Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2023 · 68th Convention, Milwaukee › Page 323
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 323

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

PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES
Resolved, That each approved non-residential route to ordination
in the LCMS remain independent from the other and not
consolidated under the SMP program; and be it further
Resolved, That those involved in the planning and
implementation of Set Apart to Serve, the Synod’s church work
recruitment initiative, in collaboration with recruitment officers
from the Synod’s two residential seminaries explore, develop, and
implement means to encourage and assist men “from every nation,
from all tribes and peoples and languages” (Rev. 7:9) toward
residential pastoral formation through the M.Div. program; and be
it further
Resolved, That the Pastoral Formation Committee be assigned
the following tasks, to be completed during the 2023–2026
triennium for inclusion in the 2026 Workbook:
1. to prepare a report that analyzes and assesses ministerial or
pastoral formation programs that have emerged within the
LCMS over the past several years, especially those
preparing persons to perform the distinctive functions of
the Office of the Holy Ministry, which lack approval of the
Synod under current LCMS Constitution and Bylaws and
are not included in the current list of Synod-approved
routes to ordination (Master of Divinity, Residential
Alternate Route, General Pastor Certificate, Specific
Ministry Pastor, Specific Ministry Pastor Español, Ethnic
Immigrant Institute of Theology, Center for Hispanic
Studies, Cross-Cultural Ministry Center);
2. to prepare a report that examines and compares approaches
and outcomes of residential (i.e., in-person) and nonresidential (i.e., distance learning) routes to ordination as
these relate to the Synod’s commitment to a well-formed
clergy for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and
3. to thoroughly identify and evaluate options and rationales
and prepare a report to the 2026 Synod convention, which
proposes a beneficial, clear, and concise definition of
appropriate contexts for the ministry of SMP pastors; and
4. to develop and present a comprehensive uniform
synodwide Specific Ministry Supervision Plan.
and be it finally
Resolved, That all pastors be encouraged and expected to engage
in continuing education throughout their pastoral ministry,
beginning with their participation in Post-Seminary Applied
Learning and Support, and self-report all continuing education
experiences on their Self-Evaluation Tool.
Pastoral Formation Committee
Ov. 6-04

To Affirm Residential Pastoral Education
at Our Seminaries
WHEREAS, The apostles left all to follow Jesus (Luke 5:11;
18:28–30; Matt. 19:27) showing that the life of the ministry is one
of sacrifice; and
WHEREAS, Jesus set an example of the importance of in-person
theological education by teaching his disciples, in-person, for nearly
three uninterrupted years; and
WHEREAS, During the time of instruction, Jesus warned his
apostles to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” (Matt. 16:6),
along with many other admonitions to watch, pray, guard, and then

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to baptize and teach all nations “to observe all that I have
commanded you” (Matt. 28:20); and
WHEREAS, Scripture teaches that pastors are especially to “hold
firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to
give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who
contradict it” (Titus 1:9); and
WHEREAS, The history of education and the COVID-19
pandemic have shown that remote teaching is an inferior form of
education and formation owing to the inability of the teacher to
interact with the student, the student to interact with other students,
and of the student to focus; and
WHEREAS, Other disciplines that deal with the care of people,
such as physicians, require intense in-person instruction that cannot
be replicated remotely; and
WHEREAS, The care of souls in our parishes requires that our
pastors be highly trained by orthodox Lutheran teachers and made
ready for ministry, as the Scriptures declare in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and
Titus 1:5–16; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention reaffirms its
commitment to residential seminary education at Synod seminaries,
in line with previous convention resolutions (e.g., 2019 Resolution
6-02, “To Promote Residential Seminary Education as the Preferred
Option for the Preparation of Men for Pastoral Ministry”); and be it
further
Resolved, That all qualified men, regardless of background and
means, be encouraged to enter residential pastoral education at a
Synod seminary, or a seminary that is in altar and pulpit fellowship
with the Synod; and be it finally
Resolved, That seminaries, districts, congregations, and laity do
their utmost to ensure the proper support of men training for the
pastoral office, recognizing the sacrifices which are necessary for
the training of pastors and the spread of the Gospel.
Pastors’ Conference
Iowa East District
Ov. 6-05

To Establish Task Force to Determine
Additions and Revisions for Training of Preachers
within the Synod
WHEREAS, Our Lord directed in the last chapter of Matthew to
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”; and
WHEREAS, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved … how are they to believe in Him … without someone
preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” (Rom.
10:13–15a); and
WHEREAS, Jesus “appointed twelve … that … He might send
them out to preach” (Mark 3:14; Matt. 10:5) and sent seventy-two
(Luke 10:1) to preach the Good News of Salvation; and
WHEREAS, At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit directed Peter, the other
apostles, and those with them (120) to preach the Good News of
salvation to thousands in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1–41), and later
appointed other men to assist (Acts 6:1–7, including Phillip and
Stephen) and succeed (Acts 14:23a; Titus 1:5; 1 Peter 5:1, etc.) them
in the preaching ministry; and

2023 Convention Workbook