LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 239

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Resolved, That the Synod in convention establish a task force
to be convened by the Council of Presidents (COP) to include five
members of the COP who are representative of the geographic
diversity of the Synod, two persons appointed by each seminary,
two non-ordained individuals appointed by the Concordia University System (CUS) board, and four lay persons appointed by the
Synod Board of Directors
• To help the Synod address the needs of small, rural, urban,
ethnic, immigrant, financially challenged, and geographically isolated congregations
• To recommend ways to identify candidates to address future
needs in the LCMS
• To provide strategies for reaching the increasingly diverse population of the U.S. and Canada
• To establish minimal standards for pastors (while keeping the
optimum in view)
• To explore alternative methods for ministerial preparation in
light of changing needs
• To recommend avenues to finance preparation of pastors
• To explore the possibility of providing free seminary education
• To consider relevant recommendations in the 4-06A and 5-14A
task force reports
• To consider other matters relevant to their task as may be
identified
and be it further

To Clarify Colloquy Requirements
RESOLUTION 13-04B
Report R64 (CW, pp. 268–289)
Whereas, The 2013 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) adopted Res. 5-14A, “To Conduct Study of
Alternate Routes to Pastoral Ministry” (Proceedings, p. 155) which
read:
Whereas, The Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Task Force Report notes that there are eight routes to ordained ministry;
and
Whereas, The SMP Task Force Report recommends for the
sake of clarity and simplicity that a study of the non-Master
of Divinity routes to the Pastoral Office take place; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod President appoint a task force
(chaired by the Executive Director for Pastoral Education)
to conduct a study of the non-Master of Divinity routes to
the Pastoral Office, and that it report its findings and the
recommendations regarding the appropriateness of each
route, the optimal number of such routes, etc., to the Synod
President by the end of 2015 for action at the 2016 Synod
convention; …
And

Resolved, That in its work the task force encourage the ongoing
work of the district lay training programs and the CUS programs
for evangelism and outreach in order to identify, equip, encourage,
and empower men and women for mission, witness, and service to
Christ and His Church; and be it finally

Whereas, The task force has concluded that all the several
means by which the church recruits, trains, and certifies men to
be placed into the pastoral office are both appropriate and needed
for the life and mission of our Synod and ought be recognized
as such by the Synod. The task force recommends that the Synod
by resolution recognize that each of the means we have for the
church to recruit and train men for pastoral office is appropriate
and needed; and

Resolved, That the LCMS thank and commend the Res. 4-06A
and Res. 5-14A Task Forces for their work and reports.

Whereas, The task force recommends that eligibility for regular colloquy be clarified in the Synod’s Bylaws; therefore be it

Resolved, That the task force provide a report to the next regular convention of the Synod; and be it further

Action: Adopted (5)
(During discussion, friendly amendments were offered to add
“and Canada” to the third bullet of the first resolve, and to add
a new bullet to the same resolve: “• To explore the possibility of
providing free seminary education.” The chair tested the will of
the assembly to close debate. With debate closed, Res. 13-03 was
adopted as changed [Yes: 874; No: 147].)

“13. Routes to Ministry”

Resolved, That the Synod in convention receive with thanks the
report of the task force; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention amend the Bylaws of
the Synod by adding after Bylaw 3.10.2.2 the following new paragraphs to be numbered 3.10.2.3, 3.10.2.4, and 3.10.2.5, respectively:
3.10.2.3

Applicants for the ordained ministry recommended
by the respective district president who are eligible for
colloquy under the colloquy committee’s published
policies may make application to the committee.
Other applicants for the ordained ministry, such as
ministers of religion—commissioned, laymen of a
special ethnic or linguistic group, and laymen who
have fulfilled at least ten years of significant service
in a congregation, may make application to a seminary for the Residential Alternate Route or any other
appropriate program.

3.10.2.4

The LCMS laymen and commissioned ministers who
receive a Master of Divinity or equivalent degree
U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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