LCMS Concerns in Synod

by Pastor Ron

If you have not heard or read, we are having problems within our Synod. In mid August Lutheran Concerns Association filed a class-action lawsuit against the LC-MS President Rev. Gerald Kieschnick and First Vice-President Rev. William Diekelman. There are 87 members of Synod that are listed as plaintiffs bringing the suit against the Synod. This list include pastors, congregations, deaconesses and commissioned ministers.

The suit alleges fraud in the last election which allowed some electoral circuits to send delegates to the 2004 Synod Convention. The suit alleges the votes should not have been allowed. They allege that this action caused the election to favor President Kieschnick and that it changed the results of the election. They want the Civil courts to overturn the election, and throw out President Kieschnick and Vice-President Diekelman. They also want all action that was voted on in the convention to be overthrown especially those proposals that limit the authority of the Synod's Board of Directors.

This in effect continues the conflict that has been in the LCMS these last few years over who controls the Synod and this controversy continues to divert funds and leadership time from the mission objectives and programs that the Lord has put before our Synod.

While I can not give in this short place all the reasons behind this suit, we do need to know what is happening in our Synod. This knowledge will help us to better understand what we may have read or heard and no matter what we may think about the suit, our Synod needs all of our prayers as do our leaders in Synod. If you want to know more, I can share with you some papers we receive so that you can better understand the situation.