Something is missing!
As I was considering the statistics listed in the box for “At a Glance: The LCMS Today” (p. 8, January), I realized that one rather important and, perhaps, “telling” statistic was grossly missing: the number of clergymen serving in full-time Synod or district positions.
The disparity between “clergy” (9,164) and those “serving a parish” (5,356) is lessened when adding in “missionaries,” “chaplains,” “campus ministries,” plus the much-needed clergy on our faculties. However, I more than suspect that we might be amazed at the number of clergy in full-time administrative positions.
When I entered our Lord’s ministry, for instance, full-time district presidents were virtually unheard of. Are there any part-time district presidents today? And what about the use of our clergy in other positions of administration where a layman might be well used? To the best of my knowledge, both of our seminaries exist, primarily, for the training of parish pastors.
Rev. R.R. Krueger, emeritus
Branson, Mo.
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