To Mandate Continuing Education for Parish Pastors

Official Workbook overture source text

6-81 
To Mandate Continuing Education  
for Parish Pastors 
WHEREAS, The Divine Call to the pastoral office is a sacred gift 
from the Holy Spirit, who appoints overseers through the Church 
(Acts 20:28), and once a pastor is certified, examined, ordained, and 
installed, no human authority can impose conditions that imply the 
call’s insufficiency or place undue burdens that undermine the 
freedom of the Gospel; and 
W
HEREAS, Scripture nevertheless exhorts pastors to ongoing 
diligence in study and growth: “Do your best to present yourself to 
God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, 
rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15) and “Let the wise 
hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain 
guidance” (Prov. 1:5), recognizing that faithful ministry requires 
continual honing of skills amid changing cultural, doctrinal, and 
pastoral challenges; and 
W
HEREAS, The Lutheran Church —Missouri Synod (LCMS) , in 
its Constitution ( Const. Art. XII 7 ), bears responsibility for 
supervising doctrine, practice, and the welfare of its member 
congregations, including protecting them from pastors who, 
through neglect of ongoing formation, may falter in equipping the 
saints (Eph. 4:12) or guarding against fals e teaching (Titus 1:9), 
without impugning the validity of the Divine Call itself; and 
WHEREAS, The Synod has long recognized the value of 
continuing education, as evidenced by programs such as Post -
Seminary Applied Learning and Support for new pastors and 
resources from Concordia Seminary , St. Louis,  and Concordia 
Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, which provide advanced 
degrees, workshops, and theological formation to enhance 
ministerial effectiveness; and 
W
HEREAS, Past Synod conventions have successfully passed 
resolutions emphasizing pastoral education and formation, such as 
2019 Resolution 6-04 , “ To Support, Encourage, and Expect 
Continuing Education for a ll Lutheran Church —Missouri Synod 
Pastors,” which affirmed the Synod’s desire for all pastors to 
engage in continuing education from ordination onward, and 2013 
Res. 5-08B, “To Establish a Standard for Continuing Education of 
Pastors,” which created a framework for qualified continuing 
education experiences and portfolios, providing precedent for 
further strengthening these efforts; and 
WHEREAS, At the 2023 Synod convention, resolutions such as 
those addressing seminary formation and church worker well-being 
(e.g., 2023 Res. 1-07, “To Address Mental Health among Pastors 
and Other Professional Church Workers”) underscored the Synod’s 
commitment to holistic support for pastors, including ongoing 
education to prevent burnout, doctrinal drift, or skill atrophy; and 
WHEREAS, Comparable professions requiring continuing 
education, such as physicians (50 hours every two years in many 
states, psychologists (36 hours), and physical therapists (30 hours), 
demonstrate that mandatory continuing education safeguards public 
welfare without diminishing professional authority, and similarly, 
mandating pastoral continuing education would align with these 
standards to protect congregations while honoring the D ivine Call 
by fostering excellence in ministry; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct the LCMS Office 
of Pastoral Education, in collaboration with the Council of 
Presidents and the seminaries, to develop and implement mandatory 
continuing education requirements for all active parish pastors, 
including a minim um of 20 hours every three years in categories 
such as exegetical theology, systematics, preaching, pastoral care, 
outreach, and administration, with flexibility for district-approved 
equivalents; and be it further 
Resolved, That pastors shall report completion of these 
requirements to their district presidents as part of the triennial 
visitation process, with provisions for extensions in cases of 
hardship, and that non- compliance without cause may result in 
restricted statu s (Bylaw 2.13.2) or remedial support, ensuring 
accountability while respecting the permanence of the Divine Call; 
and be it finally 
Resolved
, That the Synod encourage congregations to support 
their pastors’ participation through funding and time allowances, 
and that resources be made available at low or no cost to facilitate 
broad access, thereby advancing the Synod’s mission to “conserve 
and promote the unity of the true faith” (Const. Art. III). 
Christ 
Milford, MI 
Ov.