LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 246

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246 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

WHEREAS, The Presidents of our synodical Districts represent
not only their individual District, but also the President of our
Synod and the Synod as a whole in that place; and

WHEREAS, The doctrine and practice of each individual District
President is viewed by many inside and outside the church body as
the official position and practice of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, At times, even District Presidents err in their doc-
trine and practice and need to be fraternally admonished; and

WHEREAS, At times, due to the sinful nature of the flesh, some
District Presidents may not listen to fraternal admonition; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Synod make the necessary changes in the
Constitution and Bylaws of our Synod so that the synodical Presi-
dent has the doctrinal and practical oversight of the Presidents of
the Synod’s Districts; and be it further

Resolved, That the synodical President, in consultation with the
Praesidium, be given power to enforce such oversight, up to and
including removal from office; and be it finally

Resolved, That any appeal to the synodical President’s decision
be channeled through the Synod’s reconciliation process.

Zion
Tomball, TX

To Give President of Synod Power
to Suspend or Remove District Presidents

WHEREAS, “The Synod is not merely an advisory body in rela-
tion to a District. A District is the Synod itself performing the func-
tions of the Synod. Resolutions of the Synod are binding on the
Districts” (Bylaw 4.07 a); and

Wuereas, A District President does “regularly report to the
President of Synod” (Bylaw 4.71 b); and

WHEREAS, The President of Synod is charged with “supervision
regarding the doctrine and administration of all District Presidents”
(Constitution, Art. XI B | d); and

WHEREAS, An objective of Synod is to “conserve and promote
the unity of the true faith” (Constitution, Art. III 1); and

WHEREAS, There needs to be checks and balances so that Dis-
trict Presidents do not use their power to suspend or remove pastors
and congregations in a nonscriptural fashion; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in its 1998 convention give the Pres-
ident of the Synod the authority to suspend or remove any District
President that is not preserving and promoting the unity of the true
faith (Art. II and III of Constitution); and be it further

Resolved, That the President appoint a substitute to the office
of the suspended District President until such time as a District
President would be able to be elected at the next regularly sched-
uled District convention or the suspended District President repents,
thus making it possible for him to return to the office of District
President. ,

Pilgrim
West Bend, WI

7-24

To Urge District Presidents to Observe
Commandments and State Laws in Carrying Out Their
Supervisory Responsibilities

Wuereas, District Presidents are given the awesome responsi-
bility to investigate the members of the Synod within their respec-
tive Districts; and

WHEREAS, We read in the meaning to the Eighth Command-
ment, “Over and above our own body, spouse, and temporal pos-
sessions, we have yet another treasure, namely, honor and good re-
port [the illustrious testimony of an upright and unsullied name and

reputation], with which we cannot dispense. For it is intolerable to
live among men in open shame and general contempt. 256] “There-
fore God wishes the reputation, good name, and upright character
of our neighbor to be taken away or diminished as little as his
money and possessions, that every one may stand in his integrity
before wife, children, servants, and neighbors,” and again “2731
Therefore, if you encounter an idle tongue which betrays and slan-
ders some one, contradict such a one promptly to his face, that he
may blush; thus many a one will hold his tongue who else would
bring some poor man into bad repute, from which he would not
easily extricate himself. For honor and a good name are easily
taken away, but not easily restored”; and

WHEREAS, | Tim. 5:19-20 instructs us, “Do not receive an ac-
cusation against an elder, except from two or three witnesses, those
who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may
fear”; and

WHEREAS, It is a common practice for District Presidents who
are conducting investigations into the ministries of members, to
seek out unsubstantiated accusations that fail to put the best con-
struction on the actions of church workers; and

WHEREAS, A pastor has a divine call from God and can only be
removed for adherence to false doctrine and persisting in offensive
[sinful] conduct; and

WHEREAS, There is no precedent in Holy Scripture for surveying
the children of Israel, or the sheep in the New Testament church to
judge the prophets and apostles, preachers and teachers; and

WHEREAS, There are both goats and sheep in the visible church
and the book of James warns against the sins of the tongue more
than any other; and

WHEREAS, Israel stoned the prophets who remained faithful; and

WHEREAS, The apostles also were frequently persecuted and lied
about by religious people who belonged to congregations that they
served; and

WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself was defamed at His
trial; and

WHEREAS, Crowds who did not find Jesus’ words appealing
were critical of our Lord (John 6); and

WHEREAS, The people cried out against Jesus, “Crucify Him,
Crucify Him’; and

WuerEaS, Defamatory and slanderous statements which rob our

~ neighbor of his name and reputation without due process may fall

under the judgment of civil penalty; and

WHEREAS, The Fourth Commandment binds Christians to obey
the civil law; and

WHEREAS, The CCM has ruled that accusations which are made
by others, but are included in the District President’s official re-
ports and which charges become accusations of the District Presi-
dent; and

WHEREAS, Those who engage in good work do not need to fear
the law (Rom. 13:10); therefore be it

Resolved, That the District Presidents be strongly encouraged
to conduct their investigations into the ministries of lives of church
workers under their authority in full compliance with the Eighth
Commandment; and be it further

Resolved, That the District Presidents conduct their investiga-
tions based on the doctrine of church workers, and persistent of-
fensive [sinful] conduct, and on failure to perform their duties and
not upon the popularity or unpopularity of the church worker’s per-
son with those who have complaints; and be it further

Resolved, That Synod, in conformity with Romans 13:1 ff, the
Fourth, the Fifth, the Seventh, and the Eighth Commandments ac-
knowledge its responsibility to protect the neighbor’s property,
rights, and reputation; and be it further

Resolved, That District Presidents who conduct investigations
and level charges against a member, which themselves become
defamatory and slanderous based on unsubstantiated accusations,
be subject to the evaluation and penalty of the God-ordained civil
authorities should the Synod fail to take steps to protect the one ac-