By Rev. Todd Peperkorn, Admissions Counselor

One of the many issues facing the Church today is the question of what and how to train pastors. What does it mean to be an undershepherd for Christ’s sheep? What would convince a man to give up a stable job and a good life to turn to uncertainty for his family and go study to become a pastor?

A pastor exists to give people Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins. This defines and gives shape to what we teach here at CTS. What we teach are the Scriptures, the Creeds and the Confessions of the Church. Our Lutheran fathers put it this way in the introduction to the Book of Concord:

". . . we have directed our churches and schools first of all to the Holy Scriptures and the Creeds, and then to the aforementioned Augsburg Confession. We desire particularly that the young men who are being trained for service in the church and for the holy ministry be faithfully and diligently instructed therein, so that the pure teaching and confession of the faith may be preserved and perpetuated among our posterity through the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit until the glorious advent of our only Redeemer and Saviour Jesus Christ." (Tappert, p. 11)

At the heart of studying to become a pastor is the Holy Scriptures, where we learn how Christ gives Himself to the Church, namely, through the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Holy Sacraments.

May God continue to raise up men who will give their lives in service of this wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ.

From Volume 2, Issue 5, September/October 1998