Pastoral colloquy is the process by which a man who has served as a pastor in another church body or trained for the pastoral ministry in a non-LCMS seminary while being a member of another church body can be declared qualified for a first call in the Synod.
B. Statistics From January 2023 to January 2026, the CCPM received 45 applications, three of which were withdrawn. Of the remaining 42, six are temporarily on hold, and three are currently invited for an interview as of this writing. Of the remaining 33 for whom a decision has been reached, 20 were certified, two are fulfilling requirements and likely to be certified, and 11 were declined. Of the 11 who were declined, 10 were not invited for an interview, and one was declined after the interview. Reasons for being declined include not meeting the prerequisites for colloquy (especially either of the two colloquy category definitions), the number or circumstances of divorce(s), or the need for more remedial theological study than can be provided through the colloquy process. Because there are always applicants already in process when a triennium begins, a total of 33 were certified during this triennium, 11 of whom applied in the previous triennium. See the tables below for a breakdown of church bodies and LCMS districts from which applicants came, as well as the country of origin for those not born in the United States.
By means of colloquy, the Synod vets and provides pastors for the LCMS—over and above those men trained by our two seminaries—thus indirectly supporting the third objective of the LCMS to “recruit and train pastors … and provide opportunity for their continuing growth” (Constitution Article III 3). Colloquy is also one way that the Synod “work[s] in support of and on behalf of congregations to assist them in carrying out their ministries” (Bylaw 1.1.1). Lastly, colloquy supports the first, second, and fourth of the seven mission priorities that the 2023 Synod convention adopted for this triennium (Resolution 4-03), namely, to “plant, sustain, and revitalize Lutheran churches,” to “support and expand theological education,” and to “collaborate with the Synod’s members and partners to enhance mission effectiveness.”
# Church Body
The Colloquy Committee for Pastoral Ministry (CCPM) administers the colloquy process by establishing policy, receiving and reviewing applications, conducting in-person interviews, and deciding on each applicant based on the application and interview. Bylaw 3.10.2 governs the process. Applicants can be certified immediately, declined certification, or assigned one or more of the following: supplemental seminary coursework, mentored readings, a traditional vicarage, or a shorter, less-formal internship.
1 Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations
A. Committee Composition and Turnover The composition of the CCPM is stipulated in Bylaw 3.10.2.1, which states that, in addition to the LCMS First Vice-President, the committee “shall consist of … a district president appointed by the Council of Presidents, and the presidents of the seminaries or their representatives.” This triennium saw significant turnover on the committee, with three of its four members replaced. Concordia Seminary President Dr. Tom Egger replaced Dr. Glenn Nielsen in September 2023, Concordia Theological Seminary President Dr. Jon Bruss replaced Dr. Detlev Schulz in June 2024, and Southern Illinois District (SID) President Rev. Heath Curtis replaced outgoing SID President Timothy Scharr in December 2025. This is the first time since 2005 that both LCMS seminary presidents have regularly participated on the committee.
6 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 4 Baptist 2 Lutheran Church of Australia 2 Nondenominational 2 North American Lutheran Church 1 Anglican Church in North America 1 Assemblies of God 1 Association of Free Lutheran Congregations 1 Brethren / Charis International 1 Christian and Missionary Alliance 1 Conservative Lutheran Association 1 Independent Lutheran 1 Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ 1 United Methodist Church 1 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Table 1: Church body of origin (U.S. only) for successful general colloquies (certified February 2023–January 2026)
# Country 5
Ethiopia
3
Cuba
2
Australia
2
Canada
1
Brazil
1
Liberia
Table 2: Country of origin for successful general colloquies (foreign only) whose first language was not English (certified February 2023–January 2026)by the CCPM. It also clarified that translation assistance may be used, where needed, for the application, interview, and seminary entry-level competency exam.
