LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 335

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PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES
office on the district or national Synod level such as a Circuit
Visitor, and vote as delegates at the Synod conventions of the
church; and
WHEREAS, There are pathways by which pastors from church
bodies outside the LCMS who meet specific criteria may secure
admission to the ministerium of the LCMS as general ordination
pastors through colloquy. This admission may be provided through
a “colloquy” (discussion, interview) with the Colloquy Committee
for the Pastoral Ministry; and
WHEREAS, The Policy Manual for Admission to the Pastoral
Ministry of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod by Colloquy:
Bylaws
and
Policies
states
(Pastoral
Colloquy,
www.lcms.org/about/leadership/president/pastoral-colloquy,
accessed Feb. 20, 2023):
To be eligible to apply for colloquy, applicants must fit into one
of the categories listed below (the applicant will indicate under
which category he is applying, but the Colloquy Committee for
the Pastoral Ministry is responsible for the final determination of
the category in each individual situation):
1. Active Pastors from Other Christian Church Bodies:
Men who, at the time of application are in good standing and in
active service as pastors in another Christian Church
body/denomination may apply for colloquy. Such applicants
must be graduates of a program of study that leads to ordination,
from an accredited institution, with no fewer than 60 semester
hours (90 quarter hours) of required academic credit.
Such applicants must also have served at least three years in a
recognized ministry of their church body. Applicants must
supply suitable documentation of their active status and good
standing in their current church body/denomination. Pastors of
congregations that are not affiliated with a church
body/denomination
(are
“non-denominational”
or
“independent”) also may apply, but they must supply suitable
references and documentation of their authorization to perform
pastoral ministry. In all cases the academic requirements will
apply.
2. Men Who Have Prepared for Pastoral Ministry but, at the
Time of Application, Are Not in Active Service as Pastors:
Such applicants must be graduates of a program of study that
leads to ordination, from an accredited institution, with no fewer
than 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of required academic
credit. Applicants with prior pastoral service must provide the
date (month and year) and the reason (e.g., retirement,
resignation, dismissal) their active service ended. References and
suitable documentation will be required. Such an applicant also
must have been a communicant member in good standing in a
congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod for at
least two years immediately prior to the time of application.
and
WHEREAS, Men who have been long-time members in good
standing in an LCMS congregation, but are graduates of programs
of study leading to ordination from an accredited institution outside
the LCMS (meeting all the necessary academic credit
requirements), are not afforded the same opportunity to apply for
colloquy as are pastors from church bodies outside the LCMS, but
must enroll in the Residential Alternate Route Program (requiring a
two year residential academic program at one of our two seminaries

335

and a one year vicarage) before becoming a general ordination
pastor in the LCMS; and
WHEREAS, Requiring a residential program for individuals who
have completed an accredited degree is cumbersome and
burdensome to many; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District memorialize the
2023 Synod convention to create a third pathway for general
pastoral colloquy that provides the opportunity for members of
LCMS congregations who have graduated from programs of study
leading to ordination from outside the seminaries of the LCMS
(satisfying all the necessary academic credit requirements) to
become general ordination pastors in the LCMS by way of the
colloquy process, without enrolling in the Residential Alternate
Route Program.
Pacific Southwest District
Ov. 6-26

To Examine Additional Pathway(s) for General
Pastoral Colloquy for Members of Synod Member
Congregations Who Have Graduated with
an Accredited Master of Divinity Degree
from a Non-Synod Seminary
WHEREAS, God’s Word calls us to pray for additional workers in
the harvest, “When he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion
for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is
plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the
Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” (Matt.
9:36–37); and
WHEREAS, Two thousand pastors of the Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod (LCMS) are expected to retire in the next 10 years
and the Synod currently has 476 pastoral vacancies, and the entire
graduating class of both seminaries was 88 in 2022 to replace these
faithful servants and expand further mission and ministry; and
WHEREAS, The congregations of the California-Nevada-Hawaii
District give thanks to God and celebrate the various alternate routes
to ordination and pastoral ministry available in the LCMS, such as
Specific Ministry Pastors, there is a growing need for general
ordination pastors who are able to receive Divine Calls from
congregations without restriction, provide supervision for other
rostered church workers, supervise vicars, hold elected or appointed
office on the district or national Synod level such as a circuit visitor,
and vote as delegates at the Synod conventions of the church; and
WHEREAS, There are pathways by which pastors, from church
bodies outside the LCMS, who meet specific criteria may secure
admission to the ministerium of the LCMS as general ordination
pastors through colloquy. This admission may be provided through
a “colloquy” (discussion, interview) with the Colloquy Committee
for the Pastoral Ministry; and
WHEREAS, The Policy Manual for Admission to the Pastoral
Ministry of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod by Colloquy:
Bylaws and Policies states that applicants for colloquy must fit into
one of two categories (the Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral
Ministry is responsible for the final determination of the category
in each individual situation):
• Active pastors from other Christian church bodies: Men
who, at the time of application are in good standing and in
2023 Convention Workbook