Lifelong Pastoral Formation

Women in the Church: A Note from the District President

We are very excited about Dr. Seifert’s new role as we walk and work together in our Nebraska District. Our Board of Directors extended a call for her to serve as an Executive Assistant to the District President in the areas of formation and adult learning. Even today, as I explain the duties of her call, it provides us with an opportunity for God’s continued formation and our own adult learning on the topics of Divine calls, the role of women in the Church and God’s life-long formation of His people.

The primary question involved the use of the term Divine Call. While it is true that the Divine Call specifically refers to the Office of the Holy Ministry, our Synod teaches that those who serve in auxiliary offices can be said to have a Divine Call because they carry out certain divinely instituted functions which serve to assist and support the pastoral office. Our “call” documents themselves reference “Call” and “solemn call” whether to pastor, teacher, DCE, or other rostered workers.

The second issue involves the scriptural directive of male headship. Vanessa, like Bob Ziegler and Lonnie Jacobsen, is an assistant to District President and under my authority. She is not in authority over pastors. She is assisting me in my given duty of caring for the spiritual, professional, and personal well-being of the workers of the District. She does do some teaching, but she has no authority over any pastor, other workers, or congregation members. She affirms that regularly, even as she teaches. Most of her part-time role involves helping me and district staff execute our work on the outcomes of the strategic plan. She will also help me as I work with the Vice Presidents to prepare and evaluate scope and sequence for our conferences. She will also help me as I work on formation with the SMP pastors and their supervisors as well as some other pastoral coaching needs, but in keeping with the order of creation she does not and will not have authority over anyone other than her children.

The third question involved pastoral formation and the work of our seminaries. One of my key responsibilities as a District President is the ongoing care and growth of our workers. While a great deal of initial formation happens at the seminary, God continues to form and shape us throughout our lives and vocations. The discipleship journey for all of us is lifelong. Lifelong Pastoral Formation is the ongoing intentional theological, vocational, and relational development of under shepherds. This formation is key to healthy workers and congregations. God’s Word and our Lutheran Confessions are the primary tools of that growth. As one trained in adult learning and change, Dr. Seifert will assist me and the district staff in our intentional focus of discipleship formation in our conferences, retreats, and training events.