It was a privilege to serve as a voting delegate to the 2023 LCMS Convention in Milwaukee. There were 1,023 voting delegates, 160 delegates, 162 advisory representatives, and 150 special guests. The following were highlights of the week.
The first highlight was that the vice-president and all the regional vice-presidents were reelected, though the rankings were shifted from the second vice-president down the chain. Rev. Ben Ball was moved to the position of second vice-president.
While the convention declared altar and pulpit fellowship with four church bodies (Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Sudan and Sudan, Evangelical Mission Diocese of Finland, Lutheran Church of Uganda, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine), as well as recognizing the Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sri Lanka as a new partner Church working toward and altar and pulpit fellowship. After these recognitions, we voted on a weighty resolution to break fellowship with the Lutheran Church of Japan. This was certainly a sad point in the convention; however, allow me to explain the silver lining. First, IDE President Rev. Dr. Brian Saunders read the entire preamble with “whereas” and “resolved” sections. Often, for the sake of time, the committee will simply read the resolved, sometimes only the last resolved. However, it was good that we heard the entire resolution, since it laid out the history behind why we now must recognize that our fellowship with LCJ is no more. The short story is that the Lutheran Church of Japan ordains women. But the preamble gave some very important background, which serves as a warning to us. It showed how the LCJ began to go down this road and how they justified their actions. One such step was in their association with the already existing liberal Lutheran church body in Japan. As St. Paul, and even some wise pagans, say, bad company ruins good morals (1 Cor 15:33). Another step was that they started having women perform the public functions of the pastoral office, even ordaining them to be deacons, while not calling them pastors. We sadly see churches in the LCMS doing this very thing, with women vested right along with the pastors.1
But it is all too common for LCMS churches to have women carry out public functions of the pastor, such as teach adult Bible classes with men present, read the lessons in the church service, and distribute the sacraments. In 2016, the Synod Convention voted by nearly 2/3 majority that only men should serve as communion assistance. This was encouraging, though the 1/3 dissent was quite noticeable. So after hearing this very well written resolution from President Saunders’s committee, I decided to go to the microphone to speak in favor of it. But I brought with me two proposed amendments to the resolution. The first whereas said, “Whereas the Bible clearly says that women should not be called or ordained to the pastoral office.” My proposed amendment was to add the phrase, “nor carry out the public functions of [the pastoral office,” and I added the Bible passages of 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34. My other proposed amendment added a resolved: “That synod in convention affirm the inerrancy, inspiration, clarity, and authority of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:19-21).” President Saunders accepted my proposed amendments as friendly amendments, and no one from the convention objected. We then voted on the final resolution, and it passed by nearly 95%.
This was a sad resolution but an important one. And I believe President Saunders showed great leadership, not only in leading the committee in producing this resolution, but also, frankly, for accepting my amendments. Of course, I don’t say this because it was my amendments. I would have been happy had someone else proposed the same ones. But I can’t stress enough how significant it is that synod in convention clearly stated that 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34 forbid women not just from the pastoral office but from the public functions of the pastoral office. Too often the pastoral office is separated from its functions. This leads to a sort of quasi-sacerdotalism. But it also serves to ignore the uncomfortable yet important issue of the orders of creation. Women serve crucial roles in the body of Christ, and for too long congregations in our synod have been obfuscating these important roles (wife, mother, teacher, wise counselor for younger women, etc.) and overshadowing them by assigning to women those public tasks Scripture denies them. My mom, my wife, and the many women I have had the privilege to know in the congregations I have served contribute much more to the edification of the body of Christ than they would by following some progressive dream of doing what God gives men to do. This “whereas” codifies in the synod minutes that our congregations recognize that Scripture teaches what it clearly teaches on this matter. That the LCMS would break fellowship with a Church body is encouraging, even if it is a sad thing. It is encouraging that she stood on Scripture.
