LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 222

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222 HIGHER EDUCATION

tioning the BHE for RSO status to place itself under the guidance
and accountability of the church; and

WHEREAS, PLI seeks to remain faithful in applying Lutheran
theology to issues of parish practice and leadership: and

WHEREAS, There are significant questions of appropriate theol-
ogy and practice inherent in teaching and applying principles of
leadership within the office of the pastoral ministry; and

WHEREAS, Many have expressed concerns about issues of the-
ology and practice fostered by PLI; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention affirm the intentions
and work of the Pastoral Leadership Institute, especially in raising
awareness of this important aspect of the parish ministry; and be it
further

Resolved, That PLI be encouraged to continue to work cooper-
atively and collaboratively within the structures of our Synod and
especially with the theological faculties of our church to ensure that
the theology and practice taught in the PLI is in agreement with the
doctrine of our Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That the BHE be encouraged to grant RSO status to
PLI.

Concordia
San Antonio, TX

5-48
To Affirm PLI Effort to Build Healthy Churches

WHEREAS, Many parish pastors seek additional post-seminary
training in order to help them lead and administer their congrega-
tions in ministry growth and outreach to their communities; and

WHEREAS, Pastoral Leadership Institute (PLI) provides ad-
vanced leadership by connecting pastors with experienced church
leaders to acquire additional skills within the context of the doctri-
nal and confessional principles of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod; and

WHEREAS, PLI has consistently demonstrated a willingness to
work closely with the officials, boards, and seminaries of the
LCMS; and

WHEREAS, PLI fully supports the doctrinal position of the
LCMS; and

Wuereas, The PLI effort is largely financed by gifts and con-
tributions to an endowment fund established through The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod Foundation; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod commend the PLI effort and continue
to work together with its leaders to create strong, healthy churches
that reach the lost for Christ with Christ’s message as it applies to
our world today.

Concordia
Kirkwood, MO

5-49

To Require Action re PLI

Wuereas, From the founding of the LCMS in 1847 until 1962
only a congregation could issue a call and ordain a pastor; and

WHEREAS, At the 1962 Cleveland convention of the LCMS au-
thority to extend a call and ordain was expanded beyond a congre-
gation to an agency of the church; and

WHEREAS, The issue on how a church should structure itself is
directly related to the question of what structure of the church best
serves the mandate of our Lord to save souls for Christ, investing
resources and authority at the congregational level or in bureaucra-
cies of the church; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS experienced rapid growth during the pe-
riod from 1940 to about 1975, and that Franklin Littell of Temple
University wrote about the LCMS in a 1976 atlas entitled The
Macmillan Atlas History of Christianity:

2001 Convention Workbook

Church growth today seems lo be a function of lay inilialive
and lay initiative seems to be most vigorous in those churches
which have no strong hierarchies or judicaiories ...

One of the most rapidly growing churches is The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod which has in the last fifleen years
added nearly 600,000 members. Since 1940 it has shown a
120% increase, while the more liberal Lutheran churches have
registered less than 60% increase. ... Under [Walther’s| leader-
ship an exlensive sysiem of parochial schools was inaugurated.
In 1872 a Lutheran Synodical Conference came inlo being
which uniled several conservalive groups which siressed the re-
sponsibilily and inilialive of members of local congregalions.

Littell] stated that the most important cause of growth is decen-
tralized policy, which he properly defines as those churches that
have no strong hierarchies or judicatories. The term “Judicatory”
means a system of courts of law for the administration of justice.

Rev. Martin R. Noland, in his address to the Association of
Confessional Lutherans on April 4, 1997, at Chicago stated: “The
survival of biblical and confessional theology in the Missouri
Synod was chiefly a result of its decentralized policy, not of any
particular virtues in its membership or even its theology”; and

WHEREAS, PLI at its founding in 1998 prevailed upon its con-
tacts in the PSWD to extend a call to its leader to work to correct
claimed leadership training deficiencies in the training of our fu-
ture pastors at our two seminaries. PLI was compelled to withdraw
its claim that our seminaries were not providing leadership train-
ing for our future pastors, but it has continued in business nonethe-
less. But for the actions of the 1962 Cleveland convention, the
PSWD could not have extended such a call; and

WHEREAS, The CCM recently ruled that the several hundred
thousand dollars given by the LCEF as a grant to PLI was without
the authority of any provision of the LCMS Constitution or By-
laws; and

WHEREAS, How the leaders of PLI were able to obtain a call
from an agency of the church, the PSWD, not a congregation, il-
lustrates quite clearly the wisdom of C. F. W. Walther, our first
LCMS President, to place the authority to issue a call and ordain a
pastor in a congregation; therefore be it

Resolved, That our congregation submits this overture to the
2001 convention of the LCMS to do the following:

1. Require PL] to refund immediately all of the money it has il-
legally received from the LCEF.

2. Require the 2001 convention to make a finding that if there is
a deficiency in the leadership training in our seminaries of our fu-
ture pastors, that the seminaries of the LCMS adopt the necessary
changes to correct this deficiency, and that PLI be a part of and
under the direction of our two seminaries, and that PLI as a sepa-
rate corporation be dissolved.

3. That the LCMS establish as a bedrock principle that the ex-
clusive authority to call and ordain a pastor be at the congregational

level.

Our Savior, Fullerton, CA; Redeemer, St. Clair Shores,
MI; Trinity, New Haven, MO; Immanuel, San Antonio,
TX; Peace, Neenah, WI; St. John, Cedar Rapids, NE;
Faith, Corning, NY; Trinity, Bridgeton, MO; Concordia,
Fair Haven, MN; Redeemer, John Day, OR; Mount
Calvary, Pittsburgh. PA; Immanuel, Van Buren, MO; St.
Paul, Mondovi, WI; Nativity. St. Charles, MI; Trinity.
West Allis, WI; Our Saviour, Monticello. IN; St. Paul,
Memphis, MO; St. Paul, Iron River, MI; Our Redeemer,
Cushing, OK

5-50

To Decline RSO Status for Pastoral
Leadership Institute (PLT

WHEREAS, PLI was founded without any direct synodical struc-
ture or oversight; and