I. Why is the
Voters’ Assembly being questioned today?
The following are some ideas, opinions and beliefs that I have heard and see that have
caused some to question the purpose of Voters’ Assemblies:
- Some in our church body actually believe that when they have hands placed on them at
their ordination they have more power in many areas.
- Pastors are being called as "administrators" and "C.E.O.s" and a
Voters Assembly pulls down their effectiveness as a leader.
- Pastors have no authority, even in theological matters, so the congregation is
autonomous and a small group like a Board of Directors can control the congregation
better.
- No votes were taken in Biblical times so all suffrage is wrong or not needed.
- We can no longer hold on to the belief that men are to be the spiritual leaders in the
church and in the Synod so let’s just not have any suffrage, where no votes are
taken.
- If we have smaller numbers making decisions, we can get things done faster.
- Growing churches in non-Lutheran churches do not have Voters Assemblies so that has to
be the way to go for good growth.
- (There are many other reasons also.)
All of those individuals remind me of the story of the Hollywood actress who was on a
ship on a cruise. She noticed a man who was suffering from a bad cold. She asked if he was
uncomfortable and he said that he was. She then said, "I’ll tell you just what
to do for it. Go back in your stateroom and drink lots of orange juice. Take two aspirins.
Cover yourself with all the blankets you can find. Sweat the cold out. I know just what
I’m talking about. I’m from Hollywood." The man smiled warmly and
introduced himself in return. He said, "Thanks. I’m Dr. Mayo of the Mayo Clinic
in Rochester, Mn."
That’s the way I feel about all those who try to have their new ideas and new
insights in our Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran
Confessions, and hundreds of years of great theologians stand there with the truth but
have to listen to this so called new stuff and new ideas.
II. The Biblical truths
related to the issue of the Voters' Assembly
Jesus Christ, who lived, died and rose for us, is the Head of the Church as St. Paul
states in his letter to the Ephesians and then adds, "the church is subject unto
Christ." (Eph.5:24) The foundation for His Church is also clearly enunciated when he
says it is "built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets." (Ehp. 2:20)
We dare not add anything to the Biblical foundation for the Bible itself says, "For
no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus
Christ." (I Cor. 3:11) Christ, the head, paid a big price for the Church. Peter
states in Holy Scriptures: "For you know that it was not with perishable things such
as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you
from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or
defect."(I P. 1:18,19)
Who makes up the Church? Believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior make up the
Church of Christ. Yes, the Christian Church is composed of all those, and only those, in
whom the Holy Spirit has worked faith in Jesus Christ as the atoning Savior from sin. Paul
says, they "are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by
Christ Jesus." (Rom. 3:24)
In many places of Holy Scriptures, the Bible speaks of churches, local congregations
which are confined to particular and definite localities on earth. (I Cor. 16:19; I
Cor.1:2; Acts 8:1; Rom. 16:16, etc.) It was to congregations that certain functions were
given: teaching and admonishing (Col.3:16,17); the practice of church discipline (I Cor.
5; Mt. 18:17); the supervision of the teaching and the teachers (Rom. 16,17; Col. 4:17);
the proclamation of the Gospel( I P. 2:9); Christian conduct (I P.3:8-17). Dr. Francis
Pieper defines a congregation in these simple terms: "A Congregation is the assembly
of believers who congregate about Word and Sacrament at a particular place."1
So all Christians are then declared to be part of the royal priesthood, as Peter say:
"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to
God."(I P.2:9) That’s why Dr. Martin Luther said, "When we were made
Christians through this Priest and His priesthood {namely, through Christ} and in Baptism
were by faith incorporated in Him, we were also given the right and power to preach and
profess the word we received from Him before everybody, everyone according to his station
and calling. For, though we are not all in the public office and calling, still every
Christian should and may teach, instruct, admonish, comfort, reprove his neighbor with
God’s Word whenever and wherever he find someone in need of it."2
The voting process was used in Biblical times. Even in the Old Testament you see the
people "chose" or picked out Saul as King (I Sam.8:18;12;13; II Sam. 16:18); all
Israel called Jeroboam to the assembly and made him king over Israel (I Kings 12:20); and
the men of war made David king over all Israel (I Ch. 12:38). How they decided is not
stated but it sure points out that the people did make decisions.
