LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — May 5, 1999, Page 6

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self government it is but an advisory body. Accordingly, no resolution of the Synod
imposing anything upon the individual congregation is of binding force if it is not in
accordance with the Word of God or if it appears to be inexpedient as far as the condition
of a congregation is concerned.
Bylaw 1.05, d, provides as follows:
Congregations together establish the requirements of membership in the Synod (Art. VI).
In joining the Synod, congregations and other members obligate themselves to fulfill such
requirements. Members agree to uphold the confessional position of the Synod (Art. II)
and to assist in carrying out the objectives of the Synod (Art. III), which are objectives of
the members themselves. Thus, while congregations of the Synod are self-governing (Art.
VII), they, and also individual members, commit themselves as members of the Synod to
act in accordance with the synodical Constitution and Bylaws under which they have
agreed to live and work together and which the congregations alone have the authority to
adopt or amend through conventions.
Whether, therefore, membership in an organization such as the Willow Creek Association by a member
congregation of the Synod is in violation of Article VI of the Constitution of the Synod, and whether the
organization’s strategies and resources and instructional materials may be used by members of the LCMS
are questions that can only be answered after an examination of the governing documents and resource
materials of the organization in light of the above-quoted bylaws, the degree of involvement by a member
congregation in such an organization, and the type and extent of use of its instructional materials. The
authority of this Commission is limited by Bylaw 3.905 to an interpretation of the Synod’s Constitution,
Bylaws and resolutions. Bylaw 4.73 assigns to District Presidents the responsibility to determine if such
congregational membership and use of materials is appropriate. If there is disagreement with the conclusion
reached by the District President, his decision may be appealed to the national convention of the Synod
(Bylaw 3.73), where the congregations of the Synod deliberate such questions and adopt resolutions which
become binding upon the members of the Synod under Bylaw 1.05.
39. Requests for Clarification of Bylaws 3.63, b, and 3.69, c, re Board Nominations and
Appointments (99-2147)
A pastor raised questions regarding nominations submitted by Synod’s program boards and appointments to
staff positions to staff positions in boards, commissions and synod wide corporate entities. The Commission
addressed each question separately as follows:
Are nominations submitted by staff members of the Synod’s program boards, that have
not been submitted as a result of board action, to be regarded as nominations “from the
board…where the vacancy occurs” as required by Bylaw 3.63b?
Bylaw 3.63, b, is clear regarding the sources of nominees when vacancies occur on synodically elected
boards or commissions:
The board or commission where the vacancy occurs
The synodical President
The District Boards of Directors
The slate of candidates from the previous synodical convention