LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 216

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216 SEMINARY AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

5-08

To Place DELTO Oversight Committee
under Board for Pastoral Education

WHEREAS, Res. 3-05B in the 1989 convention led the way for
laypersons to be prepared and certified as deacons (certified church
workers, lay) to perform Word and Sacrament ministry in congre-
gations when no ordained pastor was available (preaching in public
services, leading the public worship services, presiding at the pub-
lic administration of the Sacraments, but not the public administra-
tion of the Office of the Keys); and

WHEREAS, Res. 3-07A in the 1995 convention established the
procedure by which laymen licensed to perform functions of the
pastoral office were to be called and ordained into the LCMS min-
isterium by applying for admission into the pastoral ministry (the
seminaries were to establish a common program of theological ed-
ucation for these laymen); and

WHEREAS, Res. 5-01 in the 1998 convention supported Distance
Education Leading to Ordination (DELTO), developed by the
Board for Higher Education (BHE) with the cooperation of the
seminaries, and resolved to continue the DELTO program with the
BHE directing to assure compliance with the approved policies in
the DELTO Policy Manual; and

WHEREAS, 2001 Res. 3-08B resolved to keep lay deacons serv-
ing under the supervision of an ordained pastor (1989 Res. 3-05B),
to rescind 1995 Res. 3-07A requiring licensed laymen to complete
a seminary program for ordination, and provided for an oversight
committee to revise DELTO (composed of members of the BHE,
the seminaries, and the COP, in conjunction with district and local
representation); and

Whereas, The only reference to DELTO in the 2004 conven-
tion was in the Report of the President, noting action taken to im-
plement 2001 Res. 3-08B; and

WHEREAS, Since convention resolutions not assigned to a board,
commission, or agency fall to the Synod President’s office to im-
plement on behalf of the Synod, the DELTO Oversight Commit-
tee functions under the supervision of the President’s office; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS Bylaws (3.8.2 and 3.8.2.3 [c]) make it
the duty of the BPE to coordinate “pre-seminary education pro-
grams, seminary education, and post-seminary continuing educa-
tion” (3.8.2), “develop coordinating policies and procedures for co-
ordinating roles and responsibilities of the seminaries” (3.8.2.3 [c]),
and “review and approve new programs and manage peer review of
programs in the interest of the seminaries and the Synod” (3.8.2.3
[d]); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board for Pastoral Education supervise the
DELTO Oversight Committee.

Board for Pastoral Education

To Discontinue Nonresidential Tracks
toward Ordination

WHEREAS, Art. III (Objectives) of the Constitution of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod states in part, “The Synod,
under Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, shall...3. Recruit
and train pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers
and provide opportunity for their continuing growth”; and

WHEREAS, Over the course of the Synod’s history the main av-
enue for the training of pastors has been in a residential setting at
one of the Synod’s seminaries; and

WHEREAS, This training has served the church well; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the 2007 LCMS convention declare that the or-
dinary venue for training of pastors be in residential academic pro-
grams at one of the Synod’s seminaries; and be it further

Resolved, All nonresidential tracks toward ordination in The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod be discontinued; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That the Synod provide funding for men, especially
those who seek to serve in extraordinary situations, to attend a res-
idential program of study toward ordination at one of the Synod’s
seminaries; and be it finally

Resolved, That the seminaries provide an appropriate course of
residential study for those men who seek to serve in extraordinary
situations that faithfully prepares them to serve in the Office of the
Holy Ministry.

St. Paul
Brookfield, IL

5-10

To Decline Proposals That Lack Existing
Requirements for Preparation of Pastors

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod set out its
objectives in Art. III of its Constitution; and

WHEREAS, These include conserving and promoting the unity
of the true faith and the recruitment and training of pastors, teach-
ers, and professional church workers; and

WHEREAS, The Office of the Holy Ministry as the highest office
on earth represents no less than Christ, who is our Lord and Savior;
and

WHEREAS, The very proclamation, teaching, articulation, and
defense of God’s Holy Word and the administration of the Sacra-
ments in truth affects souls that are immortal; and

WHEREAS, The very congregations and their congregants very
rightfully expect that a pastor who is certified for the Office of the
Holy Ministry indeed is qualified not only to preach the Word in its
truth and purity but to also have the requisite skills to interpret and
understand the Word by referring to the Word in original lan-
guages; and

WHEREAS, The Synod’s two seminaries have long been recog-
nized for thorough preparation of men committed to the Office of
the Holy Ministry and all that entails; and

WHEREAS, In recent years the Synod’s seminaries have also, for
a variety of reasons, sometimes been pressed to place all qualified
graduates thereof; and

WHerEAS, God in His great love for sinners sent His only be-
gotten Son to redeem us by His death, thereby also demonstrating
the value of a soul to God; and

WHEREAS, The enlargement of the Alternate Route Program/
DELTO and a Pastor Specific Ministry not requiring seminary
training equivalent to that of residential seminary training is not in
present proposals and therefore will not provide congregations of
the Synod adequately prepared pastors prior to ordination, there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod respectfully decline any proposal(s)
that fail to require the same studies for pastoral candidates as are re-
quired of a student actually attending a seminary of the Synod and
are provided by professors of such a seminary.

Faith
Chesapeake, VA

5-11

To Develop Partnership with Districts
for Training Programs

WHEREAS, The LCMS maintains a historical Lutheran under-
standing of the priesthood of all believers and of the Office of the
Public Ministry as set forth in the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran
Confessions; and

WuereEas, Workers are needed to reach the lost among the 300
million people living in the United States with the saving message
of Jesus Christ; and

Wuereas, Almost half of the districts of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod have education and training programs for church