To Address Pastoral Formation and Routes to Ministry

WHEREAS, Jesus instructs us that the “harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Luke 10:2 NIV); and

WHEREAS, The means and methodologies of teaching and learning have greatly changed in recent decades; and

WHEREAS,Technology has greatly changed the delivery methods of education and the shaping of higher education in the same period; and

WHEREAS, Younger students are more comfortable with blended forms of education, using more non-traditional methods, including video conferencing, computer interaction, and other distance learning, rather than exclusively brick and mortar forms of instruction; and

WHEREAS, There are some students, potential candidates for the pastoral office, who need greater flexibility in acquiring the best possible theological education and formation; and

WHEREAS,The Pastoral Formation Committee(PFC)has already examined many of the existing pieces for creating a distance education program leading to ordination; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage the Council of Presidents, the Office of the President, and the PFC, in conjunction with the two seminaries of our Synod, to examine current best practices in educational methodologies and outcomes and to produce a plan, to be presented to the 2029 Synod convention, for blended distance education methods leading to ordination; and be it further

Resolved, That prior to implementation of distance education, each district of the Synod have the opportunity to discuss and comment on the program or programs.