When going to the New Testament, it is very clear to see that God’s people were
called upon to make decisions within the church. A brother in Christ did a great
exegetical study on this and I would like to quote his findings: "In Acts 14:23, Paul
and Barnabas "appointed"(cheirotonesantes) elders in every church. In 2
Cor. 8:19, Titus was "appointed" (cheirotonetheies,), "hands
stretched" by the churches to travel with Paul in his missionary activity.
Now, who and how were these appointments made? The who was Paul and Barnabas, and
the church. The how (method) was "having stretched the hand" (cheirotonesantes).
In Acts 26:10, another method is mentioned. Here Paul speaks of the time when he was a
Pharisee and put Christians in prison and to death, saying, "I cast my vote" (katenegka
psephon), literally, "I brought my pebble against them." That was his
personal decision, and he had authority to do it. Now, two methods of decision-making are
used here. One was to raise or stretch the hand, and the other was to cast a pebble, a
common way the ancients used to choose one for office or to make decisions. Siegbert
Becker, in his commentary of the book of Revelation, comments, "We know that pebbles
were used by juries in the ancient Greek law courts as voting ballots. In fact, the word
translated "stone" (psephon) also means "vote in classical Greek. A
white pebble was a vote for acquittal."3
Our Lutheran Confessions even refer to the process of the people having the right to
elect and chose through an election. It says in the Treatise on the Power and Primacy
of the Pope: "Finally, this is confirmed by the declaration of Peter,"You
are a royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9). These words apply to the true church which, since it
alone possesses the priesthood, certainly has the right of electing and ordaining
ministers." It then adds: "From all these facts it is evident that the church
retains the right of electing and ordaining ministers."4
Among the priesthood of believers gathered together making up a congregation the Holy
Scriptures indicate that the Holy Spirit calls a particular man into the office of the
public ministry. Of the called pastors in the congregation of Ephesus it says: "Keep
watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.
Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." (Acts 20:28)
The qualifications of a pastor are that he be "an example to the flock" (I P.
5:3), be able to teach the truths to the congregation and to refute heretics (Tit.
1:9-11), "feed the church of God" (Acts 20:28), etc.
I heard a pastor say, "I know I was different when the hands were laid on me at my
ordination." As he explained that to me, he was not speaking of God using him to
proclaim the Word but that he now had extra powers and more dynamics now that he was
ordained as a pastor. When I think back at my ordination, I sure hope nothing was
transferred to me because, as I remember, there was a liberal there and a person who is
now out of the ministry of the L.C. - M. S. because of his morals. But if one speaks of
being different in that he now has more responsibilities and more expectations from the
Lord as a pastor that is a different thing.
III. The Lutheran Church
- Missouri Synod fathers, including Dr. C.F.W. Walther, on the issue of the Voters'
Assembly
Many years ago an eighty-eight year old Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendel Holms was
riding on a train. When the conductor came by, Justice Holmes couldn’t find his
ticket, and he seemed to be really upset. He searched and searched in his pockets.
Finally, the conductor said, "Don’t worry, Mr. Holmes, the Pennsylvania Railroad
will be happy to trust you. After you reach your destination you’ll probably find the
ticket and you can just mail it to us." But Mr. Holmes seemed to still be upset so he
said, "My dear man, my problem is not ‘Where is my ticket?’ The problem is,
‘Where am I going?’"
I really believe that is happening in our church today. I believe many don’t have
any idea where they are going in the church today. The opposite was true of our
forefathers. They knew where they were going and we can learn from them, yes, even in this
area of church government, and particularly, the Voters Assembly.
