Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 98

2026 Convention Workbook
63
OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
o Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
o Near Death Experiences (also available in Spanish)
o Neo-Paganism
o New Age Movement
o New Apostolic Reformation
o New Atheism
o Newer Atheists
o The Occult (also available in Spanish)
o Rastafarians
o Red Letter Christians
o Reiki
o Restorationism
o Salvation Army
o Satanism
o Secular Humanism (also available in Spanish)
o Secularism
o Seventh-day Adventism (also available in Spanish)
o Shriner’
s International
o Swedenborgianism (New Church)
o Theophostic Prayer Ministry
o Transhumanism
o Unification Church (also available in Spanish)
o Unitarian-Universalist Association (UUA)
o United Pentecostal Church International
o Unity School of Christianity
o Universalism
o Vineyard Ministries
o Wicca
o Word-Faith Movement
o Yoga 
Brian S. Saunders, 
Chairman 
Joel D. Lehenbauer, Executive Director
R13
Pastoral Formation Committee
The Synod’s Pastoral Formation Committee (PFC), comprised 
of the Chief Mission Officer (chair, voting), the presidents of the 
two Synod seminaries (voting), and the executive director of the 
Office of Pastoral Education (nonvoting advisory), is tasked with 
the following regular assignments under Bylaws 3.10.4–3.10.4.7:
•	 Ensure that the Synod’s objective of training pastors is filled 
consistently.
•	 Recommend, following consultation with the seminaries’ 
boards of regents in their annual joint meeting, any new 
routes leading to ordination for approval by resolution of the 
Synod.
•	 Review, assess, coordinate, support, and make suggestions 
for improvement of all existing noncolloquy routes leading 
Hillsong, International House of Prayer, Neo-Paganism, and New 
Apostolic Reformation. A goal of the commission is to continue to 
provide Spanish-language translations of its evaluations. The entire 
current listing of topics addressed by CTCR evaluations includes 
(new documents this triennium are noted in bold below):
•	 Lodge Organizations:
o
 Elks Lodge
o Fraternal Order of Eagles
o The Lodge
o Membership in 
Certain Fraternal Organizations: A 
Pastoral Approach (also available in Spanish)
o Moose International
•	 Other Religious Organizations and Movements:
o Abrahamic Religions
o Alpha Course
o Baha’i Faith
o Beth Moore Ministries (also available in Spanish)
o Buddhism (also available in Spanish)
o Center for Progressive Christianity
o Christian Identity Movement
o Christian Reconstructionism
o Christian Science (also available in Spanish)
o Church of Scientology (also available in Spanish)
o Churchless Christianity
o Cults—An Overview (also available in Spanish)
o Cursillo Movement (also available in Spanish)
o Deepak Chopra
o Emergent Church
o Enneagram
o Falun Gong
o Fellowship of Christian Athletes
o Hillsong
o Gideons International
o Gnosticism
o God’s Learning Channel
o Hinduism
o Human Potential Movement
o The International 
Churches of Christ (also available 
in Spanish)
o International House of Prayer
o Islam (also available in Spanish)
o Jehovah’s 
Witnesses (also available in Spanish)
o Joel Osteen
o Joyce Meyer Ministries
o Judaism
o Kabbalah
o Latter Day Saints (also available in Spanish)