Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2026 · 69th Convention, Phoenix › Page 319
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 319

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

LIFE TOGETHER
event, or those of congregations further afield from which it is
reasonable to assume activity or event attendees may be traveling;
and be it further
Resolved, That circuit visitors, district presidents, and the
President of the Synod give special attention to this matter in their
advisory and disciplinary roles.
Circuit 14 (Austin)
Minnesota South District
Ov. 4-32

To Amend Bylaw 6.2.2 (a) to Revise
Recognized Service Organization Requirement
of 100 Percent Synod Board Membership
WHEREAS, The 2016 Synod convention created a task force to
review the current structure and recommend the best model for the
Synod’s relationship to recognized service organizations (RSOs)
(2016 Res. 4-03B, “To Convene Task Force to Review Recognized
Service Organization Program and Bylaws,” Proceedings, 146–47);
and
WHEREAS, The task force was charged with, among other things,
“[ensuring] that all recommendations maintain the important
relationships with the agencies that are recognized by the LCMS”
(2016 Res. 4-03B, Proc., 146); and
WHEREAS, The 2019 Synod convention adopted the
recommendation of the task force in Resolution 4-06A, “To Amend
Bylaw Section 6.2 to Revitalize Synod’s Recognized Service
Organization Program” (2019 Proc., 137–42); and
WHEREAS, This resolution thoroughly revised and redefined the
structure and expectations of RSOs; and
WHEREAS, An unintended consequence of adopting such a large
and sweeping change in a single resolution was that some longstanding RSOs subsequently found themselves no longer qualified;
and
WHEREAS, The language of Bylaw 6.2.2 (a), adopted in 2019
Res. 4-06A, states that any witness service organization (a new
category) must now have 100 percent of its board of directors
holding membership in a congregation of the Synod or its partner
churches; and
WHEREAS, An organization involved in mission or service in
areas without Synod representation, or that desires to expand into
regions without Synod congregations, would find it invaluable to
recruit board members who better understand the mission context;
and
WHEREAS, This requirement has forced RSOs to choose between
proudly partnering and affiliating with the Synod or pursuing the
mission goals for which they exist; therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 6.2.2 (a) be amended as follows, so that a
witness service organization may have board membership of at least
two-thirds members from congregations of the Synod or its partner
churches;
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
6.2.2
Policies shall distinguish the three classes of recognized
service organization, with criteria, procedures, and benefits
appropriate to each, further distinctions being drawn within the
categories as needed:
(a) A witness service organization, under the Scriptures and
Lutheran Confessions, engages in Word or Word-and-Sacrament

319
ministry (including chaplaincy), religious media/programming,
mission society activity, support of specific missions, missionand-ministry training, church worker professional development,
church worker care, or other work directly related to the church’s
proclamation. A witness service organization is governed solely
by Synod (or partner church) congregations or a board
comprising solely members, at least two-thirds of whom are
members of member congregations of the Synod (or its partner
churches).
(b) An educational service organization …
(c) A mercy service organization …

and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention commend the work of
the many and various service organizations and their support of the
Gospel proclamation; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod in convention express the earnest
desire that longtime and faithful RSOs not be needlessly severed
from affiliation with the Synod.
Michigan District
Ov. 4-33

To Promote Transparency and Accountability for
Recognized Service Organizations and To Allow
Certain Educational Institutions to Be Recognized
WHEREAS, The Synod grants recognized service organizations
(RSOs) numerous privileges, including the ability to call rostered
workers; and
WHEREAS, Not all categories of RSOs are required to have 100
percent Synod boards, even though such boards can issue divine
calls to rostered workers, which is an incoherent situation; and
WHEREAS, Although RSOs are required to operate in harmony
with Synod doctrine and practice and maintain nonprofit status,
there is no standardized public reporting for finances, governance
changes, or program outcomes required beyond voluntary
submission or Synod request; therefore, RSOs not required to file
tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service can operate without
routinely publishing even unaudited financials, conflict-of-interest
disclosures, or compensation information (“Why LCMS RSOs
Need Greater Transparency and Accountability—and How Ad
Crucem RSO Explorer Might Help,” Ad Crucem News, Jan. 9,
2026, adcrucem.news); and
WHEREAS, The Synod recognizes RSOs for a five-year term,
after which they may reapply. Yet there is no consistent periodic
review process that includes doctrinal conformity checks,
governance review, or financial accountability benchmarks.
Without a transparent evaluation cycle, the system relies heavily on
occasional voluntary compliance rather than routine and systematic
verification. Moreover, the criteria by which an RSO’s doctrinal
alignment and programmatic harmony are assessed aren’t publicly
codified, leaving evaluators and stakeholders guessing about
expectations and enforcement; and
WHEREAS, When a charity carries the Synod imprimatur, despite
the Synod’s disclaimers about endorsement and responsibility,
individuals and congregations often assume that the organization
represents the Synod’s values, theology, and internal controls. Yet
in practice, RSOs are independent, but their internal decisions,
partnerships, and public engagements can reflect back on the Synod
without clear accountability; therefore be it

2026 Convention Workbook