Shepherd’s Pathway - Standards and Goals
CAlc’s mandate
The Shepherd’s Pathway establishes qualifications for Ministers of Word and Sacrament and states goals and targets that the candidate for ministry must achieve for the candidate to be ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament. The goal of the Shepherd’s Pathway is to assist candidates who possess the scriptural qualifications for a shepherd, will accept CALC’s expectations for the pastoral ministry and desire to serve a CALC congregation according to the Lutheran tradition to train for the pastoral ministry. The goal of the program is to encourage, nurture, hone and develop a candidate’s aptitude and proficiency in the following critically essential areas of pastoral ministry: preaching, worship leadership, teaching, pastoral care, evangelism and outreach. Any candidate for the Shepherd’s Pathway will not have met most these qualifications and standards. Their attainment by the pastor-in-training over the period the candidate is supervised by a supervising pastor and lay committee is the goal of the Shepherd’s Pathway. The information on the scriptural qualifications, expectations, essential for the pastoral ministry and other pertinent information is found below.
This page provides detailed information on the following topics:
Scriptural Qualifications for a Pastor.
Expectations of the Candidate.
Pastoral Gifts, Skills, Aptitudes and Abilities.
Confession of Faith and Statement Purpose
CALC’s Statement on Marriage and Human Sexuality
Women in the Pastoral Ministry
Educational Qualifications.
1. Scriptural Qualifications for a Pastor.
In his letter to Titus (1:5-9) and to Timothy (3:1-7), St. Paul spoke of the qualifications of the elder (pastor) of the congregation.
An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:6-9)
If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
To summarize
The pastor must be: a believer, a good spouse and the parent of good and believing children. The pastor must not be overbearing, quick-tempered, given to excesses in drinking and/or dishonest in business and personal life. The pastor should be hospitable, good, upright, self controlled and disciplined. The pastor must also have a good grasp of the scriptures and the fundamentals of faith so that, through the pastor’s teaching, preaching and ministration, the people of God are built up in their faith and those who oppose sound doctrine are soundly refuted.
Congregational Duty
The calling congregation’s Congregational Council, or a Call Committee duly appointed by the calling congregation’s Congregational Council, must interview and otherwise vet all candidates for call as pastor in order to discern whether a candidate meets the Scriptural qualifications set forth above. Throughout the call process, the Congregational Council, or Call Committee, may choose to seek the advice and counsel of the President of CALC and/or utilize CALC’s available resources to assist them with the call process.
2. Expectations of the Candidate.
CALC and its congregations understand the call to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament or Pastoral Ministry to mean that:
Pastors, called by God through the congregation, are accountable to the Word of God for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Pastors serve, teach and proclaim in accordance with the Holy Scriptures and the Creeds and Confessions of CALC’s Statement of Faith and Statement of Purpose as set forth in Articles 3 and 5 of CALC’s Constitution. Said confession of faith and statement of purpose are found in Schedule 1 attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.
Pastors are diligent in their study of the Holy Scriptures and in their use of the means of grace. They pray for God’s people, nourish them with the Word and service and at times the Holy Sacraments, and lead them by their own example in faithful service and holy living.
Pastors are called by God through the congregation as an expression of the church universal, the “Una Sancta” and are not self-chosen or self-appointed and do not select a ministry context independent of the church.
Pastors are called by God through the congregation for a ministry of servanthood, and not for the exercise of domination or coercive power.
The Pastoral Ministry is a privilege granted by God through the call of the congregation and is not a right of the individual.
Pastors voluntarily place themselves under the legitimate authority and discipline of the congregation he or she serves and CALC, and assents to the polity of this Association of congregations.
Pastors are expected to adhere to CALC’s policy on marriage and human sexuality. In accordance with our confession of faith, we define marriage as being between one man and one woman.1
Pastors must possess the requisite gifts, skills and abilities in the following critically essential areas of Pastoral Ministry: preaching, teaching, worship leadership; pastoral care; evangelism and outreach; administration; morality; faith and the practice of pastoral.
All Pastors in CALC should state a clear intention to live and conduct themselves in a manner consistent with these expectations.
3. Pastoral Gifts, Skills, Aptitudes and Abilities.
A pastor serving a CALC congregation should be apt and proficient in the following critically essential areas of pastoral ministry: preaching, worship leadership, teaching, pastoral care, evangelism and outreach.
Preaching. The candidate should be an apt, engaging and inspiring preacher. His/her preaching should rightly distinguish between the Law and the Gospel in the subject text and reflect the theology of the cross. His/her proclamation should reflect adequate exegetical preparation and is delivered in an appropriate and effective way.
Teaching. The candidate should be an apt, engaging and inspiring teacher. He/she should be able to conduct adult and youth Bible study and Christian education classes, Confirmation classes. His/her teaching should be undergirded by the Theology of the Cross.
