LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — September 26 – 27, 2014, Page 11

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Question 1: Can/May a district, congregation, RSO, or auxiliary of the Synod call a pastor or other
rostered worker of the Synod for the purpose of that worker serving in “foreign areas”?
Opinion: Foreign missions is a jurisdiction that the Synod has retained for itself (Bylaw 4.1.5). Districts
and congregations may not call rostered church workers for service in foreign areas, as supported
throughout the Bylaws of the Synod (e.g., Bylaws 2.11.1 [a] and [g]; 2.12.1.4; 4.4.3 [b]). If it is an area so
designated by the Board for International Mission (Bylaw 3.1.4.3), interest in supporting a worker must
be coordinated with the Office of International Mission. While auxiliaries and recognized service
organizations are independent of the Synod’s control, requirements for their relationships to the Synod
and its agencies make clear the expectation that communication and coordination will take place to make
certain that foreign mission activities, including the calling of rostered workers, will “aid the Synod”
(Bylaw 6.1.1) and are “in harmony with the programs of the boards of the Synod” (Bylaw 6.2.1) and
respect protocol documents (Bylaws 3.3.1.1.2; 6.1.3 [g]; 6.2.1 [d]) and other agreements.
Question 2: Can/May a district, congregation, RSO, or auxiliary of the Synod call a pastor or other
rostered worker of the Synod for the purposes of “lending” him to another entity, RSO, or
agency of the Synod, or to a mission society not affiliated officially with the Synod (a
private IRS 501 (c) (3) mission society) with the expressed purpose of having that called
worker serve in “foreign areas”?
Opinion: In addition to a number of theological and practical concerns likely associated with such
practice as described, calling a pastor or other rostered worker in order to “lend” him/her to another
agency or entity for service in a foreign area is tantamount to extending the call for the worker to serve in
a mission field and is not appropriate for reasons given in sections (B)–(E) above.
Question 3: Can/May a district, congregation, RSO, or auxiliary of the Synod send funds to a mission
society or other non-synodical entity for the purpose of doing work in “foreign areas”?
Opinion: Districts may not send funds to mission societies and non-Synod entities for doing work in
foreign areas except through the Board for International Mission.
In keeping with “[o]ur Lord’s will that the diversity of gifts should be for the common profit. 1 Cor. 12:4–
31” (Constitution Preamble), congregations may not send funds to mission societies and non-Synod
entities for work in foreign areas without taking into consideration policies developed and determined for
this purpose by the Board of International Mission as the only sending agency. Such policies must honor
the principle of congregational autonomy. They must also take into consideration Constitution Article III,
which articulates the Synod’s obligations and objectives toward its congregations, and Constitution
Article VI 2 c, which requires as a condition of membership in the Synod the renunciation of unionistic
and syncretistic practices such as “[p]articipating in heterodox tract and missionary activities” (2013
Handbook, p. 15).
Auxiliaries, whose members are often members of the Synod, will of necessity be sensitive to this
constitutional expectation as well. And recognized service organizations will take care that their program
activities respect and are not contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Synod.
Question 4: Can/May a district, congregation, RSO, or auxiliary of the Synod determine on its own,
without consultation with the Synod, what is or is not a “foreign area” of the Synod’s
mission work?
Opinion: The Bylaws of the Synod assume that such determination belongs to the Synod’s Board for
International Mission (Bylaw 3.1.4.3) and not districts and congregations. Auxiliaries and recognized
CCM Minutes – September 26–27, 2014 – Page 41