To Increase Communication between District Office and Pastors regarding Church Member Contacts
WHEREAS, Pastors are called by God to serve congregations in the preaching of the Gospel, administration of the Sacraments, and spiritual oversight; and
WHEREAS, 2 Tim. 4:2-3 teaches that there are times that a pastor can preach God’s Word purely, even though it is “out of season” (i.e., people reject it); and
WHEREAS, Heb. 13:17 admonishes Christians to be respectful towards their pastors who are called to watch out for your souls, as those who must give account, in order that their pastors may fulfill their sacred calling with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you; and
WHEREAS, 1 Tim. 5:19 says, do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses, with the understanding from the context that an elder is a pastor who labors in the word and doctrine (I Tim. 5:17); and
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the LCMS gives as an objective for the Synod, to provide a united defense against schism, sectarianism (Rom. 16:17), and heresy, (Art. III.1); and
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the LCMS gives as another objective for the Synod, to “provide evangelical supervision, counsel, and care for pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers of the Synod in the performance of their official duties,” (Art. III.8); and
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the LCMS gives as another objective for the Synod, to “provide protection for congregations, pastors, teachers, and other church workers in the performance of their official duties and the maintenance of their rights,” (Art. III.9); and
WHEREAS, members of Christian congregations are not to “walk in darkness” (Jn. 8:12), and are to recognize that “he who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now” (1 Jn. 2:9); and
WHEREAS, it is possible for a congregation member to foster a private vendetta against his pastor because the Lutheran doctrine that the pastor teaches is rejected; and
WHEREAS, a congregation member with a private vendetta against a faithful pastor could contact the district president at any time and bring accusations against his pastor; and
WHEREAS, any such accusations may not be truthful nor charitable to the pastor; and
WHEREAS, any such accusations may still be received by the district president, even without the pastor’s knowledge; and
WHEREAS, the pastor has no way to defend himself from such accusations that are brought against him secretly, even though his reputation is slandered; therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the __________ district in convention lament all power plays, acts of hostility, and accusations made in secret from members of Christian congregations to the district office (whether from individual lay people or pastors); and be it further
RESOLVED, that the ___________ district in convention insist that the district office hold to 1 Tim. 5:19, by not receiving any accusations against pastors from less than two or three witnesses (i.e., including one-on-one phone calls from an individual congregation member complaining to the district office); and be it further
RESOLVED, that individuals who bring accusations against his or her pastor to the district office be rebuked for not following 1 Tim. 5:19; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the district president should not offer to meet with this member or other members of the congregation without the presence of the pastor; and be it further
RESOLVED, that any time that members of a pastor’s congregation communicates with the district office, the pastor should be informed as to which member initiated the contact, to whom he or she spoke, the issue at hand, along with any other things that would be helpful for him to know; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the district office use the pastor’s email and/or a brief telephone call to inform him immediately after one of the district staff is contacted about a congregational issue by one of his congregation’s members; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the pastor be supported by the district office if he has to put an erring member under church discipline, for not repenting of his sins against his pastor, following the steps of admonition given in Mt. 18:15-20; and be it finally
RESOLVED, that district executives, secretaries, and circuit counselors also act in accordance with regard to the above “resolved” statements.