Walking Through the Resolutions – Resolution 8-08

WHEREAS, During the Synod’s 163-year history, it has on many occasions evaluated and adjusted its national operations and their relationship to districts, circuits, and congregations; and

WHEREAS, As the Synod grew, it was necessary to implement additional systems of operations, accountability, and organization; and

WHEREAS, Occasionally the Synod in convention implemented changes to its national operations structure in order to address specific issues; however, it did so without realizing the effect on the whole; and

WHEREAS, With significantly diminishing unrestricted funds at the national level, there is a need to “right- size” national operations in a way similar to what many districts, congregations, schools, and family households have done to adjust the size of operations to fiscal realities; and

WHEREAS, At the 2009 district conventions, more than 7,000 survey respondents (approximately 70 percent) agreed that there is a need to realign national office operations, and during the regional gatherings of delegates survey respondents also agreed (50 to 75 percent), only raising caution with the concept of creating “advisory commissions”; and

WHEREAS, After years of study, now is the time to realign the national operations of the Synod for the sake both of its MISSION effectiveness and faithful STEWARDSHIP of the gifts of God to His church; therefore be it

Resolved, That current bylaw responsibilities for the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) and for the Commission on Doctrinal Review be retained. The Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) will continue to be responsible for interpreting the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod, while the Commission on Handbook (COH) (presently called the Commission on Structure) will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and management of the Handbook and for making recommendations to the convention for modification of the same, the process of appointing the COH following the process used to appoint the CCM; and be it further

Resolved, That the national office operations be realigned so that

(a) the existing program boards and some staffed commissions are eliminated;

(b) all staff performing functions ultimately assigned to the national office are accountable to an officer of

the organization, with the exception of the CTCR; and

(c) functions currently performed by the program boards and staffed commissions, with the exception of

the CTCR, be realigned into a new two-office ministry structure or assigned to the Office of the President, the LCMS Board of Directors, districts, or other LCMS agencies;

and be it further

Resolved, That the title “Vice-President–Finance—Treasurer” used in current governing documents be replaced with the title “Chief Financial Officer,” this position now to be appointed by the Board of Directors of the Synod after consultation with and with the concurrence of the President of the Synod. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will serve a four-year renewable term of office at the direction of the Board of Directors; and be it further

Resolved, That a Chief Mission Officer (CMO) position reporting to the Synod President be created by bylaw, to be responsible for supervising the day-to-day activities of the ministry functions of the national office. This position will be appointed by the President of the Synod with the mutual concurrence of the Board of Directors. The CMO will serve a four-year renewable term of office at the direction of the President of the Synod. The CMO, the CFO, and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) will be expected to work closely together in carrying out the programmatic, administrative, and financial functions of the national office in response to the Synod emphases selected by the national convention; and be it further

Resolved, That an Office of National Mission be responsible for coordinating national office ministry that is directed toward or serving domestic ministries and especially congregations and schools through their districts. Such ministries may include but not be limited to Lutheran school ministries and accreditation, human care and domestic mercy efforts, stewardship, evangelism, church planting and revitalization, and youth ministry; and be it further

Resolved, That an Office of International Mission be established to oversee the work of the LCMS in other countries. This office, among other functions, would place and support foreign missionaries, establish and maintain international schools, coordinate international relief efforts, and support and encourage the work of the Synod’s international partner churches in conjunction with the Office of the President; and be it further

Resolved, That these offices each have staff reporting to the CMO, who is accountable to the President of the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That each of these two offices and their staff function under policies developed by two new mission boards: (1) Board for National Mission; and (2) Board for International Mission. These policies will establish boundaries, parameters, and principles that guide the respective mission office in determining present and future activities and programs. The mission boards will have oversight of the implementation of these policies, while the President of the Synod will be responsible for supervising the implementation of mission board policies in accordance with his responsibilities under Constitution Art. XI and Bylaws 3.3.1.1.1–3.3.1.3; and be it further

Resolved, That the President’s Office (through the CMO) coordinate communication and public relations functions as well as fundraising activities; and be it further

Resolved, That the President’s Office (through the CMO) and the seminary boards of regents provide leadership and coordination of seminary pastoral formation; and be it further

Resolved, That the President’s Office (through the CMO) provide leadership and coordination for pre- seminary and post-seminary pastoral formation; and be it further

Resolved, That the functions of the former Board for University Education (BUE) be distributed to the Concordia University System (to be retained as a Synod-wide corporate entity), the various university boards of regents, and the LCMS Board of Directors; and be it further

Resolved, That due to the significant impact of these decisions and with the understanding that for “decency and order,” care be taken that the implementation of these actions not bring undue hardship on ministry and personnel charged with these national operations. A “transition team” will immediately be put together by the President of the Synod in consultation with the Board of Directors and the Council of Presidents; and be it finally

Resolved, That to accomplish this realignment, the pertinent bylaws be amended as shown (“2007 Handbook Conventions Version”) as follows:

big table of bylaws to change

There are so many resolved that it’s a little much to pick each one of them apart. This is consolidation of power in the hope of efficiency and cost savings. Do they know whether cost savings will be the result? No. Will it be easier for the president to efficiently ignore the will of the Synod? Yes.

So many of these positions are appointed. It will be quite easy for the president to be insulated from what is really going on. As many companies have found, this structure creates an echo chamber that isolates leadership from reality. Look, it doesn’t work in the corporate world it doesn’t work for nations, what makes people think it will work for Christ’s church.

Vote: No