LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 137

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SEMINARY AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
potentially interrelated, so that, for example, a
student in a nonresidential certificate route might be
able to engage also in a residential degree program;
and
WHEREAS, The Specific Ministry Pastor Program has the
support of the Board for Pastoral Education, the faculties of
both seminaries, and the Council of Presidents; and
WHEREAS, The Specific Ministry Pastor Program has
been reviewed by the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations and was found to be consistent with Scripture
and the Confessions; and
WHEREAS, The Commission on Constitutional Matters
has issued opinions 07-2499 and 07-2500 that no changes to
Synod’s Constitution are required should this resolution be
adopted; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Specific Ministry Pastor Program be
adopted in principle and the seminaries, Board for Pastoral
Education, and Council of Presidents be authorized to implement it; and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw sections 2.13 and 2.14 of the
Handbook of the Synod be amended accordingly, as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

(A) Change the title of Bylaw section 2.13 to read
as follows:
2.13 Restricting, Suspending, and Expelling
Congregations or Individuals from Membership
Membership Status and Limitations

(B) Incorporate current Bylaws 2.13.1 and 2.13.2
into Bylaw 2.14.1 as follows:
• Current Bylaw 2.13.1 becomes Bylaw 2.14.1
• Current Bylaw 2.13.2 becomes Bylaw 2.14.1 (a)
• Current Bylaw 2.14.1 becomes Bylaw 2.14.1 (b)
The early paragraphs of Bylaw section 2.14 therefore to read as follows:
2.14 Expulsion of Congregations or Individuals
from Membership in the Synod
Preamble
2.13.1
2.14.1 Termination of membership in the Synod is a serious matter involving both the doctrine and life of
those to whom it has been granted. Such action
should only be taken as a final step when it is clear
that those who are being terminated after previous
futile admonition have acted contrary to the confession laid down in Article II or the conditions of membership laid down in Article VI or have persisted in
offensive conduct (Constitution, Art. XIII 1). For this
reason the Synod establishes procedures for such action including the identification of those who are responsible for ecclesiastical supervision of its members. Such supervision includes not only suspension
or termination of membership but also advice, counsel, encouragement, and, when necessary, admonition regarding teaching and/or practice. Furthermore, the procedures that may lead to termination
of membership also provide for the protection of
members by including provisions for challenging the
decisions of ecclesiastical supervisors in these mat-

137

ters as well as provisions for restoration of membership that has been suspended or terminated.
General
2.13.2 (a) Although the Constitution (see Art. VI 3 and Art.
XII 7–8) deals with the “life” of ordained and commissioned ministers of the Synod and provides for
dealing with “ungodly life” of ordained and commissioned ministers, this does not suggest that the
Synod, including any district of the Synod, has the
duty or even an opportunity to observe the activities
in the life of an individual member of the Synod or
has the means or authority to regulate, restrict, or
control those activities. The only remedy available
to the Synod in response to improper activities in
the life of such a member of the Synod is, as is true
with respect to violations of other conditions of
membership or is otherwise appropriate under the
Constitution or these Bylaws, and following the procedures set forth in these Bylaws, to take such action as may lead to termination of that membership
and the attendant rights and privileges.
2.14.1 (b) The action to commence expulsion of a congregation or individual from membership in the Synod is
the sole responsibility of the district president who
has the responsibility for ecclesiastical supervision
of such member. This Bylaw section 2.14, among
others, provides the procedures to carry out Article
XIII of the Constitution, “Expulsion from the
Synod.” However, it does not provide the procedure
for the expulsion of the district presidents and the
officers of the Synod (Bylaw section 2.15), the President of the Synod (Bylaw section 2.16), or individual members in cases involving sexual misconduct
or criminal behavior (Bylaw section 2.17).

(C) Add a new section at the beginning of Bylaw
section 2.13 to define a “specific ministry pastor”
and the limitations on membership privileges and
responsibilities that pertain, as follows:
Specific Ministry Pastor Status and Limitations
2.13.1 A “specific ministry pastor” is a minister of religion—ordained who has completed the requirements for service as a specific ministry pastor and
has been examined by one of the Synod’s seminaries, has received a regular call and has been placed
by the Council of Presidents into a specific Word and
Sacrament ministry context. He is eligible to serve
only in that specific ministry context for which he
has been trained and may not be offered or accept a
call for ministry for which he has not been certified
as determined by his district president. He shall
serve under the supervision of his district president
and another pastor who is not a specific ministry
pastor.
(a) Because he is under supervision of another pastor and because a specific ministry pastor’s theological education has been formed in part by and
for a specific ministry context, he may not be
placed or called into ecclesiastical roles that exercise pastoral oversight outside the location of
his call.
(b) A specific ministry pastor is not eligible to
(1) serve as a voting delegate to a national convention of the Synod—but may serve as an

2007 Convention Proceedings