LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 213

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HIGHER EDUCATION 213

Higher Education, the two seminaries, a number of Districts of our
church body, and several congregations sponsoring students in the
program; and

WHEREAS, The obvious success of the model and its pilot have
led to an expansion of the vision to include many more Districts,
congregations, and students throughout the church; and

Wuer—EAS, The Lord of the church continues to bless the
DELTO program with quality teachers, students, and mentors who
show a love and vision for mission and ministry; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod be
thanked and commended for following its God-given insight into
the ministry needs of our North American mission field; and be it
further

Resolved, That this convention reaffirm its support for DELTO,
and resolve to continue to improve and expand the DELTO pro-
gram to many more Districts of our Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That this convention give thanks to God for His good
gifts of faithful mission-minded teachers, leaders, pastors and stu-
dents as resourses for DELTO.

Christ
East Point, GA

§-11

To Foster Compliance with Distance Education
Leading Toward Ordination Requirements

WHEREAS, The training of men for the Holy Ministry is one of
the primary purposes of the Synod (Constitution, Art. IIT 3); and

WHEREAS, With almost 900 vacancies in the LCMS the need for
faithful, articulate pastors who can preach the Gospel in all its truth
and purity has never been greater; and

WHEREAS, The Distance Education Leading Toward Ordination
(DELTO) program was developed to provide pastoral services for
congregations in exceptional circumstances, namely congregations
whose continued existence would be jeopardized by the prolonged
absence of the DELTO candidate; and

WHEREAS, DELTO has been promoted in some synodical and
District publications simply as a means of being ordained without
having to attend one of the seminaries, thus confusing the congre-
gations of the Synod as to the nature of the program; and

Wuereas, DELTO rules for participation require that candi-
dates for the program be presently serving existing congregations
or missions and participating in a ministry that is (1) clearly dis-
tinct from the ministry provided by an established pastor, and (2)
necessary to the welfare of the congregation to the extent that the
congregation’s welfare would be severely damaged if the candi-
date left to attend seminary; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention here assembled reaf-
firm its historic commitment to the principle that enrollment at one
of the seminaries is the norm for pastoral preparation in all but the
most exceptional circumstances; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod affirm the continuation of the DELTO
program ONLY for congregations in clearly exceptional circum-
stances; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod articulate clearly for the congrega-
tions and Districts the requirements for participation in the DELTO
program; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod instruct the BHE, the DELTO Con-
sortium, and the Districts to proceed with the DELTO program in
strict compliance with the requirements for participation.

Bethany
Fort Wayne, IN

5-12

To Limit DELTO

WHEREAS, The off-campus training of pastors for which the
DELTO program was initially commissioned was directed at bring-
ing existing situations into harmony with Augsburg Confession
XIV; and

WuerEAS, An expansion of the program to include all or many
mission starts is likely to be detrimental both to the seminaries and
to the general quality of clergy in the Missouri Synod; therefore be
it

Resolved, That the use of the DELTO program by the District
offices to recruit men for the ministry be prohibited; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That District offices and congregations be encouraged
to redouble efforts to recruit men for seminary training.

St. James
Archbold, OH

5-13

To Abandon Distance Education
Leading Toward Ordination (DELTO)

WHEREAS, The training of men for the holy ministry is one of
the primary purposes of Synod (Art. III 3); and

WHEREAS, With almost 900 vacancies in the LCMS. the need
for faithful, articulate pastors who can preach the Gospel in all its
truth and purity has never been greater; and

WHEREAS, A vital component of pastoral formation includes
regular time to be fed by God’s Word through daily chapel and the
“consolation of the brethren”; and

Wuereas, The DELTO (Distance Education Leading Toward
Ordination) program works with the presupposition that pastoral
formation can occur over a six-year period of classes taught a few
weekends a year; and

WuereEas., DELTO does not allow men to experience and be
shaped by the rich worship life on our seminary campuses, the
lively conversation with faculty and fellow students, and the inten-
sive mentoring program involved in a full-time vicarage program:
and

WHEREAS, DELTO does not require men to learn the Hebrew
language so that its graduates will be unable to access the majority
of Sacred Scripture in its original language; and

WuereASs, DELTO will prepare pastors who are insufficiently
trained in the rich heritage of our Lutheran theology, and cannot
train men by example in a rich life of prayer and meditation on
God’s Word; and

Wuereas. This inadequate method of training pastors will re-
sult in men who are not theologically and spiritually equipped for
the rigors and challenges of being a faithful, confessional pastor at
the turn of the millennium; and

WHEREAS, A program that allows men to conduct Word and
Sacrament ministry for six years without being called and ordained
is in direct contradiction to Augustana XIV; and

WHEREAS, Since adjunct professors who do not vote on certifi-
cation deliver a significant portion of the coursework, it remains
for the seminary faculties to certify men with whom they have
scant personal acquaintance: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention here assembled instruct
the Board for Higher Education and the Board of Regents of Con-
cordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Concordia Theological Seminary,
Fort Wayne, to disband the DELTO program immediately: and be
it further

Resolved, That the two seminaries develop as expeditiously as
possible a program where the men currently enrolled in the DELTO
program could finish their studies in residence at one of the semi-
naries: and be it finally