LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 159

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6. PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES
the ministry, which is estimated to result in a 50 percent
reduction in the number of active pastors by 2032;
therefore be it
Resolved, That residential seminary education is the
preferred option for the preparation of men for pastoral
ministry; and be it further
Resolved, That Synod embark on an intentional
recruitment effort for residential seminary education; and
be it further
Resolved, That the district presidents and seminaries be
strongly encouraged to direct men to residential pastoral
ministry routes as the preferred option; and be it further
Resolved, That Synod in convention encourage her
districts and congregations to continue to financially
support both seminaries; and be it finally
Resolved, That the recommendations of the 2016 Res. 1303 Task Force be commended to the Pastoral Formation
Committee for evaluation and appropriate follow up. The
Pastoral Formation Committee will report their evaluation
to the 2022 convention.
Action: Adopted (2)
Noting the orders of the day, the President put to the assembly
whether it desired to end debate. The motion to end debate
carried [Yes: 734; No: 177], and the main motion was adopted as
presented [Yes: 675; No: 275].

To Enhance the Specific Ministry Pastor
(SMP) Program
RESOLUTION 6-03A
Report R66 (CW, 375–84); Overtures 6-02–03, 6-05–09
(CW, 448–52); Overture L6-22 (TB, 1:33)

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, The Constitution of the Synod states that “the
Synod, under Scripture and Lutheran Confessions,
shall…recruit and train pastors” and as part of that duty
Synod in its 2007 Convention passed Res. 5-01B
establishing the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program;
and
WHEREAS, The Pastoral Formation Committee “shall be
responsible for ensuring that the Synod’s objective of
training pastors is fulfilled consistently,” and “The
committee shall consider long term strategic direction of
the pastoral formation within the Synod and facilitate
discussion of the same with the two seminary boards of
regents in their annual joint meeting.” (Bylaws 3.10.4 and
3.10.4.5); and

Resolutions

WHEREAS, The 2016 Res. 13-03 Task Force report noted
the existence of Notprediger, emergency pastors, in the early
Reformation, which were seen as a temporary way of
providing more men to serve in the ministry by
abbreviating their training, with the full intention of
preparing these men and future men with more
comprehensive instruction in the future, so that when the
church sends a man regularly to preach and teach and
administer the sacraments he be called and ordained and
thus clearly recognized as a pastor; and
WHEREAS, The task force also recommended that the
Pastoral Formation Committee “work with the seminary
boards of regents to recommend any needed improvements
to the standards for pastoral formation, including the
interplay of academics and confession”; and
WHEREAS, The Lord of the Church has blessed and
privileged our Synod for over 172 years, providing pastors
for the care of souls entrusted to them, and over the years
the total number of pastors has been declining, and for over
a decade the SMP program has provided our church body
an opportunity to care for flocks in specific Word and
Sacrament ministry contexts, and the total number of
specific ministry pastors continues to increase; therefore be
it
Resolved, That the SMP vicars and pastors be commended
for their service to the Savior, the congregations, and the
Synod, and that the seminaries, districts, district
presidents, SMP Committee, and the Pastoral Formation
Committee be commended for faithfully carrying out their
respective responsibilities by order of, and in the name of,
the congregations of the Synod, for the sake of the mission;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Pastoral Formation Committee work
to enhance the curriculum and standards of the SMP
program between the two seminaries, in light of the
curriculum and standards of the residential seminaries,
including instruction in biblical languages; and be it further
Resolved, That the Pastoral Formation Committee review
the SMP program regarding the optimal timing for vicarage
and ordination and report its recommendations to the joint
boards of regents at its 2020 meeting, as well as to the
Synod at large; and be it further
Resolved, That the joint board of regents prepare an
overture to the Synod on the timing of vicarage and
ordination for the SMP program for consideration in
convention in 2022; and be it further
Resolved, That the Council of Presidents in coordination
with the Pastoral Formation Committee draft guidelines
and training to enhance the mentoring and supervision of
specific ministry pastors, taking into account the wide
variety of abilities of pastors and the contexts in which they
serve, to assist district presidents, circuit visitors, and
supervising pastors in supporting the SMP pastors under
their care; and be it finally
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 159