To Encourage Pastors to Honor Their Own Call

Official Workbook overture source text

10-35 
To Encourage Pastors to Honor Their Own Call 
WHEREAS, The first objective of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod (LCMS) is to “conserve and  promote the unity 
of the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6; 1 Cor. 1:10) ...” (Const. Art. III 1); 
another is  to “provide protection for congregations, pastors,  
teachers, and other church workers in the performance of their 
official duties and  the 
maintenance of their rights ” (Const. Art. 
III 9); and 
WHEREAS, As a condition of acquiring and holding membership 
in the Synod, as stated in Const itution Article VI 3, every 
congregation and minister must agree to observe and respect 
the individual congregation’s right to call a pastor and not 
interfere with that pastor’s proper authority in matters pertaining 
to his call; and 
WHEREAS, Dr. C. F. W. Walther’s Kirche und Amt, adopted by 
the Synod in convention as official doctrine (2001 Res. 7-17A “To 
Affirm Synod’s Official Position on Church and Ministry”), further 
defends the aforementioned rights and is explicitly clear that 
pastors are not to meddle in congregations to which they have no 
call or responsibility for ecclesiastical oversight according to the 
good order of the church; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the N orthern Illinois District memorialize the 
Synod in convention to reaffirm these beliefs; and be it further 
Resolved, That ecclesiastica l supervisors fraternally, yet 
strongly, rebuke any pastors (retired, called elsewhere, etc.) 
interfering with the internal affairs of a congregation to which they 
are not properly called to preserve the unity of the church’s witness. 
Northern Illinois District 
Ov.