LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 151

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CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 151

WHEREAS, The church is to be primarily about the business of
teaching the doctrines of God’s Word, calling sinners to repen-
tance, absolving God's people of their sins, and administering the
Sacraments according to Christ’s divine commands; and

WHEREAS, It is unscriptural, un-Godly, and un-Christian to pass
off human wisdom and subjective theories and opinions as counsel
from God: and

WHEREAS, There is no scientific/empirical or rational/reason-
able basis for assuming, asserting, or alleging that professional
mental health practitioners such as psychologists or psychiatrists
or pastoral counselors have the capability of determining the nec-
essary qualities of a pastor; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS is founded on the belief that the Bible is
the inspired and inerrant Word of God, that the Lutheran Confes-
sions are the correct exposition of that Word, and that the called
servants of God, and those they supervise in the church are to feed
God’s sheep the Shepherd’s Good Words and not psychoanalyze
the sheep or feed them “human wisdom’’: and

WHEREAS, The church is to spend her time and resources train-
ing pastors for the most difficult vocation in the world. rightly di-
viding Law and Gospel, and administering the Holy Sacraments;
and

WhEREAS, All discussion regarding a person’s personality.
habits, or psychological profiles is Law and not Gospel; and

WHEREAS, The subjective opinions of laity and fellow church
workers concerning the personalities of other church workers are
serving as grounds upon which investigation teams and District
Presidents are recommending discipline against members; and

WHEREAS, Much harm is caused when pastors, educators, and
synodical and District officials depart from the constitutive work
of their office and venture into matters of which they have no au-
thority and/or have not been trained thoroughly; and

WHEREAS, Personality counseling is not constitutive of the holy
ministry and does not properly belong to the ministry of reconcili-
ation; and

WHEREAS, God’s Word tells us that one thing is needful, that a
man be found faithful to the Word of God and the mysteries of
Christ Jesus; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS urge its pastors, church workers,
teachers, synodical and District officials, and congregations to de-
vote themselves to the singular task of rightly teaching and speak-
ing the Word of God to one another, to evaluating one another ac-
cording to the Word alone, and to say with St. Paul, “God's grace is
sufficient for me,’’ for my pastor. for his family, for all church-
workers; and be it further

Resolved, That if concerns about a pastor’s or student’s fitness
exist that the scriptural principle of Matthew 18 be followed, that
is, that the concerns be brought to the attention of the pastor or
church worker privately, in earnest good faith, and with the full dis-
closure of all competent evidence causing such concern; and be it
finally

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention reaffirms that, as es-
tablished in Art. XIII of the constitution of the LCMS, the only rea-

sons for removing a pastor from the ministry are for acting con-
trary to the confession laid down in Art. II (of the constitution) and
to the conditions of membership laid down in Art. VI, or for per-
sisting in an offensive conduct.

Immanuel
Peoria, IL

2-86

To Ensure Equal Protection
for Congregations and Church Workers

WHEREAS, It is a primary objective of Synod to “provide evan-
gelical supervision, counsel, and care for pastors” and to “provide
protection for congregations, pastors, teachers, and other church
workers in the performance of their official duties and the mainte-
nance of their rights” (Constitution Art. ILD); and

WuerEas, There is a significant disparity in practice between
the protection provided to congregations. on the one hand, and the
protection provided to church workers, on the other; and

Wuereas, Our Lord teaches through His apostle that “if one
member suffers, all suffer together” (I Cor. 12:26), therefore the
neglect of protection to church workers causes the whole church to
suffer; therefore be it

Resolved, That the following procedures and principles must
henceforth be followed by all District and synodical officials:

1. No church worker may be placed on restricted or suspended
status. unless the District President involved in the case first ob-
tains substantial evidence that the church worker has acted contrary
to LCMS Constitution Art. II or V1, has persisted in an offensive
conduct, is incapable of performing the duties of the office or posi-
tion, or neglects or refuses to perform the duties of the office or po-
sition.

2. No church worker shall be placed on restricted or suspended
status, unless the District President first provides the church worker
with a written statement describing in detail all evidence available
to the District President in the case. and gives that church worker
sufficient time to respond before altering his or her status.

3. No District or synodical official, or official of any synodical
entity, shall require a church worker or church worker student or
potential church worker student to undergo some form of psycho-
logical, psychiatric. or mental health evaluation as a condition for
avoiding restricted status, avoiding suspended status, receiving a
call, or being eligible for any position in Synod.

4. Any church worker or church worker student is entitled to
full access to all records which relate to that individual within the
possession of any District, synodical, college, or seminary official.

5. No District President shall distribute any information regard-
ing any church worker to other District Presidents, or synodical of-
ficials, without fully disclosing that information to the church
worker involved upon the church worker’s request.

Mount Zion
Castle Rock, CO