LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 126

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126

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

Because the Synod’s approved colloquy programs and related
procedures and protocols do not pertain to the assignments given
to the PFC, they are not specifically addressed in the PFC’s current
report and/or recommendations.

own programs to prepare future professional church workers for
service are not reflecting the mutual covenants established in the
Synod’s bylaws, policies, and prior resolutions. For instance, in
situations such as these:

C.2.b. Qualification for First Call

•

“The Office of the Holy Ministry has been instituted by Christ
Himself as a gift to His Church (John 20:19–23; Eph. 4:11–16).
Through the Christian congregation, as the holder of all churchly
authority, God calls qualified men to fill this divinely established
office and sends them as His ministers to proclaim the Gospel of
Jesus Christ and to administer the Sacraments publicly in the stead
of Christ and by His command, with accountability both to God
and to the Church (Matt. 10:1–5; 28:18–20; Rom. 10:14–15; 1 Cor.
11:23–25; 1 Tim. 2:1–12)” (LSB Agenda, Holy Ministry, 155).

Individuals are trained at the district level to carry out the
distinctive functions of the OHM (whether ordained or not
ordained) without having LCMS rostered ordained minister
status, or as a preparatory step to being granted LCMS rostered ordained minister status.

•

District-level training uses platforms and preparation programs not previously reviewed or approved under established Synod procedures.

•

District-level training uses theological instructors who have
not gone through the aforementioned prior approval process.

God instituted the OHM to forgive sins in the stead and by the
command of our Lord Christ Jesus (John 20:21–23; Luke 24:45–
47). Forgiveness of sin is given through the preaching and teaching
of the Word, Holy Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. Publicly granting forgiveness in the Absolution (or withholding such forgiveness)
is a great responsibility, properly wielded with diligently applied
skill and care, because it pertains to the eternal salvation of God’s
people. With this responsibility necessarily comes the ability to
correctly interpret God’s Word, rightly apply Law and Gospel, exercise precision and love in orthodox doctrine, preach and teach in
a sound manner, and consistently apply steadfast, faithful pastoral
care. Because of this great responsibility in the stewardship of these
holy gifts of God, the church strives to fully prepare and form her
pastors with the best of her God-given strengths, capacities, and
resources.
Through the preaching of the Word, the Holy Spirit creates saving faith and gives eternal salvation to His people (Rom. 10:14–
17). Therefore, the LCMS collectively prescribes and maintains
the standards by which a man is certified and called into the Holy
Ministry according to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions (AC V, XIV). Men receiving their first call into the Holy
Ministry in the LCMS must satisfactorily complete a prescribed
course of study within one of the Synod-authorized routes and both
be declared qualified for a first call and recommended by the faculty of either CSL or CTSFW. They will have thus received a diploma or certificate from either CSL or CTSFW (or have fulfilled the
requirements established by the colloquy committee of the Synod).
The seminary faculties (or the colloquy committee) must declare
each candidate qualified and recommended for pastoral ministry
in the church (Bylaw 2.8.1–2.8.2). In our life together, all Synod
members have agreed that every one of our rostered ordained ministers be formally certified for pastoral ministry, either by one of the
Synod’s two seminaries or the Synod’s colloquy committee.
According to Bylaw 4.1.1, “The Synod is not merely an advisory body in relation to a district, but establishes districts in order
more effectively to achieve its objectives and carry on its activities,” and Bylaw 4.1.1.1, “A district is the Synod itself performing
the functions of the Synod. Resolutions of the Synod are binding
upon the districts.” It is inconsistent with the LCMS Constitution
and Bylaws for an LCMS district to develop and/or promote new
or amended routes to ministry apart from the procedures and approvals to which the Synod—in its bylaws, policies, and resolutions—has previously committed itself. The theological faculties of
the Synod’s universities and seminaries are intentionally and painstakingly vetted through a well-defined, nonoptional prior approval
process (Bylaws 3.10.5.7.3 and 3.10.6.7.3). Districts offering their
2023 Convention Workbook

Life together as Synod suffers under such scenarios.
More specifically to the assignments given to the PFC and addressed in this report, districts developing and offering pastoral
formation programs positioned as alternatives to Synod-authorized
routes to the OHM are acting contrary to Bylaws 3.10.4–3.10.4.5
and the roles, responsibilities, and oversight of the PFC as defined
therein. Bylaws 3.10.4–3.10.4.5 give the PFC the responsibility to
review, assess, coordinate, support, make suggestions for improvement, and monitor all routes to ordained ministry in the LCMS, except for colloquy. (LCMS colloquy programs, including attendant
policies, procedures, and protocols, are under the supervision of the
office of the first vice-president of Synod.) Any new or amended
routes to ordination in the Synod must first be reviewed and recommended by the PFC, followed by the PFC’s consultation with
the two seminary boards of regents. Before any new or amended
route is enacted, it must then receive final approval by a convention
resolution of Synod.

C.2.c. Route to Ordination as a Specific Ministry
Pastor
Many of the assignments given to the PFC and addressed in this
report are in consideration of various aspects of the Synod’s SMP
program.
The route to ordination as a specific ministry pastor was established by the Synod in convention upon its adoption of 2007 Res.
5-01B. In broad contrast to a “general ministry pastor” (GMP), the
SMP was designated for men to be formed and educated for a specific ministry context through nonresidential (distance) education.
SMP was designed to “combine a commitment to faithfulness to
a Lutheran theological confession with a missionary perspective
and that is tailored to the preparation of men for service in specific
kinds of ministries.” This resolution also states, “In addition to the
original objective of the Distance Education Leading To Ordination (DELTO) program to provide pastoral ministry where full-time
ministry cannot be maintained, such specific ministries will include
such categories as church planter, staff pastor, and others as need
arise.”
Thus, in 2007, the SMP program was created with an expanded
purpose beyond the former DELTO program. The use of SMP for
purposes beyond the former DELTO purposes has subsequently
raised significant concern and debate because of the limited scope
of SMP formation. The 2013 Res. 5-04B requested the SMP Committee to assess the program and make recommendations, noted
the concerns and debate, and resolved, “That district presidents not
approve specific ministry sites that could reasonably be expected