Dr. Martin Luther believed that lay people could be theologians and could make solid
decisions. (He was speaking about I Peter 3:15 "Be ready always to give an answer to
every man") :"St. Peter spoke these words to all Christians, pastors, laymen,
men, women, young, old, and of whatever state they may be; hence every Christian should
know the foundation and reason of his faith and be able to give his reason and, when
called upon, to answer."5
Dr. Pieper reflected on Dr. Luther in this area when he quoted Luther in saying,
"Take note how St. Peter here says to all of us that we should give answer and show
the reason for our faith. When your last hour comes, I won’t be with you, neither the
Pope; if then you don’t know the foundation of your hope and merely say: I believe
what the councils, the Pope, and our fathers believed, the devil will answer: Yes, but
what if they erred? Then he has won and will drag you into hell. Therefore we must
ourselves know what we believe, namely, what God has said and not what the Pope or the
councils decree or say. For you dare not trust in men, but must trust in the bare Word of
God."6
Our Lutheran Confessions also state clearly:" (the true Church is) made up of men
scattered throughout the world who agree on the Gospel and have the same Christ."7 Dr. Walther
quoted Luther: "The Christian Church alone has the keys, no one else, although the
bishop and the pope can use them, because they have been commanded by the congregation to
do it. A pastor exercises the office of the keys, baptizes, preaches, administers the
sacrament, and performs other duties, in order that he may serve the congregation, not for
his own sake, but for the congregation’s sake."8
Then there is Dr. Walther himself who built his teaching on Scripture and Scripture
alone. In the Book entitled C.F. W. Walther: The American Luther the author of the article
on "Walther on Church and Ministry states: "Walther has so much to say about the
church and ministry…He was always one to provide clear Biblical statements as the
proof of what he was teaching…Walther’s teaching on church and ministry was both
Biblical and Lutheran. It was Biblical in that he worked with the sola Scriptura
principle…Walther’s teaching on church and ministry was Lutheran as he showed by
the volume and relevances of his many quotes from Luther, the Lutheran confessions, and
the writings of other theologians."9
Dr. Walther said at one time, "Rob the congregation of the right to judge
doctrine, and you give them over into slavery."10 He also said, "We have no power but the power
of the Word."11
He defined the office of the public ministry in this way, "the authority,
committed {to the pastor} by God through the congregation, which possesses the priesthood
and all church authority, to exercise the rights of the spiritual priesthood in public
office on behalf of the fellowship."12
Dr. Walther in his essay for the Western District of the Missouri Synod, in 1862 stated
how decisions are made in the congregation and gave Bible references to support his
points. The matters to be considered and resolved in congregational meetings he listed as:
Questions of doctrine, the filling of congregational offices, church discipline, public
offenses, quarrels among church members, matters pertaining to good order and ceremonies,
and the like.13
Dr. Walther in his thesis on Church and Ministry - Our Church’s Doctrine stated
that the office of the public ministry was an office of service. Listen to his words,
"The ministry of preaching is not a peculiar order, set up over and against the
common estate of Christians, and holier than the latter, like the priesthood of the
Levites, but it is an office of service."14 Note what he also said about the pastor in
regards to the power of the congregation. "The ministry of preaching is conferred by
God through the congregation, as holder of all church power, or of the keys and by its
call, as prescribed by God. The ordination of those called, with the laying on of hands,
is not by divine institution but is an apostolic church ordinance and merely a public,
solemn confirmation of the call."15
I would like to read to you two other thesis that Dr. Walther stated about the
congregation and the pastoral office. He stated: "The holy ministry is the authority
conferred by God through the congregation, as holder of the priesthood and of all church
power, to administer in public office the common rights of the spiritual priesthood in
behalf of all." Again he says, "Reverence and unconditional obedience is due to
the ministry of preaching when the preacher is ministering the Word of God. However, the
preacher may not dominate over the Church; he had, accordingly, no right to make new laws,
to arrange indifferent matters and ceremonies arbitrarily, and to impose and execute
excommunication alone, without a previous verdict of the entire congregation."16
Remember also in 1932 our Synod past the "Brief Statement of the Doctrinal
Position of the Missouri Synod" which still stands today as our doctrinal stand. In
it we state in regards to "Rights and Privileges": "Since the Christians
are the Church, it is self-evident that they alone Originally possess the spiritual gifts
and rights which Christ has gained for, and given to, His Church." We also state:
"The officers of the Church publicly administer their offices only by virtue of
delegated powers, conferred on them by the original possessors of such powers, and such
administration remains under the supervision of the latter, Col.4:17. Naturally all
Christians have also the right and the duty to judge and decide matters of doctrine, not
according to their own notions, of course, but according to the Word of God, I John 4:1; I
Pet.4:11."
IV. The Practical
Importance of the Voters' Assembly in the parish
The right and power of calling a pastor is given to the congregation and not by
District officials or another pastor who might want a certain person with his gifts or his
theology. Discipline that is carried out in the congregation must be done ultimately by
the congregation as is stated by Matthew 18. It very plainly states: "Tell it to the
church."
I have found in a parish with a Voters Assembly that the voters entrust the people that
they believe will carry out the task of the church and then those same voters hear in
report form the progress of the work of the church. The voters also have the right to
speak to the individuals that represent them with what they might like to be done and why.
I have as a parish pastor and as a District Vice President seen how a Voters Assembly
deals with heretics and immoral pastors. I have also seen how a Voters Assembly supports a
pastor who is faithful to the Scriptures in teaching and practice. Some people might say
that they have seen the power of the Voters Assembly abused. Yes, there might have been
some misuses of power and some things done not properly, but in the same manner dads and
moms have not always done right so should we throw out the God-given roles of fathers and
mothers. In the same way the Voter Assembly needs to be kept.
