To Direct Revisions to Bylaw Section 1.10 Standard Operating Procedures Manual re Witnesses and Evidence

Official Workbook overture source text

10-21 
To Direct Revisions to Bylaw Section 1.10  
Standard Operating Procedures Manual  
re Witnesses and Evidence 
WHEREAS, in Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions, and normal 
standards of the secular world, the accused is to see and hear the 
evidence and both parties receive an impartial, complete 
examination; and 
WHEREAS, The Standard Operating Procedures Manual for 
Bylaw section 1.10, General Regulation N, “Witnesses and 
Evidence” (Dec. 2023, p. 19; available from lcms.org/ccm ) allows 
for gossip to be considered valid evidence; and 
WHEREAS, Gossip is sadly common in the Church and identified 
as a major cause of congregational conflict and decline; and 
WHEREAS, This allows for the final ruling to not be supported by 
the testimony; therefore be it 
Resolved, That in any Dispute Resolution Panel hearing or 
meeting, if anyone presents evidence based on gossip, their 
testimony ends, and they are not allowed to continue until they 
repent of their sin and apologize.; and be it further 
Resolved, That the 1 Tim. 5:19 mandate of two witnesses may 
be met by one witness and documentation: and be it further 
Resolved, That the ruling must be supported by public testimony 
and documents, and be it finally 
Resolved, Standard Operating Procedures Manual for Bylaw 
section 1.10, General Regulation N, “Witnesses and Evidence” 
(Dec. 2023, p. 19), subparagraph (c). be amended as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
N. WITNESSES AND EVIDENCE 
(c) Conformity to legal rules of evidence shall not be necessary. 
The mandate in 1 Tim. 5:19 of two witnesses may be met by one 
witness and documentation. The ruling must be supported by 
public testimony and documents. 
Circuit 3 (Baltimore East) 
Southeastern District 
2026 Convention Workbook
512 ECCLESIASTICAL SUPER VISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION