Council of Presidents: February update

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Council of Presidents (COP) met Feb. 3–5 at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis. The COP heard from a number of key groups and discussed an array of programs pertaining to congregational life in the LCMS.

Kendall Cortright, manager for LCMS Church Planting, reported that the LCMS is currently engaged with 23 LCMS districts in discussing 67 potential new church plants around the LCMS. “It was truly a joy to share about the work being done around the U.S. and Canada, especially as LCMS Church Planting gets pleas from laypeople crying out for solid, biblically based churches,” Cortright said. “We have the solution, in our Lutheran doctrine and practice, that points people to Christ and the forgiveness of sins rather than the fleeting things of this world.”

The COP also discussed the training and education of pastors. They reviewed the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program, discussing means of supervision for SMP pastors after they complete the formal SMP education track and the facilitation of ongoing pastoral formation. A COP working group shared concerns, based on recent post-pandemic studies, about the limits of online education.

The Synod’s Pastoral Formation Committee (PFC) — the Rev. Kevin Robson, LCMS chief mission officer and PFC chair; the Rev. Dr. Thomas Egger, president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; and the Rev. Dr. Jon Bruss, president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne — provided an update on progress under tasks assigned by 2023 Resolution 6-03 and received comments and counsel from the COP on various aspects of this work.

The COP also heard from a number of other COP working groups related to district coordination, lay leadership training, shared ministry models, and new mission opportunities. Finally, they heard additional reports from a variety of ONM ministries, including:

The Worker Wellness Alliance: the steps being taken in fulfillment of Res. 1-06A and 1-07. Concordia Plan Services discussed ways that districts can secure seed money to be used for worker wellness.

The LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR): The CTCR reported on the documents they currently have in progress.

The Created Male and Female task force: The Rev. Dr. Mark Rockenbach updated the COP on the current state of field research. On the whole, LCMS teachers understand the issues, though they might lack confidence in expressing these teachings to students’ parents, especially non-Lutheran parents.

Concordia Publishing House (CPH): The Rev. Dr. Jacob Corzine, vice-president of Publishing for CPH, presented on CPH’s key strategies moving forward. Jonathan Schultz, CPH president and CEO, fielded questions from the COP about opportunities to collaborate on a variety of topics.

Ministry updates: Both the LCMS Office of National Mission and the LCMS Office of International Mission shared updates on key initiatives and programs and staffing changes.

COP Chairman Rev. Dr. R. Lee Hagan said, “The Council of Presidents has created seven working groups among the members to facilitate discussions and share resources that, as we look to the future, are related to support for the congregations of the Synod.  It was encouraging to hear updates from the working groups about the areas on which each intends to focus for upcoming meetings.

“We were also very encouraged by the report on the Created Male and Female task force and the retreats offered to parents of children who are dealing with sexual orientation and gender identity issues. These retreats are helping to address a need for families who are looking for faithful support and encouragement from the church.”

Posted March 26, 2025