Another bitter moment in the convention was Resolution 7-03, “To Call Concordia University Texas Leadership to Repentance.” The resolution can be found online at lcms.org/convention/national by clicking on All Today’s Business editions. You will find it in Issue 1, pages 139-41. The CTX Board of Regents voted to modify the CTX bylaws and articles of incorporation to make CTX a self-governing entity and not subject to the bylaws of the synod any longer. The resolution made the case that the Board of Regents for CTX broke the Fourth Commandment by casting off the authority placed over it in the bylaws of the synod, the Seventh Commandment by taking the property of CTX from the synod, and the Ninth and Tenth Commandments by scheming to get what does not belong to them by show of right. The resolution also sites President Harrison’s visitation report: “The report, “Ecclesiastical Visitation of Concordia University Texas” (Report R64, Workbook, 173–79), makes it clear that CTX has undergone significant mission and theological drift away from LCMS doctrine and practice on many issues, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), especially programs that relate to sex, gender, marriage, and family, leading the university away in significant mission drift from the biblical positions and practices of the LCMS; (lines 23-25, page 139 op. cit.)”.
President Christian from CTX was given two minutes to address the convention before the convention ultimately voted to call him and the other leadership to repentance. In his talk, he did not deny any of the accusations made against CTX in the whereases of Resolution 7-03. He apologized for early “miscommunication,” but did not apologize for the refusal of CTX to cooperate with synodical leadership or for its actions of severing itself from the synod. Since the convention, LCMS Board of Directors reached out to the leadership of CTX to meet toward reconciliation. CTX stated that they will decide whether to meet. CTX has refused to place the board of regents members for CTX duly elected at the 2023 synodical convention, stating that their articles of incorporation and bylaws (which are not recognized by synod’s bylaws), do not permit elections for board of regents from outside CTX.1
This resolution addressed another sad situation; however, I would argue there is yet another silver lining. The fact that the synod was able to address such a controversial topic according to the Word of God is certainly encouraging. When the church and her representatives are not able to handle disputes with clear words of repentance desiring forgiveness. We need to trust that what our Lord Jesus told us to do works, even if it seems bleak in this dying world. St. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for bringing fellow Christians before heathen courts, and he asks, “Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? (1 Cor 6:5)” If the church cannot judge matters like this, then it’s no wonder that fellow Christians so often sue one another. It was therefore encouraging to see the representatives of our congregations take up the mantle and judge this matter in a solemn way.
Resolution 7-04B, “To Revise Bylaws to Revisit and Renew Relationship of Colleges and Universities of the Synod” did not single out CTX; however, the situation with CTX made it clear that the synod needs to take a closer look at its oversight of our Concordia universities. Section B. “To Establish Procedures for Formal Ecclesiastical Visitation of the Concordia Universities” was especially crucial. If the synod does not practice oversight of our universities, we may be sending our youth into danger while thinking we are sending them to be strengthened in God’s Word and faith. This resolution passed 882 to 120. Also, in the same vein, Res. 7-05A, “To Bring Accountability to Concordia Boards of Regents and to Improve Doctrinal Fidelity and Amenability to Ecclesiastical Supervision” passed 824-143.
Our Concordias need work and the synod in convention desires for them to succeed. Please, pray for reconciliation between CTX and the synod and for strong synodical leadership faithful to God’s Word and our Lutheran Confessions.
Another important resolution was 5-08A, “To Affirm In-Person Communion.” Unfortunately, some congregations in our synod were practicing so-called online communion. However, this resolution also gave much clarity from Scripture and the Confessions, which are relevant to guiding our practice of the Sacrament. I also had the opportunity to speak to this resolution. I reminded the assembly of the principle set forth in our Confessions, namely, that we do not divide the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Christ’s words are not magic words. They are joined to his institution, which includes gathering, speaking the words, handing out the body and blood of Jesus, and eating and drinking (SD VII, 83-84). Again, it was significant that this resolution rejected and condemned this practice. These are strong words, but again, it is encouraging that the committee and the synod were willing to use such language. We love to affirm the truth. But we need to be willing to reject and condemn all error, which does damage to the saving truth. Internet communion is confusing, to say the least. The resolution also took care to commend those who are unable to take the sacrament to take comfort in the Word of God as the sufficient means of grace and strengthening of their faith.
