Note:  “This is a ministry resource article for churches that might be interested in the new upcoming CORE ministry called the Congregational Lay-leadership Initiative (CLI). The article below offers a preview of this new ministry.”  

The current shortage of available pastors in the LCMC and NALC presents a difficult challenge for a great many call committees.  This is especially true for smaller churches when their search process has extended beyond 18 to 24 months without success.  In fact, such a scenario can result in nothing less than an existential crisis for their congregations.  In these situations we are looking not only at burned out and disheartened call committees; we are talking about congregations where their members are beginning to lose hope for their future as a faith community.

Thirty years ago call committees of smaller churches could reasonably take comfort in the conviction that it would “only be a matter of time” before they would be able to “call and install” their next pastor.  However, in 2023 this is not a reasonable expectation.  Why?  Because with retiring Boomer pastors—and far fewer seminary graduates—our clergy supply crisis is only growing more dire.

Here is the stark, unvarnished truth: A great many of our smaller vacant churches will never, until the last Boomer pastor retires in 2029 (or shortly thereafter), have much hope of finding a pastor.  For these churches there needs to be a “reality check”: As long as they assume their only hope to survive as a congregation is to find that new pastor, it’s only a matter of time before they will have given up on their search process.   At that point discussions will probably begin regarding the possibility of having to close their doors and disband as a faith community.

However, there is an alternative to this scenario; a way to continue ministering to their members and their surrounding community without a resident, full-time pastor to lead them.  This alternative is to intentionally transition to a long-term lay-led ministry.  And this transition would not just be a temporary “stop-gap” plan until they find a pastor to call, but a ministry strategy to continue, as long  as necessary, as a vibrant and thriving lay-led congregation.

There is now outside assistance available for smaller churches willing to transition from a clergy-dependent ministry model to one built on a foundation of lay leadership.  But first, a disclaimer: If your congregation’s in-person worship attendance averages less than 25, and/or you no longer have  members who are active retired or younger, this assistance might be “too little too late”.  Why?  Because this ministry model depends on one, two or three members willing and able to step forward and serve your congregation as part-time lay ministers.

However, if you still have congregational leaders who are active retirees or younger, I encourage you to consider the Congregational Lay-leadership Initiative as a way of preparing for an immediate future where your congregation will not only survive, but thrive.

Below are the steps involved if you decide to transition to a lay-led congregational ministry model.  And keep in mind that your “outside” assistance in this process would be a retired Lutheran pastor mentoring and encouraging your part-time lay ministers—at a distance—as they serve your congregation.

1. Identifying the right member (or members) to ask to become a part-time lay minister.

The conversation regarding the “right” person will most often begin within your church council.  (And note: The right person might already be serving on your council.)  The ideal candidate for this new ministry role should already be recognized, by your members, as a congregational leader; and as a person characterized by both a strong faith and personal integrity.  He or she should be someone who comes to mind in the context of your council’s prayers for guidance, and also when considering biblical texts such as Romans 12:1-8.  And this needs to be someone whom the Council ultimately chooses  unanimously, not just based on a majority vote.

2. Enlisting your lay minister (or lay ministers).  This step needs to be done with great care, and while Council members are praying for this person to accept this ministry opportunity.  Also, recruitment needs to happen face to face, not over the phone.  Ideally, two Council members should present “the ask”, rather than just one.  In addition, this individual should be asked to pray about this opportunity over the next few days rather than give an immediate “yes” or “no”.  (Of course if you receive an immediate and enthusiastic “Yes!”, don’t argue!)  Do not, at this point, get into such details as the average number of hours expected per week, or compensation, or the specific start date.  Instead, make clear that if she/he agrees to say yes to this ministry, the Council will simply “make it work” for your new lay minister.  In other words, the details of this position will be negotiated based on what is workable for this person.  This includes the details of the final “job description”; which will be based on this person’s gifts, abilities and preferences.  The overall theme in this enlistment conversation is: “Why we consider you to be uniquely qualified for this important ministry role in the life of our congregation.” 

3. Hiring your part-time lay minister(s).  To impress upon your lay minister the importance of this position I suggest a formal job contract.  This contract will be worked out with your new employee’s input.  Some suggestions for your contract: Either this person or the Council can end this agreement with a 30-day notice; and the “average” number of hours per week would be flexible and again determined with your lay minister’s input.  (I suggest somewhere between 10 and 20 hours per week.)  Make clear that this person will be supervised by and answer to the Council.  Your written job description, then, will be written in collaboration with your new employee.  When determining the overall structure of this job contract you can find resources online; resources that you will obviously adapt to your specific situation.  

4. Commissioning/Installing your lay minister(s).  It is extremely important your members participate—during a worship service—in this commissioning.  Make a “big deal” out of this occasion. Celebrate this event as a congregation.  Have a potluck immediately following the service.  And have a laying on of hands as part of the commissioning.

5. Training your lay minister(s).  The good news here is that your lay minister probably already has the gifts to perform most of the responsibilities you negotiated in determining the job description. However, there will undoubtedly be some ministry responsibilities he/she might not feel entirely comfortable with.  For example, what if one of the responsibilities is preaching?  There are resources available to become more confident in this aspect of ministry.  (For example, an online 6-week preaching course.)  Contact me or an LCMC staff person for information regarding such resources.

