Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 83

2026 Convention Workbook
48 
OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Res. 7-04B directs the BOD to report to the 2026 Synod con-
vention its progress in achieving this resolution requirements and to 
propose bylaw changes and other action as may be necessary. Be-
cause of the detail involved, the number of corrections that remain 
to be made, and the intensive work the institutions are engaged in 
at the Workbook deadline, the BOD intends to continue its work 
over the upcoming months and provide a supplemental report to the 
2026 convention identifying any remaining corrections to be made 
and proposing any further action that might be necessary.
E. Challenges for the Board
In large organizations it is not uncommon to have “silos,” which 
are units within the organization that pursue an agenda or direction 
at least isolated from and often increasingly inconsistent with the 
objectives and mission of the organization. That has occurred in the 
Synod. Perhaps the best example of this is the theological direction 
that the Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, administration and faculty 
majority took in the 1960s and 1970s that was in direct conflict with 
our confession. Correcting this had a dramatic impact on all aspects 
of our church body that continues today.
But the Seminex circumstance, while perhaps the most signif-
icant and best known, is not the only silo that has existed or could 
exist in our Synod. Silos have existed through many agencies in all 
aspects of the Synod. Absent intentional effort, they naturally arise 
and strengthen. They have hurt the Synod and cost her vital re-
sources. All must consciously resist their development. Sometimes 
the misdirection is theological, sometimes it involves left-hand 
kingdom matters, and sometimes it involves both. 
There has been steady progress in recent years by many in the 
Synod, including the BOD, to eliminate these silos. This effort will 
continue. Eliminating silos will help the Synod more faithfully and 
efficiently carry out its objectives consistent with its confession; 
will help avoid unnecessary conflict, disputes, division, and im-
proper utilization of property of the Synod; and, simply put, will 
help us all walk together more faithfully. While the President is 
charged with promoting and maintaining “unity of doctrine and 
practice” and seeing that the officers and agencies of the Synod “act 
in accordance with Synod’s Constitution” (Const. Art. XI B 1–3), 
the BOD in its sphere must oversee business, property, and legal 
aspects in a way that keeps the whole responsible and responsive 
to the convention. 
The BOD faces with some regularity concerns that individuals 
or agencies are failing, with regard to property, business, or legal 
matters, to comply with the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions 
of the Synod. It is then incumbent upon the BOD to address and 
attempt to correct any noncompliance. On occasion, the individu -
als or agencies continue to proceed in a fashion that conflicts with 
what the Synod has decided. In these situations, it is important to 
consider again that the Synod and all its agencies are responsible 
to the member congregations. The congregations have made deci -
sions as to how they will be served best by those who they have 
put in positions to carry out their decisions. This means that when 
individuals or agencies fail to comply with the Synod Constitution, 
Bylaws, and resolutions, they are failing to honor and respect what 
the Synod’s member congregations have decided.
The BOD, with some frequency, receives an assortment of ex-
cuses or justifications for noncompliance. Sometimes, efforts are 
made to negotiate with the BOD an agreement that would allow 
the noncompliance. The BOD, of course, has never been given the 
authority to excuse noncompliance with Synod’s Constitution, By-
•	 In response to the leadership and diligent work of Concordia 
Plan Services (CPS), the BOD approved the creation of a 
property and casualty insurance company, named Concordia 
Risk Solutions (CRS), that will be able to provide insurance 
to corporate Synod, agencies of the Synod, auxiliaries, rec-
ognized service organizations, and member congregations. 
The BOD also delegated the management of CRS to CPS.
•	 With the help and insight of Synod’s Chief Financial Officer, 
Nathan Haak, the BOD has adopted a balanced budget each 
of the past three years and continued a multi-year process of 
improving the financial condition of corporate Synod. Please 
note CFO Haak’s Report (Report R5.2).  
•	 Worked with the Operations Team in long-range planning to 
develop long-term plans to sustain corporate Synod opera-
tions and foster financial stability and integrity.
•	 Adopted policies and protocols to maintain financial strength 
and integrity when adopting future budgets.
•	 As part of its regular monitoring of gifting and other finan-
cial trends, noted, in particular, continuing decline in receipts 
from the districts, resulting in large part from the decline of 
receipts by the districts from congregations.
•	 Updated policies governing executive compensation for cor-
porate Synod and the synodwide corporation and trust en-
tities.
D. 2023 Resolution 7-04B
This resolution made comprehensive changes to the CUS and 
the overall governance of the Concordia universities. It also ad-
dressed certain long-standing issues that have impacted how “prop-
erty of the Synod” (Bylaw 1.2.1 [r]) is to be managed by the Synod 
with respect to the Concordia universities and Synod seminaries. 
Resolution 7-04B provided:
Resolved, That the BOD, after input from the Commission 
on Constitutional Matters, review within the upcoming trien-
nium the governing documents and governance practices of 
all higher education institutions of the Synod, and all boards 
of regents and boards of associated foundations be directed to 
correct any identified noncompliance with the Synod Consti-
tution, Bylaws, and resolutions; and be it further 
Resolved, That each university of the CUS shall acknowl-
edge in a written agreement, facilitated by the BOD of the 
Synod, the paramount right, title, and interest of the Synod in 
the name Concordia, … ; and be it finally 
Resolved, That the BOD report to the subsequent Synod 
convention its progress in achieving the foregoing and any 
proposed bylaw changes or other action needed to more faith-
fully steward resources for higher education in the Synod.
As required by Res. 7-04B, the CCM conducted an extensive 
review of the governing documents and governance practices of all 
Concordia universities and Synod seminaries. The CCM then pro-
vided comprehensive and detailed reports to each of the higher ed-
ucation institutions and the BOD. The BOD has accepted the CCM 
opinions in their entirety and has worked with the higher education 
institutions to bring all their governing documents and governance 
practices into compliance with the Constitution, Bylaws, and res-
olutions. 
Much progress has been made in this effort. But there remains 
more work to be done.