LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 104

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104

SYNOD REPORTS

12 Normally one CEU credit is granted for 10 contact hours, but
this may vary depending on required noncontact assignments or other
requirements.
13. Convention Proceedings, The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod, 2007, pp. 140–41. The resolution was adopted with a Yes vote of
1,084 and a No vote of 132.
14. Perhaps this dilemma reflects the words of the first President of
Synod: “According to the constitution under which our synodical union
exists, we have merely the power to advise one another, that we have
only the power of the Word, and of convincing” (C.F.W. Walther’s First
Presidential Address, 1848, translated by Paul F. Koehneke, CHIQ.)
15. For the full recommendation, see The Final Report of The Blue
Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance, The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod, October 15, 2009, pp. 47–48.
16. An exception is provided in LCMS Bylaw 2.11.1 (c), which
makes provision for a minister of religion serving a congregation which
is not a member of the Synod, provided that such is approved by the president of the district in which the congregation is located.
17. LCMS Bylaw section 2.11 “Continued Eligibility of Individual
Members.”
18. Certainly, apart from academic expectations, there are ample
scriptural expectations for those who hold the pastoral office, such as
1 Tim. 3:1–7; 4:12; Titus 1:6–9; and 1 Peter 5:1–3.

5-05A Task Force Addendum to Report
[The following “Report Observations” correspond to the underlined sections in the 5-05A Task Force Report. This addendum
provides recommendations both for convention action and for interim
action by entities or agencies other than a convention of Synod.]
1. Report Observation:
“Unlike other professional organizations which require a certification
or licensure process by a board or agency independent of the educational institution from which the individual graduated, there is no
independent ‘certifying agency’ provided by the current Bylaws of
Synod....While there is certainly validity to the knowledge that a faculty has of its students, consideration should be given to a process of
declaring candidates qualified for their first call which does not give
the appearance of a conflict of interest.”
Proposed Convention Action:
This is addressed in Recommendation 4 (Report, p. 102).
Proposed Interim Action:
• This matter first should be discussed further at joint meetings of the
faculties of the seminaries and Council of Presidents, and then referred
to the committee described in Recommendation 1 for bylaw recommendations to the 2016 convention.
2. Report Observations:
“A new Bylaw section 2.11 “Qualification for Subsequent Calls”
should be added (with the corresponding renumbering of the remainder of Bylaws chapter 2, “Membership”).”
“The Synod, however, in its understanding of iure humano, may establish criteria for those who are included on the roster of Synod and who
are qualified for initial and subsequent calls. Involvement in continuing education should be added to the criteria that the Synod already
has established.”
Proposed Convention Action:
This is addressed in Recommendation 3.
Proposed Interim Action:
• A representative from the CTCR and from each of the seminary faculties should approach this from a scriptural and confessional basis.
While neither Scriptures nor the Confessions specifically deal with the
matter of the relationship between continuing education and qualification for subsequent calls, there are certainly scriptural and confessional
references which have bearing on this matter (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15 and

2013 Convention Workbook

Luther’s Prefaces to the Small and Large Catechisms at a minimum).
Such references should be included in any resolution which is presented to a convention of the Synod which would consider such a
bylaw change.
3. Report Observation:
“The twelve ‘Themes for Pastoral Education’ should provide a strong
and intentional focus in the formal academic training for the pre-seminary programs. It is commendable that in addition to the pre-seminary
academic programs, the Synod’s universities offer pre-seminary fellowship and service groups that provide less formal but very important
opportunities for collegiality and pastoral formation. Such opportunities should continue.”
Proposed Convention Action:
None
Proposed Interim Action:
• Because the twelve “themes” were part of Res. 5-05A, which was
adopted in 2010, these themes already should be integrated as part
of the operating guidelines for each of Synod’s colleges or universities which has a program for pastoral formation. The Concordia
University System should follow up to ensure that these “themes”
are in place and are being integrated in the programs for pastoral
formation.
4. Report Observation:
“Participation in PALS or a corresponding district program is an important step in post-seminary pastoral formation and should be expected
as a vital step in pastoral formation ”
“Provision should be made so that pastors will have opportunity for
well-balanced growth that reflects the integrity of the pastoral office,
is sound in theology and practice, and is faithful to the mission of the
church.”
Proposed Convention Action:
This should all be considered as part of the proposed amendments to
Bylaw section 2.11 (see no. 2 above).
Proposed Interim Action:
• District presidents should both encourage formal participation in
PALS or a corresponding district program by all new graduates and
include this in the process of developing a continuing education portfolio for every pastor.
• The Council of Presidents should work with the Office of Pastoral
Education and the faculties of the seminaries to determine continuing education modules which reflect both the twelve “Themes for
Pastoral Education” as well as those areas of “necessary growth in
pastoral formation” identified in 2010 Res. 5-05A, namely: “biblical languages, mission training, leadership development, disability
awareness, relationship and equipping skills, etc. ” In addition, this
group should develop templates both for pastors’ continuing education portfolios and the corresponding pastors’ district files. Such
templates should provide continuing education standards that will
help guide the pastors in an intentional and well-balanced plan for
continuing pastoral formation.
5. Report Observation:
“For the sake of further growth in the overall topic of pastoral formation, it is essential that these joint meetings and frank dialogues
continue.”
Proposed Convention Action:
None
Proposed Interim Action:
• The faculties of the seminaries and the Council of Presidents should
continue to commit to annual joint Council of Presidents/faculty
meetings on each campus with an agenda that specifically includes
the topic of pastoral formation.
• In the past, there were occasional joint meetings of the Council of
Presidents with the faculties of both seminaries together. Because
of the cost involved, those joint meetings have been discontinued.