To Encourage Use of Telehealth Counseling Services for Care and Retention of Church Workers

Official Workbook overture source text

3-07 
To Encourage Use of Telehealth  
Counseling Services for Care  
and Retention of Church Workers 
WHEREAS, Clergy and other professional church workers of The 
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod experience unique vocational 
stressors inherent to ecclesial callings, including isolation, heavy 
workloads, public scrutiny, financial strain, and relational 
pressures; and 
WHEREAS, Research within and outside the Synod demonstrates 
increasing rates of burnout, depression, anxiety, suicidality, marital 
distress, loneliness, financial uncertainty, and certain addictive 
behaviors among pastors and other church workers; and 
WHEREAS, Professional counseling, including counseling 
delivered via telehealth, has demonstrated efficacy in treating 
burnout, depression, anxiety disorders, trauma -related distress, 
marital and family conflict, financial stress, and certain addictive 
behaviors; and 
WHEREAS, Church workers of the Synod will benefit from 
Christ-centered, clinically competent counseling services that are 
confessionally aligned with the doctrine and practice of the Synod 
and are well positioned to serve church workers confidentially 
through telehealth; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage pastors and 
other church workers to view the use of professional counseling 
services, including telehealth counseling, as faithful stewardship of 
2026 Convention Workbook
301MERCY