LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 158

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

6. PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES
church in terms of filling upcoming vacancies for ordained
and commissioned ministers of religion; and
WHEREAS, The Office of Pastoral Education, under the
Chief Mission Officer (CMO), in collaboration with
participants of a special Pastoral Formation Summit (Sept.
11–12, 2018; Presidents Harrison, Rast, Meyer, Wenthe,
Ferry, Gard, Friedrich; CMO Robson, Director of Pastoral
Education Baneck, Senior Assistant to the President Vieker)
agreed to move forward with a comprehensive church
worker formation initiative, forming church workers from
infant Baptism to grave; and
WHEREAS, The CMO and the Office of Pastoral Education
have begun a comprehensive church worker recruitment
multi-year initiative, soliciting collaboration and
cooperation of the participants of the Pastoral Formation
Summit (above), the Synod’s seminaries, the Concordia
University System Board of Directors, Concordia
Universities, district presidents, outside marketing experts,
LCMS Mission Advancement, and LCMS Communications;
and
WHEREAS, $125,000 from the Schwan Foundation and
$125,000 from LCMS Board of Directors designated funds
have been provided as “catalyst” money to launch this
initiative; therefore be it
Resolved, That all constituents of the LCMS be
encouraged to commend, financially support, and directly
participate in this comprehensive, multi-year church
worker recruitment initiative with (but not limited to) the
following objectives:
• identifying, catechizing, encouraging, and
supporting young boys and girls for church worker
vocations;
• instilling church worker vocations as sacred and
joyful, a “calling from God,” vocations of integrity
and fulfillment, grounded in Christ and baptismal
salvation;
• developing the “whole person” throughout this
formation process: spiritually, in character,
confessionally,
physically,
emotionally,
synodically, and intellectually;
• supporting, encouraging, and caring for existing
church workers for the welfare of the workers, for
the proclamation and witness of the Gospel, and
for workers to be healthy advocates of nextgeneration church workers.
Action: Adopted (2)
An amendment was moved and seconded, to add two new
resolves: “Resolved, that the district offices of the Synod work
together to compile a database of best practices from
congregations and other ministries that have successfully guided
people of all ages to heed the Holy Spirit’s call to enter into
professional church work; and be it finally” and “Resolved, that
this database be made available on the Synod website no later
158 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION

than the LCMS national convention in 2022.” After debate, it
was moved, seconded, and carried unanimously to close debate,
and the amendment failed [Yes: 213; No: 685]. A motion to close
debate on the main motion prevailed [Yes: 651; No: 265] and the
main motion was adopted as presented [Yes: 868; No: 56].
Chairman Hill led the convention in prayer “that the Lord of the
harvest send workers into his harvest.”

To Promote Residential Seminary
Education as the Preferred Option for the
Preparation of Men for Pastoral Ministry
RESOLUTION 6-02
Report R66 (CW, 375–84)

WHEREAS, Jesus said “The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the
harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matt. 9:37–
38); and
WHEREAS, Jesus set an example of the importance of a
robust theological education by teaching his disciples for
nearly three uninterrupted years during which time he
warned them to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees”
(Matt. 16:6), along with many other admonitions to watch,
pray, guard, and then to baptize and teach all nations “to
observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20); and
WHEREAS, After his conversion on the road to Damascus,
Paul went away into Arabia to learn the Scriptures anew in
light of the death and resurrection of Jesus and after three
years went up to Jerusalem to present himself to Peter and
to the other Apostles to be recognized as one called by God
to preach and teach (Acts 9; Gal. 1:17–18); and
WHEREAS, “Handling the Word of Truth” (2 Tim. 2:15)
rightly requires diligent study of God’s Word and our
Lutheran Confessions, with a foundational understanding
of the original Biblical languages, of the dogmatics and
historical texts of the church, of the many heresies that the
devil continues to promote, and of hermeneutical
principles and homiletical approaches, as well as a good
grasp of the entirety of God’s Word coupled with an
aptitude to teach; and
WHEREAS, The report of the 2016 Res. 13-03 Task Force
provides a useful endorsement of the place and priority of
residential seminary education; and
WHEREAS, Both seminaries have achieved the benchmark
of guaranteed full tuition coverage; and
WHEREAS, We give thanks for the men who serve the
church in limited, specific circumstances through other
routes of pastoral formation preparing them for that
service; and
WHEREAS, The demographics of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod reveal a reduced pool of men to recruit for
Resolutions