To Increase Distance Education Opportunities to Train General Ordained Ministers

WHEREAS, There is an increasing number of congregations with pastoral vacancies due to lack of ordained candidates; and

WHEREAS, There is a need for seminary training to address the variety of ministry contexts in which Synod is engaged in ministry; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has a history of variety in its training of ordained ministers (e.g., the practical seminary and the theological seminary of the 20th century); and

WHEREAS, Academic training has taken advantage of technology to offer distance education and it has become a standard of delivering training in many contexts in our culture; and

WHEREAS, The Cross-Cultural Ministry Center (CMC) has trained, through distance learning, ordained ministers who are serving effectively across the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the seminaries of Synod be encouraged to study how to train general pastors by distance education; and be it further

Resolved, That the seminaries and the districts of Synod be encouraged to implement distance education methods and technologies for seminary education to provide more general pastors for the mission of the Gospel; and be it further

Resolved, That the CMC and the districts of Synod continue to work together to identify ministry settings and candidates and to provide for their training while they serve alongside ordained ministers; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Northwest District memorialize the 2023 Synod Convention to identify the CMC as a means to train general pastors for Synod.