God’s Learning Channel Hinduism Human Potential Movement Islam (also available in Spanish) Jehovah’s Witnesses (also available in Spanish) Joel Osteen Joyce Meyer Ministries
The Synod’s Pastoral Formation Committee (PFC), comprised of the Chief Mission Officer (chair, voting), the presidents of the seminaries (voting), and the Executive Director of the Office of Pastoral Education (nonvoting advisory), is tasked with the following regular assignments under 2019 ff.: • Ensure that the Synod’s objective of training pastors is filled consistently.
- Recommend any new routes leading to ordination for approval by resolution of the Synod (following consultation with the seminaries’ boards of regents in their annual joint meeting).
- Review, assess, coordinate, support, and make suggestions for improvement of all existing non colloquy routes leading to ordination in the Synod.
- Monitor and receive reports from all directors and committees charged with oversight of all routes to ordination and
Judaism Kabbalah Latter Day Saints (also available in Spanish) Moralistic Therapeutic Deism Near Death Experiences (also available in Spanish) New Age Movement foster coordination and collaboration between such directors and committees. • Consider the long-term strategic direction of the Synod’s pastoral formation and facilitate discussion of the same with the seminaries’ boards of regents in their annual joint meeting.
Over the 2019–2023 quadrennium, the PFC convened consistently as deemed needed and beneficial (and far more frequently than the minimum once-per-year requirement per 2019 ), via face-to-face and Zoom meetings, in order to carry out its above-listed duties, including consultations and facilitation of discussions with the seminaries’ boards of regents in their annual joint meetings and fostering of coordination and collaboration with various directors and committees involved in the Synod’s programs of pastoral formation. The PFC is recommending no new routes to ordination for approval by resolution of the Synod at the current 2023 convention. Beyond such regular PFC duties, most notable over the quadrennium was the PFC’s ongoing work to fulfill assignments given to it under three resolutions adopted by the Synod at the 2019 convention: 1. Resolution 6-02, “To Promote Residential Seminary Education as the Preferred Option for the Preparation of Men for Pastoral Ministry” 2. Resolution 6-03A, “To Enhance the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program” 3. Resolution 6-04, “To Support, Encourage, and Expect Continuing Education for all Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Pastors” A separate PFC document, Report R60 in this convention workbook, presents the PFC’s response to these above-listed convention resolution assignments. The PFC has also submitted a separate overture to the current 2023 convention (also in this convention workbook) with proposed actions emerging from its observations, conclusions, and recommendations as set forth in Report R60.