Any costs involved in such resources should be covered by your congregation.

6. Mentoring for your lay minister(s).  The Congregational Lay-leadership Initiative is designed with the goal of every congregation having a retired Lutheran pastor to mentor its lay minister(s).  This mentor would be volunteering for this role and would provide encouragement and counsel for your lay minister(s) by means of a monthly online meeting and/or by phone.  In rare cases this mentor might be within driving distance of your church; in which case the monthly meeting could be in-person.  If needed, I can assist you in recruiting a mentor who is on the LCMC or NALC rosters.

7.  The matter of pulpit supply.  This is of course a huge issue in the worship life of your congregation.  Because of this fact it would be ideal if one or more of your lay ministers was comfortable in a preaching (or teaching) role.  This is especially important if you do not have local (most likely retired) pastors available for pulpit supply.  Here is my rule of thumb: You want to avoid, when possible, having lay ministers and other members reading someone else’s sermons.  This might be okay on an occasional basis, but should not be a regular, most-Sundays practice.  Why?  It’s not easy to be invested and engaged emotionally while reading something that you did not write.  Again, I suggest one of your lay leaders take an online seminary preaching course as one way to address this matter.

8. Maintaining your eucharistic ministry.  If you will not typically have an ordained visiting pastor participating in your worship service, be aware that the LCMC allows for designated congregational lay members to preside over the celebration of communion. 

Finally, I believe two or three lay ministers, if available, would be preferable to just one; for four reasons:

First, a team of lay ministers means each person is able to offer encouragement and support to the others on the team.

Second, there is the Biblical concept of “different people, different gifts”.  In other words, with more than one you are more likely to have a lay minister with the appropriate gift for each major ministry responsibility.

Third, I think mentoring sessions can be even more helpful when the mentor is having online sessions (e.g., via Zoom) with a group of two or three lay ministers as opposed to an extended phone conversation with just one.

Fourth, a team of lay ministers provides a level of accountability that comes with fellow co-workers. 

If you have any questions, you may contact me directly.  My email is…                    pastordonbrandt@gmail.com

Introduction by Dennis D. Nelson: In this issue we will be featuring The Awaken Project (TAP), a nonprofit organization housed on the campus of Mount Carmel Ministries in Alexandria, Minnesota.

The last (January 2023) issue of CORE Voice includes the first in a series of articles about residential discipleship ministries for young adults.  Here is a link to the article about Faith Greenhouse, which is affiliated with Faith Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

The Awaken Project (TAP), a nonprofit organization housed on campus at Mount Carmel Ministries in Alexandria, Minnesota, is pleased to continue to offer an eight month/two semester gap year program for students who are interested in a full or part time career in ministry, seeking to study the Bible on a collegiate level in community, and travel across the United States while engaging with practical ministry opportunities.

Our partnership with Mount Carmel is one of the most crucial aspects of our program. Drawing on Mount Carmel’s rich history within the Lutheran Bible Institute, The Awaken Project seeks to draw upon the same spirit that spurred on so many to attend LBI and cultivate that wonderful community for many decades. We believe that young adults who are committed to living, serving, learning, and growing together under the cross are an immensely valuable part of the Body of Christ, and we are committed to providing young adults the opportunity to experience this transformational community life.

The fall semester is primarily Bible classes, taught by independent instructors who join us for a week at a time and teach one subject for the duration of the week. Other rhythms of the fall include a morning devotional centered around the Moravian Daily Texts, weekly community meals, weekly spiritual formation sessions with mentors, and hangouts with the residential community. The spring semester is when most of our travel occurs. We partner with Quake Events, a national youth conference circuit of events geared toward middle and high school students. Our students attend these events throughout the spring and lead in relational ministry, workshops, and production assistance.

We strive to sponsor a program that sees all students grow in relationship with one another, teachers, mentors, community members, and our Lord, Jesus Christ. A recent alumna of our program, Courtney Corrente, has described her time with TAP as an answer to prayer that she never thought would come to pass, but now can hardly imagine her life without the community she’s found through TAP’s gap year program. After completing her year with TAP, she was hired onto Mount Carmel’s staff as their Communications Coordinator, which has allowed her to gain immediate experience in her fields of study (strategic communications), continue to maintain the community she gained last year, and invest back into this year’s cohort of TAP students.

I am expecting that there will be plenty more stories like Courtney’s over the years of TAP’s gap year program. If you know anyone who has been longing for a community to do life with, who seeks high quality and affordable Biblical education, and who has an itch to travel and serve, The Awaken Project’s gap year program can be a wonderful opportunity. Please contact myself, Steven Wagner, at steven@theawakenprojectmn.com if you have any questions or know someone who may benefit immensely from this program.

If you feel led to contribute a tax deductible donation to The Awaken Project, gifts can be sent to The Awaken Project at 800 Mount Carmel Drive NE, Alexandria, Minnesota, 56308.

