LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 330

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330

PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES

WHEREAS, Specific ministry pastors serve the Church under
supervision because their theological education has been formed in
part by and for a specific ministry context (Bylaw 2.13.1 [a]); and
WHEREAS, This supervision is essential for the ministry as well
as the confidence of those served and the Church at large that the
ministry is conducted in a manner consistent with the Holy
Scriptures and the pastor’s unconditional subscription to the
Lutheran Confessions; and
WHEREAS, This supervision is not a perfunctory task but one
requiring close attention to the needs of the specific ministry and
the conduct of that ministry; and
WHEREAS, Any change in ministry context is by its nature
inconsistent with the purpose of the SMP program and the
contextual theological education of the specific ministry; and
WHEREAS, It is essential that a student beginning his theological
education in a specific ministry context be known by the people he
serves; and
WHEREAS, “Residential seminary education is the preferred
option for the preparation of men for pastoral ministry” (2019 Res.
6-02); and
WHEREAS, Confidence in the SMP program will be raised by
more clarity regarding the oversight and supervision of the
program; therefore be it
Resolved, That an “SMP Program Oversight Committee” be
established; and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.10.8 be inserted as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
H. Specific Ministry Pastor Program Oversight Committee
3.10.8
The Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program Oversight
Committee shall be responsible for ensuring that the specific
ministry vicars and pastors are placed in ministry contexts which are
consistent with the intentions of the program. Specifically, it shall
ensure that any placement is not one which could expect to receive
a candidate according to the process outlined in Bylaw 2.5.
3.10.8.1
The SMP Program Oversight Committee shall consist of
the First Vice-President of the Synod as chairman, the Secretary of
the Synod, The Chief Mission Officer, a district president appointed
by the Council of Presidents, and the Executive Director of Pastoral
Education.
3.10.8.2
The SMP Program Oversight Committee shall establish
and monitor the standards under which a ministry and a man are
suitable for a vicarage and placement in the SMP program after
consultation with the President of the Synod and the faculties of the
seminaries.
(a) In consultation with the President of the Synod, it shall
develop all necessary policies to govern suitability of a ministry
context for a specific ministry pastor and the suitability for a man
entering the SMP program.
3.10.8.2
Prior to acceptance by the seminaries into the SMP
program and initial placement as SMP vicars, the SMP Program
Oversight Committee shall approve the placement of all vicars
enrolling in the SMP program.
(a) In order to be accepted into the SMP program and placed as
a vicar, the applicant must have fulfilled at least ten years of
significant service in a congregation of the LCMS and have been
a member at the congregation in whose ministry he will serve for
at least three years.
(b) Subject to the conditions above, decisions to declare ministry
contexts and applicants for the SMP program suitable are at the
sole discretion of the committee.

2023 Convention Workbook

(c) Once a ministry and applicant are declared suitable for the
program, the seminary admissions offices may enroll the student,
and the Council of Presidents may assign the vicarage.
(d) If the committee determines that the ministry and/or the
applicant are not suited to the purposes of the SMP program, the
man shall be directed to apply to the seminaries for admission in
residential educational programs.
3.10.8.3
Prior to placing a specific ministry pastor in his first call,
the SMP Program Oversight Committee shall review the suitability
of the call according to the purposes of the program.
3.10.8.4
Prior to issuing a call to a specific ministry pastor who is
an inactive member, the SMP Program Oversight Committee shall
review the suitability of such a call according to the purposes of the
program and the specific contextual training received by the specific
ministry pastor.
(a) The board may specify additional training needed as
preparation to serve in a new context.

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 2.13.1 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Specific Ministry Pastor Status and Limitations
2.13.1
A “specific ministry pastor” is a minister of religion—
ordained who has completed the requirements for service as a
specific ministry pastor and has been examined by one of the
Synod’s seminaries, has received a regular call, and has been placed
by the Council of Presidents into a specific Word and Sacrament
ministry context which has been approved by the SMP Program
Oversight Committee. He is eligible to serve only in that specific
ministry context for which he has been trained and may not be
offered or accept a call for ministry for which he has not been
certified as determined by his district president. He shall serve under
the supervision of his district president and another pastor who is not
a specific ministry pastor. Upon the termination of his call, a specific
ministry pastor may apply for inactive status according to Bylaw
2.11.2 (d). If the pastor receives inactive status, he shall
automatically be placed on restricted status for 12 months from the
termination of his previous call. No application shall be necessary
for the removal of such status. After 12 months, he may receive a
regular call into a specific Word and Sacrament ministry context
following the approval of the SMP Program Oversight Committee.
(a) Because he is under supervision of another pastor and
because a specific ministry pastor’s theological education has
been formed in part by and for a specific ministry context, he may
not be placed or called into ecclesiastical roles that exercise
pastoral oversight outside the context of his call. An example of
this is regular preaching or service in a parish to which he has not
been called, including during a pastoral vacancy.
(b) A specific ministry pastor is not eligible to
(1) serve as a voting delegate to a national convention of the
Synod—but may serve as an advisory delegate to national
conventions and as a pastoral delegate to district conventions;
(2) hold any elected or appointed office on the district or
national Synod level that is assigned by the Bylaws of the
Synod to “a pastor” or “an ordained minister” (although
specific ministry pastors may serve in all other capacities,
especially representing the ministerial contexts in which they
serve);
(3) supervise vicars; or
(4) serve as a circuit visitor.
(c) The ministers of religion—ordained records maintained by
district presidents as well as the official membership roster of the
Synod shall distinguish between specific ministry pastors and
other pastors.