LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 278

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278

IX. REPORT OF THE RES. 5-14A TASK FORCE

Mobility: may accept a call to any field of service for which the calling entity deems the man qualified
Supervision: under the general supervision of the district president
with the assistance of the circuit visitors
Limitations: none beyond the general requirements for all pastors
(conditions of membership) in the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws

Colloquy
Colloquy receives men from other church bodies, most of whom
already possess a master of divinity, who wish to become part of the
LCMS. Depending on the circumstance, some further education in
specifically Lutheran theology may be required. The Bylaws of the
Synod have also provided that licensed deacons of the LCMS with
at least 10 years experience may also apply, though often significant
further education is required. Certification for all colloquy applicants
is by the Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral Ministry.
Mobility: may accept a call to any field of service for which the calling entity deems the man qualified
Supervision: under the general supervision of the district president
with the assistance of the circuit visitors
Limitations: none beyond the general requirements for all pastors
(conditions of membership) in the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws

Though levels of education vary somewhat, all the men certified
through each of the above programs are prepared to accept a call
to any field of service for which the calling entity deems the man
qualified.
Category Two: Pastors Prepared for Service in Particular
Ministry Contexts
Over the years, the Synod has also developed several certificate
programs that prepare men for service as a pastor in particular ministry contexts. These programs offer a theological diploma certifying
the man for the ministry of Word and Sacrament. While the Bylaws
of the Synod place no restriction on where they may serve, these men
are most often prepared for a particular context of ministry. They are
pastors just the same as those in the previous category, but they have
specialized training, generally for ethnic and cross-cultural ministries. There is also, of necessity, a greater use of distance learning
and pastoral formation in context with these routes to ministry, compared to Category One.
Cross-Cultural Ministry Center
Under the aegis of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, men may study
at Concordia University, Irvine, to receive an MA degree and a theological diploma. The vicarage is usually concurrent, and the purpose
of the program is to prepare men for specialized cross-cultural ministry and church planting. Certification is by the St. Louis seminary
faculty.
Mobility: may accept a call to any field of service for which the calling entity deems the man qualified
Supervision: under the general supervision of the district president
with the assistance of the circuit visitors
Limitations: none beyond the general requirements for all pastors
(conditions of membership) in the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws

Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology, Center for Hispanic
Studies, and Deaf Institute of Theology
These are all specialized programs with similar levels of education and formation. Men study by means of a combination of distance
learning and on-campus intensives. Each student works with a mentor/supervisor as long as he is in the program. Certification is by the
respective seminary faculty.
2016 Convention Workbook

Mobility: They may accept a call to any field of service but men
with this training are normally limited by language or ethnicity to such
special ministries.
Supervision: As all pastors, these men are under the general supervision of the district president with the assistance of the circuit visitors. In
addition, such men are supervised by a mentor/supervising pastor while
in the training program. After graduation, some level of ongoing specific
supervision generally remains, whether by a district mission board or
mission executive or by a senior pastor (who must be a general pastor)
in a multi-staff situation.
Limitations: Technically, there are no limitations beyond the general
requirements for all pastors (conditions of membership) in the Synod’s
Constitution and Bylaws.

Degree or Certificate
What does this mean? All graduates of all the programs listed
above receive a certificate or theological diploma certifying them for
the ministry of Word and Sacrament. MDiv graduates also receive a
professionally recognized academic degree, the master of divinity.
Cross-Cultural Ministry Center graduates and some qualifying graduates of the Center for Hispanic Studies receive the MA degree. All the
routes to ministry in Categories One and Two prepare general pastors
of the Synod (see Bylaw 2.13.1) though men prepared for particular
ethnic contexts usually remain in that context.
Category Three: Specific Ministry Pastors
Seminary Programs for Specific Ministry Pastors
The SMP program at both seminaries, approved by the Synod in
2007, prepares men in context for specific ministries as determined
by congregations and districts. This is a special distance-learning
program with unique limitations. Certification is by the respective
seminary faculty.
Mobility: Specific ministry pastors are eligible to serve only in that
specific ministry context for which he has been trained and may not be
offered or accept a call for ministry for which he has not been certified
as determined by the district president.
Supervision: He shall serve under the supervision of his district
president and another pastor who is not a specific ministry pastor. Such
individualized supervision will continue until a specific ministry pastor
completes a program for alternate route or master of divinity certification as a general pastor.
Limitations: Because he is under supervision of another pastor and
because a specific ministry pastor’s theological education has been
formed in part by and for a specific ministry context, he may not be
placed or called into ecclesiastical roles that exercise pastoral oversight
outside the context of his call. He is not eligible to serve as a voting
delegate to a national convention of the Synod. He may not hold elected
or appointed office on the district or national Synod level. He may not
supervise vicars or serve as a circuit visitor.
Bilingual Pastoral Formation for Latinos: This nascent program at
Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, is a special track for men
who speak both Spanish and English within the SMP program at that
seminary.

Colloquy to the Specific Ministry Pastor Roster
Should the Synod adopt in 2016 the basic recommendations of
the 4-06A Task Force, the specific ministry pastor roster will also
include a cadre of pastors certified for call and placement through
a special regional colloquy program. The purpose of this effort will
be to certify, call, and ordain as pastors licensed lay deacons presently functioning as de facto pastors. The Synod will need to decide
whether to continue this program in some form for the future.