When God calls a person to a specific task or ministry, resistance is often the first response of the called. Jeremiah claimed that he was too young. Gideon feared he was too weak. Isaiah considered himself too sinful, “a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5 ESV). This resistance to God’s call comes from two sources. The first is a belief that we know better than God what will be required, and a need to explain to the Almighty why we are not qualified.

Moses had a loving family and a quiet life as a shepherd when God’s call came to him in “mid-career,” as we might say. From a burning bush came God’s vocational call that Moses should go confront Pharoah and demand the immediate release of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. It’s not unusual for God to ask things of His children that seem beyond our competency. But it turns out that the old trite saying is true: “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.”

In Moses, we might recognize some of the excuses that we ourselves have used for resisting God’s call when it has become clear. ^“‘Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?’” (Exodus 3:13 ESV) One common excuse for resisting God’s call is that I don’t have all the answers. This was my greatest fear when the Lord first called me to study for ordained ministry. I was afraid of not being able to answer every question that my future flock(s) would pose. In Moses’ case, his years as a shepherd had not prepared him to stand up to the wisdom and might of a powerful political leader like Pharoah.

However, what Moses failed to recognize was that he was not the most important factor in God’s plan. When we wrongly perceive that God’s plan hinges on our abilities, we will fear failure. We will fear embarrassment and the judgment of others. But the Lord God is not impeded by such anxiety. When Moses asks, “What should I tell them?” God replies, “I AM WHO I AM. Say to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:13-14 ESV).

Moses had to learn that his call had nothing to do with his own ability and everything to do with God’s sovereignty! As a pastor, when I consider the responsibility of proclaiming the Gospel and teaching God’s Word, I often feel unworthy and incompetent. But when I do these things in the awareness that the I AM of the Scriptures is speaking through me, I can be confident that His Word does what it says and accomplishes every purpose for which He sends it.

The second excuse that many of us have in common with Moses is the fear that people won’t accept me. Moses had a past. Having fled Egypt as an outlaw and a murderer, he could be perceived as not only having broken God’s commandment, but as abandoning his own people.  His profound sense of inadequacy led Moses to object, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” (Exodus 4:1 ESV).

Fear clouds our perspective and makes us dwell on the worst possible outcomes. Fear keeps the focus on the self rather than on the Lord. It magnifies our weakness and underestimates God’s power. Thus, God gave Moses two practical demonstrations of His power, first by turning Moses’ staff into a snake, and then back again into a staff; and second, by making Moses’ hand wither, and then restoring it again. Through these signs, the Lord bolstered Moses’ confidence that God Himself would do the work. Similarly, when God chooses you for a particular task or ministry, He will provide all that is necessary and show you the next step you are to take.

Moses, still unconvinced about God’s plan, offers a final critique: his speech impediment would obviously make him ineligible to serve, since confronting Pharoah would require public speaking. The excuse here is that my deficiencies are insurmountable. But God has a different perspective. “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” (Exodus 4:11-12 ESV).

In the light of God’s design for our lives, even disabilities are overcome and transformed. By now, Moses was running out of excuses, so in one last effort to avoid his assignment, he blurts out, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”  But God didn’t let Moses off the hook. Instead, he called Moses’ brother Aaron to be his helper and spokesperson. The Lord doesn’t need anything “special” from you or me. He definitely doesn’t need our advice. But it’s easy to get so caught up in our excuses that we miss the entire point of God’s call. The Lord wants to accomplish something significant through you by doing something significant in you. Often part of God’s purpose in calling a disciple into a particular assignment or ministry is to grow their faith, so that they learn to trust His provision and depend on His promises.

Lastly, I mentioned that resistance to God’s call comes from two sources. The first is a belief that we know better than God what the call will require. And the second source of resistance is the Evil One, of whom Jesus said, ^“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ESV). Whenever a person gets clarity regarding God’s call and is trusting God’s promise of abundance, the Enemy will show up to create doubt and raise objections. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”  (Ephesians 6:12 ESV).

Therefore, when it comes to God’s call at any phase of your life, resistance is good and necessary. But as the apostle James exhorts believers, the one to be resisted is the devil, so that he might flee from you. To resist means to withstand, strive against, or oppose in some manner. Most often, this means trusting in the promises of God, as Jesus did when the tempter met him in the desert to challenge both his identity and calling from the Father.

^“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). It is in this submitting and resisting that objections are overcome, and you are free to pursue God’s call on your life without hesitation.

The Rev. Jeff Morlock is Director of Vocational Discernment at the North American Lutheran Seminary. jmorlock@thenals.edu.

I have appreciated Don Brandt’s wisdom and leadership in Lutheran renewal through the years, and I welcomed his article in last month’s CORE Voice. He accurately diagnoses the biggest single problem that runs through all of our Lutheran denominations in North America — our desperate shortage of pastors. And I almost agree with his proposed solution.

Don points out that even when we had more than enough pastors, there were not nearly enough willing to serve in smaller rural and inner-city settings. He notes that these congregations became training locations for pastors who would move on in a few years to a larger church. This does not provide the stability of leadership a congregation needs to be effective in mission and outreach.

