LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 182

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182

Theology and Church Relations

as holder of all church power, or of the keys, and by its call, as prescribed by God” and that “the ordination of those called, with the
laying on of hands, is not by divine institution but is an apostolic
church ordinance and merely a public, solemn confirmation of the
call”; and
Whereas, A resolution adopted by the 1995 LCMS Wichita convention also observes, “Any man performing the functions of the
pastoral ministry as a licensed laymen should be called by the congregation which he is serving…”; and
Whereas, In many districts throughout the LCMS, lay leaders
have been intentionally and professionally trained to serve in ministry and are called as licensed laymen to help carry out the great
commission; and
Whereas, St. Paul spoke of such partnerships with thanksgiving: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every
prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy, thankful for
your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phil.
1:3–6); and
Whereas, Throughout different districts within the LCMS,
trained lay ministers have served in “partnership” with ordained
clergy and have greatly been used by the Holy Spirit to strengthen
the impact of ministry within their congregations, communities, and
in the world; and
Whereas, There are isolated areas within districts where Word
and Sacrament are not offered for lack of ordained clergy, and where
lay ministers have been able to serve by bringing the Means of Grace
to the people there; therefore be it
Resolved, That the districts offering intentional and professional
lay training be affirmed; and be it further
Resolved, That other districts be encouraged to offer such lay
training so that the work of the church might be further enhanced.
Pacific Southwest District
4-41

To Address Public Preaching and Administering
of the Sacraments by Laypeople
Whereas, The LCMS Constitution states, “The Synod, and
every member of Synod, accepts without reservation: … [a]ll the
Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and
unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God” (Art.
II 2), which are otherwise known as the Lutheran Confessions; and
Whereas, The Constitution of the LCMS is also the constitution
of each district of the Synod (Art. XII 2); and
Whereas, Each individual pastor of the LCMS has vowed to perform the duties of his office in accordance with the Holy Scriptures
and these Lutheran Confessions; and
Whereas, “The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod requires
that its member congregations accept the confessional standard of
the Synod” (Guidelines for Constitutions and Bylaws of Lutheran
Congregations, May 2006, pg. 5, online at: www.lcms.org/Document.
fdoc?src=lcm&id=1193, accessed Aug. 5, 2011); and
Whereas, The original German of Article V of the Augsburg
Confession of the Lutheran Confessions says that “God established
the preaching office (Predigtamt) for teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments,” which was historically understood as the
pastoral office (AC V 1, Concordia Triglotta ed., Northwestern
Publishing House, 1927, pp. 44–45); and
Whereas, The original Latin of Article XIV of the same Augsburg
Confession says that “no one should publicly teach in the Church or
2013 Convention Workbook

administer the sacraments unless he be called by the public ceremony”
(nisi rite vocatus), which was historically understood as referring only
to the pastoral office (AC XIV, Triglotta, pp. 48–49); and
Whereas, The 1989 LCMS convention allowed for lay people to
preach and administer Sacraments publicly in LCMS congregations
at worship—though this is contrary to Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions; and
Whereas, Later conventions of the LCMS have tried to resolve
this issue with overtures/resolutions both in favor of and opposed to
allowing lay people to publicly preach and administer the Sacraments;
and
Whereas, District and Synod programs currently offer lay ministry training for laypeople to publicly preach and administer the
Sacraments; and
Whereas, The Constitution of the LCMS says, “Members who
act contrary to the confession laid down in Article II and to the conditions of membership laid down in Article VI or persist in an offensive
conduct shall, after previous futile admonition, be expelled from the
Synod” (Art. XIII 1), which can even result in a congregation that
supports and defends such a member forfeiting its rights of membership in the LCMS “if all negotiations and admonitions fail of their
purpose” (Art. XIII 3); and
Whereas, There is a great division in the LCMS over laypeople
publicly preaching, baptizing in a church service, or consecrating
Communion elements; and
Whereas, The Constitution of the LCMS says, “All matters of
doctrine and of conscience shall be decided only by the Word of God”
(Art. VIII C); therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2013 LCMS convention insist that district,
Synod, or other programs that result in laypeople publicly preaching or administering Sacraments should be suspended from further
activity until this division is resolved according to God’s Word and
the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further
Resolved, That measures be investigated by the Synod President,
district presidents, and circuit counselors to allow more time for
pastors who feel overwhelmed with their duties so they may not be
overstressed or burn out, but without resorting to laypeople publicly
preaching or administering Sacraments in their place; and be it further
Resolved, That these measures be prepared by the 2016 LCMS
convention; and be it finally
Resolved, That the district presidents, according to their
Constitutional duties (Art. XII 7–8), admonish those congregations
in their districts in which laypeople are publicly preaching and administering Sacraments, as well as those individuals or entities that are
enabling or training such lay ministers, and report on their findings
to the Synod President, to be reported to the 2016 LCMS convention.
Zion, Chippewa Falls, WI; Wadena Circuit Forum, MN North
District; Holy Cross, Albany, OR
4-42

To Request Guidance re Use of Deacons
in Congregational Setting
Whereas, The use of deacons in the Church has biblical precedent (Acts 6:3; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8–13); and
Whereas, These men are to be “proved faithful” or “blameless”
or “tested” in the doctrine and life (1 Tim. 3:10); and
Whereas, Formal deacon training and oversight has occurred in
some, but not all, of our districts; and