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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 380

2026 Convention Workbook
345THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
WHEREAS, The Constitution of the Synod accepts these 
confessions as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of 
the Word of God (Const. Art. II 2); and 
WHEREAS, The Office of the Ministry is rightly called a divine 
office because it was divinely instituted by Christ (Eph. 4:11; Titus 
1:5; Acts 14:23), and other offices not instituted by Christ but 
instituted by men, which the Church has freedom to create by 
human arrangement (Tr 60–82), should not be called divine offices; 
and 
WHEREAS, A number of “called” positions within the Synod and 
its auxiliaries do not require teaching the Word or administering the 
Sacraments; and 
WHEREAS, The practice of issuing divine calls to positions that 
are not in the direct service of the proclamation of the Gospel and 
administration of the Sacraments conflicts with the referenced 
portions of the Confessions, and creates confusion regarding the 
nature of the divine call; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Montana District convention memorialize the 
2026 Synod convention to direct the President of the Synod to 
appoint a committee consisting of at least one theological professor 
from each seminary and one district president to study how the 
practice of issuing divine calls (Bylaw 3.11.1) to positions without 
direct involvement in the proclamation of the Gospel and 
administration of the Sacraments may be amended to comply with 
the Confessions; and be it further 
Resolved, That by July 30, 2028, this committee make its 
recommendations to the Board of Directors (BOD) regarding Synod 
practice on the calls it issues; and be it finally 
Resolved, That these recommendations, together with the BOD 
response to the recommendations, be reported to the 2029 Synod 
convention. 
Montana District 
Ov. 5-15 
To Encourage and Promote Sound Teaching  
on Eschatology or Last Things 
WHEREAS, Christians are surrounded by teachings that contradict 
the Scriptures concerning eschatology or the last things; and 
WHEREAS, Errant eschatology teachings, such as that of 
premillennial dispensationalism, Seventh-day Adventism, the 
Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others hold significant religious sway in 
our society; and 
WHEREAS, Sadly, many Lutherans are influenced by errant 
teachers who hold heterodox views on the end times; and 
WHEREAS, The physical resurrection of the body has suffered 
diminished emphasis in recent decades among Christians; and 
WHEREAS, Many of the most prominent defenders of and 
institutions focused on the biblical doctrine of the last things  
produce literature that has false teaching of other confessions mixed 
into it; and 
W
HEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is one of the 
largest protestant denominations to uphold the sound teaching of 
amillennialism; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage its 
congregations, pastors, district leaders, and schools to deliberately 
uphold and promote the sound teaching of eschatology and to 
provide increased educational opportunities on the subject to 
catechize about this important area of the counsel of God; and be it 
further 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage Concordia 
Publishing House and experts in institutions of higher learning 
(universities and seminaries) to make this a publishing and public 
teaching priority for the next triennium and in the years to come, 
providing up- to-date resources at both laity -accessible and 
academic levels. 
Circuit 25 (Kenosha), South Wisconsin District; Circuit 26 
(Racine), South Wisconsin District 
Ov. 5-16 
To Reaffirm and Encourage Teaching  
and Practice of Closed Communion 
WHEREAS, Members of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod 
are bound by the Lutheran Confessions to regard Holy Scripture as 
the teaching of the Holy Supper of our Lord, Jesus Christ:  
• That His body and blood are truly and substantially present, 
distributed, and received in, with, and under the elements of 
the bread and wine (AC X); and  
• 
That these are received by both the believing and 
unbelieving participants, by those who eat in repentance and 
faith, to “forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation” (SC VI) and 
by those who eat in unrepentance or unbelief, to judgment 
(Ap XXIV; FC Ep VII; FC SD VII); and  
• That to obtain such faith, the preaching office is instituted by 
our Lord to administer the Gospel and the Sacraments (AC 
V), with those filling it thus having grave responsibility for 
the souls in their care (SC VI); and 
WHEREAS, The true unity of the Church is found in the pure 
teaching of the Gospel and right administration of the Sacraments 
(AC VII); and 
WHEREAS, St. Paul himself admonishes the Corinthians against 
assembling to eat the Supper of our Lord with divisions among 
them, thus coming together not for the better but for the worse (1 
Cor. 11:17–18); and 
WHEREAS, True doctrine necessarily regulates practice, as the 
confessors write, “The custom has been retained among us of not 
administering the sacrament to those who have not previously been 
examined and absolved” (AC XXV); and, “In our churches Mass is 
celebrated every Sunday and on other festivals, when the sacrament 
is offered to those who wish for it after they have been examined 
and absolved” (Ap XXIV), and as our Lord says, “My mother and 
my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 
8:21); and 
WHEREAS, The responsibility of pastors as stewards of the 
mysteries of God is not as hirelings or pleasers of any man or group 
of men, but as servants of Christ; it being required of stewards that 
they be faithful (1 Cor. 4:1–2); and keep watch over souls as those 
who will have to give an account (Heb. 13:17); therefore be it 
Resolved, That the pastors of our Synod be exhorted, as duty 
bound by the office before the almighty God, to whom they will 
have to give an account for the souls entrusted to them, to teach, 
exhort, practice, and defend closed  Communion, communing only 
those who have been examined and absolved, who are neither living 
in open, unrepentant sin, nor under the ban, who have been taught 
and confess, not only the true doctrine of the Lord’s Supper, but all