LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 180

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180

Theology and Church Relations

4-36

To Affirm 1989 Res. 3-05B and Ministry
of Licensed Deacons
Background
The LCMS has properly held that the ministerium of the Synod
serves the fundamental mission of the church to faithfully proclaim
the Gospel (Matt. 16:17–19; Rom. 10:14). This has resulted in practices that are not always ideal, but circumstances have compelled our
church to provide for the preaching of the Word and proper administration of the Sacraments, lest they be denied to the people of God
for lack of an ordained clergyman. The Holy Scriptures repeatedly
show that it is the privilege of all believers in Christ to share the good
news of Jesus Christ to all people (Acts 1:8; Luke 10:1–2; Phil. 2:11;
2 Tim. 2:2; Matt. 28:19–20).
In the past, these circumstances were overcome through the use of
“emergency helpers” (Nothilfern) in our earliest years, through circuit riders, through the combining of smaller congregations into dual
(or more) parishes, and more recently through the use of properly
trained, called, supervised, and Synod-approved licensed deacons.
These methods have been used effectively, and while some smaller
congregations grew to a size where they were able to call a seminarytrained ordained clergyman, many have not and anticipate remaining
of such a size that cost and other factors preclude them from that preferred option for the foreseeable future. The Means of Grace would
be denied or reduced in these smaller congregations if it were not for
these men serving faithfully in extraordinary circumstances.
It is to be noted that while Synod resolutions and opinions may
change over time, those opinions rendered as “the Synod in convention” should not be lightly overturned. In addition, the movement to
rescind Res. 3-05B of the 1989 Wichita convention has not arisen
from those districts or congregations which currently utilize licensed
deacons to great effect.
Therefore, the following resolution seeks to affirm (1) what the
Synod has said in convention and affirmed repeatedly; (2) what our
confessions both permit and support; and (3) what is desperately
needed in dozens of extraordinary ministry settings throughout our
Synod and which is being properly provided by those deacons who are
called, trained, placed, and supervised appropriately by their respective districts and the congregations they serve.
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has spoken
in convention through Res. 3-05B at the 1989 Wichita convention to
allow for properly called, trained, and supervised licensed deacons
to perform Word-and-Sacrament ministry; and
Whereas, This resolution has been affirmed repeatedly in order
to meet the ongoing needs to provide essential Word-and-Sacrament
ministry to those congregations and preaching stations which would
otherwise not have such vital ministry; and
Whereas, It is desirable to have in place ordained clergy as the
regular and ordinary public administrators of Word-and-Sacrament
ministry in every congregation; and
Whereas, The need for such ministry is increasing as the number
of “noncalling” congregations continues to rise; and
Whereas, The licensed deacons of our Synod have faithfully
performed their ministry in such locations according to their call and
training according to the resolutions of our Synod; and
Whereas, The elimination of the ministry of licensed deacons to
perform Word-and-Sacrament ministry would eliminate the regular

2013 Convention Workbook

exercise of the Means of Grace for dozens of congregations in approximately half of the districts of our LCMS; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Northwest District in convention affirm again
the decisions made by the 1989 Wichita convention in Res. 3-05B
to continue the practice of utilizing the already accepted means of
calling, training, and supervising licensed deacons to perform Wordand-Sacrament ministry in these district-determined locations of
ministry; and be it further
Resolved, That the Northwest District rise in gratitude and thanksgiving for the ministry of our licensed deacons who are providing
vital Word-and-Sacrament ministry to such bodies of Christians who
would not otherwise be fellow partakers of the Means of Grace without them; and be it finally
Resolved, That this resolution be sent to the 2013 LCMS
convention.
Northwest District
4-37

To Direct COP to Develop Plan to Phase Out
Licensed Deacon Program with Corresponding
Changes to SMP Program
Whereas, St. Paul distinguished between overseers or bishops
(1 Tim. 3:1–7) and deacons (1 Tim. 3:8–13); and
Whereas, The overseers of the Bible have usually been called
pastors in the Lutheran Church, based on Acts 20:28; and
Whereas, St. Paul also warned, “Do not be hasty in the laying on
of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure” (1 Tim.
5:22) and “an overseer must be … not a novice” (1 Tim. 3:6); and
Whereas, In certain situations today, the Synod approves of
preaching and administration of the Sacraments by men who have
not been publicly called to, and placed in, the Office of the Ministry
(This position is expressed, e.g., in 1989 Res. 3-05B, “when no pastor
is available, and in the absence of any specific Scriptural directives to
the contrary, congregations may arrange for the performance of these
distinctive functions [preaching and administering the sacraments]
by qualified individuals.”); and
Whereas, The Augsburg Confession’s fourteenth article reads,
“Concerning church government it is taught that no one should publicly teach, preach, or administer the sacraments without a proper
[public] call” (Kolb-Wengert, p. 46); and
Whereas, The systematic theology faculties of both seminaries,
acting jointly, have published a detailed statement on “The Office of
the Holy Ministry” (Concordia Journal 33.3 [July 2007] pp. 242–
255), which states in part,
The Confessions never use the truth that the whole church possesses
the power of the keys to make the office of the holy ministry unnecessary or merely useful. On the contrary, this truth serves as the basis for
the church’s right to call, choose, and ordain ministers. … [T]he Treatise
[on Power and Primacy of the Pope] does not imagine churches without
ordained ministers of some kind, even in emergency situations or when
no one else will call and ordain men for the office. As confessors of the
same doctrine, neither should we. …
“[C]all and ordination” are essential for conduct of the ministry. …
What is the sign of authority for ministers today? It is their call and ordination, which assure that they act by divine right and on the authority
of Christ. This truth makes such ideas as “lay ministers” invitations for
difficulties and troubles to ministers whose authority is doubtful and to
laypersons whose assurance of God’s grace may be questioned” (pp.
253–254, 255; 2012 Central Illinois District Convention Manual, Section D—Resolutions Page D-2).