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independent programs of pastoral preparation or direct men to pastoral preparation programs outside of our Synod’s seminaries” (Proc., 160–61); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention acknowledge and affirm

Bylaw 2.5.2 regarding calls and proper service, which states:

Congregations that are members of the Synod and their association schools shall call and be served only by (1) ordained ministers who have been admitted to their respective ministries in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth in these

Bylaws a nd have thereby become members of the Synod; (2)

candidates for the pastoral ministry who have satisfied the qualifications and requirements for assignment of first calls by the Council of Presidents acting as the Board of Assignments; or (3) ordained ministers who are members in good standing of church bodies that have been formally recognized to be in altar and pulpit fellowship with the Synod when agreements for such calls are in place.

and be it further

Resolved, That any congregation that should call or be served by a man not certified to serve as a pastor in the Synod be addressed by the appropriate Synod disciplinary process as described in Bylaw 2.5.4, which states:

Congregations that violate these requirements and persist in such violation shall, after due admonition, forfeit their membership in the Synod.

and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention also acknowledge and affirm Bylaws 2.6.2. and 2.6.4, regarding qualifications for and the right to Synod membership, which state:

Individuals who have been declared qualified for a first call and assigned first calls in accordance with Bylaw sections 2.7 –2.9 shall, by the rites of both ordination or commissioning and installation in accordance with Bylaw section 2.10, become members of the Synod.

… There is no inherent right to membership in the Synod, and the decision as to qualification for a first call and the assignment of first calls shall be at the sole discretion of the Synod.

and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod in convention give thanks to God for the work of our seminaries, CSL and CTSFW, and the Gospel they proclaim.

Missouri District

Ov. 6-24

To Affirm Exclusive Use of Synod Seminaries to Prepare Men for Office of Holy Ministry

WHEREAS, The Lord Christ has called His Church to faithfulness in the things of God (John 8:31), which is sustained in the Church by the faithful transmission of the faith to and through the future pastors of the Church; and

WHEREAS, The Lord Christ has called His Church to love toward one another (John 13:35), which is exercised by the creation of agreed-upon modes of undertaking corporate action; and

WHEREAS, The Lord Christ has called His Church to a unity of faith that is identical with , and tantamount to continuing steadfast in the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42; see also John 17:20 –21; Eph.

4:4–6; FC SD X 31); and

WHEREAS, Constitution Article III 1 reflects our Lord’s will by stating that The Lutheran Church —Missouri Synod (LCMS) shall “conserve and promote the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6; 1 Cor.

1:10), work through its official structure toward fellowship with other Christian church bodies, and provide a united defense against schism, sectarianism (Rom. 16:17), and heresy,” in par t by the recruitment and training of pastors; and

WHEREAS, Bylaws reserve for the seminaries of the Synod the duty, to the exclusion of other institutions, to educate, form, train, and certify the pastors of the Synod, which is ideally done face-toface, live, and in a residential setting (Bylaws sections 2.7–8); and

WHEREAS, Bylaws provide for men in willing agreement to the doctrine and practice of t he Synod to serve as pastors through the colloquy program (Bylaw 3.10.2); and

WHEREAS, 2007 Resolution 5- 01B, “To Establish Specific Ministry Pastor Program,” approved the non- residential Specific Ministry Program for those training to become pastors in exceptional circumstances through our two seminaries (Bylaw 2.13.1); and

WHEREAS, There are clear dangers in educating, forming, and training men for the ministry in the Synod at seminaries outside the oversight of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The Center for Missional and Pastoral Leadership (CMPL, thecenter.info/cmpl), an online seminary under the umbrella of the Institute for Lutheran Theology (Brookings, SD , ilt.edu) and affiliated with the heterodox North American Lutheran Church, offers coursework to students from Synod congregations leading to the Master of Arts (M.A.) in Religion, the Master of Ministry (M.Min.), and Master of Divinity (M.Div.), the latter two of which are widely recognized as requisite education and formation for the pastorate; and

WHEREAS, Unite Leadership Collective (ULC, uniteleadership.org) directs and facilitates the enrollment of students from LCMS congregations in the M.A. and M .Div.

programs of another online seminary, namely, Luther House of Study (LHOS, lutherhouseofstudy.org); and

WHEREAS, The plea to enroll students from leaders of ULC and the CMPL appeals to a perceived pastor shortage in Synod, indicating that both entities wish to use their respective seminary programs to educate, form, and train pastors for the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The conditions of membership (Const. Art. VI) for all members of the Synod, both rostered workers and congregations, require the “ renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every description” and the “regular call of pastors” ( which is defined in

Bylaw sections 2.7–8); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod gathered in convention rise and sing the Te Deum in thankfulness to the Lord for His gracious preservation of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (CSL), and for the faithful ministry of the nine generations of graduates in the congregations of the Synod, through whom as “fellow workers” (1 Cor. 3:9) the Lord has preserved the faith among us; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod gathered in convention affirm the residential M.Div. education, formation, and training of the future pastorate of the Synod as the standard within the Synod; and be it further 2026 Convention Workbook

378 PAST ORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES