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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 402

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
Specific Ministry Pastor Status and Limitations 
2.13.1 A “specific ministry pastor” is a minister of religion —
ordained who has completed the requirements for service as a 
specific ministry pastor and has been examined by one of the 
Synod’s seminaries, has received a regular call, and has been placed 
by the Council of Presidents into a specific Word and Sacrament 
ministry context. He is eligible to serve only in that specific ministry 
context for which he has been trained and may not be offered or 
accept a call for ministry for which he has not been certified as  
determined by his district president. He shall serve under the 
ecclesiastical supervision of his district president and under the 
oversight and mentorship of another pastor who is not a specific 
ministry pastor. 
(a) Because he is under supervision of another pastor has been 
prepared for service of limited jurisdiction and because a specific 
ministry pastor’s theological education has been formed in part 
by and for a specific ministry context, he may not be placed or 
called into ecclesiastical roles that exercise pastoral oversight 
outside the context of his call. 
(b) A specific ministry pastor is not eligible to 
(1) serve as a voting delegate to a national convention of the 
Synod— but may serve as an advisory delegate to national 
conventions and as a pastoral delegate to district conventions; 
(2) hold any elected or appointed office on the district or 
national Synod level that is assigned by the Bylaws of the 
Synod to “a pastor” or “an ordained minister” (although 
specific ministry pastors may serve in all other capacities, 
especially representing the ministerial contexts in which they 
serve); 
(3) supervise vicars; or 
(4) serve as a circuit visitor. 
(c) The ministers of religion— ordained records maintained by 
district presidents as well as the official membership roster of the 
Synod shall distinguish between specific ministry pastors and 
other pastors.  
Commission on Handbook 
Ov. 6-10 
To Amend Bylaw 3.10.5.7  
to Address Seminary Adjunct Faculty 
WHEREAS, Both Concordia Seminary and Concordia 
Theological Seminary make use of contracted faculty,  bearing 
various titles including  “ adjunct faculty ,” “ guest instructors ,” 
“guest professors,” or “visiting instructors” (hereafter “adjuncts”); 
and  
WHEREAS, The standard procedure is that adjuncts are appointed 
by the p resident through the provost and in consultation with the 
pertinent department chairman. Their services to the s eminary are 
provided on a contractual  basis, rather than through a c all to the 
faculty; and 
WHEREAS, Adjuncts must conform to the doctrinal standards of 
The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod by upholding the accepted 
doctrinal statements of the Synod, including Article II of the Synod 
Constitution; and 
WHEREAS, CCM Op. 23-3031, “Seminary Adjunct Faculty,” has 
determined that “No bylaw sets forth specific procedures for 
appointment of part-time or temporary faculty,” (i.e. adjuncts); and 
WHEREAS, The lack of an adjunct specific bylaw has resulted in 
CCM Op. 23-3031 stating that “[t]he [seminary] board [of regents] 
could choose to undertake such appointments directly, or it could 
choose to permit  the president to undertake such appointments 
subject to ultimate approval or ratification by the board. The board 
could also choose to delegate this task to a committee in accordance 
with Bylaw 1.5.3.3. These examples are not intended to exhaust all 
legitimate possibilities; so long as the choices of the b oard do not 
conflict with another express provision of the Bylaws, it is free to 
accomplish its task of ‘approving’ as it sees fit”; and 
WHEREAS, The lack of an adjunct specific bylaw has also 
resulted in C CM Op. 23-3031 stating “ [o]ur analysis begins with 
Bylaw 3.11. Bylaw 3.11.1 (a) provides that ‘[m]embers of the 
Synod who are appointed to positions requiring an ordained 
minister or commissioned minister shall receive a solemn call.’ If a 
specific position being filled by a part-time faculty member requires 
that the person filling that position be an ordained or commissioned 
minister (rather than merely incidentally being filled by one), then 
Bylaw 3.11.1 (a) would require that person to receive a solemn call. 
Having received a call into that specific position, the position would 
be a ‘called position’ under the Bylaws, including Bylaw 4.4.3 (a)”; 
and 
WHEREAS, Such a practice of c alling and installing adjuncts 
would be administratively cumbersome and would be 
counterproductive for the seminary and for the church; and 
WHEREAS, The ordinary delegation of this responsibility to the 
seminary president and administration is wise, and workable; and 
WHEREAS, The boards of regents at both seminaries have for 
decades, understood the Synod Bylaws to require board approval of 
regular full -time faculty members but not to require direct board 
approval of adjuncts; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention amend Bylaw  3.10.5.7 
as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
Seminary Faculties 
3.10.5.7 The faculty of each theological seminary of the Synod shall 
consist of the president, the full -time faculty, and the part -time 
faculty. 
… 
(c) Adjunct instructors must conform to the doctrinal standards 
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod by upholding the 
accepted doctrinal statements of the Synod, including Article II 
of the Constitution of the Synod. Such adjuncts are appointed by 
the president through the provost and in consultation with the 
pertinent department chairman. Their services to the seminary are 
provided on a contractual basis. Adjuncts are not called to the 
faculty. The president of the institution shall make known to the 
respective board of regents the names and duties of the adjuncts, 
the boards ratifying the adjuncts. 
Board of Directors 
Iowa East District 
Ov. 6-11 
To Amend Bylaws to Reinsert 2007 Pastoral 
Colloquy Bylaws from Policy Manual 
WHEREAS, The 2010 Synod c onvention removed numerous 
pastoral colloquy bylaws and  added Bylaw 3.10.2.2 (a) which 
directs the Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral Ministry (CCPM) 
to develop, instead, policies that are now in the Policy Manual for 
2026 Convention Workbook
367PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES