|
ORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES AT 2001 AND 2004 LCMS
CONVENTIONS
Showing Lay People in a Distinct Minority in Direct
Violation of Words of Jesus:
One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are
brethren. Matthew 23:8
The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over
them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them, but it shall not be
so among you. Matthew 20:25-26
The LCMS is exhibiting poor stewardship in how it is
utilizing clergy talent and the money to maintain 593 trained pastors in a bureaucracy.
In so doing does the LCMS ignore at its peril the lesson
of the Parable of the Talents?
The sobering question for all of the members of the LCMS,
clergy and lay people, is whether we are being good stewards of the resources
God has placed at our disposal when we tolerate a structure where 593 clergymen
have left the parish ministry in the last 20+ years and are reposing in
bureaucratic positions in Synod, District and others at a time when the LCMS
has 1,180 vacant parishes?
When the Presidents of the Districts
and the Synodical President structure committees where lay people are in a
distinct minority, they are contravening a direct statement from Jesus who made
clear we are all equal in the Kingdom of God.
The
By-laws of Synod require that District Presidents and the Synodical President
constitute committees at conventions.
Historically lay people have been under represented at these
conventions. To prove the point, please
look at how the committees at the 2001 LCMS Convention were organized.
2001 LCMS CONVENTION
COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
|
|
|
Total Members
|
Ordained Minister (OM)
|
% OM
|
Commissioned Minister
(CM)
|
% CM
|
Layperson
(L)
|
%
L
|
|
Committee 1
|
Missions
|
14
|
9
|
64%
|
1
|
7%
|
4
|
29%
|
|
Committee 2
|
Congregational Services
|
15
|
9
|
60%
|
2
|
13%
|
4
|
27%
|
|
Committee 3
|
Theology and Church
Relations
|
18
|
11
|
61%
|
1
|
6%
|
6
|
33%
|
|
Committee 4
|
Program and Finance
|
12
|
7
|
58%
|
2
|
17%
|
3
|
25%
|
|
Committee 5
|
Higher Education
|
17
|
10
|
59%
|
2
|
12%
|
5
|
29%
|
|
Committee 6
|
Human Care
|
13
|
8
|
62%
|
2
|
15%
|
3
|
23%
|
|
Committee 7
|
Structure, Planning, and Administration
|
21
|
12
|
57%
|
1
|
5%
|
8
|
38%
|
|
Committee 8
|
National/District Synod
Relations
|
17
|
10
|
59%
|
1
|
6%
|
6
|
35%
|
|
Committee 9
|
Registration, Credentials,
and Elections
|
11
|
5
|
45%
|
3
|
27%
|
3
|
27%
|
|
Committee 10
|
Nominations
|
18
|
9
|
50%
|
0
|
0%
|
9
|
50%
|
To
further prove the point, please look at how the committees at the 2004 LCMS
Convention are organized.
2004
LCMS CONVENTION COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
|
|
|
Total Members
|
Total Church Workers including Voting
Ordained Minister (VOM), Chairman (C), District
Pres.(DP) and Advisory Ordained and/or Commissioned Ministers (AOM & ACM)
|
% Church Workers
|
Total Laypersons including Voting Layperson (VL),
and Advisory Layperson (AL)
|
%
Laypersons
|
|
Committee 1
|
Missions
|
15
|
11
|
73%
|
4
|
27%
|
|
Committee 2
|
District and Congregational
Services
|
14
|
10
|
71%
|
4
|
29%
|
|
Committee 3
|
Theology and Church
Relations
|
16
|
12
|
75%
|
4
|
25%
|
|
Committee 4
|
Program and Finance
|
13
|
9
|
69%
|
4
|
31%
|
|
Committee 5
|
Higher Education
|
15
|
11
|
73%
|
4
|
27%
|
|
Committee 6
|
Human Care
|
13
|
10
|
77%
|
3
|
23%
|
|
Committee 7
|
Structure, Planning, and
Administration
|
17
|
11
|
65%
|
6
|
35%
|
|
Committee 8
|
Ecclesiastical Supervision
and Dispute Resolution
|
14
|
10
|
71%
|
4
|
29%
|
|
Committee 9
|
Registration, Credentials,
and Elections
|
11
|
8
|
73%
|
3
|
27%
|
|
Committee 10
|
Nominations
|
17
|
8
|
47%
|
9
|
53%
|
|