# District
# District
6
Florida-Georgia
0
Atlantic
5
Ohio
0
California-Nevada Hawaii
5
Pacific Southwest
0
Central Illinois
4
Southeastern
0
Iowa East
3
Minnesota South
0
Kansas
3
Rocky Mountain
0
Montana
2
English
0
Nebraska
2
Michigan
0
New England
2
Missouri
0
New Jersey
2
South Wisconsin
0
North Dakota
2
Texas
0
North Wisconsin
1
Eastern
0
Northwest
1
Indiana
0
Oklahoma
1
Iowa West
0
SELC
In addition to standards, the CCPM is also considering placing a time limit for completion of assignments given by the committee. Finally, though it wouldn’t be a policy, the CCPM is considering a flowchart that would aid district presidents in determining whether a potential applicant clearly fits one of the two colloquy categories. These and other potential policy discussions continue.
1
Mid-South
0
South Dakota
C.4. Policies Versus Bylaws
1
Minnesota North
0
Southern Illinois
1
Northern Illinois
0
Wyoming
1
Southern
Through the policy discussions mentioned above, the CCPM has become aware of numerous long-standing colloquy requirements that were removed from the bylaws to policy by the 2010 Synod convention. The committee has been discussing a convention overture to reinsert some of these policies into the bylaws for the sake of greater policy stability since policies can be changed by the CCPM, acting alone, at any meeting, whereas bylaw changes require a convention vote. As of January 2026, the CCPM is hoping to finalize an overture for the 2026 Synod convention, though it is not certain that goal will be met.
Table 3: District from which general colloquy applications came (February 2023–January 2026)
C. Work Performed C.1. Meeting Schedule During this triennium, the CCPM reduced its meeting schedule from five to four in-person meetings per year, occasionally supplemented by a video conference to consider new applications or discuss policy, but not to conduct regular interviews. Most in-person meetings were two days with an occasional one-day meeting when there were fewer applicants awaiting an interview. This meeting schedule is currently sufficient for keeping up with the number of applications received. In 2025, the CCPM also began using Board Effect for its meeting dockets.
C.2. Policy Revision In June 2024, after four and a half years of work, the CCPM adopted a significantly revised policy manual which: • reduced the length from 26 to 14 pages;
- sharpened the definitions of the two (long-standing) colloquy categories;
- added a requirement for applicants to submit two sermons;
- added a requirement for applicants to take the entry-level competency exam for theology from either of our two Synod seminaries;
- reduced the number of required essays from two to one; and
- added language to allow for a follow-up video interview, in some cases, after assigned work was completed.
In addition, the CCPM clarified that all applications should be submitted in English using the one application that is maintained
C.3. Additional Policy Discussions Also, during this triennium, the CCPM discussed the “academic, theological, and personal standards” for colloquy that the committee is charged with establishing (Bylaw 3.10.2.2).1 As it continues this discussion, the CCPM desires to act in concert with our two seminaries—especially in regard to personal standards—since the seminaries, along with the CCPM, are the three LCMS certifying authorities for the pastoral ministry. The CCPM has been especially mindful of this in its discussions of divorce and applicants with non-LCMS wives.
D. Bylaw 3.10.2.4—A Clarification Various CCPM members have heard numerous times during this triennium that Bylaw 3.10.2.4, which precludes the possibility of colloquy for LCMS men who have graduated from a non-LCMS seminary, was new in 2023. Actually, this bylaw was adopted by the 2016 Synod convention and only clarified in 2023 to reflect better the original intention.
E. Bylaw 2.5.2 Concerns The CCPM has increasingly been concerned by the number of colloquy applicants who are already regularly preaching and sometimes even serving in full Word and Sacrament ministry, as the de facto pastor of an LCMS congregation, before even coming to the attention of the CCPM. Bylaw 2.5.2 stipulates that congregations “shall call and be served only by ordained ministers who have been admitted to their respective ministries in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth in these Bylaws. …” The CCPM understands that there is a wide range of meanings for a congregation to “be served” and that there may be extenuating circumstances, such as a church plant in a language other than English. Yet the CCPM believes that this issue is outside of the committee’s authority and that a larger group, such as the full Council of Presidents (COP), should be aware of these situations. A particular challenge in such situations is that they put additional pressure on the CCPM to approve such applicants since such men are already serving in a congregation and have developed strong ties with their congregation.
