Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 108

2026 Convention Workbook
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OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
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Though many respondents noted that many pastors struggle to understand the complexities of the 
Synod (and districts), residential formation provides more opportunities for exposure to and 
experience in Synod and district relations. Since a non-residential student remains in the same 
district in which they have been catechized and formed, their view of the Synod may reflect this 
limited point of view. Residential routes provide for experience in the student’s home district, the 
district of the seminary, and the district of their vicarage, all before the church calls a student to 
(possibly) yet another district. During their time at seminary, students are often involved in 
events that involve officials from the Synod. Thus, by the time a man graduates from a 
residential seminary, they have experienced at least a tangential exposure to a broader swath of 
the Synod than a man who remains in the same location and situation during his training and 
subsequent call.  
Strengths of Both Routes: 
Though discussion often focuses on the distinction between residential and non-residential routes 
to ordination, men formed by either route share some strengths. First, those who graduate from 
either route are largely described as men of sincere faith who are committed to serving the 
church. Non-residential and residential route pastors confess the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the 
only means of salvation and confess the Lutheran Confessions as a true exposition of God’s 
Word. Graduates from both routes desire to learn more and to improve their ability to serve their 
congregations. Overall, graduates of both routes express their appreciation for the cohesive 
community created through their education; residential pastors with those in their class and time 
on campus together, while SMP pastors through their cohorts.  
District Presidents noted residentially formed pastors bring formal theological leadership, while 
SMP formed pastors offer strong relational credibility.
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Observation from Standing Partnership
In their summary of the information gained through their extensive interviews and surveys, the 
employees of Standing Partnership observed: “Even those who are not in the LCMS [i.e. 
employees of Standing Partnership] noticed a strong perception that non-residential pastors are 
not prepared theologically on the same level as residential pastors. There is a clear perceived lack 
in theological understanding and ability to read and interpret the Scriptures with adequate depth 
and knowledge. This is due not only to the lack of biblical languages, but also to the overall 
depth of theological knowledge in the non-residential routes. This disparity does not necessarily
reflect the integrity or faith of the men who have received such training, but the curricular 
differences between the routes.”  
13 One such observation: “I think many of our SMPs are very conscious of the mission of the Gospel and have a zeal 
for outreach and are energized along those paths. That’s why they went into the program and wanted to become 
pastors, even though the challenges were daunting. I do think there may be a tendency for those men to be more 
governed by their zeal in an emotional way. And perhaps there’s a temptation to rely upon those interpersonal kind 
of skills and emotional motivations and not the same kind of reliance on the objective Word, and a trust that the 
Word is going to do the heavy lifting. On the other hand ... when you spend 3 years in classroom … earning an 
academic degree … I think those men may be more tempted to rely upon their academic prowess and rely upon the 
objective power and authority of the Word — which I would absolutely say is a good thing  — but perhaps undersell 
the importance of the way in which the Lord works through means…. So, I think again, there’s dangers and 
temptations on either side.”
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Non-Survey Observations  
Aside from the training differences, pastors from the different routes also manifest other 
differences. One major difference is age, with M.Div. pastors much younger on average than 
SMP pastors. This has several implications. First, M.Div. pastors have many more years of 
service ahead of them, and therefore the church’s investment in their training bears longer 
service to the church and the world. The age difference may also account for the perceived 
weakness of M.Div. pastors being less inclined to emotional intelligence and less adequately 
prepared for leadership and cultural understanding due to their youth. Although pastors formed 
by residential routes are younger and may need to learn “on the job” how to be more adept at 
leadership and how to interact with the congregation’s unique setting and history, experience 
shows that who have served for several years usually learn the culture of their congregation and 
grow in their ability to lead the congregations they serve.  
When a congregation sends a man to seminary, they are offering up a young man from their 
midst for the good of the church at large. That man may return to serve them, or he may be called 
to serve other congregations in the LCMS. God may even call him into mission work; 
chaplaincy; teaching in an LCMS high school, university or seminary; or other areas of ministry. 
When a congregation chooses an SMP pastor, that man is not available for the whole church, but 
already has a defined call and ministry. This is a major departure from the way the church has 
historically called and shared pastors.  