History has shown the importance of the rights and privileges of lay people making
decisions for the congregation. We probably have all read of the abusive leadership of
Pastor Stephen in the early days of our Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod. Dr. Carl
Mundinger in his book "Government in the Missouri Synod" actually stated
"Stephan had convinced his followers that he was their only means of grace. They
believed that outside Stephan there was no salvation."17 Listen to what happened then,
"The chaos that followed the removal of Stephan was also evident in the voters’
meetings of Trinity Congregation, St. Louis. Though this congregation was in many respects
a model congregation, its business meetings were not opened with prayer during the entire
first year of its existence." That was done after the Stephan mess. Do you know why?
Listen: "The reason no prayer was said was that the pastor was not permitted to
attend the meetings of the voters, because the congregation was childishly afraid that it
might become a victim of priest rule if the pastor were tolerated in the voters’
meetings."18
The point of that illustration is not to eliminate the pastor from the voters assembly but
to learn that the laymen should never give up their right to govern the church. The people
of that day came to realize what was about to happen to them by a pastor. A pastor had
taken away their authority so gradually that they did not know what was happening. Laymen,
I am addressing you now! The very same thing is happening today. One or a few may give
reasons for dropping the Voters Assembly - for growth purposes, for doing things faster,
etc. But in the end your rights, your authority, your privileges are being taking away
without you know that. Take a stand now and keep your Voters Assembly.
I know that we cannot put the Synod on the same level of a congregation because the
Synod is a man made institution and the congregation is established by the Lord. But we
can reflect on the 1960s and 1970s and see how we almost lost our church as we know it,
but, I believe, it was the layman who held to the Bible turned our church around with the
guidance of Bible believing pastors. Those laymen studied the issues and went to meetings
after meetings to become well versed about the problem of the false doctrines. The same is
true of congregations within our church body. Layman, please study the Word and hold to
the truths of that Word and keep your governing responsibilities within your
congregations.
V. Conclusions
It is plain from the Scriptures that all of us, pastors and laymen, are part of the
priesthood of believers. In the midst of the Church the Lord has congregations where the
believers in their midst call a pastor, and with that pastor hold on to the truths of
God’s Word . It is also clear from the Holy Scriptures that people had the right and
obligation in making decisions within the church. So the Voters Assembly is keeping with
the Holy Scriptures.
Dr. A. L. Barry, our Synodical President stated it this way in his book "Church
and Ministry" put out for our 150th Anniversary:
"Walther and the Missouri Synod said that the Office of the Ministry has its origin
in its divine institution by Jesus Christ with the call of the apostles. The keys that
pastors administer as bearers of the Office are the same keys Christ first gave to His
Church, and to all members of the church. Pastors employ these keys, by God’s
command, as a matter of public responsibility. This remains the position of the Lutheran
Church - Missouri Synod, and I submit that all of us within our Synod would do well to
take this position to heart even after almost 150 years of history."19
Professor Thomas N. Lindsay, in his book History of the Reformation, states
that Luther’s message and movement were, "...democratic in that they, (1)
destroyed the aristocracy of the saints; (2) leveled the barriers between the layman and
the priest; (3) taught the equality of all men before God, and (4) the right to every man
of faith to stand in God’s presence whatever be his rank and condition of life."
If that is true, why do we want to take away from the saints what Luther obtained for us
through Holy Scriptures?
I believe that I have seen most of the forms of governments that people try to
formulate, but I have not seen a better system for keeping the balance between the
congregation and pastor than the Voters Assembly. I have also not seen a better system in
carrying out the work of the Lord. Our congregation in St. Francis, Minnesota, has in its
bulletin each Sunday our purpose based upon the Great Commission of the Lord: "Being
Disciple - Making Disciples." As we hold to the Scriptures and use those Scriptures,
God will provide the growth as He promised in Isaiah, chapter 55: "It (God’s
Word) will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the
purpose for which I sent it." As an example of the fulfillment of that promise, we in
our congregation have experienced, by the grace of God, some of the largest numbers of
adult converts in our District and have a huge number in Bible studies. Why would I want
to take the Voters Assembly away and have the laymen miss out on the joys with the church
and decision making process of an exciting church? Yes, I believe that we should keep the
Voters Assembly!