Donald Fehlauer posted on October 05, 2005 00:00
God instituted the Office of the Public Ministry (the Pastor) so that the Word of God and the Sacraments may be administered in Christ’s name (Matthew 28:18-20).
God has commanded Christians to form congregations and call faithful men to publicly preach and teach God's Word and administer the Sacraments for them (Acts 14:21-23).
Only males, qualified according to Scripture and rightly called by the congregation, may publicly preach, teach, and administer the Sacraments (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9).
We reject the practice of placing women into the Pastoral Office (1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Corinthians 14:34-38). We reject allowing practicing homosexuals or others who refuse to repent their sins to hold the Pastoral Office. In some cases, men who have repented a public sin may not be allowed to continue in the Pastoral Office. They are forgiven, but their public sin may cause people to ridicule the Office and reject God's Word.