LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 453

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ADDITIONAL THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS AND REPORTS—OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT 453

ment, we are free to distinguish in name and duty among those who
carry out the pastoral office, but they are all in the one divinely in-
stituted office, that is to say, they are pastors. Thus, we may have
“senior pastors” or “associate pastors” or “assistant pastors” or
some other churchly, suitable nomenclature, but all these man are
in the one office discussed in our Lutheran Confessions in Articles
5, 14, and 28 of the Augsburg Confession.

In a letter to a church struggling with questions about whether
or not a person who is not a pastor should be permitted to perform
the functions of the pastoral office, Walther wrote,

The question is whether such an arrangement might be made ac-
cording to which the pastor would grant the layman as a right occa-
sionally to teach the people publically in his stead and to lead them pub-
licly in prayer, and when this is done is customarily. Such action is so
absolutely diametrically opposed to the Scriptural doctrine of the office
(1 Cor. 12:29; Acts 6:4; Titus 1:5) and to Art. XIV of the Augsburg
Confession, as all testimonies of pure teachers and against the constant
practice of the church, that we cannot comprehend how a person who is
otherwise grounded in God's Word and fairly well ai home in the or-
thodox church for one moment be in confusion. To base such a matier
on the spiritual priesthood of Christians is nonsense, for if that proce-
dure were followed, nobody would have any reason to pay any attention
to the calling of the pastor. Much less can such a procedure be based
ona special call, for the church cannot create a call according to its own
discretion but can issue only that call which God has instituted and
which He alone recognizes . . . moreover, the matter cannot be founded,
as is Clear, on a case of necessity (Walther, Selected Letters, CPH: 1973,
58).

Another practical matter is the question of the rite of ordination.
Occasionally in our circles we hear things that either tend to say
too much about ordination, or too little. Walther provides helpful
insights for us on this point as well:

Because from the very beginning we firmly opposed the teaching
that ordination was insituted by God, we have exposed ourselves to the
suspicion that we oppose this wonderful rite. The Buffalo Synod has
done everything possible to create the idea . . . that we are opposed to all
good and strict order. But that is not so; we have an exceedingly high re-
gard for ordination and would consider any Lutheran pastor who would
not desire it, although he could obtain it, as a miserable fanatic”
(Walther, Exssays, CPH: 1992, I:83-84).

The textbook edited by C.F.W. Walther to teach doctrine at the
seminary during his day explains what is necessary to place a man
into the office of the ministry:

in the calling of ministers, done through the congregation, three
things are present: (1) the election of the one who has been judged wor-
thy of the sacred minisiry, by reason of his learning and gifts necessary
for the performance of the duties of the ministry; (2) The ordination, or
solemn inauguration, through certain rites, of the person elected to the sa-
cred office; and (3) the call, in its special use, that is, the concession and
entrusting of the power and function to teach the Word of God in public
gatherings and to administer the Sacraments. Carrying out these require-
ments is the responsibility of both the ministry and the laity. The minis-
ters are to explore the erudition and to determine if the one who is chosen
for the ministry has the necessary gifts, and then to reach a judgment
about these things. Then they ordain the one chosen, or elected, by
means of a solemn rite. Both of these duties are carried out in the name
of the whole church. The laity approves the decision of the ministry, hav-
ing heard of the person’s abilities and gifts and sincerity of doctrine, and
also aboul his way of life. It pays attention to whether or not the person
will properly carry out his office. Thus. the laity, joined with the min-
istry, designates and selects a person for the office of the ministry, and by
means of this unanimous consent, the power of teaching lhe Word and
administering the Sacraments is conferred on the elected person.”

It is interesting to note that in the Lutheran Confessions, there is
only one reference to | Peter 2:9. This is in the context of asserting
the truth that the office of the ministry is a gift belonging to the
whole church. In the Tractate (par. 69) we read, “This is confirmed
by the declaration of Peter, ‘You are a royal priesthood’ (1 Peter
2:9). These words apply to the true church which, since it alone
possesses the priesthood, certainly has the right of electing and or-
daining ministers” (Tappert, p. 331).

In light of the Biblical and Confessional witness to the divine
institution and origin of the office of the holy ministry, f would
point out to my brother pastors the following things. First, you have
been blessed in having been made members of the royal priesthood
of believers. Of all the gifts you will ever receive from God dur-
ing your lifetime, this is the greatest gift. How easy it is to lose
sight of this fact! Before becoming a pastor, you were made a child
of God through Holy Baptism. You were consecrated by God to be
a priest before Him for al] eternity, a member of the royal priest-
hood of God’s Kingdom. Recognize how highly you must prize
this fact. Let your people see this in your life and actions as a called
pastor of Christ’s holy people.

But, secondly, you have also been blessed by God in being
called by Christ—through the call of a Christian congregation—to
serve as a pastor. As such you have been commanded by the Lord
Himself, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). In this life no higher call-
ing ean be received than this one: to care for the flock of God as an
undershepherd of the Good Shepherd. our Lord Jesus Christ. The
reality of this high calling must be reflected among your people
through your words and through your actions as you hold high the
calling of one who is among God’s people as their servant, for
Christ’s sake.

As one who has been doubly blessed in this manner, you need
to recognize the high calling that is yours in both of these areas
and, therefore, all the more strive to fulfill those responsibilities
that have been placed upon you as one of Christ’s undershepherds.
What then are the responsibilities of the shepherd’? What wisdom
and discretion will characterize his ministry? These and other items
we need will be discussed in the next major section of this essay.

II. The Pastor’s Care for Christ’s People

The pastor is called by Jesus Christ to care for His people, His
sheep. What an awesome responsibility is entrusted to our pastors!
Tt is for this reason that we must continually study and reflect on
this responsibility. What will mark the care the pastor extends to
Christ's sheep?

Word and Sacrament ministry: The top priority

The pastor’s first and foremost duty is faithfully to preach the
Word of God and administer the Sacraments of Christ. In fact. if
we want to be even more specific. the pastor’s primary and most
important duty is to proclaim the Gospel, the message of the for-
giveness of sins. He preaches the Law in preparation for the
Gospel; however, the Law must not predominate in his preaching
and ministry. The pastor gladly engages in any activity in the con-
gregation that has to do with his calling: to preach the Gospel and
administer the Sacraments. On the other hand, those things in the
congregation that do not directly involve the pastoral office of
Word and Sacrament are not the responsibility of the pastor. Our
pastors would do well to keep in mind the example of the Apostles
who, when faced with a need for additional help, said, “It would
not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the Word in order to
wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who
are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this re-
sponsibility over to them” (Acts 6:2-3).

In line with the purpose of the pastoral office, the preach-
ing of the Gospel, the pastor will find himself involved in many
different activities in the parish that lacilitate his calling and duty.
The public teaching and proclamation of the Word of God is the
pastor’s sacred obligation. He is to interpret and apply the Word of
God to his people. In other words, the pastor is to teach the Gospel.
As the Scriptures indicate, a man who aspires to the office of over-
seer must be “able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2). One of the prime prereq-
uisites for Timothy’s selection of men to serve in the pastoral office
was their ability-to teach. Paul had instructed Timothy: “The things
you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to

2001 Convention Workbook