LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 451

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Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Task Force
WHEREAS, The Commission on Constitutional Matters has
issued opinions 07-2499 and 07-2500 that no changes to Synod’s
Constitution are required should this resolution be adopted; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Specific Ministry Pastor Program be adopted
in principle and the seminaries, Board for Pastoral Education, and
Council of Presidents be authorized to implement it; and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw sections 2.13 and 2.14 of the Handbook of
the Synod be amended accordingly, as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
(A) Change the title of Bylaw section 2.13 to read as follows:
2.13Restricting, Suspending, and Expelling Congregations or Individuals
from Membership Membership Status and Limitations
(B) Incorporate current Bylaws 2.13.1 and 2.13.2 into Bylaw 2.14.1 as
follows:
•
•
•

Current Bylaw 2.13.1 becomes Bylaw 2.14.1
Current Bylaw 2.13.2 becomes Bylaw 2.14.1 (a)
Current Bylaw 2.14.1 becomes Bylaw 2.14.1 (b)

The early paragraphs of Bylaw section 2.14 therefore to read as
follows:
2.14			 Expulsion of Congregations or Individuals from Membership in
the Synod
Preamble
2.13.1
2.14.1 Termination of membership in the Synod is a serious matter invol
ing both the doctrine and life of those to whom it has been granted.
Such action should only be taken as a final step when it is clear that
those who are being terminated after previoufutile admonition have
acted contrary to the confessionlaid down in Article II or the conditions of membership laid down in Article VI or have persisted
ioffensive conduct (Constitution, Art. XIII 1). For this reason the
Synod establishes procedures for such action including the identification of those who are responsible for ecclesiastical supervision of
its members. Such supervision includes not only suspension or termination of membership but also advice, counsel, encouragement,
and, when necessary, admonition regarding teaching and/or practice. Furthermore, the procedures that may lead to termination of
membership also provide for the protection of members by including
provisions for challenging the decisions of ecclesiastical supervisors
in these matters as well as provisions for restoration of membership
that has been suspended or terminated.
General
2.13.2 (a) Although the Constitution (see Art. VI 3 and Art. XII 7–8) deals
with the “life” of ordained and commissioned ministers of the Synod
and provides for dealing with “ungodly life” of ordained and commissioned ministers, this does not suggest that the Synod, including any
district of the Synod, has the duty or even an opportunity to observe
the activities in the life of an individual member of the Synod or has
the means or authority to regulate, restrict, or control those activities. The only remedy available to the Synod in response to improper
activities in the life of such a member of the Synod is, as is true with
respect to violations of other conditions of membership or is otherwise
appropriate under the Constitution or these Bylaws, and following
the procedures set forth in these Bylaws, to take such action as may
lead to termination of that membership and the attendant rights and
privileges.
2.14.1 (b) The action to commence expulsion of a congregation or individual from membership in the Synod is the sole responsibility of the
district president who has the responsibility for ecclesiastical supervision of such member. This Bylaw section 2.14, among others,
provides the procedures to carry out Article XIII of the Constitution,
“Expulsion from the Synod.” However, it does not provide the

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procedure for the expulsion of the district presidents and the officers
of the Synod (Bylaw section 2.15), the President of the Synod (Bylaw
section 2.16), or individual members in cases involving sexual misconduct or criminal behavior (Bylaw section 2.17).
(C) Add a new section at the beginning of Bylaw section 2.13 to
define a “specific ministry pastor” and the limitations on membership
privileges and responsibilities that pertain, as follows:
Specific Ministry Pastor Status and Limitations
2.13.1 A “specific ministry pastor” is a minister of religion— ordained
who has completed the requirements for service as a specific ministry pastor and has been examined by one of the Synod’s seminaries,
has received a regular call and has been placed by the Council of
Presidents into a specific Word and Sacrament ministry context. He
is eligible to serve only in that specific ministry context for which he
has been trained and may not be offered or accept a call for ministry
for which he has not been certified as determined by his district president. He shall serve under the supervision of his district president
and another pastor who is not a specific ministry pastor.
(a) Because he is under supervision of another pastor and because a specific ministry pastor’s theological education has been formed in part
by and for a specific ministry context, he may not be placed or called
into ecclesiastical roles that exercise pastoral oversight outside the
location of his call.
(b) A specific ministry pastor is not eligible to
(1)	serve as a voting delegate to a national convention of the
Synod—but may serve as an advisory delegate to national
conventions and as a pastoral delegate to district conventions;
(2) hold any elected or appointed office on the district or national Synod level that is assigned by the Bylaws of the Synod
to “a pastor” or “an ordained minister” (although specific
ministry pastors may serve in all other capacities, especially
representing the ministerial contexts in which they serve);
(3) supervise vicars; or
(4) serve as a circuit counselor.
(c) The ministers of religion—ordained records maintained by district
presidents as well as the official membership roster of the Synod shall
distinguish between specific ministry pastors and other pastors.
(D) Change the titles and bylaw numbering of subsequent paragraphs
of Bylaw section 2.13 to accommodate the introduction of the “specific
ministry pastor status and limitations” paragraphs, as follows:
Restricted Status and Limitations
2.13.3
2.13.2 An individual member of the Synod may be placed…
Removal of Restricted Status and Limitations
2.13.4
2.13.3 An individual member of the Synod who is placed…
Suspended Status and Limitations
2.13.5
2.13.4 When formal proceedings have been commenced…
(E) Change Bylaw 3.1.3.1 to read as follows:
3.1.3.1 Each district shall select one advisory delegate for every 60
advisory ordained ministers and specific ministry pastors, and one
advisory delegate for every 60 commissioned ministers on the roster
of the Synod. Fractional groupings shall be disregarded except that
each district shall be entitled to at least one advisory delegate in each
category. and be it further

Resolved, That the DELTO Oversight Committee be renamed the
Specific Ministry Pastor Committee; and be it Further
Resolved, That the Specific Ministry Pastor Committee be placed
under the supervision of the Board for Pastoral Education; and be it
further
2013 Convention Workbook