LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 84

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84 SYNODICAL REPORTS

the daily pastoral care under his supervision. A deacon would be a
man raised up by the congregation to provide Word and Sacrament
ministry, provided that he has been ordained and placed under the
supervision of the pastor. Such a man is called only to serve in that
place, but for an unspecified period of time. Likewise, a deacon
providing specialized ministry (e.g., in a foreign language) is al-
ways under pastoral supervision.

The consultation group agreed with hearty consensus that the
following material be implemented by the Synod.

Description of an Ordained Diaconate
A. Definitions

The ordained diaconate is a nonrostered office that provides
pastoral services under the supervision of a seminary-trained pas-
tor.

An ordained deacon is a man selected by a congregation to con-
duct Word and Sacrament ministry in a situation where full-time
ordained pastoral ministry cannot be maintained. An ordained dea-
con serves under the permanent supervision of a seminary-trained
pastor in a specific place.

B. Eligible Situations

Summary: An ordained deacon may conduct Word and Sacra-
ment ministry in a situation where full-time ordained pastoral min-
istry cannot be maintained.

An ordained deacon may serve a congregation by providing
Word and Sacrament ministry that cannot be maintained by a full-
time seminary-trained pastor. This includes ministry in specialized
contexts (e.g., immigrant groups). A congregation may establish as
many ordained deacons as are needed to provide its ministry needs,
within the parameters of the ordained diaconate program. An or-
dained deacon may not be placed into service in a situation where
an assistant pastor could be called. An ordained deacon must serve
a ministry of a specific local congregation that is under the care of
a seminary-trained pastor.

C. Supervision and Functions

Summary: An ordained deacon provides basic pastoral care
under the supervision of a parish pastor. He is not authorized to
make pastoral decisions or act independently of the judgement of
his supervising pastor.

The ordained deacon must be supervised by one seminary-
trained LCMS parish pastor. He cannot be directly supervised by
Circuit, District, or synodical personnel. The focus of the ordained
deacon’s work is primary pastoral care: visitation, outreach, Bible
study, and conduct of worship. The ordained deacon is not autho-
rized to make pastoral decisions. He communes only the members
of the congregation, and does not perform the public rites of Bap-
tism and confirmation. The ordained deacon does not perform wed-
dings or funerals without prior consultation with his supervising
pastor. The ordained deacon’s sermons are prepared or reviewed
in advance by his supervising pastor. The ordained deacon does not
offer private confession and absolution, nor does he provide for-
mal pastoral counseling. He may offer such Christian advice and
comfort as might be given by any layperson.

D. Terminology

Summary: The terminology “ordained deacon” has been cho-
sen to reflect the fact that these men are preaching and administer-
ing the Sacraments under pastoral supervision.

In keeping with Augsburg Confession Article XIV, the ordained
deacon is ordained and called to provide Word and Sacrament min-
istry. The biblical term deacon is already in use in our Synod with
reference to “laymen licensed for Word and Sacrament ministry”
(1989 Res. 3-05B).

E. Ecclesiastical Status

Summary: The ordained deacon is not synodically rostered. Be-
cause the deacon is ordained he may serve as Jong as his work is
needed and satisfactory. He cannot take a call directly into the ser-
vice of another congregation.

The ordained diaconate is a status recognized by the Synod but

not included in the synodical roster. Although the ordained dea-
cons are not on the roster, a registry of ordained deacons will be
established for the sake of order in the church. There is no transi-
tion from the ordained diaconate to the clergy roster apart from for-
mal seminary training and certification. Because the deacon is or-
dained, he may serve as long as his work is needed, provided his
work is satisfactory to his supervising pastor and the congregation.
The ordained deacon cannot take a call to serve another congrega-
tion in the manner of a professional church worker. A man who
previously served as an ordained deacon may be raised up by his
current congregation on the basis of his residence and reputation
in the congregation. The ordained deacon is ordinarily either bivo-
cational or a retiree; he is not fully supported by the congregation.
Unless required by regulation or law, the ordained deacons do not
participate in synodical Worker Plans and are not classified as Min-
isters of the gospel for IRS purposes. (This needs to be studied fur-
ther.) Ordained deacons do not attend District or synodical con-
ventions as delegates. (This needs to be studied further.)

F. Admission/Participation

Summary: The ordained deacon has the knowledge, skills, atti-
tudes, and Christian maturity required of a pastor. He must be
asked by the congregation and the parish pastor to serve in this ca-
pacity.

A man becomes an ordained deacon by congregational selec-
tion with the approval of the parish pastor and the District Presi-
dent. The candidate for the position of ordained deacon will fit the
description given by St. Paul in 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1. Ordinarily
the candidate has been a resident member of the congregation for
two years (1 Tim. 3:10). There are no standard requirements re-
garding age or formal education.

G. Training

Summary: The ordained deacon is a practitioner, not a theolo-
gian, and is expected to have a basic practical aptitude to serve the
congregation under its seminary-trained pastor.

The ordained deacon receives a basic program of training, ori-
ented to skills, and is not expected to study the biblical languages.
The training program is organized and operated by the Board for
Higher Education and the Districts. The seminaries have asked to
serve this program as providers of instructional material rather than

- as administrators of the program. Seminary students should see

themselves not only as students, but also as potential trainers of fu-
ture workers. Some centrally prepared instruction materials will be
needed to assure uniform quality.

H. Areas of Instruction

Instruction offered to the ordained deacons will include the fol-
lowing: Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions, catechism and basic
Christian doctrine, Walther’s Law and Gospel, pastoral visitation
and outreach, principles of Christian education, and principles of
preaching.

Actions

On the basis of the above “Description of an Ordained Dia-
conate” the following actions are requested.

1. By 1 Nov. 1998 the Board for Higher Education shall pre-
pare a final draft of synodical Bylaws and any other appropriate
documentation that is needed to implement the office of Ordained
Deacon as described above; and that

2. By 1 Jan. 1999 the synodical Board of Directors shall ap-
prove the Bylaws needed to implement the office of ordained dea-
con, having first received the concurrence of the President of
Synod, both seminary faculties, the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations, and the Council of Presidents; and that

3. Synodical Bylaw 6.91b is stricken, since it contradicts the
foregoing presentation; and that

4. The convention rescind 1989 Convention Resolution 3-05B,
authorizing establishment of “laymen licensed for Word and Sacra-
ment ministry,” with the stipulation that the creation of ordained
deacons constitutes a replacement for the program contained in the
1989 resolution; and that

5. The 1995 convention Res. 3-07A is rescinded with the stipu-