To Participate in Building Culture of Church Work Formation and Recruitment

WHEREAS, Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37–38); and

WHEREAS, Since 1847, the Synod has adopted resolutions in nearly every convention to form and recruit pastors, teachers, and other commissioned church workers to preach, teach, and share the Gospel of Jesus for eternal salvation in these full-time vocations; and

WHEREAS, These convention resolutions urged that church work formation and recruitment intentionally take place in every congregation and school of the Synod, by pastors, teachers, commissioned church workers, and laity; and

WHEREAS, These convention resolutions urged districts and congregations to have an active committee focused on forming and recruiting our youth and adults to consider full-time church work; and

WHEREAS, The pastoral office is the one divinely mandated office by our Lord (John 20:19–23; Rom. 10:14–15; Eph. 4:11–16), and the seven commissioned church work vocations of the Synod have been established in love to support the Office of the Holy Ministry, namely, Lutheran teacher, director of Christian education (DCE), director of family life ministry,deaconess, director of parish music, director of church ministries, and director of Christian outreach (LSB Agenda, 210, 218); and

WHEREAS, In the last several years, approximately twice as many pastors of the Synod have been exiting the pastoral office due to retirement or death compared to newly called and ordained pastors; and

WHEREAS, In April 2024, there were 51 unfilled calls of congregations requesting a seminary candidate, 406 congregations calling a sole pastor, 56 congregations calling a senior pastor, 67 congregations calling an associate pastor, and 529 congregations vacant congregations not calling for various reasons; and

WHEREAS, In 2023, there were requests from schools of the Synod to our Concordia universities for 455 new teachers, but there were only 84 graduates, and there were requests for 79 other commissioned workers, but only 64 graduates from Concordia universities; and

WHEREAS, Set Apart to Serve was established by the 2019 Synod convention with the over arching goal of developing a culture of church work formation and recruitment in every congregation, school, and entity of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, Set Apart to Serve is in full partnership and collaboration in this church work initiative with our two seminaries (including Christ Academy and Vocatio), all Concordia universities, all 35 districts, Concordia Publishing House (CPH), Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), LCMS Youth Ministry, LCMS School Ministry, Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral Ministry, Colloquy Committee for Commissioned Ministry, LCMS Church Worker Wellness, the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, Higher Things, the Lutheran Educator’s Association, the National Association of Directors of Christian Education, the Black Clergy Caucus, the Hispanic Missionary League, Chinese Lutherans in Mission Building, Concordia Plan Services, the LCMS Foundation, and more; and

WHEREAS, Through comprehensive research, Set Apart to Serve has identified pastors, Lutheran school teachers, DCEs, all other commissioned workers, parents, and laity as the primary influential adults who form, recruit, and encourage youth, from early childhood through grade 12, to consider full-time church work; and

WHEREAS, Set Apart to Serve, especially through partnerships with pilot congregations representing all 35 districts, has developed many high-quality resources for pastors, commissioned church workers, laity, and districts as they form, recruit, and encourage our youth to consider full-time church work, and these resources are available at resources.lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve; and

WHEREAS, The most essential experiences that have an impact on and influence youth to consider church work include regular attendance in the Divine Service to receive Christ’s Word and Sacraments (“faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ,” Rom. 10:17), authentic relationships with influential adults, opportunities for age-appropriate service in the church, participating in like-minded communities (e.g., youth group, LCMS Youth Gathering, Higher Things, Christ Academy at Concordia Theological Seminary, Vocatio at Concordia Seminary, LCMS camps), and engaging in conversations about godly vocations and church work vocations; and

WHEREAS, Set Apart to Serve, in partnership with CPH and with support from LCEF and the Concordia universities, has made available, at no cost to schools and congregations of the Synod, a church work formation and recruitment curriculum for early childhood through adult; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Mid-South District establish a Set Apart to Serve church work recruitment committee (e.g. working group, task force) to lead and assist congregations, schools, and church workers in their efforts of church work formation and recruitment; and be it further

Resolved, That all congregations be encouraged to establish a Set Apart to Serve committee (e.g. working group, task force) to form, recruit, and encourage their youth (from early childhood to grade 12) and adults to consider a full-time church work vocation; and be it further

Resolved, That all pastors, Lutheran teachers, commissioned church workers, and laity intentionally form, recruit, and encourage youth to consider a full-time church work vocation; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations, schools, and entities of the Synod make use of the many tested, high-quality Set Apart to Serve resources available at lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve and the CPH Set Apart to Serve curriculum available at cph.org/set-apart-to-serve- school-resource-kit; and be it further

Resolved, That district and congregation leaders and committees enhance their financial support of individuals who are enrolled in church work programs at our Concordia universities and seminaries; and be it finally

Resolved, That district and congregation leaders intentionally address the compensation and overall wellness, love, and appreciation of all ordained and commissioned church workers in district congregations, schools, and entities.