health reasons, as East-Southeast Region Vice-President on the
Synod’s Praesidium. In keeping with the Bylaws, congregations of the
East-Southeast Region nominated five men for this position in 2013.
Dr. Kuhn was, of course, among those five. Pastor Esget will certainly
be among the top five nominees for 2016. In the Synod’s Constitution
and Bylaws, the vice-presidents are to assist the President of the
Synod in his duties as needed. The Bylaws do not emphasize the
representative nature of vice-presidents relative to their region. The
district presidents of a region are representative, though their primary
function is to serve as an extension of the office of Synod President