To Amend Bylaw 3.2.4 to Establish Term Limits for Synod President and Vice-Presidents

Official Workbook overture source text

9-30 
To Amend Bylaw 3.2.4 to Establish Term Limits 
for Synod President and Vice-Presidents 
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod treasures 
faithful leadership rooted in God’s Word and the Lutheran 
Confessions; and 
WHEREAS, Scripture teaches that leadership in Christ’s Church 
is a stewardship, not personal possession (1 Cor. 3:5 –9), and the 
Church flourishes when many servants exercise their gifts (Rom. 
12:3–8; Eph. 4:11–12); and 
W
HEREAS, The history of the Church shows both the blessings 
of continuity and the dangers of undue concentration of authority, 
which term limits can help prevent; and 
W
HEREAS, Term limits encourage wider participation in 
leadership, raising up new servants for the sake of the Gospel’s 
advance; and 
W
HEREAS, Healthy turnover of leadership guards against 
stagnation, fosters humility, and reminds the Church that no one 
individual is indispensable, but Christ alone is head of His Church 
(Col. 1:18); and 
WHEREAS, Term limits are a common practice in both civil 
society and the wider church, recognized as a way to ensure 
accountability and vitality in institutions; and 
W
HEREAS, Constitution Article XII governs districts and their 
presidents, and this overture does not propose to alter those 
provisions—thus district presidents may remain without term 
limits; therefore be it 
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.2.4 be amended as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
Terms of Office 
3.2.4 The term of office of all elected officers of the Synod 
(Bylaw 3.2.1) shall be three years; of the elected members of the 
Board of Directors and all other boards and commissions of the 
Synod six years; of all members of college and university boards of 
regents three years; and of all appointed members of boards, 
commissions, and standing committees three years, unless these 
Bylaws specifically provide otherwise. 
(a) The President, First Vice-President, regional vice-presidents, 
Secretary, and members of all boards and commissions of the 
Synod who are elected by the Synod convention shall assume 
office on September 1 following the convention and shall be 
inducted i nto office on a date subsequent to September 1 
following the convention.  Members of college and university 
boards of regents elected by district conventions shall assume 
office upon the close of the convention at which they are elected. 
(b) In the interim, the newly elected President shall meet with 
the reelected and newly elected vice-presidents to assess the state 
of the Synod, to plan for the communication and carrying out of 
the resolutions adopted at the convention, to assign areas of 
responsibility to the vice -presidents, and to gather names and 
obtain information helpful for making wise appointments; he 
shall meet with the chairman and the staff supporting the boards 
and commissions to discuss their convention reports, to assess 
with them the financial support they will need; and he shall meet 
with the financial and administrative officers to assess the 
financial status of the Synod and the estimate of the financial 
resources available for the coming year. 
(c) The President of the Synod shall be limited to a maximum of 
five consecutive elected terms in that office. 
(d) The First Vice-President and each regional vice-president of 
the Synod shall be limited to a maximum of five consecutive 
elected terms in that office. 
(e) After reaching the maximum number of terms in office, an 
individual shall not be eligible for reelection to the same office. 
(cf) … 
and be it further 
Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to God for all past and 
present officers of Synod who have faithfully served Christ’s 
Church, and pray that these term limits will serve the Gospel’s 
advance by encouraging renewal, accountability, and the raising up 
of future leaders. 
Circuit 18 
Texas District 
Ov.