I am deliberating a call to Goshen, Indiana. My name has been submitted to many call
lists but District Presidents and Circuit Counselors have been throwing my name off of
every list. This is the first call received in 10 years. Of course, I have not filled out
any PIFs. If the congregation wants to know about me they can ask me any question about my
doctrine and practice. I also encouraged them to read my Website at reclaimingwalther.org
to learn my opinion on lots of things they may never have thought to ask. This means the
call to Goshen was received without any prior communication except the question, "Are
you open to a call?" In general, all pastors must always be open to a call. I have
answered that question in the affirmative just about every other month for the past five
years.
To help me in my deliberations I consulted my congregation and all the Voters by mail
with the following published statement. I asked them to vote
whether or not I should take the call. During their deliberation I left the Voters'
Assembly. Since 1921, Redeemer has not had woman suffrage. The call was received on
Monday, January 10th. In response to the following notification the Voters' Assembly, with
38 men voting, on Monday, January 17th, at 8:00pm decided the issue for about 30 seconds
after I left the meeting and went to my office. They voted 38 to 0 that, in their opinion,
the Lord has much more work for me to accomplish at Redeemer.
In my opening remarks to the Voters I shared no details about Prince of Peace in Goshen
except the size of the congregation. Some were not comfortable in voting. I reminded them
that they were the calling body who authorized my call to Redeemer. They had a divine
right to issue me a call ten years ago and, therefore, as Walther says, they should be
consulted as to their opinion about the call to Goshen. God gave them the right to make me
a pastor and no one is better qualified to evaluate the current situation at Redeemer then
the Voters' Assembly.
There were a number of questions prior to my leaving the meeting. Basically, I told
them that all the blessings they received in the last 10 years were from God and any
errors on my part were the result of my sin.
At this time I continue to pray and deliberate about the call to Goshen and plan to
meet with the congregation on January 21, 2000. One can hardly react to the Voters'
opinion at Redeemer other than to say, all miracles are from God. I dare not say more.
Statement in the Sunday
Bulletin of January 9th, 2000 and letter sent to all Voters of Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Your Pastor has a call to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Goshen,
Indiana. I did not solicit this call. I have never been to Goshen and am quite surprised,
considering that, when asked about my opinions on theology, I told them to read my
Website.
Every legitimate and valid call is from the Holy Spirit and the question is:
"Should I take it or should I stay?" The Lord's will must be done. With this
letter is an excellent statement from Walther's "Pastoral
Theology" about the call. I have included it for your information. I will ask the
Voters their opinion about this call and leave the meeting while you deliberate and vote
on the issue. This is how I plan to consult the Voters for their advice. I must make the
final decision myself, but your recommendation would be very helpful. There are no perfect
pastors. We all have to work with the frailties of our own sinful flesh. Each of us only
continues in the church by the grace of God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. We
should all pray that God's will be done in this matter. I t has indeed been a privilege to
be your pastor these ten years. I will continue here or in Goshen, as the Lord wills.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Cascione
The Decision About a Call
by C. F. Walther
from Walther's "Pastoral Theology" published by CN
The decision whether a preacher should accept another position which has been offered
to him, depends on the consideration of the following five rules:
- The preacher should wait calmly for a call that may be extended to him and should never
seek to get away on his own, least of all to secure a higher salary or a more pleasant or
easier position (Jer. 23:21).
- He should never leave because of the wicked in his congregation who make his life bitter
(Rom. 12:21), unless it were merely a matter of his personal weakness so that another
orthodox preacher could carry out what would not be possible for him because of personal
tensions with the majority of congregational members (2 Cor. 18:10).
- It must be clear before human eyes not only that the new office offered to him is a more
important one but also that he could use his gifts for the greater benefit of the church
in it than if he would remain (1 Cor. 12:7).
- He should not easily decide for himself but should consult for the decision both his
present congregation and the one that is calling him away as well as learned theologians
(Prov. 12:15).
- He should not leave his congregation without its explicit agreement unless it would be
obvious to everyone that it was absolutely denying its consent out of pure stubbornness,
without considering the well being of the church.