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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 353

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

IX. 2016 RESOLUTION 13-01A TASK FORCE REPORT
for Hispanic Studies, the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology,
Spanish Language Church Worker Formation, and the Specialized
Ministry Pastor (SMP) tracks provided by our seminaries. The
Synod also regularly colloquizes individuals who are found to be
doctrinally, morally, and educationally fit to serve as pastors (this
includes, since 2016, a number of district-taught deacons who have
been colloquized as SMP pastors). Nevertheless, our current seminary enrollment and colloquy programs are not adequate to meet
the challenges of retirement or the increasing diversity of the U.S.
Such limitations present serious challenges to the LCMS and
can cause problems in the relationship of the royal priesthood to
the Office of Public Ministry. Struggling congregations seek help
from their districts and from the Synod’s national leaders and its
seminaries. Yet, the Synod often is unable to provide the hoped-for
assistance because pastors are unavailable to serve (often because
a congregation cannot offer a viable level of financial support). As
congregations and missions struggle and the Synod faces a growing
shortage of pastoral candidates, the atmosphere is ripe for districts
and congregations to feel isolated from Synod and its seminaries.
This further hampers the Synod’s mission to the lost, invites frustration on the part of both royal priests and pastors, and may cause
neglect of the Means of Grace as people experience a growing
sense of alienation from “the church” which has seemingly failed
them. In other cases, especially when the laity takes on pastoral
responsibilities in an ongoing manner, the result may be the false
conclusion that no one really needs the Office of Public Ministry or
that it is a mere luxury, not a necessity for the Church.
3. Areas of Confusion and Uncertainty
It cannot be surprising that there is confusion about the relationship of the royal priesthood and the Office of Public Ministry, given some of the conflicts and challenges considered in the
previous two subsections. One way to identify at least part of the
confusion is to lay out some questions that are being asked in the
LCMS. Some are questions a pastor or an individual royal priest
or a congregation might ask. Others are more theoretical in nature.
Given that Resolution 13-01A ultimately seeks synodwide study
and conversation about Priesthood and Office in light of “the challenges of an increasingly multicultural North America” and in light
of a “growing number of congregations and ministries that cannot
provide financial support for a pastor,” the task force believes that
informed synodwide conversation around the following questions
and others—rather than the task force alone addressing these situations—will be the best way to accomplish the goal of the resolution. The questions that follow are purposefully written for discussion with terms and context often not defined.
1)

If the Office of Public Ministry is given to the Church
with the authority to proclaim the Gospel and administer
the Sacraments on behalf of the congregation, are lay
members of the royal priesthood then usurping that Office when they share their faith in a public setting?

2)

How should a pastor respond when lay members of
the royal priesthood treat him as no more than another
member of the same priesthood and disrespect his Office
and calling?

3)

Is it wrong for lay members of the royal priesthood to
lead a Bible study in their homes? May they lead adult
Bible studies in the church? Is it wrong for female members to lead a study if it includes men?

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4)

What should the pastor’s response be if he is treated
like a mere employee (“a hireling”) with threats to get
rid of him or cut his salary if he doesn’t measure up to
congregational goals?

5)

Is it God-pleasing for a member of the royal priesthood to engage in church planting, gathering a group of
believers with the goal of starting a new congregation, if
he is not called to the Office of Public Ministry?

6)

What should be done if a pastor’s faithful teaching of
Scripture and the Confessions is viewed as nothing more
than his opinion?

7)

How can a pastor use gifts or skills that do not directly
pertain to the Office of Public Ministry in order to prevent the perception that he is arrogant or imposing his
“agenda” on a congregation?40

8)

Should our pastors receive regular reviews or evaluations of their work and if so, what sorts of reviews are
appropriate?

9)

Since the Bible uses a number of different titles for
those who preach and teach the Word of God (e.g., elder,
evangelist, deacon/minister, overseer [bishop], pastor,
prophet, teacher), does the “Office of Public Ministry”
include them all?

10) How do the synodical offices referred to as “auxiliary”
(e.g., teacher, DCE, deaconess, and other rostered offices) relate to the Office of Public Ministry?
11) What is the possible role of bi-vocational pastors
(“worker-priests”) today?
12) How has the church addressed clergy shortages and
conflict between laity and clergy in the past?
13) What is the relationship of Licensed Lay Deacons,
particularly those who preach and/or administer the
Sacraments, to the Office of Public Ministry?
14) What is the importance of ordination since it is not commanded by God, but is an apostolic custom?
15) Is it ever appropriate for a General Pastor (in contrast to
a Specialized Ministry Pastor) to oversee and provide
spiritual supervision for those who are providing Word
and Sacrament ministry but who are not ordained
(especially in long-term vacancies where obtaining an
ordained man of any kind does not seem possible)?
16) What guidance does the Table of Duties provide for the
relationship between the royal priesthood and the Office
of Public Ministry?
17) How do AC V, XIV, and XXVIII, together with relevant
articles of the LCMS Constitution, relate to one another
and to contemporary challenges?
18) Do only pastors have “pastoral” responsibilities? Is it
appropriate for lay members of the royal priesthood
to visit the sick and share the Word with them? Under
what circumstances, if any, might a royal priest who is
not called to the Office of Public Ministry exercise such
responsibilities as preaching?
2019 Convention Workbook