I would add that in our time even larger congregations are having difficulty finding ordained pastors. In my North American Lutheran Church, we were told at our pastors’ convocation that some congregations have had profiles posted for a year or more but have received zero interest from pastoral candidates. The ELCA synod I had been a part of recently notified its congregations that because 40% of its churches lack either a called or interim pastor, they no longer have enough supply pastors or authorized lay leaders to provide leadership for these congregations every Sunday.

As an NALC dean, I tell congregations that the total cost of having a pastor (not just the compensation) will approach or involve six figures. Many pastors now serving “full-time” can only do so because their spouses provide insurances and other benefits. Retirements are outpacing ordinations. I don’t think we in the NALC are alone in these challenges.

So far Don and I are on the same page. And I fully agree that what we have been doing is not going to provide the pastors we need to lead our congregations in mission in the 21st century. Not only do we not have people who are in a position to take three or four years out of their lives to pursue MDiv degrees (even online), but many of our congregations cannot afford the salaries required to cover living expenses plus student loan debt (which can easily amount to $50,000 for seminary alone and at least as much for college).

My quibbles with Don are two-fold.

First, and probably minor, he repeats the common misconception that Luther taught something called “the priesthood of all believers.” For all that we have heard this repeated from lecterns and pulpits, Luther taught no such thing. It is actually a 19th Century Calvinist concept. Luther did teach a wonderful understanding of Christian vocation (see the oldie but goodie by Gustav Wingren, Luther on Vocation, Muhlenberg Press, 1957). Whereas the medieval church taught that church vocations were “religious” but others were not, Luther understood that all Christians exercise our Baptism in the world as we love God by serving our neighbors, and that we do so through our variety of callings. These grow out of the Fourth Commandment that establishes the orders and structures of society. Thereby all legitimate callings can be “religious,” as long as Christians engage in them out of love for God and neighbor.

Luther also taught that because the bishops refused to ordain pastors for the churches of the Reformation, the princes and magistrates should claim the authority of their Baptism and ordain pastors to serve these churches. This was not a free-for-all. Luther called on legitimate authorities to meet the need, and to do so by ordaining pastors to serve these congregations. More on that later.

In the Augsburg Confession, Article V makes it clear that the “Holy Ministry” is of divine origin, and that it consists in preaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments. Article XIV insists that nobody is permitted to preach or teach publicly in the churches or administer the sacraments without a “proper call” (rite vocatus in Latin, which in the context means “ordained”). The sad reality is that none of our Lutheran church bodies are observing Article XIV today.

As I see it, the problem is the professionalization of the clergy, which took hold in the 1950’s as pastors wanted to have the social status of lawyers, doctors, and others. The Bachelor of Divinity degree was changed to a Masters of Divinity with absolutely no change in the program (a similar thing happened to law degrees), and spiritual qualifications for ministry were largely replaced by academic ones.

It didn’t help that the primary requirement to teach in our seminaries was to have an earned PhD degree and not vital parish ministry experience. And with few exceptions PhD degrees could only be secured in religion departments of secular universities, which had no accountability to the “faith once delivered to the saints.”

Don proposes that the solution is to have lay-led congregations. My counter-proposal is that we ordain those people in congregations who have the gifts and call for ministry, which includes seeking realistic and reasonable ways to equip them to serve faithfully as pastors to God’s people in those places.

Ordination historically is not an academic certification. It involves the Body of Christ discerning God’s call on a person, and then gathering to lay hands on that person and pray for them to receive the gifts they need to serve God’s people faithfully. Does this communicate some sort of “indelible character”? I do not believe that ordination makes a person spiritually superior or gives them some special powers, but neither dare I say that these prayers are inconsequential. Paul called on Timothy to “stir into flame” the gift he had received through the laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6).

I am not arguing for dumb pastors (although the smart-aleck in me might wonder whether the academic captivity of the churches has alleviated this concern). We were ordaining pastors in North American Lutheranism for 125 years before we had a seminary. Their training and preparation was through mentorship. There is no reason we couldn’t have more than one clergy roster, or that we could not establish a system of ongoing mentoring for those unable to pursue the academic track.

I wish we could fill all our pulpits with faithful pastors formed by four-year residential programs in our seminaries. But as is so often the case, the perfect can be the enemy of the good. We need pastors in many of our congregations right now, not ten or fifteen years from now, and simply working harder at what has not been working fits the classic definition of insanity, if we imagine the results will be any different.

To return to Luther: I believe on the basis of the Augsburg Confession that all God’s people deserve and need to be fed with the Word and the Sacraments from properly ordained persons, and that the most important single task of any church judicatory is to provide such pastors for all its congregations. If the judicatory insists on procedures that effectively starve the people in congregations spiritually by denying them Word and Sacrament, perhaps the congregation should adopt Luther’s example and, after prayerful discernment and conversation, ordain people within their own fellowship to serve them. I view this as Luther viewed his proposal for the princes and magistrates to ordain as a “last resort” sort of option, and I am sure judicatory officials will not be pleased if congregations take matters into their own hands. The solution is for the officials to find creative ways to feed the lambs of our Lord’s flock with the Bread of Life. I suspect that here Don and I come very, very close to agreeing. Such a congregation needs to be prepared to accept discipline from their judicatories. [Here is where LCMC with its contract pastors offers a viable option, although I believe they need policies in place to protect people from abusive clergy.]