It is critical that pastors have a solid biblical foundation and can apply the truth of Scripture to life in teaching and preaching. God's Word is given to us to reveal truth, and a personal commitment to the study of the Bible is crucial for the pastor. As part of the Lutheran community we want to know that our pastors understand the Reformation and Lutheran theology as expressed in the Book of Concord.
It is important for pastors to have a good grasp of these principles: The five solas of the Reformation: Christ alone, faith alone, scripture alone, grace alone and the cross alone; The proper distinction between Law and Gospel in preaching, teaching and pastoral care; and the ability to consistently address issues of faith and life without confusion or contradiction.
Worship Leadership. The candidate should be an apt, engaging and inspiring worship leader. He/she should be able to conduct contemporary Lutheran and traditional Lutheran worship services. To “conduct worship” is to organize and carry out worship (specifically to take certain roles in worship and coordinate with others to facilitate worship). He/she should be thoroughly familiar with and able to conduct services of Holy Communion, Services of the Word, a Baptismal service, Service for Affirmation of Baptism (Confirmation); Services for Individual and Corporate Confession and Absolution, Lutheran wedding services, Lutheran funeral services, and the Service of the Word for Healing. He/she should be thoroughly familiar with the Church/Liturgical Year and how to conduct services during Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, the Sundays After Pentecost through to Christ the King Sunday.
Pastoral Care. The candidate should be an apt and gentle shepherd of the flock God has entrusted to him/her. Shepherding involves protection, tending to needs, strengthening the weak, encouragement, feeding the flock, making provision, shielding, refreshing, restoring, leading by example to move people on in their pursuit of holiness, comforting and guiding. Shepherding involves regularly visiting shut-ins and those hospitalized. Shepherding includes preparing families for the baptism of their children, preparing adults for baptism, and preparing couples for marriage. Shepherding also includes reassuring and comforting the dying with Jesus’ words of comfort as they pass from this world to the next and comforting, consoling and encouraging those left behind. Shepherding also includes building and maintaining relationships with congregants by regularly visiting congregational members.
Evangelism Outreach. The candidate should be an apt and effective evangelist and spokesperson for the Church and his/her congregation. He/she should demonstrate an ability to coordinate the efforts of the members od a congregation for evangelism and outreach into the community surrounding your congregation and beyond.
Administration. The candidate should be an apt and effective administrator which includes keeping accurate membership records including baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials and communicants. Administration also includes encouraging and empowering, through God’s Word, every Christian as a spiritual priest to work for mutual edification, each in his or her own station and in accordance with the opportunity and gifts which God has bestowed upon him or her. Administration also includes the installation of members of church council in public worship; encouraging qualified persons to prepare for the pastoral ministry and encouraging the members to be generous in support of the ministry of the host congregation and the Church.
Morality. It is essential that pastors live lives worthy of the Gospel. Congregations cannot take for granted that pastors are above reproach. The congregation should perform the necessary checks into the candidate's history. It is reasonable to ask the questions, to do the research and to be thorough in doing so. When pastors fail in morality, the damage can be severe. It is also important to acknowledge that all are sinners in need of a Savior and all are called to practice forgiveness, love and acceptance. The question is how sin will be handled. It is the responsibility of the congregation to determine if a candidate should serve in a leadership role in the congregation.
Faith. It is appropriate for a congregation to discuss faith issues with a candidate. What a candidate believes will affect the working relationship between the congregation and the candidate. Asking questions concerning a candidate's faith in Jesus Christ can be very helpful in assessing the potential of the candidate and the congregation to work together.
Practice. This area addresses practical skills. Is the pastor faithful and reliable? Does the pastor follow through on what is promised? Is the candidate adept at listening effectively, organizing groups, speaking with clarity, showing respect and demonstrating good interpersonal skills.
Preaching and teaching are very much part of the practice of pastoral ministry. Is the candidate able to communicate effectively from the pulpit and/or in the classroom? Does the candidate demonstrate an interest in improving these areas? The congregation can examine these qualities in a live situation or have the candidate send a recording of a sermon or teaching session.
Another aspect of the practice of ministry is leadership. If the congregation expects leadership, then leadership ought to be part of the discussion. Prior to the discussion, the congregation must determine the type of leader it seeks, for example: an administrator, a shepherd of souls, a facilitator who empowers others, a preacher, teacher, etc.
The candidate should be able to describe his/her work and study habits for an average day or an average week. The congregation might ask the candidate how he or she might divide time, between work and home.
The council and/or call committee is heartily encouraged and admonished to look up and discuss the following Scriptural references:
Theology: Ephesians 6:10-18, Hebrews 4:12, I Peter 1:22-23, II Timothy 4:3
Morality: Romans 6, Philippians 1:27, Colossians 1:9-14, I Timothy 3:1-10, Ephesians 4:25- 27.
Faith: Romans 10:8-10 & 17, I Corinthians 13:13, II Corinthians 8:7, Colossians 1:1-6, James 2:14-17.
