LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — May 5, 1999, Page 5

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and missionary activities is again a factual question beyond the purview of this Commission. Concerns that
individual membership or participation in LAMP by a pastor of Synod may be in violation of Article VI of
the Synod’s Constitution should be brought to the attention of the District President who has ecclesiastical
supervision of that pastor in accord with Bylaw 2.27.
38. Memberships In Pan-Christian Organizations (99-2146)
A parish pastor asked the opinion of the CCM regarding the propriety of synodical congregations or
districts holding membership in pan-Christian organizations such as the Willow Creek Association. Several
specific questions were asked of the Commission:
1. May congregations or Districts of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod hold
membership in pan-Christian organizations such as Willow Creek Association, et al,
especially as related to Article VI of the Synod's constitution, particularly “renunciation
of unionism and syncretism” and “participating in heterodox tract and missionary
activities”?
2. In its Web page where it promotes membership, the President of the Willow Creek
Association states: “We believe that as members of the Association share ideas,
strategies, and resources, and learn from each other’s successes as well as mistakes, we
will all increase our ministry impact.” Do such sharing of strategies and resources
violate the prohibition of participating in heterodox tract and missionary activities as set
forth in Article VI(2)(c) of the Synod’s constitution?
3. Is the use by members of the LCMS of the instructional materials, videos, et al of the
Willow Creek Association a violation of the mandate for exclusive use of doctrinally pure
agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school as set forth in Article VI(4) of
the Synod’s constitution?
In order to respond to these questions, a differentiation must first be made between Districts of the Synod
and congregations that are members of the Synod. Regarding Districts, “The Synod is not merely an
advisory body in relation to a District. A District is the Synod itself performing the functions of the Synod”
(Bylaw 4.07, a). “The Constitution of the Synod is also the Constitution of each District. The Bylaws of
the Synod shall be primarily the Bylaws of the District. A District may adopt additional bylaws, regulations
and resolutions necessary for its own administration or for effectively carrying on the work of the Synod.
Such bylaws, regulations and resolutions shall not conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod”
(Bylaw 4.07, b).
Since, therefore, a District is the Synod in that place, the question becomes whether the Synod may be a
member of the Willow Creek Association. Since the propriety of such membership would in large part be a
doctrinal question, and since Article XI, B, 1 of the Synod’s Constitution states that the President of the
Synod has the supervision regarding the doctrine of the Synod, it therefore is the duty of the President of the
Synod to determine if such membership by the Synod is appropriate. If there is disagreement with the
conclusion reached by the President, such controversy is to be resolved under the procedures set forth in
Bylaw 1.09 or by an action of the national convention of the Synod according to Bylaw 3.73.
On the other hand, regarding the membership of congregations in pan-Christian organizations, Article VII
of the Constitution of the Synod provides as follows:
In its relation to its members the Synod is not an ecclesiastical government exercising
legislative or coercive powers, and with respect to the individual congregation’s right of