LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 255

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VII. 2013 RES. 4-06A TASK FORCE REPORT TO THE SYNOD
62. While allowing licensed lay deacons to preach and to preside for the
Lord’s Supper, 1989 Res. 3-05B also stated: “The administration of the Office of the Keys by means of the personal pronouncement of the absolution
as it pertains to church discipline, and possible excommunication, ought not
be carried out by those who do not hold the office of public ministry, since
this can always be provided for on behalf of the congregation by those who
hold the office of public ministry” (1989 Convention Proceedings, 113).
63. LCMS Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral Ministry, Policy Manual, 4f.
64. This does not directly address the question of the status of current
LLDs who serve occasionally as preachers or in administering the Sacraments. Such individuals who wish to serve in the preaching office are urged
to consider seminary or, where appropriate, an application to SMP or EIIT.
65. If additional Colloquy Committees are established, then each new
committee would be established by this same formula.
66. Exceptions to the attendance requirement may be made at the discretion of the chairman of the Colloquy Committee.
67. Any age restriction is somewhat arbitrary. Age 55 was chosen here
with the idea that, if the time required to finish an SMP colloquy is one to
two years, the man might expect to have approximately 10 to 12 years of
service. Exceptions regarding age will be approved at the sole discretion of
the Colloquy Committee at the recommendation of the sponsoring district
president.
68. Such questions might involve such circumstances as an immigrant
group that has already gathered, has “a preacher,” and wishes to be a ministry of the LCMS or an isolated community that continues to go unserved
by a rostered pastor despite the best efforts of the congregation, district,
and Synod.
69. Any exception to the funding model would be at the discretion of
the Synod’s Pastoral Education Department. Synod financial resources adequate to provide such assistance are available.
70. Such assistance from Synod’s Pastoral Education Department would
not generally exceed 50 percent of the need.
71. Luther, “Sermon on John 3” (AE 22:338). Luther is never reckless
with this dictum, however. Rather, he protested vigorously against those
who accused him of abolishing the ministry or confusing it with the priesthood of believers. “You also lie that I have made all laymen bishops, priests,
and spiritual in such a way that they may exercise the office without a call.
But, as godly as you are, you conceal the fact that I added that no one should
undertake this office without a call unless it be an extreme emergency”
(“Answer to the Hyperchristian, Hyperspiritual, and Hyperlearned Book by
Goat Emser in Leipzig—Including Some Thoughts Concerning His Companion, the Fool Murner,” AE 32:174).
72. See 1989 Res. 3-10 and also CTCR Review of 2005 Task Force
Guidelines for the Service of Women in Congregational Offices (2014), at
http://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=3286.
73. 2004 Convention Proceedings, 143. It should be noted, however, that
the Synod did not truly follow through on the last resolved of the resolution in question: “Resolved, That for the sake of good order, the Council of
Presidents of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and the new Board
for Pastoral Education with the guidance of the seminary faculties develop
a standardized core curriculum for District lay-training programs and coordinate a national listing of participants.”

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74. 2013 Convention Proceedings, Res. 1-09A, 103
75. 2013 Convention Proceedings, Res. 1-05A, 101.
76. The Synod’s Witness and Outreach Ministry has developed “A
Simple Way,” a tool for training laity in sharing their faith. It would be
an effective centerpiece for training in evangelism or witnessing in District
programs or lay-training schools.
77. In this report, we are using the term evangelize and its cognates for
every form of sharing the faith with others. The terms are not used in contradistinction from words such as witness or outreach.
78. It should be noted that the Synod does have a recognized auxiliary
office, Director of Christian Outreach (DCO), that might be understood as
akin to an office of evangelist. Moreover, the task force recognizes that it
may, at some point, be advisable to establish a rostered Synod office of
“evangelist” de jure humano. That would, of course, involve careful consideration of both theological and practical matters, such as the current DCO
program. It should not, however, impact the vital work of witnessing or
evangelism within one’s everyday vocations.
79. The survey was conducted between June 4 and September 30, 2014.
It is available online in an interactive version: Pew Research Center: Religion and Public Life, America’s Changing Religious Landscape: Christians
Decline Sharply as Share of Population; Unaffiliated and Other Faiths Continue to Grow (May 12, 2015), http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/
americas-changing-religious-landscape/. For the printable PDF version, see http://www.pewforum.org/files/2015/05/RLS-05-08-full
-report.pdf.
80. The inclusion by Pew Research of groups that have split off from
classical Christian teaching and openly deny trinitarian dogma, such as
Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, reflects the approach of the Pew Study
and not the task force understanding of Christianity.
81. Tom Lyon, “The Office of Evangelist in the New Testament,” WRS
Journal, vol. 2 (August 1995), 18–20.
82. C. F. W. Walther, “Holy Desire and Duty of All Christians to Lead
Souls to Christ.” Published in Walther’s sermon collection Gnadenjahr. Predigten über die Evangelien des Kirchenjahrs (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1891). Translated by Bruce Cameron for Missio Apostolica,
May 1998 (vol 6, no. 1), 10.
83. Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church, (Grand Rapids,
MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2003), 380–81.
84. Ibid.
85. Of course, the word preach can be used in different ways. Anyone
speaking the Gospel to others may be said to be preaching in a sense for that
person is proclaiming Christ, and preaching and proclaiming may be used
synonymously. However, the word preach in common usage refers not to
individuals sharing the faith individually or even in a small-group discussion or study session, but to the proclamation that takes place in a gathering
of the church for worship. In common usage then, the evangelistic work the
task force is envisioning is not preaching but is a form of sharing the Gospel
for both clergy and laity, male and female, young and old.
86. Depending on the needs of candidates, as determined by the colloquy interview process, a fuller program of ongoing distance education
courses may be designed by the seminaries for LLD candidates. Assistance
for the costs for such a study would also be available as needed.

2016 Convention Workbook