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Young people who would make good pastors need to be encouraged to enter the ministry and the WordAlone Network wants to help them financially after they are ordained.
In October 2006, 48 percent of active Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastors were age 55 or older, according to figures from the ELCA Board of Pensions. With the expected retirement of baby boomers, there will not be sufficient newly ordained pastors to replace them. A couple of years ago at least 20 percent of ELCA congregations were not served by regularly called pastors. In recent years synods have only been getting, on average, about one-third of the new, first-call pastors needed.
Small, rural or urban congregations that have difficulty paying pastors a living wage are most at risk. Heavy seminary debts force seminarians to only accept calls paying a higher salary.
For example, 70 percent of students graduating from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., have some educational debt. The average amount is $41,681. They may have additional consumer debt. We need to support them financially, as they must pay for their seminary educations themselves.
Recognizing the need, WordAlone established a Seminary Debt Relief Fund in 2002 to help provide confessional Lutheran pastors who will serve Christ's church. You can read eligibility requirements and procedures on the Core Values page.
For the past two years there has not been enough money in the fund to award eligible applicants the full $5,000 annual maximum. We have not been able to give significant debt relief to qualified applicants. To support the fund, specifically designate on the gift check’s memo line that it is for the WordAlone Seminary Debt Relief Fund. Amounts given to WordAlone without any designation are used for general budget expenses.
Seven more pastors were ordained in 2007 under the 2001 bylaw amendment and thus may be eligible to apply for financial assistance. It is very important that we assist newly or recently ordained pastors with heavy seminary debts, freeing them to serve Jesus Christ and us.
The grants will be made in the spring and will be the disbursement of all funds designated for the seminary debt relief fund and received in the WordAlone office by the end of 2007. March 1 is the deadline for eligible pastors to apply for grants.
The WordAlone Network requests your financial aid for these pastors not ordained by a bishop.