For the October 2006. Volume Ten, Number Four Blest Be the Time That Binds -p. 4 Shepherds Formed by Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd -p. 7 The Pilgrim Seminary -p. 10 What Does This Mean? -p. 13 CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL SE M IN AR Y PRE S S By the Rev. Robert E. Smith In the 1800s,the American dream lured millions of Gelmans to the frontier of a growing nation. The promise of a better life drew them to leave behind aU they knew. And with civilization they left behind the church. Scattered in the wilderness, they longed for the preaching of God's Word and the gifts of His Sacraments. Few pastors came to America and still fewer American pastors could 'p ak their language. When a missionary finally visited them, God's people would implore him to stay. "How necessary it is to send a true shepherd to us," pleaded Adam We el, elder at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne. "The harvest is great, but, alas, there are no workers! But if it isn't possible to send us a preacher, then send u a circuit rider in spite of this. We are hungry and thirsty for God 's Word!" hrist hcard this plea and sent Pastor Friedlich \Vynck0fl and others to serve His scattered German flock. This strong, steel-willed, and enl;rgetic missi nary was perfect for the frontier. Yet he quickly discovered the need wa. far too great for him alo ne. He wrote many letters to Germany crying out: Thousands of families, your fellow believers. perhaps even your brother. and sisters in the flesh. are hungry for the Gospel's powerful food. h y imploT you, crying alit in distress: "Oh, help LIS' Give us preach rs who wi ll strcn~rthen us with the Bread of Life .... I beg you, God willing, lake up the work and quickly walk together! Stop conferring about it' Hurry' Hurry! All thilt matler. is that there are eternal souls to redeem '" Some pastors came but not nearly enough to meet the need. In June oj' 1841 Wyneken went to Germany to seek attention for a throat ailment and to plcild ~ r pastors in person. He lectured wherever possible and J d with Dr. Wi lhelm L6he in 1842. Dr. Uihe helped the missionary compile and publi~h hi. Macedonian call as: The N eed ofGerman Lutherans in Vorlh America: As Fried rich Wyneken Laid Iliff/un the Ileart of Their l-'e//ow Believers in the Home/all . He also suggested to the Bavarian pastor that it might be advisable to build a seminary in America where men could quickly prepare to serve Christ on the American frontier. In September of 1846, Dr. Lohe and his friends founded a small 'eminary in th' parsonage of Dr. Wilhelm Sihler. pastor at SI. Paul Lutheran Church of Fon Wayne. Al its second convention, Concordia Theological Seminary bevlm the lirst seminary owned and operated by The Lutheran Church-Mis souri Synod. Soon. seconcl career men arrived from Germany to prepare for the minislJ.'y. Through l11uch hard work and OCTOBER 2006 In September of 1846, Dr. LOhe and his friends founded a small seminary in the parsonage of Dr. Wilhelm Sihler, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Fort Wayne. At its second convention, Concordia Theological Seminary became the first seminary owned and operated by The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. 11 Today the seminary continues to answer Christ's call to meet the church's need. It has expanded its program to train pastors and leaders for Lutheran churches around the world. In 2003, the seminary began training deaconesses to bring God's mercy to those with many physical needs. 12 the donations of German and American friends, the seminary took root along the Maumee River. The program grew to include high school education, a pre-seminary program. and a college for English-speaking students. The Fort Wayne seminary became knO\vn as the "practical seminary" bec,luse the focus of its instruction was to prepare pastors as quickly as possible. They soon encountered the need that Christ sent them to fill. While in the last few months of supervision by Dr. Sihler, Pastor Georg Streckfuss traveled to three settlements as far as 50 miles from Fort Wayne. He fell ill twice with the fever, once for 11 days in Columbia City, Indiana. and once in Avilla. Indiana. In the first town 22 others were also ill and four women died. He traveled through the forest. waded through the swamps, preached, taught. comforted, taught parents how they should instruct their children, and distributed news from home and other writings. On this one trip he baptized 32 ehildrcn, some of whom died of fever not long after entering God's kingdom. Afterwards he wrote to Pastor Lohe: "There is for me 1]0 way too far or too hard and no work too much. I want to go wherever my Lord sends." Nine years later, Dr. Sihler thanked God: "Praise God who has so richly blessed this endeavor ... God pours this spiritual, heavenly, and everlasting blessing into His GospcL through Christ, for whose public proclamation He has created the holy office of preacher ... [by His mercy], God has sent them shepherds ::md teachers after His own heart ." When the Civil. War tore onc American from another, the Synod moved the "practical scminary" to SI. Louis ",!here it shared quarters with "the theoretical seminary." The high school and college students in SI. Louis were moved (0 Fort Wayne to become Concordia College. In spite of thc hardships of Civil War Missouri, the two seminaries were blessed by sharing professors. Students from two very different schools grew close to the men who would later minister alongside of them. For 14 years the two seminaries prospered. Soon the sons of the Missouri Synod's first members began to arrive in St. Louis. The Synod accepted the offer of Luthl~rans in Springfield, Illinois. to give Concordia Theological Seminary a new home. In Springfie ld the seminary served Christ by mecting the church's emerging needs. The German model of pastoral education began when students were confirmed. Springfield'li Concordia accepted students who began their training later in life. Many small, confessional Lutheran synods could not afford to found their own seminaries. The semill<ll'Y trCLined them as well. When the Missouri Synod began the transition from German language worship and instruction, Concordia began to teach seminary students in English. As the pulpits of her church body filled, the practical seminary increased its educational standards. As a seminary dedicated to Christ's mission, Concordia prepared missionaries ail \vell. Its graduates reached out to African Americans, the deaf. and others. After World War ll. Concordia prepared its students to serve their Lord in far away mission tieJds. In 1976. the pilgrim seminary returned to its Fort Wayne roots. To save operating expenses, Concordia Senior College merged with Concordia College of Ann Arbor, Michigan. ConconJia Theological Seminary moved to the Senior College's beautiful Eero Saarinen campus on Fort Wayne's north side. Today the seminary continues to answer Christ's call to meet the church's need. It has expanded its program to train pastors and leaders for Lutheran churches around the world. ln 2003, the semjnary began training deaconesses to bring God's mercy to those with many physical needs. One hundred and fifty years ago Pastor Sihler praised God for the blessings of laborers sco! into the harvest fie Id of souls. Christ, the Good Shepherd, has found His lost sheep. He has .sent thousands of shepherds from Fort Wayne, St. Louis, Springfickl. and Fort Wayne agaio. They preach His Word. share His means of grace, and faithfully guide generations into His eternal pastures. Today He seeks the lost and still sends shepherds to care for souls. Join us in thanking Christ for His end.less grace and love. The Rev. Robert E. Smith is the Electronic Resources Librarian at Concordia Theological Seminary, ForI Wayne, Indiana. For the Life of the World