Though many see cultural familiarity as a strength of non-residential routes, this perceived 
strength may not be an advantage in every respect. Pastors are called to proclaim the truth of 
God’s Word. A person from outside a congregation may have an easier time diagnosing 
problems and issues that have become part of the culture of that place. When Jesus called the 
12 Apostles, He did not send them to ministries reflective of their cultures. Peter, Andrew, James 
and John were all fisherman from Galilee, who were called out of their culture to fish for men. 
The book of Acts records that they were in Jerusalem (an urban setting, unlike fishing in 
Galilee). John lived out his days in Ephesus where he served as pastor/bishop. Jesus did not teach 
His disciples to stay in their homes or cultures, but He called them to leave all things for the sake 
of the Gospel. Even the young pastor Timothy was not instructed regarding culture and 
familiarity, but instead to preach the truth of the Word to people who looked down on him 
because he was young. Paul does not say that he should lead with vision or understanding of the 
culture of the congregation. Paul, a man from Tarsus and who was trained in Jerusalem, 
conducted his ministry in Gentile locations. This is as far from his native culture as possible. 
Men grow from exposure to different cultures and can bring the knowledge of other cultures to 
the congregations he serves throughout his ministry in varied contexts and locations.  
Receiving a man from the seminary or from another congregation means that both pastor and 
congregation must learn together. This is not negative. Though a man from the congregation 
comes with familiarity, that familiarity may also come with some blind spots and a timid spirit in 
the face of inevitable adversity and controversy. If a man is restricted to one congregation (his 
specific ministry), that man may be reticent to address concerns that may result in the 
congregation no longer desiring his ministry in that specific context, meaning he may lose his 
job. The pastor who serves his home congregation may find it difficult to truly proclaim the law 
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and to pronounce judgment against people he has known and grown up with (or even family 
members). Historically, the LCMS has sought to not place a man in his home congregation, since 
such a relationship can be difficult for both the pastor and the congregation.  
Data from LCMS Rosters and Statistics (compiled 7/30/2025): 
The yellow Colloquy SMP numbers reflect the move from Licensed Lay Deacons to SMP as per 
Synod Convention resolution. That process has been completed.  
The number of pastors formed each year through the SMP and other non-residential routes 
continues to increase relative to the number of pastors formed through residential routes. This 
means that the percentage of non-residentially formed pastors in the LCMS is increasing.  
This increased percentage of non-residentially formed pastors has implications. First, since each 
SMP pastor requires lifetime supervision by an M.Div. pastor, there are relatively fewer M.Div.
pastors available for an increasing number of SMP pastors. Some of this is mitigated by the 
average length of service of an SMP pastor compared to M.Div. pastors. On average, SMP 
pastors serve for 17 years before retirement, while M.Div. pastors serve and average of 37 years. 
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Another implication, and one that bears much more importance for the life of the church is the 
reality that SMP pastors have had less theological and biblical study in their programs. This 
means that a larger percentage of LCMS pastors are less theologically trained each year. In other 
words, the clergy of the LCMS is less theologically informed and trained each year. Since SMP 
pastors are noted as being more able relationally and culturally, this ratio could also imply that 
the clergy of the LCMS is growing more relational and culturally aware. But this does not take 
into consideration that residentially trained pastors do grow relationally and in their 
understanding of the culture in which they serve. Preaching Law and Gospel and providing 
pastoral care naturally enmeshes a man into the lives of his people and draws the members of the 
congregation to interact with their pastor to receive from him the Word of God and the 
Sacraments. Pastor and congregation thus grow together as the Body of Christ. Due to the 
restrictions placed upon SMP pastors, they are not eligible for leadership positions within the 
district or Synod. Therefore, this decreasing ratio of M.Div. pastors also means fewer candidates 
for leadership positions in the Synod moving forward.  
Concluding Thoughts 
The SMP program (and other routes) was not initiated to create an alternative pathway for any 
man who desires to become a pastor. Indeed, the SMP program was designed and implemented 
to provide pastors for congregations and ministries facing a situation that made waiting for or 
calling a residentially trained pastor impossible or extremely unlikely. The experience and 
observations of district presidents, circuit visitors and even parish pastors verifies that the 
difference in curriculum manifests in pastors with different levels of biblical and theological 
acumen. Therefore, strong reasons exist to provide theological supervision for our SMP pastors 
throughout their years of ministry. We owe this to our SMP pastors and to their congregations. 
We also owe it to young men preparing for a lifetime of ministry in the church and to the future