LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 198

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198

UNPRINTED REPORT AND LATE OVERTURES

tion and nurture in accordance with the biblical principles
of stewardship.
Board for Congregational Services
L2-69

To Explore Formation of Lutheran Radio
Network
WHEREAS, KFUO radio, owned and operated by The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, is the oldest religious
broadcasting radio station in the world; and
WHEREAS, KFUO produces and broadcasts quality programming that clearly proclaims the Gospel in undeniably
Lutheran terms (“The Bible Study” and “Issues Etc.,” for
example); and
WHEREAS, Much of what passes for Christian radio is
theologically unsound; and
WHEREAS, KFUO’s radio signal can only be picked up by
radios in the St. Louis area; and
WHEREAS, Although KFUO can be found on the Internet,
not everyone has Internet access, especially while driving
in a car; and
WHEREAS, The Jubilee Network satellite broke down
over a year ago and has never been repaired; and
WHEREAS, KNGN radio in McCook, Nebraska, has had
great success in broadcasting some of KFUO’s fine programming to parts of southwest Nebraska and northwest
Kansas; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention encourage the
Board for Communication Services and its executive director to thoroughly explore the possibility of establishing a
network of radio stations that will broadcast the fine confessional Lutheran programming of KFUO (such as “The
Bible Study” and “Issues Etc.”) across the nation and perhaps around the world; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention encourage
KFUO to continue producing such fine confessional
Lutheran programming as “The Bible Study” and “Issues
Etc.”; and be it finally
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention encourage the
BCS to explore the possibility of KFUO producing more
such quality Lutheran radio programming for distribution
over the suggested network.
St. John
Curtis, NE
L3-138

To Establish Position of Assisting Pastor
Rationale
The task force appointed by the 1998 convention to
study the need for “Pastoral Assistance Where Full-Time
Ministry Cannot Be Maintained” reviewed a number of possibilities that would address the concern discussed at the
1998 Convention. The task force was convened “to create a
church worker position that will respond to the urgent
needs identified by the consultation group.”
Reports from Districts and parishes confirm the sense
that there is a growing need for volunteer and bi-vocational
200l Convention Proceedings

workers. While mission opportunities abound in the Districts, urban and ethnic ministries are an increasing challenge (among Hmong, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Korean, Hispanic, Pakistani, Sudanese, Indian, Middle East, Asian,
African, Native American, Japanese, and Laotian populations). In one District alone, the Gospel is proclaimed in
more than twelve languages. These peoples need called and
ordained pastors in their own languages. In addition,
smaller and more remote congregations are just holding on
or declining in size. Districts report that these small congregations are often unable to call or support an ordained
pastor in the usual manner (for example, as reported by the
Eastern, Kansas, Mid-South, Minnesota South, Montana,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Northwest, Rocky Mountain, and
South Dakota Districts). These congregations cannot maintain a full-time pastoral ministry in the traditional way.
DELTO is not a solution for all needs, because many laymen already in ministry do not meet the minimum age and
educational requirements. Several Districts are configuring new designs and training “professional ministers” to
help these congregations. Furthermore, rural issues and an
aging population, including an aging clergy (only 8% of
LCMS pastors are age 35 or younger), pose challenges in
our changing communities. Finally, there are more vacancies, fewer available pastors, and an increasing number of
retirements, leaving congregations and immigrant ministries needing assisting pastors.
The challenge is to supply ministry of Word and Sacrament to these congregations, many of which are already
part of a two-point parish. Shared pastoral staffs are used
in some situations. “Hub” ministries and “circuit riders”
work in some areas. However, some congregational conditions prevent the arrangement. There are small congregations that are geographically isolated. There is difficulty in
procuring pastoral services from nearby congregations.
With a shortage of pastors, it is urgent and critical that the
Synod provide assisting pastors to serve in these situations.
Dr. Alvin Barry shared the conviction that the dire need for
additional workers in these volunteer and bivocational ministries must be addressed without delay.
Two primary challenges accompany these urgent needs.
One challenge is to provide pastors in these unusual situations without diminishing the integrity of seminary programs. For this reason, the assisting pastor will receive a
basic theological preparation that does not involve changing the seminary curriculum. Another challenge is to meet
real congregational ministry needs while affirming the importance of maintaining a seminary-prepared clergy. The
guidelines below specify that an assisting pastor may be
put into service under two specific conditions: (1) a congregation is financially unable to support a full-time seminary
graduate, or (2) a congregation is unable to minister to a
group (inside or outside the congregation) that is separated
from the congregation by its language and/or culture. The
assisting pastor is ordinarily bivocational and ordinarily is
not fully supported by the congregation. He is supervised
by a pastor who has completed an M.Div., pastoral colloquy, or alternate route program of pastoral study.
The task force discussed the Lutheran understanding of
ordination. The preaching of the Word and the administra-