LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 219

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HIGHER EDUCATION 219

Resolved, That this resolution be submitted by the Michigan
District to the national synodical convention in 2001.

Michigan District

5-38

To Support and Refine DELTO Program

WuereEAS, Augustana XIV asserts that no one should teach pub-
licly in the church or administer the Sacraments unless properly
called; and

WHEREAS, Expanded mission opportunities as well as other so-
ciological, demographic, and financial factors have led to an in-
creasing shortage of pastors; and

WHEREAS, The Missouri Synod has a strong history of meeting
the needs for pastoral candidates in creative and responsible ways;
and

WHEREAS, The Synod has also had a long tradition of a well-ed-
ucated clergy, biblically grounded, confessionally committed, his-
torically rooted, and responsive to the pastoral care and mission of
the contemporary world; and

WHEREAS, Our Synod has begun and continues to develop a
program of Distance Education Leading Toward Ordination
(DELTO); and

WHEREAS, These programs represent an important and poten-
tially significant manner of delivering theological education to pas-
toral candidates in the field; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod renew its commitment to Distance
Education Leading Toward Ordination, and that the constituencies
of the church, particularly Districts through their Presidents and
mission staff, work together with the Board for Higher Education
and the seminaries of the church to define the specific needs and
objectives of such theological education; and be it further

Resolved, That admissions criteria be adjusted to meet the spe-
cific needs and objectives of this program; and be it further

Resolved, That the DELTO curriculum continue to be refined
to meet those objectives in a workable and responsible way, con-
sidering the needs and logistics of potential students, as well as the
human and financial resources of Synod-in-large and its seminaries
in particular; and be it further

Resolved, that such programs of theological education be stan-
dardized and regularized as a synodical program, yet be flexible
and adaptable to specific local needs; and be it finally

Resolved, That all relevant parties work together in a spirit of
cooperation to bring these results to fruition.

Faculty
Concordia Seminary
St. Louis, MO

5-39

To Make Changes to DELTO Program

WuerEas, There is a critical shortage of pastors in the LCMS,
with approximately 900 pastoral vacancies in our parishes today;
and

WterEAs, There is insufficient enrollment in the residential
seminaries to alleviate this shortage within the next few years; and

WHEREAS, There are many men who would like to become pas-
tors, but are unable or unwilling to leave their jobs and move their
families to a residential seminary without experiencing great so-
cioeconomic loss and causing undue family stress; and

WHEREAS, The Synod already has in place a program, Distance
Education Leading to Ordination (DELTO); and

WHEREAS, There is presently new technology (streaming video
and audio on the Internet, videocassettes, CD, DVD, e-mail,
CUEnet) to deliver quality education (many accredited colleges and
universities grant degrees through distance learning programs); and

WHEREAS, There are definite benefits of training pastors in the
parish (seminary field work and vicarage are attempts to get this
very experience in the residential seminary); and

WHEREAS, There are many men who are interested in becoming
pastors through the DELTO program who are excluded by various
policy restrictions that exceed residential seminary requirements,
such as having to provide “necessary” services to a congregation, in
addition to meeting the socioeconomic needs of their families while
studying for the DELTO courses; therefore be it

Resolved, That the DELTO program be recognized as a valid
alternative to residential seminary training; and be it further

Resolved, That the DELTO program graduates be granted the
degree of M.Div. (Policy Manual 1.4.5) provided that they hold a
prerequisite B.A. degree and successfully complete the program re-

_ quirements, and that the undergraduate divisions of the Concordia

University System explore the possibility of developing distance
learning opportunities for interested DELTO students who need to
complete their undergraduate work to be eligible for the M.Div. de-
gree; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board for Higher Education, together with
the two residential seminaries, be instructed to remove any unnec-
essary restrictions that would prevent qualified men from partici-
pating in the DELTO program and to continue to develop and im-
plement policies and procedures that would encourage and
facilitate enrollment and training of men for the ordained ministry
through DELTO; and be it further

Resolved, That the DELTO policy manual be amended to re-
move any words that suggest DELTO students are second-rate pas-
tors, such as “Through these programs (DELTO) the seminaries
provide in context preparation for men selected to serve as pastors
in exceptional settings as determined by the church. The seminaries
prepare pastors who demonstrate high pastoral quality and excel-
lence in Lutheran doctrine and practice” and “Desired Outcomes.
Ordained pastoral service to congregations that cannot support a
full-time pastor” (DELTO Policy Manual, dated 2/24/00, hereafter
noted as PM); and be it further

Resolved, That the policy be eliminated that restricts enrollment
to those who are “providing pastoral services to a congregation or
preparing to plant a specific mission (and) must be needed for that
ministry to the extent that its welfare would be severely damaged if
he left to attend a seminary” (PM 4.3). “He is (or is to be) the sole
provider of pastoral services to a specific congregation (or) has
been designated to plant a new mission, as documented by a district
official” (PM 4.5); and be it further

Resolved, That restrictions upon students taking courses through
the seminaries and DELTO be removed so that students who have
enrolled in the seminaries and find that it is not possible to con-
tinue, may transfer to the DELTO program without penalty of los-
ing credit for courses taken, and those in the DELTO program can
transfer their courses to the seminary should they be able to start
attending a residential seminary (PM 4.8.1,4); and be it further

Resolved, That the policy that requires a student to take courses
in a sequence (except where a particular course is prerequisite for
the next course) be changed so that if he is forced by circumstances
to skip or withdraw from two or more courses, he is not dropped
from the program, but can take the skipped courses when they are
offered again; and be it further

Resolved, That a student may start his DELTO program at any
point and not just at the beginning of a “cycle,” so that he does not
have to wait one or more years before beginning his studies; and
be it finally

Resolved, That we beseech the Lord of the church to bless all
endeavors to train people for the pastoral ministry, ensuring a suf-
ficient supply to care for the flock of God and to equip them for
their witness and service to the world.

Florida-Georgia District; Prince of Peace, Orlando, FL

2001 Convention Workbook