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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 360

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

360

SEMINARIES

Resolved, That pastors and congregations encourage male youth
and men to consider studying for the Office of the Holy Ministry;
And be it further
Resolved, That congregations and individuals consider providing
financial support to reduce the burden of costs to attend a seminary
(e.g., a budget line item or special offerings); And be it further
Resolved, That the Mid-South District and the Synod shall set as
a high priority the preparation and financial support of men for the
Office of the Holy Ministry; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Mid-South District convention, memorialize the Synod with this resolution as an overture to the 2016 Synod
convention.
Mid-South District
6-11

To Continue and Strengthen Specific Ministry
Pastor Program and All Programs
Leading to Ordination and Admission to Roster
Whereas, The 2013 LCMS convention adopted by a vote of
803−151 a resolution entitled “To Continue and Strengthen the
Specific Ministry Pastor Program”; and
Whereas, The Atlantic District has continued to be blessed by
the addition of specific ministry pastor (SMP) ordained pastors and
vicars in the years since 2013; and
Whereas, The Atlantic District ministerium (ordained pastors
roster) has also been blessed by the addition of pastors graduating
from the residential programs of our seminaries; and
Whereas, The EIIT, alternate route, and colloquy programs of
the LCMS have been an abundant blessing to the Atlantic District
through additions to our pastoral roster; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Atlantic District in convention affirm its support of the SMP program; and be it further
Resolved, That men in appropriate circumstances continue to be
encouraged to enter the SMP program; and be it further
Resolved, That the Atlantic District memorialize the LCMS in convention to retain the SMP program; and be it further
Resolved, That in order to maximize and strengthen the gifts of
those SMP pastors in ordained ministry, the LCMS develop accessible ways for SMP pastors to enter the “general pastor” roster; and
be it finally
Resolved, That recruitment efforts for men to enter the Holy
Ministry through residential, specific ministry, and other programs
be redoubled in the Atlantic District for the sake of the ministry of
the Gospel among us.
Atlantic District
6-12

To Revise the Specific Ministry Pastor Program
Whereas, The Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program is a distance-based, specialized program of theological education at both
seminaries in which students are ordained after the first two years of
the program and then are required to take two more years of instruction; and
Whereas, The warning is given in Scripture not to be hasty in
the laying on of hands for the pastoral ministry (1 Tim. 5:22); and
Whereas, The Rev. C. F. W. Walther writes in his Pastoral
Theology:
2016 Convention Workbook

To the question: “Can those who, in the examination, are found not to
be equipped with the knowledge of the articles of faith and of the holy
Scripture which is necessary and sufficient for the holy office, nevertheless be ordained and admitted to the holy office, but with the condition
that they make the sacred promise to be diligent and careful in learning?” the same [Brochmand] answers: “Not at all. For first, Paul does
not permit someone to be entrusted with the holy office who is not qualified to teach and powerful to stop the mouths of those who contradict
the truth (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:9). Second, the Spirit of God explicitly
reminds that one who could lay hands on an insufficiently qualified person would be making himself a participant in the sins of another (1 Tim.
5:22). Third, experience testifies only too abundantly that those who are
admitted to the holy office without education remain in their uneducated
condition even if they have promised diligence in learning. Fourth, how
could we answer God if many of the listeners would be lost before the
pastor learned what he should impress upon others (Ezek. 33:1ff.)” (System. univers. th., Loc. 30, c. 3, Tom. II, fol. 372, 375). (Walther, Pastoral
Theology, Drickamer translation, pp. 46–47);

therefore be it
Resolved, That the Mid-South District memorialize the 2016
Synod convention to revise the Specific Ministry Pastor program
by requiring all courses and instruction to be completed prior to
ordination.
Mid-South District
6-13

To Affirm Support for Specific Ministry
Pastor Program
Whereas, Synod Bylaw 2.13.1 defines the “specific ministry pastor” as adopted by the Synod and seminaries; and
Whereas, The Synod and seminaries have seen great benefit from
the Specific Ministry Pastor program since its inception; and
Whereas, The need continues to increase for pastoral candidates
to be trained and utilized in specific ministry settings; and
Whereas, The specific ministry pastor training program serves
as a great model to refine and expand online and distance training
to prepare a wider range of pastoral candidates for service in God’s
church; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District acting in convention affirm our support of the Specific Ministry Pastor program; and
be it further
Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District acting in convention
memorialize the 2016 LCMS convention and encourage the Synod
and our seminaries to further develop this training method for the sake
of our clergy and the benefit of God’s church.
Pacific Southwest District
6-14

To Encourage Use of Existing Training Programs
for Pastoral Ministry in Immigrant
and Challenging Ministry Settings
Whereas, Throughout its history, The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod has established various training and degree programs
to prepare pastors for service in new ministry settings. Often this has
been in response to outreach opportunities as well as to provide pastors in small economically distressed congregations, small isolated
congregations, and congregations that present unique demographic
challenges. Among these routes have been numerous district training
programs for lay deacons, Distance Education Leading to Ordination