God has established the Holy Ministry of Word and Sacrament, and He has given us the task of determining how to structure and organize it in this time and place. The structuring of the Office of the Ministry has changed many times throughout history, and needs to change today. I fully agree with Don that what we are doing has not served us well for many decades and will become an even greater problem as time passes.

The answer is to re-evaluate how we discern that God has called a person to Holy Ministry. Once we make that discernment, after prayer and serious conversation, the solution is to ordain the person. St. Peter would not be acceptable as a pastor in most of our Lutheran churches today. We need to look at God’s call and gifts and not merely at academic degrees to determine whom God has chosen to preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments in our congregations.

To all decision-makers in our church bodies, our Lord says: “Feed my sheep.”

As the Directors of the Global Lutheran House of Studies at United Theological Seminary (UTS) in Dayton, Ohio (established in 1871), we are honored to announce the launch of a new program for pastoral ministry formation in the Lutheran Tradition that is deeply committed to The Historic Faith and Church Renewal. At UTS, we are motivated by the belief that the church is essential to the renewal of the world and the development of disciples of Jesus Christ. We are dedicated to empowering faithful and fruitful Christian leaders to fulfill this mission. Visit https://united.edu/global-lutheran-house-of-study/ for the most current information on The Global Lutheran House of Study at United Theological Seminary.

One way we aim to honor the legacy of Martin Luther is by emphasizing confessional Lutheran teachings and the importance of upholding and declaring the Lutheran Confessions. We believe that the church has a responsibility to remain true to its Lutheran distinctives and to pass on the rich heritage of the Lutheran tradition to future generations. This includes offering classes on the Lutheran Confessions and their relevance for practical ministry, as well as opportunities for students to learn from and connect with scholars and leaders from various Lutheran traditions.

The Global Lutheran House of Studies (GLHS) also supports its vision and goal by emphasizing education in global ministry, theology, and global Lutheran traditions. We believe that the church has a duty to confront the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world, and we are dedicated to providing our students with the skills and knowledge they need to serve as church leaders worldwide. This includes classes on cross-cultural mission, global theology, and the unique Lutheran perspective on ecumenism, as well as opportunities for students to participate in international contextualization trips, mission trips, and internships as required by the programs we offer through UTS.

In addition to our emphasis on confessional Lutheran teachings and global mission, we are also committed to academic excellence and providing our students with a high-quality education. The Association of Theological Schools accredits United Theological Seminary, which includes The Global Lutheran House of Studies, and we are dedicated to helping our students achieve academic and professional success. We offer a range of educational programs and resources, including master’s degrees (M.A., Masters in Christian Ministry, Masters of Theology, MDiv, MDIV/MBA), doctorate (DMin), certificates (Lutheran Ministry and others), and continuing education programs. United students can study in resident, hybrid, Live-online, or virtual courses.

As Directors of the Global Lutheran House of Studies, we are dedicated to our students’ success and helping them fulfill God’s mission to create disciples of Jesus Christ and renew the church. We will work closely with them to provide the support and resources they need to succeed in their academics and their current and future vocations, and we encourage them to participate in school life and take advantage of UTS’s numerous activities, events, and training opportunities.

Overall, we are excited about the impact that the Global Lutheran House of Studies will have on the lives of our students and the church at large, and we are committed to carrying out this vital work in the coming years. We believe that our school is uniquely qualified to help confessional Lutheran students develop their faith and prepare for mission-driven leadership in the Church. For more information, visit https://united.edu/global-lutheran-house-of-study/. The first twelve admitted MDiv students receive 50% off tuition, with additional scholarships available for other programs, including the DMin.

The Directors of the Global Lutheran House of Studies at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, are Reverend Dr. Thomas Thorstad STS, Reverend Daniel Landin, and Reverend Dr. Richard Blue, Jr. The faculty and staff serve this house of study, who are all Lutheran pastors within various Lutheran denominations, have been approved and remain in good standing with ongoing approvals as of January 1, 2023.. The faculty and staff include Reverend Dr. Douglas Schoelles, Reverend Dr. Wesley Teixeira, Reverend Dr. Rod Ford, Reverend Dr. Thomas Thorstad STS, Reverend Daniel Landin, and Reverend Dr. Richard Blue, Jr.

Image in page header (left to right): Rev. Richard Blue, Rev. Thomas Thorstad, Rev. Daniel Landin

Dear Friends—

A most happy and blessed New Year to you and yours.

No doubt, many of us reading this article can readily receive such a greeting; but, for some, these words may be welcomed but not so easily received or even believed. This may include an individual who just discovered they have a very difficult illness to contend with or maybe it’s a husband who lost a beloved wife of 35 years or one trapped in overwhelming bondage to an addiction or perhaps it’s a family who experienced a natural catastrophe and lost everything. The list goes on. When facing such a reality, it can be much more difficult to receive a word of blessing, while happiness is illusive at best. This is precisely when the Community of Faith, the Body of Christ, is called to rise up and consider the potency of missional engagement. It is helpful for us, as brothers and sisters who are bound up in Christ, to be aware of those who are struggling and then allow the Great Commandment to settle deeply into that place of compassion: “‘ … and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Mark 12:30, 31) This will necessarily push us towards mission which can quickly and graciously re-prioritize the living out of these most challenging days. 

In 1 Corinthians 12, St. Paul paints a beautiful and profound picture of what it means to be a community of faith and concludes with these striking, life-altering words: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (v. 26) The writer of Hebrews says it a bit differently in 12:12, “ … lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” Again, we can see our ‘calling’ to come alongside and help lift up and literally be the hands and feet of Jesus, especially for those whose hands are failing and knees and feet weak. This is what it means to be fully engaged in mission.

This brief article is an invitation for you to join us in an upcoming missional event or better yet, and more practically speaking, connect with a local church body and engage in mission … in your own backyard! Prayerfully consider engaging—Not only will it help bring restorative healing to any given situation but you will experience restoration and healing as well. Just engage.

Last year, I wrote an article for the July CORE Voice Newsletter (click here) regarding the power and potency of such missional engagement. It is there that I describe a particular outreach called City Mission (CM) which was birthed out of Cross Country Mission (CCM). Dennis (Nelson) asked that I write this article to share just a bit about our upcoming CCM. Again, though I’m inviting you to participate in this event, more so I’m inviting you to simply participate in mission at some level, somewhere.

On January 30^th through February 4^th (link for more details @ https://www.riversedgeministries.org/ ), River’s Edge Ministries will be headed to Pine Island, Florida, for our eleventh disaster relief/rebuild effort. We are a multi-generational group of ordinary people coming together from many denominations to be His Church. Our fervent hope is to be a Christ-centered family on mission and avail ourselves to the needs of those who were severely impacted by Hurricane Ian, causing over 150 fatalities in Cuba, Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia; but most of the deaths were in Florida. Ian also caused catastrophic damage with losses estimated to be more than $50 billion. The cities of Fort Myers Beach and Naples were particularly hard hit. Millions were left without power in the storm’s wake, and numerous inhabitants were forced to take refuge on their roofs. Sanibel Island and Pine Island were hardest hit by the storm surge. Clearly, thousands are still in the recovery phase and are only now rebuilding their future. It will be our sacred honor to be part of that rebuilding.

Please note that we are currently working with Mary Bates (NALC Disaster Relief) who has established our base of operation, housing, missional work, etc. (Thank you, Mary, for all of your extraordinary work for the Kingdom of God, especially as it manifests itself in the midst of utter chaos and ruin.) Our plan is to arrive to First Baptist Church on Pine Island by the evening of January 30^th. Upon arrival, we’ll set up our base camp on the church grounds in their building and outside in the parking lot, etc. We will work from 9:00 until 3:00 on January 31^st, February 1^st and 2^nd, and then depart on February 3^rd and arrive back home to MD by February 4^th.  We will travel just over 1000 miles by car, van, and truck with the hope of bringing a small caravan of hurricane clean-up-rebuilding workers and prayer warriors. Some are even flying in. As alluded to before (cf. Mark 12), our hope is to minister to heart, soul, mind, and strength. There will be a broad range of work tasks, including ongoing clean-up, framing, electrical, drywalling, roofing, meal prep, and on-the-ground intercessory prayer. We are praying for many skilled and unskilled co-laborers, but mostly willing hearts! At the present time, nearly 20 have committed to this event; but, it seems that we’ll have closer to 30 brothers and sisters participating in Cross Country Mission: Pine Island, FL; again, from 16 to 70+ years of age and at least 7-8 different denominations. And to think that we, a church of the NALC, get to sponsor this event—What an honor and joy!

If by chance you become interested in participating in this effort or have an interest in hosting a similar event in the future, please register here or contact me directly. But the gentle invitation and challenge from this article remains: Simply engage in mission somewhere … it’s right in front of you. I’d like to thank CORE and many individuals for supporting this missional endeavor with resources and encouragement. 

Do take care, stay the course, and keep your eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith.

K. Craig Moorman

River’s Edge Ministries, Mt. Airy, MD

(Images in this post: Flickr)

Ananias (not Sapphira’s husband, but the other Ananias) is an obscure figure in the New Testament. He appears only twice, for a total of eight verses. Yet Ananias is much more than the answer to a Bible trivia question. The Lord used this ordinary man to change the world in unfathomable ways. His story teaches us to listen for God’s call, discern our next assignment, and discover the astounding impact that obedience can have.

So what did Ananias hear God say? “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” (Acts 9:11b-12 ESV). The obedience that the Lord asks of us is often counterintuitive. It is rarely easy, but it ends up being one thread in the glorious tapestry He is weaving. We may or may not get to glimpse the finished project, but if God is calling you, then the role you play in God’s plan will be important.

Yet not every thought and idea is from the Lord. So how will you know? Ananias had to discern his call. To discern means to perceive, recognize, or distinguish. Although filled with fear and apprehension, Ananias sought clarity regarding God’s will. Discernment is faith seeking understanding; not stalling indefinitely but listening for further direction and confirmation. So, Ananias asks, “Ugh, Lord, isn’t Saul dangerous?” And the Lord revealed His plan: “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”  (Acts 9:15b-16 ESV).

That sounds consistent with the witness of the Scriptures, which is another aspect of discernment. Beginning with Abraham, God gave His name to Israel in order to bless the nations of the world. And Jesus himself not only suffered for the sake of God’s mission, but declared, ^“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple ” (Luke 14:27). Biblically, to bless others and to suffer for the gospel are part of every disciple’s calling.

God is always calling you to join him in his work. To discern a particular course of action, then, means asking certain questions. Does it take me out of my comfort zone? Does it require sacrifice? Is it consistent with Scripture? Does it sound like Jesus? If the answers are “yes,” then it’s likely from the Lord.

But there’s one more question. What do other believers think about it? Ananias stepped out in faith and discovered that Saul was indeed at the home of Christian disciples who had taken him in and cared for his needs. With this confirmation, Ananias laid his trembling hands upon Saul, who had been blinded days earlier when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus.

In that moment, God used Ananias to heal Saul, who regained his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Presumably, it was also Ananias who then had the privilege of baptizing the man who would go on to write two thirds of the New Testament! And Saul, who discerned his call to preach the Gospel, became Paul, the chief apostle and church planter for the non-Jewish world!

Although it was God who called Saul, He used Ananias to be part of it. After this brief episode in Acts, we never hear from Ananias again in the Bible. But where would we be without him? Where would Saul be without Ananias? Where would the Church be without Paul? Clearly, not everyone can be Paul. But everyone can absolutely be Ananias, who learned to discern, and who helped a brother do the same.

If this passage seems detached from present day reality, let me assure you that, in recently discerning my own call to the North American Lutheran Seminary, God used a number of “Ananias’s” to remove scales  from my eyes when I was blind to God’s plan, and how it fit perfectly with my gifts and passions.  Part of my role now is to daily be an Ananias for others who are discerning a call to ordained ministry.  

Recently, I spoke with a mid-career disciple named John, who had been praying about pursuing theological education. He told me how God used a stranger to confirm that this was indeed the Lord’s plan. John was traveling and when he arrived at the airport, he presented his boarding pass to the airline attendant, who repeated John’s full name and exclaimed, “With a name like that, you ought to be a pastor!” As I write this, John is completing his seminary application.

The fact is that God can and will use you as he used the people in my life, that airline attendant in John’s life, Saul who became Paul, and Ananias himself. My prayer is that all of us will learn to consistently ask, “God, is there someone you would have me speak with today? Is there somewhere you would have me go? Is there something you would have me do?” Be listening. Be available. Be ready. You never know what difference you will make.

Pastor Jeff Morlock is Director of Vocational Discernment at the North American Lutheran Seminary.

It has, for decades, been an incredibly unfair reality faced by smaller rural and inner-city congregations.  In a denomination that has traditionally insisted that viable, healthy congregations must be led by a resident, ordained pastor, the number of pastors willing to serve in these settings have often been “few and far between.”  Even back when there were an abundant number of seminary graduates, the majority of those graduates often showed little or no interest in serving churches located in such communities.  And this unfortunate attitude was not limited to graduating seminary students looking for a first call; it was also common among already ordained, serving pastors looking for their next call.

So what did these rural and inner-city congregations do when even new seminary grads had little interest in their calls?  They waited.  And they knew that eventually—if they waited long enough—their bishop or district president would find them a new graduate whom they could “take under their wing” and train.  Unfortunately, as soon as these first-call pastors were “trained” they would usually move on, within two or three years, to a larger church in a suburban setting.  Then the congregation’s pastoral search process would begin once more.

It used to be true—decades ago—that there was still an abundant supply of seminary graduates coming through the “pipeline.”  As a result, the national Lutheran church bodies could continue to insist—or at least imply—that healthy and viable congregations were, by definition, led by an ordained pastor.  But here we are in 2023.  And unlike decades back, there are far fewer seminary graduates; Boomer pastors have already or soon will be retiring; and smaller rural congregations are more often than not located in declining communities.  (Communities where the median age of their residents—and the congregation’s members—is in the late 50’s or 60’s.)  As a result, that traditional Lutheran ministry model—that the only viable congregation is one that can find and call an ordained pastor—simply has to change.  Unfortunately many of these congregations have been taught the false dichotomy that unless they can find and call an ordained pastor they might as well close their doors.

And that false dichotomy is not consistent with either the New Testament understanding of the church, nor with Martin Luther’s teaching regarding the priesthood of all believers. 

Tragically most Lutheran church bodies have failed to adequately model or advocate for intentional, long-term lay-led congregational ministries when there is no reasonable expectation that a resident pastor will ever be “called and installed.”  These congregations need a third option; not just the choice between an unending pastoral search process or closing their doors.  That “third option” is to become a truly lay-led congregation; a priesthood of believers not just in theory, but in terms of ministry practice.

Here is the stark truth of what is happening “out there” among many of our smaller congregations: They have been looking for a pastor for years.  In fact, some of them have gone three, four or more years without a resident pastor.  The longer they assume that such a pastor is “their only hope,” the more likely they will not survive as an organized faith community.  And they need to know that at least until the last Boomer pastor retires in the 2030’s, the number of pastoral vacancies will only grow, and grow dramatically.