For this reason, the CCPM intends to be more proactive in discussing this issue with a wider circle so that it better understands if and how Bylaw 2.5.2 should factor into colloquy decisions.
F. Licensed Lay Deacons (LLDs) With 2016 Resolution 13-02A, the Synod ended the ongoing licensing of lay deacons for Word and Sacrament ministry. The only exception to that is for a small group of LLDs who were already trained and licensed when the resolution was adopted. For these deacons only an annual exception to continue to serve in Word and Sacrament ministry may be requested of and granted by the CCPM and the COP. Every fall, both the CCPM and the COP vote on these annual exceptions. In 2019, the number of those exceptions was 51. With retirements, etc., that number decreases each year. During the three years of this triennium, the number of exceptions granted was eight in 2023, six in 2024, and five in 2025, with the average age of the five being 74.
G. Challenges Two of the greatest challenges for the CCPM are (1) having to discern an applicant’s readiness to serve in the LCMS based only on the written application packet and one 90-minute interview and (2) the limitation (at least perceived) on the seminary coursework that can be assigned by the committee for what it considers to be necessary remedial work. Because of this second challenge, especially, the CCPM often feels it is left with no choice other than to deny colloquy since it has insufficient tools at its disposal. There are two primary reasons for this second challenge. First, over the last 30 years, a culture or expectation has developed that it is only reasonable for the committee to assign a few courses (perhaps one to three, with four being the rare absolute maximum). Second, because residential seminary coursework is no longer the norm for colloquy (as it was from 1959–95), the committee is largely limited to the smaller selection of online SMP courses, perhaps with an occasional residential intensive. Related to this is the complicating factor that colloquy candidates have historically not received seminary financial aid for colloquy coursework, partly because such coursework is not eligible for federal financial aid since colloquy is neither a degree nor a certificate program. As it grappled with these challenges during this triennium, the committee undertook a study of the history of pastoral colloquy in the LCMS since the mid-20th century, and especially the significant change that was made in 1995, prior to which one to three year(s) of residential seminary coursework was required of all colloquy candidates.2 One opportunity that the committee has begun discussing is the possibility of offering seminary financial aid as one element of an increased partnership between pastoral colloquy and our two Synod seminaries.
H. Strengths and Threats The committee has been increasingly mindful of how the use of artificial intelligence can impact essays and sermons for colloquy applications. One safeguard to this is the required in-person interview where what an applicant writes can be probed to ascertain better whether the applicant “thinks like a Lutheran.” The strengths of the colloquy process are many. Numerous applicants have thanked the CCPM and LCMS for our great care in vetting colloquy applicants with a view toward maintaining the high standards of the LCMS ministerium and providing the best
pastors possible for the congregations of the Synod. The active participation of both seminary presidents on the CCPM, the revised policy, application, and procedures, together with all the CCPM work described above, are together serving to proclaim the good news that Christ Is Risen Indeed! Peter K. Lange, First Vice-President
Endnotes 1. This bylaw mandate was established in 1956. In 1995, the phrase “and personal” was added. Also in 1995, the bylaws began specifying four standards with the language, “including but not limited to…” In 2010, these four specific standards were transferred from the bylaws to policy, and two more standards were added. 2. 1992 Bylaw 6.97 (a) required one full academic year of residential training at an LCMS seminary, plus a vicarage, for colloquy candidates from other Lutheran church bodies; and Bylaw 6.97 (b) required “not less than two and up to three full academic years of instruction” at an LCMS seminary, plus a vicarage, for colloquy candidates from non-Lutheran Christian church bodies.