In the years to come we will need every seminary-trained pastor we can get. The number of men going into the office of the public ministry through our synod's seminaries is abysmally low and in the next 8-10 years when the bulk of our pastorate will be of retirement age. I think we need to do everything we can to get ordained men on candidate status back in pulpits. Reasons for pastors going on candidate status spans the spectrum and some may never be able to return to active congregational ministry, but many could and should. I think it's time the synod leverages its RSOs like Grace Place and DOXOLOGY (and maybe others) to systematically address the interpersonal issues that have resulted from the reason for and effect of candidate status.