Finally, these churches need to know that the work of the Holy Spirit in congregational life and ministry is not dependent on the leadership and presence of a resident, ordained seminary graduate.  This was true in the time of the early Apostolic church almost 2,000 years ago, and it is still true today.

“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” 1st Peter 2:4-5 (NIV).

More than an internship, a community for leadership formation!

Faith Lutheran Church, in Hutchinson, MN, is excited to be launching a new initiative to address the need for future leaders of the Lutheran church.  Because our old leadership-training institutions can no longer be trusted, and because many of the new online institutions are not as ideal for young interested leaders, Faith Lutheran is cultivating an environment and community for learning and formation. 

I have a gifted daughter who is about to graduate from college and is interested in pursuing a Master of Divinity degree.  But where can she go to get that degree?  Our old Lutheran institutions are no longer truly Lutheran, and while the new online seminaries are great, she hardly wants to get her M-Div. while living in her parent’s basement! 

We need to cultivate quality learning environments, opportunities, and communities that will attract and accommodate young seminary students and other young adults interested in congregational ministry.  Our friend, Pastor Nathan Hoff, has one such intern community at Trinity Lutheran in San Pedro, CA, and Faith Lutheran is now creating another in big-town rural Minnesota.

Faith Lutheran began to aggressively pursue this vision in the summer of 2021.  We challenged the congregation to give towards the initiative and received $75,000!  Then, after a Sunday morning update on the vision, a member was so inspired that he and his wife donated $100,000 to help secure housing.  The Lord continued to move this last summer, when an old home a block-and-a-half away from the church came up for sale.  We presented our vision to the sellers and were able to purchase the house for $20,000 less than the list price!  We have named the house “The Ansgar House,” after the Apostle to the North and the patron saint of Denmark.  Recently, a group of young adults have started gathering there every Thursday night for food, fun, Bible study, and worship.

We have a house.*  We have a young adult community.  And we have a plethora of opportunities for aspiring young adult leaders to plug into!  Now we are praying for the Lord to call some interns!  

Faith Greenhouse is an intentional intern community.  An opportunity for young adults to enjoy intentional Christian community with one another, plug into a thriving confessional Lutheran congregation with a large variety of ministries, and explore how they are gifted for ministry.  Interns receive free housing for 20-25 hours/week of church engagement.  Interns will be mentored in theology and ministry, and will gain valuable experience and guidance in pastoral, children’s, youth, seniors, and worship ministry plus much more.  The internship is designed to run September through May, with a summer option.

Are you, or someone you know, interested or do you have questions?  Please contact me at davidw@faithlc.com.  You can also support this ministry financially by sending gifts to Faith Lutheran Church, 335 Main St S, Hutchinson, Mn, 55350.

*The house with the green roof above is a stock photo.

Here is a link to our You Tube channel.  In the top row you will find both our Video Book Reviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various topics related to Biblical teaching, Lutheran theology, and Christian living.  You will find these videos in the order in which they were posted, beginning with the most recent.  In the second row you will find links to the Playlists for both sets of videos.  This month we want to feature a CORE Convictions video by NALC pastor Tim Hubert.

“INTERIM MINISTRY” BY PASTOR TIMOTHY HUBERT

Many thanks to NALC pastor Tim Hubert for his very wise and insightful video on interim ministry.  A link to his video can be found here.

Pastor Hubert has been ordained for forty years.  For twenty-five years he served in regular calls; for fifteen years he has served various interim assignments.  He has seen and experienced both kinds of situations – when a very beloved pastor leaves as well as when a pastor in a very troubled situation leaves.

Tim describes three questions that congregations will have regarding the new interim pastor –

1. Can we trust the interim pastor?  Including, Can we trust the interim pastor to love us in the way our former pastor loved us?
2. Will the interim pastor stay long enough – until we are ready to call a new pastor?  Church councils want a seamless transition in ministry.
3. Will the congregation allow itself to love the interim pastor, knowing that the interim pastor will be with them only for a short time?

He also lists three expectations that interim pastors have –

1.  To be treated fairly and honorably.  The congregation needs to remember that the interim pastor did not cause the former pastor to leave.
2. To be paid a fair and honorable salary.  While some congregations will try to save money at the expense of the interim pastor, Pastor Hubert believes that the interim should be paid the same as the previous pastor.  Otherwise, the congregation could be in for a real shock when they learn that they may need to pay their next pastor more than they had paid the previous pastor.   
3. That the congregation will trust the process.

Losing a pastor is a grief process – both when the former pastor was loved and when it was a troubled situation.  All change creates pain.  Even good grief can take up to two years to heal.

Tim recommends that a congregation have an interim for one to two years.  In situations where there has been significant conflict, it can take longer to begin the process of healing.  It is a good sign of healing when members are returning to worship and are becoming involved once again.

Tim’s closing advice is –

Pray for interim pastors – there are fewer and fewer of them.

Thank the Lord when He provides you with an interim pastor.

Thank the Lord that He already knows and has chosen your next pastor.

Remember that the Lord is in charge.  As Jesus said in Luke 12: 32, “Fear not, little flock; it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”