Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 506

3.4.3.6 The Chief Mission Officer shall, on behalf of the President, 
supervise fundraising activity of the national office according to 
policies established by the Board of Directors of the Synod. 
3.4.3.76 The Chief Mission Officer shall, on behalf of the President, 
supervise the content of communications, public relations, and news 
and information provided by the Synod, including the official 
periodicals of the Synod, The Lutheran Witness and Reporter. 
3.4.3.8 T he Chief Mission Officer shall, on behalf of the President, 
provide leadership, coordination, and oversight for pre- seminary 
education programs, seminary education, and post -seminary 
continuing education, and by providing advocacy for pastoral 
education and health within the Synod. He shall serve as the 
chairman of the Pastoral Formation Committee.  
… 
D. Pastoral Formation Committee 
3.10.4 The Pastoral Formation Committee shall be responsible for 
ensuring that the Synod’s objective of training pastors is fulfilled 
consistently (Constitution Art. III 3). 
3.10.4.1 The committee shall recommend any new routes leading to 
ordination for approval by resolution of the Synod. Such a 
recommendation shall follow consultation with the two seminary 
boards of regents in their annual joint meeting. 
3.10.4.2 Seminaries will implement new routes to ordination only 
upon approval by resolution of the Synod. 
3.10.4.3 The committee shall review, assess, coordinate, support 
and make suggestions for improvement of all existing noncolloquy 
routes leading to ordination in the Synod, including seminary and 
pre-seminary education programs. 
3.10.4.4 The committee shall monitor and receive reports from all 
directors and committees charged with oversight of all routes to 
ordination and shall foster coordination and collaboration among 
them. 
3.10.4.5 The committee shall consider the long term strategic 
direction of pastoral formation within the Synod and facilitate 
discussion of the same with the two seminary boards of regents in 
their annual joint meeting. 
3.10.4.6 The Pastoral Formation Committee shall  comprise the 
following members: 
Voting Members: 
1.  The Chief Mission Officer  A member appointed by the 
President of the Synod, who will serve as chairman of the 
committee. 
2. The presidents of the seminaries 
Nonvoting Advisory Member: 
The Executive Director of the Office of Pastoral Education 
3.10.4.7 The chairman shall assist the President in overseeing the 
pre-seminary education programs, seminary education, and post -
seminary continuing education. 
3.10.4.78 The Pastoral Formation Committee shall meet at least once 
per year, and shall report on its work at the annual joint meeting of 
the two seminary boards of regents. Additional meetings shall be 
determined by the chairman in consultation with the committee 
members. 
… 
Chief FinancialOperating Officer 
… 
3.4.1.5 The Chief Operating Officer shall, on behalf of the Board 
of Directors of the Synod, supervise fundraising activity of the 
national office according to policies established by the Board of 
Directors of the Synod and subject to the supervision of the President 
of the Synod over the theological content of communications. The 
selection of the top executive responsible for fundraising of the 
national office and all employees responsible for theological content 
of related communications can be made only with the concurrence 
of the President of the Synod. Selection of other outward facing 
employees shall occur only after consultation with the President of 
the Synod. 
3.4.1.6 The Chief Operating Officer shall, on behalf of the Board 
of Directors of the Synod, supervise the budgetary, legal, and 
business aspects of communications, public relations, and news and 
information provided by the Synod, including the official periodicals 
of the Synod, The Lutheran Witness and Reporter . The selection of 
the top executive(s) responsible for communications, public 
relations, and news and information provided by the Synod and all 
employees responsible for theological content of such can be made 
only with the concurrence of the President of the Synod. Selection 
of other outward facing employees shall occur only after 
consultation with the President of the Synod. 
LCMS Board of Directors 
Ov. 9-11 
To Amend Bylaws to Enhance Responsibilities  
of Synod Mission Boards 
WHEREAS, The 2010 Synod convention made substantial 
changes to the structure and organization of the national Synod 
office that impacted significantly the mission operations of the 
Synod. These changes included creating the Chief Mission Officer 
(CMO) position and creating the Board for National Mission 
(BNM) and the Board for International Mission (BIM). The bylaws 
governing the BNM and BIM have been in effect for 15 years, 
allowing time to assess their overall efficiency and effectiveness; 
and 
WHEREAS, The CMO is ultimately responsible to the President 
of the Synod, but also is subject to the actions of the BNM and BIM; 
and 
WHEREAS, Current bylaws provide that the BNM and BIM have 
responsibility for developing and determining policies impacting 
the Synod’s national and international mission operations but have 
limited influence on the selection of the CMO, limited ability to 
influence the budget, and limited ability to ensure proper 
implementation of the policies they develop; and 
WHEREAS, It is desirable and would assist in the overall 
coordination and efficiency of the Synod’s mission operations to 
better align the responsibility of the BNM and BIM with the 
authority given to the BNM and BIM, and enhance the ability of the 
BNM and BIM to better advance the Synod’s operations both within 
the United States and worldwide; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the provision of Bylaw 3.3.1.3 (e) be relocated 
and elaborated as Bylaw 3.8.1.1 and t hat Bylaws 3.8.2.1, 3.8.2.4, 
3.8.3.1 and 3.8.2.4 be amended as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
3.3 Elected Officers of the Synod 
President 
… 
Powers and Duties – Ecclesiastical and Administrative 
3.3.1.3 The President shall have responsibilities and duties that are 
both ecclesiastical and administrative. 
… 
(e) Prior to his appointment of an executive director of a mission 
office, he shall engage in consultation with the appropriate 
2026 Convention Workbook
471STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION