Rast reappointed as Fort Wayne seminary president

The Rev. Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr., president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

The Rev. Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr., president of Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW), Fort Wayne, Ind., since 2011, has been reappointed unanimously by the seminary’s board of regents to another five years in the post.

“The board of regents looks forward with eager and confident expectation to the next five years of Dr. Rast’s service,” said board Chairman Rev. Dr. Ronald M. Garwood. “He has excellent qualifications to serve as a seminary president in that he is a great theologian, an exceptional church historian and has outstanding leadership skills. He is also highly regarded by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and by Christendom the world over. We believe strongly that he is the right man at the right time to be president of CTSFW.”

LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison also offered words of congratulations: “The LCMS has been richly blessed. Dr. Rast’s gifts are extraordinary, and the Synod is most grateful.”

“One of the greatest blessings of serving in this office has been to work alongside the faithful and gifted people of the CTSFW community,” Rast said. “We have a world-class faculty, an incredibly skilled staff and a board of regents who bring experience, expertise and commitment to the mission of the seminary.

“My greatest joy,” he added, “remains the relationships I enjoy with our students who will serve as pastors, deaconesses and lay leaders in the LCMS and in our partner churches throughout the world. Ultimately, I am most thankful to our gracious Lord, Jesus Christ, who is the Gift above all gifts. It is by His grace that this remarkable community was formed, continues to prosper and will thrive into the future.”

Rast asked for “continued prayerful support of this seminary. By God’s grace, together with the larger Synod and our international colleagues, we will, with excellence, fulfill our mission to form servants in Jesus Christ who teach the faithful, reach the lost and care for all.”

Posted Feb. 23, 2016