I
received a message yesterday from Dale Meyer, president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis as an alumni of that university. The video message is at http://callday.csl.edu/greeting/ if you wish to watch it.
Certain parts of the message where certainly done with great churchmanship. We were implored to pray for the candidates receiving calls and encouraged in our own ministry. We were asked to place the men receiving calls in the church before our congregations as well in the Prayer of the Church.
But I must admit a certain part of this message bothered me. We alumni were told that St Louis graduates and pastors are well received and loved in the church. We were asked to rejoice that all 99 graduates from St. Louis would receive calls. In fact we were told more people wanted our graduates than we had candidates.
I truly assumed this was all leading up to a call to pray for those who might not be placed at our sister seminary Fort Wayne. But that was completely absent. I understand that this was sent to Alumni and such things at normal educational institutions are sent out as pep speeches ultimately to encourage support of the alma mater. But the seminary should not operate in such way. We can not merely rejoice loudly while another part of the body mourns.
We must in all ways gives up this idea that the church exists only in our congregation or our institution. Congregationalism and institutionalism are toxic to the body of Christ. We must be concerned with the whole body and we must start at least with being concerned for our whole synod.
Unless we are willing to make the case that our sister seminary is experiencing these pains due to sin or false teaching, we must mourn with them as if the pain were our own, because it is our own. We are one.
If we are willing to make that case, then we must do so with brotherly gentleness and concern in order that they might be restored. And we must pray that they will do the same for any specks or planks in our own eyes.
I personally have no personal knowledge of any such sin or false teaching. I serve in this part of God’s church with several outstanding Fort Wayne graduates. I also serve with an equal number of outstanding St Louis Graduates. And so, I will pray for all. I will rejoice and mourn. Will you join me?
I didn’t even realize that Ft. Wayne had a shortage of calls this year. How would a lay person know about that to be praying?
I didn’t realize there was any discrepancy. I am sorry to hear that! Thanks for letting us know, I will pray for the Ft. Wayne candidates who were not able to be placed, that a good placement is forthcoming in God’s time.
You nailed it on the head with your comments.
I saw the same video (before call day) and noted, with sadness, that there was a
distinct lack of connection between the joy of overwhelming calls for St. Louis
grads and any commentary on a lack of calls for Ft. Wayne grads.
The real issue, in my head, is what is to be done about any perceived issues? How do
you convince a congregation that it is wrongheaded to seek a man from only
one seminary and not the other?