wfn.org | Modified lay pastor proposal passes committee

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01-July-1996 
 
GA96043 
 
 
    Modified lay pastor proposal passes committee 
 
    ALBUQUERQUE-A modified version of the proposal to extend the role of 
commissioned lay pastors was approved Monday afternoon by the commissioner 
committee on Church Orders and Ministry. 
 
    The committee left most of the proposal from the National Ministries 
Division intact, but made one major change: it said that only ordained 
elders may hold the position of commissioned lay pastor. 
 
    The change will most affect developing congregations in immigrant 
communities, one of several fields where commissioned lay preachers are 
already in use. 
 
    Prior to organization, a fellowship community cannot ordain elders. A 
way around that dilemma was proposed. Mark Tammen from the Constitutional 
Services Department of the Office of the General Assembly told the 
committee that an established church could ordain an elder from the 
community and send them back to the new church development. Thus, 
commissioned lay pastors can be provided to developing congregations. 
 
    Two attempts to substitute other proposals were easily defeated by the 
committee 
 
    Committee members appeared swayed by the testimony of 25 persons -- 
including two former General Assembly moderators -- during an open hearing 
Monday morning. 
 
    John Fife, moderator of the 204th General Assembly and a minister from 
Tucson, Ariz., told the committee that the commissioned lay pastor proposal 
was "the most important agenda item before this General Assembly." David 
Dobler, moderator of the 205th General Assembly and executive presbyter for 
Yukon Presbytery, called commissioned lay pastors the "heart and soul of 
the presbytery." 
 
    Commissioned lay pastors serving ethnic or small, rural congregations, 
and presbytery staff persons made up the majority of those speaking. All 
were in favor of the proposal to give the lay pastors the authority to 
baptize, perform weddings, moderate sessions, and have voice and vote in 
their presbyteries. They noted the opportunity to reach thousands of new 
members and to turn around older congregations which are in decline because 
they can't afford or find ordained ministers. 
 
    Some speakers voiced concern about keeping education standards high for 
the commissioned lay preachers. Others doubted the need for all the new 
powers. Under the proposal, presbyteries will be responsible for training 
the commissioned lay pastors and monitoring their work. They will also be 
able to specify which of the roles each commissioned lay pastor will have. 
 
    Prior to voting on the proposal, the Church Orders and Ministry 
committee met in joint session with the Catholicity committee. Michael 
Livingstone, chair of the special committee on the Consultation on Church 
Union (COCU), said that if the new powers are bestowed on commissioned lay 
pastors there would be no conflict with the COCU agreements. 
 
    The proposal, as a part of the committee's report, now goes to the 
208th General Assembly for consideration. If approved by the Assembly 
commissioners, it will then go to the 171 presbyteries for further 
consideration as it calls for changes in the Book of Order. A simple 
majority of the presbyteries would have to approve the changes. 
 
John Sniffen 

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