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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 184

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

184

Theology and Church Relations

4-45

4-47

To Bring God-Pleasing End to District Lay Deacon
Programs

To Clarify Synod Position re Joint Prayer
with Those Who Deny Christ

Whereas, Our Lutheran Confessions state that “no one should
publicly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments unless he
be regularly called” (AC Art. XIV); and
Whereas, Holy Scripture sets high standards for the theological
aptitude of pastors, saying that they are to be “able to teach” (1 Tim.
3:2) and “able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke
those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9) and that “not many of you should
become teachers, my brothers” (James 3:1); and
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has two fine
residential seminaries, as well as a non-residential Specific Ministry
Pastor (SMP) program; therefore be it
Resolved, That the various district “lay deacon” programs, where
they are used to prepare people to serve in place of a regularly called
pastor, be brought to a God-pleasing end by July 25, 2014.
Farmington Circuit Forum, Missouri District;
St. Matthew, Bonne Terre, MO

Whereas, The 2004 LCMS convention did resolve “to commend
the CTCR document Guidelines for Participation in Civic Events for
study to help pastors, teachers, and church workers make decisions
about participation in civic events” (Res. 3-06A); and
Whereas, For the sake of our own consciences and for a testimony to future generations, we want to give clear testimony to
our faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to the true God, as clearly
revealed in 1 John 2:23 and confessed in the Large Catechism (LC
II 66); therefore, be it
Resolved, That no resolution, guideline, or program, whether it be
resolved, accepted, or promoted by The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod or one of its districts, is understood by the 2013 convention
of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to command, allow, or
encourage a Christian to join in prayer with those who deny Jesus
Christ is the only way to the true God.
Zion Lutheran Church
Chippewa Falls, WI

4-46

To Remand Issue re SMP Program to CTCR
for Review and Clarification
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has been
blessed by the Lord of the Church with seminary programs and faculties that are able to effectively instruct students both on campus and
utilize distance education methods; and
Whereas, The Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program enables
men to receive theological training from our seminaries at the same
time as they are receiving practical training under the guidance of a
mentor pastor while serving in the parish; and
Whereas, There is some confusion as to whether or not the specific ministry pastors are restricted to a particular place and are not
available to be called by the Church at large; and
Whereas, Such restrictions would introduce the possibility of
doubt in that man’s legitimate exercise of the Office of the Holy
Ministry; and
Whereas, The CTCR has stated that an ordained pastor is
ordained as a member of the Holy Ministry of the whole confessional fellowship (1981 “The Ministry: Office, Procedures, and
Nomenclature”); and
Whereas, There appears to be a conflict of understandings
regarding SMP pastors’ availability to the confessional fellowship at
large and the nature of ordination put forth previously by the CTCR;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2013 LCMS convention have this issue
remanded to the CTCR for review and clarification, specifically, but
not limited, to the purpose of answering the concerns raised above,
with the results to be reported to the Synod at large as well as the
Synod in convention.
Michigan District

2013 Convention Workbook

4-48

To Provide Guidance on Participation in Interfaith
and Joint Worship Services
Whereas, The Lord God commanded His people “You shall have
no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3) and judged them severely when
they mixed the one true faith with the worship of the golden calf
(Ex. 32); and
Whereas, The prophet Elijah did not participate in any “interfaith
prayer service” on Mount Carmel, but rather mocked and condemned
the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18); and
Whereas, Our Lord Jesus Christ declared, “I am the way, and
the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
Me” (John 14:6); and
Whereas, The apostle Peter boldly testified to the exclusive
nature of salvation in Jesus alone, saying, “There is salvation in no
one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men
by which we must be saved” (Acts 4: 12); and
Whereas, The apostle Paul did not participate in any “interfaith prayer service” alongside pagan priests when he spoke at the
Areopagus (Acts 17); and
Whereas, The apostle Paul wrote, “I appeal to you, brothers, to
watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them” (Rom.
16:17); and
Whereas, The Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod requires, as a condition of membership, “renunciation of
unionism and syncretism of every description, such as ... taking part
in the services and sacramental rites of heterodox congregations or of
congregations of mixed confession” (Constitution, Art. VI 2b); and
Whereas, Interfaith prayer services and joint worship services
with clergy of religious bodies with which we are not in fellowship—
whether those services are called “vigils” or “events” or some other
term and whether they may also include some civic elements—those
are services in which multiple clergy members of various religious
bodies take turns in leading parts of the service (invocations, prayers,
readings, messages, blessings); and