LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 183

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 183

healing, self-examination, or other needs,” and that “these vacan-
cies are occasionally being served by pastors as intentional interim
ministries,” and that ‘‘an intentional interim ministry ought never
to be the kind of ‘temporary call’ against which [C.F.W.] Walther
warns (Walther, Pastoral Theology, pp. 26-29)”; and

WuereEAS, The kind of “temporary call” against which Walther
warns is any and every call in which men in advance determine the
duration of the person called, thus interfering with the governance
of God who alone calls men into the holy ministry and determines
the duration of their service (either by calling them elsewhere,
rightfully deposing them, death, etc.), and thus Walther writes, “A
congregation is not justified in extending such a [temporary] call,
and a preacher is not authorized to accept such a call. It is an
abuse” (Pastoral Theology, p. 26); and

WuereaS, God’s Word teaches that it is He who gives men to
the work of His church (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:28) rather
than we who contract for such servants of God; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Minnesota North District affirm the useful-
ness of vacancy pastors with special gifts and skills to serve in con-
gregations with special needs (for time of healing, self examina-
tion, etc.) and that congregations with such needs be invited to
extend a regular call to a man with such qualifications; and be it
further

Resolved, That such calls never be extended on the basis of a
human contract or predetermined duration of time, but that the
length of the “interim” be determined by God alone, who by His
divine wisdom knows best when to move a pastor from one place
to another; and be it further

Resolved, That all “contracts” limiting the duration of divine
calls currently in effect in the Minnesota North District be recog-
nized as null and void, and congregations using this arrangement
be required either to extend a regular (not temporary) call to their
“interim” pastor or to begin the process of extending a regular call
to another pastor; and be it further

Resolved, That the Minnesota North District urge the Council
of Presidents of the LCMS to reflect this position as the practice of
the Synod in their policy and guidelines for intentional interim min-
istry; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Minnesota North District memorialize the
2001 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to re-
ject all calls in which man, rather than God, determines the duration
of the call.

Minnesota North District

3.82

To Reject Limitation of Duration of Calls

Wuereas, The 1998 convention of the LCMS adopted Res.
3-17B, which affirms that “in the case of some pastoral vacancies,
congregations may well benefit from a significant time for healing,
self-examination, or other needs” and that “these vacancies are oc-
casionally being served by pastors as intentional interim ministries”
and finally that “an intentional interim ministry ought never to be
the kind of ‘temporary call’ against which Walther warns (Walther,
Pastoral Theology, pp. 26-29)"; and

Wrereas, “The kind of ‘temporary call’ against which Walther
warns” is any and every call in which men in advance determine
and limit the duration of the service of the person called, for this is
interfering with the governance of God, who alone calls men into
the Holy Ministry and determines the duration of their service (ei-
ther by calling them elsewhere, deposing them, death, etc.); there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod affirm the usefulness of pastors with
special gifts, skills, and training to serve in congregations with spe-
cial needs (for time of healing, self-examination, etc.), and that con-
gregations with such needs be encouraged to extend a regular call
to a man with such qualifications; and be it further

Resolved, That such calls never be extended on the basis of a
human contract or a predetermined duration of time, but that the
length of the “interim” be determined by God alone, who by His

divine wisdom knows best when to move a pastor from one place
to another; and be it further

Resolved, That all contracts limiting the duration of divine calls
currently in effect in the Synod be recognized as null and void: and
be it further

Resolved, That congregations using such contracts extend a reg-
ular call to a pastor; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents reflect this position in
their policy and guidelines for intentional interim ministry.

St. Paul, Decatur, IN; Prince of Peace. Hartford City, IN

To Reject Practice of Temporary Calls

WHEREAS, The 1995 synodical convention instructed the CTCR
to study the issues of “temporary calls”; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR has yet to issue any opinion on the “tem-
porary calls” tor pastors; and

WHEREAS, Some members of our Synod are of the opinion that
there is no such thing as a permanent call in Scripture; and

Wuereas, C. F. W. Walther in his book Pastoral Theology
states, “One called in this way [temporary call] is not to be consid-
ered a minister of Christ or the Church” (p. 27); and

WHEREAS, Various resolutions in support of recertification of
pastors have appeared in various District convention workbooks;
and

WuEeREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod from its very
inception has repeatedly declared such “temporary calls” as being
contrary to Scripture and contrary to the Lutheran Confessions (i.e.,
“Original Constitution of LCMS,” Concordia Historical Institute
Quarterly, Oct. 1946: Lehre and Wehre, 1898; Pastoral Theologie,
C. F. W. Walther, AC MV); and

WHEREAS, “Temporary calls” (i.e., recertification) are in essence
an attack upon Christ, who alone is the head of His church (recer-
tification is an already condemned Romanizing error with a new
name) and has established the pastoral office (“Mandatum Dei”;
Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:8-16; | Cor. 12:28), which no man has the right
to overthrow no matter how good the intention is, for the pastoral
office belongs to Christ, not to us; and

WHEREAS, Recertification is in its essence an attack upon the
Gospel; for pastors would tend to become intimidated by the whole
process of being recertified and thus become reluctant to speak out
against doctrinal abuses and thereby fail to perform one of their
God-mandated responsibilities (Acts 20:26-31; | Tim. 3:1-13;
2 Tim. 2:2, 4:1-5; Titus 1:5-11; Pastoral Theology, Fritz, p. 45ff.);
and

WHEREAS, No human will or decision can or should dare set a
time limit to God’s will and call; and

WHEREAS, A congregation may and should depose a pastor only
when there are scriptural grounds for deposition; and

WHEREAS, The Scripture gives only false doctrine (Matt.
7:15—20; Gal. 1:8; 2 Tim. 2:2; Titus 1:9-11; 2 John 10), scandalous
life (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9; | Peter 5:3), and willful neglect of
duties (Col. 4:17; 2 Tim. 4:5) as just causes for deposing a pastor;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2001 synodical convention explicitly dis-
avow, repudiate, and reject any and all attempts to establish the
practice of “temporary call,” whether it be by recertification or
some other process, as being contrary to Scripture and contrary to
the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, That such convention, through the District Presidents,
admonish by letter all congregations to be supportive of their pas-
tors—as God’s called servants—so long as their pastors are faithful
to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, That such convention reaffirm the scriptural teaching
that pastors may be deposed only for false doctrine. scandalous life,
or willful neglect of duties, resolving that the Synod and its Dis-
tricts and all officials of the same shall adhere strictly to these prin-

2001 Convention Workbook