To Amend Bylaws to Protect Divine Calls of Missionaries

WHEREAS, One of the objectives of Synod is to “extend [the] Gospel witness into all the world” (Const. Art. III 2); our Lord states: “behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” (John 4:35 KJV); and

WHEREAS, The sending and support of missionaries is therefore a vital objective of our Synod; and

WHEREAS, It is also an objective of the Synod 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, Called pastors at local congregations are protected by the doctrine of the Divine Call, explained by the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) to mean that a pastor can be removed rightfully from his call only for teaching false doctrine, offensive conduct (which may include, among other things, neglect of, or inability to perform, official duties), or scandalous life (LCMS CTCR, Theology and Practice of “the Divine Call” [adopted February 2003], 25); and

WHEREAS, The CTCR has also recognized in its report that due process must be followed in removing a man from a call; additionally, pastors serving in certain capacities—for example, as seminary professors—are granted express protection in the Synod Bylaws against arbitrary removal from their calls without just cause (Bylaw 3.10.5.7.5); and

WHEREAS, Missionaries serving the Synod, called by the Board for International Mission (BIM), are not granted express bylaw protection, nor do the current BIM policies provide for due process for missionaries before the BIM can terminate their calls and effectively end their mission service; and

WHEREAS, Consistent with 1 Peter 2, Matthew 18, and other Scripture passages, the mission boards of the Synod should set a good example in their conduct and treatment of their called missionaries, and institute a formal requirement for good cause before terminating the call of any missionary, and ensuring due process, fairness, and an opportunity to be heard before any such decision is implemented, with appropriate right of appeal through the Synod’s dispute resolution process; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod grant called missionaries serving the BIM protection in their Divine Calls by revising the Synod Bylaws to require good cause before terminating the call of any missionary, and ensuring due process, fairness, and an opportunity to be heard before any such decision is implemented, with appropriate right of appeal through the Synod’s dispute resolution process; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention overturn any part of the CTCR Report, Theology and Practice of “the Divine Call,” that holds that the Divine Call of a missionary in service to the Synod is of lesser tenure or protection than the call of a local parish pastor.