The Synod’s Pastoral Formation Committee (PFC), comprised of the Chief Mission Officer (chair, voting), the presidents of the two Synod seminaries (voting), and the executive director of the Office of Pastoral Education (nonvoting advisory), is tasked with the following regular assignments under Bylaws 3.10.4–3.10.4.7: • Ensure that the Synod’s objective of training pastors is filled consistently.
- Recommend, following consultation with the seminaries’ boards of regents in their annual joint meeting, any new routes leading to ordination for approval by resolution of the Synod.
- 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 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 2023–26 triennium, the PFC convened consistently (and far more frequently than Bylaw 3.10.4.7’s minimum annual meeting requirement), via face-to-face and internet conference 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.
2023 Convention Assignments Beyond such regular duties, most notable over the triennium was the PFC’s ongoing work to fulfill assignments given to it under 2023 Resolution 6-03A (Proceedings, 162–63): • Prepare a report that analyzes and assesses ministerial or pastoral formation programs that have emerged within the Synod over the past several years, especially those preparing persons to perform the distinctive functions of the Office of the Holy Ministry, which lack approval of the Synod under its current Constitution and Bylaws and are not included in the current list (i.e., M.Div., RAR/AR, Specific Ministry to General Pastor Certificate, SMP, Specific Ministry Pastor-Espanol/English Program, Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology, Center for Hispanic Studies, Cross-Cultural Ministry Center) of the Synod-approved routes to ordination.
- Prepare a report that examines and compares approaches and outcomes of residential (i.e., in-person) and non-residential (i.e., distance learning) routes to ordination as these relate to the Synod’s commitment to a well-formed clergy for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Identify and evaluate options and rationales, and prepare a report to the 2026 Synod convention, which proposes a beneficial, clear, and concise definition of appropriate contexts for the ministry of SMP pastors.
- Develop and present a comprehensive, uniform, synodwide Specific Ministry Supervision Plan.
Reports R13.3–6 address the PFC’s assignments from the above-referenced convention resolution. In May 2025, the PFC posted “Frequently Asked Questions: Unauthorized Non-LCMS Pastoral Formation Programs.” This document was released at the same time President Harrison, Dr. Egger (CSL), and Dr. Bruss (CTSFW) issued statements regarding unauthorized, non-LCMS pastoral formation programs (reporter.lcms.org/2025/lcms-addresses-unauthorized-non-lcmspastoral-formation-programs/). Daniel M. Galchutt, Interim Chief Mission Officer