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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 423

Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 
9:37–38); and 
WHEREAS, This office of preaching should be treated in the 
church with diligence and good order, so that “no one should 
publicly teach in the Church, or administer the Sacraments, unless 
he be regularly called” (AC XIV); and 
WHEREAS, The Synod has entrusted its two seminaries with the 
task of preparing well-formed pastors for the flock of God; and 
WHEREAS, Throughout its history the Synod has been innovative 
in meeting the need to prepare as many pastors as possible. This 
includes: 
• historically receiving candidates who were trained by 
Pastors Friedrich Brunn of Steeden, Theodor Harms of 
Hermannsburg, and Wilhelm Löhe of Neuendettelsau, 
Germany; 
• by beginning a seminary in the parsonage of Pastor Wilhelm 
Sihler in Fort Wayne, Ind.;  
• by beginning a log cabin seminary in Perry County, Mo. with 
pastors as the teachers; and 
• by currently maintaining these two seminaries to train 
today’s candidates for the ministry through both the resident 
Master of Divinity program and the distance programs, 
which include the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology, 
the Center for Hispanic Studies, and the Specific Ministry 
Pastor program;  
and 
W
HEREAS, Our Synod has been blessed through all of these 
programs; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod thank God for the history of innovative 
pastoral formation in our Synod; and be it further 
Resolved, That we give our full support to both the residential 
and distance learning programs in our Synod and encourage full use 
of all the programs by both congregations and individuals; and be it 
further 
Resolved, That Synod leadership be discouraged from putting up 
increased barriers to congregations and candidates who would avail 
themselves of these programs; and be it finally 
Resolved, That the Synod continue to be innovative in training 
many faithful pastors to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ as 
our Savior. 
Benediction 
Milwaukee, WI 
Ov. 6-38 
To Give Thanks to God for Many Existing Routes 
to Office of Holy Ministry 
WHEREAS, In 2006, the Atlantic District in convention passed 
resolutions designed to strengthen and expand the scope of mission 
and ministry by resolving to prepare 100 home -grown mission 
leaders for service to Lord and Church; and 
WHEREAS, By God’s grace, well over 100 men and women have 
been developed, trained, and sent to serve in congregations of the 
district as lay deacons, ministers of religion —commissioned, and 
ministers of religion—ordained; and 
WHEREAS, The benefits of this leadership development model 
have been visible signs of God’s grace in more than half of the 
congregations of the district, as they exercise various spiritual gifts 
in service; and 
WHEREAS, Mission opportunity remains at the highest level in 
the district, even as transitions in leadership demand more strong 
Lutheran Christian leaders in its congregations, schools, and 
agencies; and 
WHEREAS, The Specific Ministry Pastor program, Ethnic 
Immigrant Institute of Theology, Center for Hispanic Studies, 
Concordia University Irvine’s Mission Training Center, residential 
M.Div., and General Pastor Certification programs have all 
provided excellent avenues for continuing the development toward 
the service of “home- grown mission leaders” in the district; 
therefore be it 
Resolved, That the district in convention give thanks to God for 
the many existing routes to the Holy Ministry in the Synod by rising 
to sing the first stanza of “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest” ( LSB 
498:1); and be it further 
Resolved, That the district in convention memorialize the 2026 
Synod convention with this resolution. 
Atlantic District 
Ov. 6-39 
To Celebrate and Encourage Variety of Routes  
to Pastoral Formation in the Synod 
WHEREAS, Jesus’ words still ring true such that there remains an 
urgent need for sending workers into the harvest fields where, “the 
harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2; Matt. 
9:37); and 
WHEREAS, Among the main objectives listed in the Constitution 
is the preparation of such workers: “Recruit and train pastors, 
teachers, and other professional church workers and provide 
opportunity for their continual growth” (Const. Art. III 3); and 
WHEREAS, Another main objective in the Constitution is to 
“encourage congregations to strive for uniformity in church 
practice, but also to develop an appreciation of a variety of 
responsible practices and customs which are in harmony with our 
common profession of faith” (Const. Art. III 7); and 
WHEREAS, The Pastoral Formation Committee, working with the 
two seminaries of our Synod, Concordia Seminary (CSL) and 
Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW), makes provision for 
both that uniformity and the appreciation of variety in 
recommending new routes leadi ng to ordination (Bylaw 3.10.4.1); 
and 
WHEREAS, New routes to ordination may only be implemented 
after “approval by resolution of the Synod” (Bylaw 3.10.4.2); and 
WHEREAS, The Synod in convention has implemented a variety 
of routes of pastoral formation leading to ordination, which include 
the residential pathways of Master of Divinity and alternate route 
seminary education, and the non- residential pathways of the 
Specific Ministry Pastor program, Cross-Cultural Ministry Center, 
the Center for Hispanic Studies, and the Ethnic Immigrant Institute 
of Theology; and 
WHEREAS, This is in keeping with the history of our Synod which 
in the nineteenth century already instituted variety in its routes for 
training pastors, offering a more practical seminary in Springfield, 
Ill., and a more theological seminary in St. Louis, Mo., while 
2026 Convention Workbook
388 PAST ORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES