Deacons and Supervising Pastors
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Mike Newman
Talking on the Gospel DNA to LMM
Lay Deacons
The position of Lay Deacon can be an asset to the congregation as he supports the ministry of the Pastor in a given place. The Lay Deacon may assist the Pastor in leading Bible Studies, visitation ministry, care ministry, assimilating new members, leading outreach ministries, men’s ministries, community emergency response ministries, assisting with the leading of worship, and more. The specific use of the Lay Deacon in ministry is defined by the congregation, its need, and its unique ministry setting. Lay Deacon ministry is not a replacement for a Pastor and is not intended for equipping a man for regular preaching, nor for administering the Sacraments (the Lord’s Supper or Baptism) in congregational worship
Follow this link for the current Northwest District Guidelines for Lay Deacon ministry: Guidelines for Lay Deacon Ministry in Congregations.
The NOW District is grateful for a long history of using Lay Deacons, which for nearly three decades were Licensed Lay Deacons (LLDs). Prior to the 2016 LCMS Convention, in keeping with 1989 LCMS Resolution 3-05B, as a means to address the need for ministry where ordained pastors were not available, laymen were used to preach and lead sacramental ministry (administering the Lord’s Supper and Baptism) when trained, licensed by a District of the LCMS, and serving under the supervision of an LCMS Pastor. Many new ministries and congregations were launched in the NOW District by LLDs. Other NOW District congregations unable to support a full-time ordained minister were able to receive the Word and Sacraments in a responsible way, served by LLDs. Many LLDs — vetted by their local congregations — went on to become ordained pastors as a result of this “farm system” approach in the NOW District. While the LCMS no longer licenses Lay Deacons to serve in those ways, we still give thanks for the gift LLDs have been to ministry in the Northwest District.
In May 2017, in response to the 2016 LCMS Resolution 13-02A, which changed the nature of LLD ministry, the NOW District Board of Directors began work on a document titled “Workers for His Harvest” (published broadly in January 2019), which offers a scriptural, historic, and theological Lutheran perspective on supporting roles in Word and Sacrament ministry. It may be accessed here: Workers for His Harvest. Those interested in the history of this conversation may also appreciate the workersforhisharvest.com website, through which the Northwest District curated theological conversations on the Office of the Ministry and how it interacts with the ministry of baptized believers (Priesthood of Believers).
Even though the use of Lay Deacons in the LCMS, and therefore in the NOW District, has changed in line with recent LCMS resolutions, the NOW District continues to focus its energies on launching and supporting new pathways for the identification and training of lay leaders of all kinds (men and women) in service to the Lord.
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