LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 165

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6. PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES
Resolved, That all the Synod congregations and pastors be
encouraged to support and participate in PALS and Preach the
Word in our life together in service of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Action: Adopted (9)

After some discussion, closure of debate was called and carried.
The resolution was adopted in a unanimous voice vote.

To Recommend and Implement Rigorous
Program of Study in Circuit Winkels
RESOLUTION 6-07A
Overture 6-39 (CW, 343–44); Resolution 6-07 (TB, 136–37)
WHEREAS, The 67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod on July 24, 2019, adopted Resolution
6-04, “To Support, Encourage, and Expect Continuing
Education for all Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Pastors,”
nearly unanimously and by voice vote (Proceedings, 160); and
WHEREAS, In the press of pastoral life, pastors often find it
difficult to maintain a robust study of God’s Word and the
teachings of Scripture—along with the necessary tools for
that study—and the use of the biblical languages; and
for:

WHEREAS, Traditionally, the pastoral Winkels provided

• the regular, formal study of the Scriptures, led by
pastors for pastors;
• the regular, formal study of the Lutheran Confessions
and the Lutheran dogmatic tradition, led by pastors for
pastors;
• the regular, formal study of illuminating historical
issues and contemporary threats to the teaching of
God’s Word and our blessed Lutheran Confessions, led
by pastors for pastors; and
• the regular, formal critique of the teaching and
proclamation of the pastors in the Winkel;
and
WHEREAS, The traditional Winkel model generates
koinonia around the only thing that in Christ’s Church can
create it—His Holy Word and our blessed Lutheran
Confessions—but the absence of serious study of that Word
and our Lutheran Confessions leads to the rupture of koinonia;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the district presidents provide to all circuit
visitors and pastors a template for monthly Winkels which
provides significant time for:
• the regular, formal study of God’s Word in the original
languages led by a circuit pastor;

Resolutions

• the regular, formal study of our blessed Lutheran
Confessions and/or the Lutheran dogmatic tradition
led by a circuit pastor;
• the regular, formal study of an historical, pastoraltheological, or polemical topic led by a circuit pastor;
and
• regular, formal pastor-led critique of the Winkel
preacher’s sermon;
and be it further
Resolved, That the pastors of the district be encouraged to
embrace the traditional Winkel model and readily, gladly, and
energetically to participate in it, for their own theological
growth, to maintain the tools of theology in their midst, and
to foster koinonia in their midst; and be it finally
Resolved, That each district president in his 2026 Synod
convention report comment on the implementation of the
traditional Winkel model in the circuits of his district and its
reception by and benefit to pastors and congregations alike.
Action: Adopted (9)

Upon closure of debate suggested by the chair, the resolution was
adopted by voice vote.

To Recognize and Honor the Pastor’s Wife
RESOLUTION 6-09
Overture 6-45 (CW, 346–47)
WHEREAS, Genesis 1 and 2 along with many Old Testament
references (particularly in Prov. 31:1–31), Jesus in Matt. 19:4–6
and blessing the wedding at Cana (John 2:1–11), as well as 1
Cor. 7:2, 9 and Heb. 13:4, substantiate the God-given
institution of marriage between a man and a woman; and
WHEREAS, We confess the divine and natural right of all
people, including our pastors, to the marriage of a man and
woman in Augsburg Confession and Apology Article XXIII and
Smalcald Articles III XI, where the defense of the marriage of
pastors has become a defense and confession of God’s gift and
institution of our humanity as male or female and of marriage;
and
WHEREAS, The year 2025 will mark the 500th anniversary
of Dr. Martin Luther’s marriage to Katherine von Bora, June 13,
1525, helping to reestablish within the Reformation
movement the sanctity of marriage among the Christian
clergy in the West; and
WHEREAS, The wonderful blessing of marriage is
underlined by both Martin and Katie, even establishing the
role model of the pastor’s family and the parsonage for
generations to follow; and
WHEREAS, Pastors are to be “examples to the flock” (1 Peter
5:3), that the flock may imitate their Christian life (Titus 2:7),
also in respect to the marital, domestic estate, that they be
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 165