To Encourage Pastors to Honor Their Own Call

WHEREAS, The first objective of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS) is to “conserve and promote the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6; 1 Cor. 1:10) ...” (Const. Art. III 1); another is to “provide protection for congregations, pastors, teachers, and other church workers in the performance of their official duties and the maintenance of their rights” (Const. Art. III 9); and

WHEREAS, As a condition of acquiring and holding membership in the Synod, as stated in Constitution Article VI 3, every congregation and minister must agree to observe and respect the individual congregation’s right to call a pastor and not interfere with that pastor’s proper authority in matters pertaining to his call; and

WHEREAS, Dr. C. F. W. Walther’s Kirche und Amt, adopted by the Synod in convention as official doctrine (2001 Res. 7-17A “To Affirm Synod’s Official Position on Church and Ministry”), further defends the aforementioned rights and is explicitly clear that pastors arenot to meddle in congregations to which they have no call or responsibility for ecclesiastical oversight according to the good order of the church; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Northern Illinois District memorialize the Synod in convention to reaffirm these beliefs; and be it further

Resolved, That ecclesiastical supervisors fraternally, yet strongly, rebuke any pastors (retired, called elsewhere, etc.) interfering with the internal affairs of a congregation to which they are not properly called to preserve the unity of the church’s witness.