Resolution 6-02A, “To Encourage Proper Pastoral Formation through our Synod’s Seminaries,” was, compared to others, perhaps more divisive, passing by just over 60%. This resolution promoted the residential pastoral ministry route at the synod’s seminaries as the preferred track to ordination. This comes as more men choose alternate routes, such as Special Ministry Program (SMP) and colloquy instead of the residential pastoral ministry route. An amendment was proposed, which would have removed the word “strongly” from the second to last resolve, which encouraged men to the residential pastoral ministry routes as well as added a resolve, “that district presidents and seminaries be strongly encouraged to direct men to any proper Synod-approved route to ordination that is appropriate for the individual and their context.” This amendment sparked much discussion. It also failed. I believe it was good that it failed. There is a legitimate challenge before our synod, where it is difficult for certain areas to get pastors, because of the high cost of living and/or few Lutherans in those areas. However, the resolution does not deny or forbid these alternate routes and extraordinary circumstances. Its purpose was to stress the priority of residential education as the norm. I have known very faithful men who have gone through alternate routes to ordination, but it is also important that we don’t allow these routes to be exploited. We need to encourage as much pastoral formation as possible on route to ordination, even while we recognize certain extraordinary circumstances.
Resolution 5-14, “To Address Release and Use of Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications,” was withdrawn from consideration by the committee. I was glad that this resolution was withdrawn, because since its publication, the Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications (LCACA) has caused much controversy. Members of the LCMS complained about the content of certain essays; however, all essays passed doctrinal review. Arguably the greatest controversy was the choice of contributors, which included a prominent ELCA theologian, who has writings which ostensibly deny the vicarious satisfaction of Christ’s crucifixion. Many have argued that his inclusion as a contributor violates Romans 16:17. An overture was even written stating this; however, it did not make it out of committee.2 With so much offense taken by many in our synod, I found it inappropriate to commend its use to pastors, commissioned ministers, teachers, students, congregations, schools, and laity of the Synod. However, LCACA does have many great articles by very good contributors, so to vote down its commendation could also cause unintended offense. I was satisfied with the committee’s choice to withdraw its consideration. A motion was made to bring it back onto the floor for a vote, but it failed 479 to 416.
Resolution 4-07, “To Give Thanks for Preservation of the Gospel in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod,” seeks to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Seminex walk-out at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1974. Two good books, which we would do well to read, are Anatomy of an Explosion by Kurt Marquart and Seminary in Crisis by Paul Zimmerman.
There were several other resolutions, such as supporting women as conscientious objectors in case of a forced conscription of women (for which as a father of three girls I was especially thankful), affirming that the state has no authority over the church’s divine command to gather for worship, and others, which you can find in the minutes of the Convention at LCMS.org/convention/national/publications#minutes.
This was the second convention I have attended. The first was in 2016. A lot has happened in our culture since then, and I was overall encouraged by the actions at convention. The real action happens in the local parish, the pulpit, the classroom, and the narthex. But it especially happens in the living room, at the dinner table, and while walking on the way. What I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to talk theology with several pastors and church members. This is what unites us. My brother David, who is a missionary in Romania, gave a speech at the convention. Two things he said stick out to me. First, attitude toward the mission of the gospel is much more important than methods. And second, the LCMS will only be known by her confession, the center of which is the free justification of the sinner before God for Christ’s sake through faith. May God keep us steadfast in a faithful confession of his Word!
Rev. Andrew J. Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
New Haven, MO
Washington Circuit
Missouri District
1 https://gottesdienstonline.blogspot.com/2014/01/women-in-albs-cinctures-and-stoles.html
2 Ov. 5-32, “To Cease and Desist Publication of Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications” in Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures 2003, 305-306.
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