Practice: II Corinthians 5:18, II Timothy 4:3-5, Ephesians 4:25-27, Matthew 5:33-37, Matthew 20:25-28, Mark 6:31, Philippians 2:1-11.
4. Confession of Faith and Statement Purpose
The congregations of CALC find our unity in our common Confession of Faith and Purpose as set forth in Articles Three and Five of our Constitution. Click here to read CALC’s Confession of Faith. Click here to read CALC’s Statement of Purpose.
5. CALC’s Statement on Marriage and Human Sexuality.
Policy on Marriage: In accordance with our confession of faith, we define marriage as being between one man and one woman.
Statement on Homosexuality: This Association regards homosexual desires and behaviour as sinful and contrary to God's intent for His children (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Deut. 23:18; Rom. 1:27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). It rejects the contention that homosexual desires, behaviour and/or lifestyle are simply another form of sexuality equally valid with the God given male female pattern.
Further teaching on marriage and human sexuality can be found by clicking here.
6. Women in the Pastoral Ministry
CALC congregations are free to call a man or a woman who meets the scriptural qualifications, CALC’s educational qualifications and is willing to strive toward the fulfillment of CALC’s expectations for pastoral ministers.
Further teaching on marriage and human sexuality can be found by clicking here
7. Educational Qualifications.
General
The Apostle Paul’s exhortation to Titus and all elders on the church that came after him, was that Pastors must: (a) be able to teach (1 Timothy 3:2); and (b) hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught to them, so that he/she can encourage others by teaching sound doctrine and refuting those who oppose sound doctrine (Titus 1:9). CALC’s governing documents require that a Pastor of a CALC congregation to preach, teach and administer the Means of Grace in accordance with Scripture, the Ecumenical Creeds and the Lutheran Confession. It is therefore, incumbent upon congregations to call only candidate’s who possesses the academic training and/or professional and personal experience necessary to fulfill the terms of the call to pastoral ministry as set forth above; or is willing to engage in a course of study acceptable to CALC and the Congregation in order to attain the same.
Academic standards for Candidates Trained by a Lutheran Institution.
Master of Divinity Degree from a Lutheran Seminary.
The ideal candidate for call to the office of the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in a CALC congregation would be a graduate of a recognized college or university with a bachelors degree and has earned a Master of Divinity degree from a Lutheran seminary. The Master of Divinity degree normally requires three academic years of study, carrying a fulltime course load, while in residence at the seminary, a twelve month supervised internship in a parish setting, and a minimum of two units of supervised Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in a hospital/institutional setting. Candidates who have earned a Master of Divinity degree and meet the personal qualifications for a pastor may be called by a CALC congregation. The institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT) is CALC’s seminary. The Master of Divinity Degree offered by ILT represents CALC’s standard requirements for said degree. Follow this link to ILT’s Registrars page where a link to ILT’s Academic Catalogue for Christ School of Theology can be accessed. The Master Divinity Program is described in detail in this catalogue.
Pastoral Ministry Certificate.
The Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT) of Brookings, South Dakota, offers a Pastoral Ministry Certificate (PMC) a twelve (12) course program. Candidates who have earned a PMC and meet the personal qualifications for a pastor may be called and ordained by a CALC congregation. The twelve courses are listed below. Follow this link to ILT’s Registrars page where a link to ILT’s Academic Catalogue for Christ College can be accessed. The Pastoral Ministry certificate is described in detail in the catalogue.
BT 221: Principles of Biblical Interpretation 3 Credits
BT 311: Old Testament Theology and History 3 Credits
BT 321: New Testament Theology and History 3 Credits
PTE 241: Christian Apologetics 3 Credits
HST 201: Systematic Theology I 3 Credits
HST 321: Luther and His Catechisms 3 Credits
HST 331: Lutheran Reformers and the Book of Concord 3 Credits
PT 401: Pastoral Theology and Care 3 Credits
PT 411: Lutheran Worship 3 Credits
PT 421: Proclaiming God’s Word 2 Credits
PT: One Credit Elective 1 Credit
A Total of Two (2) Courses from the Following Courses:
HST 301: History of the Early Christian Church 3 Credits
HST 302: History of the Medieval and Reformation Christian Church 3 Credits
HST 303: History of the Post-Reformation Christian Church 3 Credits
Other Degrees.
CALC congregations are free to call pastors with educational qualifications other than a Pastoral Ministry Certificate from ILT or Master of Divinity degree from a Lutheran Seminary. Additional acceptable degrees from ILT include their: Associate of Arts in Ministry; Bachelor of Arts in Ministry; and Master of Ministry Degree. Other acceptable degrees conferred by another Lutheran institution include: a Bachelor of Divinity degree; Master of Religious Studies; a Bachelors degree in pastoral or religious studies. Candidates who have earned any of the degrees described above and meet the personal qualifications for a pastor and agree to the expectations for a pastor may be called by a CALC congregation.