LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 332

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332

PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES

Resolved, That the 2023 Synod convention expand current
LCMS support of the SMP program by increasing funding and
enrollment; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS improve and strengthen the academic
requirements for the SMP program; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS also clarify the role that sole SMP
pastors can undertake in their congregations while not overstepping
the limits of the “supervising position” outlined in the SMP
program; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS review the distinction between SMP
and general pastors to consider other ways in which an SMP pastor
with many years of service can be included as a general pastor; and
be it finally
Resolved, That the LCMS continue a strategic partnership with
the districts to meet the future needs of its congregations and
ministries with the church workers that will be needed.
Circuit 15 (Mecklenburg)
Southeastern District
Ov. 6-20

To Affirm Appropriate Standards
for Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program
WHEREAS, The 2019 Synod convention received a number of
overtures (listed as references for 2019 Resolution 6-03A) that
proposed changes to the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program,
including (1) whether to require study of biblical languages as part
of the SMP program, and (2) whether ordination should occur at the
end, rather than the midpoint, of the four-year program; and
WHEREAS, Currently, SMP students at both seminaries serve at
least the first two years of the program as a vicar at the specific
ministry site and then, once certified, are eligible to be called and
ordained to serve as a supervised SMP during the remaining two
years of the program, and to continue in that ministry after the
completion of the SMP program; and
WHEREAS, The 2019 Synod convention chose not to adopt an
amendment to 2019 Res. 6-03A that would have required that SMP
students complete the entire four-year program prior to ordination;
and
WHEREAS, The SMP is a non-degree certificate program,
delivered primarily online, that does not require a bachelor’s degree
for admission, and neither seminary requires SMP students to
complete any biblical language coursework; in contrast, the Master
of Divinity is a residential program that requires a bachelor’s degree
for admission, requires students to study both Greek and Hebrew,
and leads to an accredited academic degree; and
WHEREAS, Input was requested from the joint boards of regents
of the seminaries by 2019 Res. 6-03A, which directed, “That the
joint boards 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
WHEREAS, 2013 Res. 5-04B resolved that “the authority over
admission to and administration of the SMP program remains with
the seminaries”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod affirm that, as stated in 2016 Res. 602, “In keeping with God’s own mandate for filling the Office of
the Holy Ministry, we confess in AC XIV, ‘Concerning church
government it is taught that no one should publicly teach, preach,
2023 Convention Workbook

or administer the sacraments without a proper [public] call’ (KW,
German), as the Scripture says, ‘And how are they to preach unless
they are sent?’ (Rom. 10:15)”; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod affirm that, as stated in 2013 Res. 504B, “the SMP program be retained” and that “SMP pastors are
properly called in accord with Article XIV of the Augsburg
Confession;” and that district presidents should not approve specific
ministry sites which could reasonably be expected to support a
general pastor or sites where a minister of religion–commissioned
could fulfill the duties; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod affirm that, as stated in 2007 Res. 501B for SMP students, “Ordination vows may be taken prior to the
conclusion of a complete course of study provided that the ordained
has received a preparation sufficient to preach and teach the Gospel
rightly, administer the Sacraments correctly, and take his vows with
integrity,” and “‘specific ministry pastor’ will be the designation for
those educated for a specific ministry context through distance
education”; and be it further
Resolved, That the current practice of not requiring Greek and
Hebrew proficiency of SMP students, who in many cases are
studying and serving bi-vocationally and who, in all cases, serve
under the supervision of a pastor who has been trained with the
biblical languages, be retained; and be it finally
Resolved, That the current timing for both vicarage and
ordination be retained because the current timing is appropriate for
the purposes of the SMP program.
Board of Regents
Concordia Seminary
Ov. 6-21

To Regularize Specific Ministry Pastoral
Formation
WHEREAS, 2019 Resolution 6-03A resolved “That the joint
boards 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” (Proceedings, 159); and
WHEREAS, Holy Scripture warns the church “Do not be hasty in
the laying on of hands …” (1 Tim. 5:22); and
WHEREAS, Our Lutheran Confessions state “… that nobody
should preach publicly in the church or administer the sacraments
unless he is regularly called” (Augsburg Confession XIV) and that
ordination is an essential component of a regular, ordered call
(Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope 67, 69–71); and
WHEREAS, Neither the Lutheran Confessions nor the historic
practice of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)
recognizes a “provisional ordination” to the Office of the Holy
Ministry; and
WHEREAS, The current provision of ordination after two years
with the proviso that the rostered worker complete two more years
of required education has led to men being removed from the LCMS
roster and created confusion about the pastoral office throughout the
Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Board of Regents of Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne memorialize the 2023 Synod convention to
modify the provisions of the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP)
program as outlined in 2007 Res. 5-01B to require students enrolled
in the SMP program after the 2027 academic year to complete all