Lutheran Theological Seminary - Australia

From the beginning, LM-A has expressed its desire to see the office of deaconess restored in Australian Lutheran churches. Deaconess Kathleen Mills and Dr Stephen Pietsch were tasked with drafting a theological rationale for the role of deaconesses in LM-A, which has since been edited and approved by the College of Pastors and received by the LM-A Committee of Management. The paper examines the Biblical basis and history of deaconesses, how the office of deaconess differs from the Office of the Ministry, the theology of mercy and the work of the deaconess and the reasons for having deaconesses serving in LM-A. The paper further explores the training and the servant heart required by deaconesses.

‍Biblical Basis and History

‍In Acts 6:1-7, the apostolic church appointed seven men—Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus—to serve as deacons.[2] This was a response to complaints that the widows of Greek-speaking Jews were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. The apostles delegated this “serving tables” role to the seven men so that the apostles could focus on prayer and the ministry of the word. This is an expression of obedience to the command to love and serve the poor and needy which Christ gives to his church in Matt 19:21 and John 13:14. This diaconal service of mercy continued in the early and later eras of church.

The biblical basis for the office of deaconess is found primarily in the qualifications listed in 1 Tim 3:11, for women in roles of service and mercy, alongside the example of Phoebe in Romans 16:1-2, who is described as a “deacon” (servant) and a valuable helper. These verses, along with passages like Titus 2:3-5 and 1 Timothy 5:9-10, show that women served in roles of service, care for the sick and poor, and instructing younger women, and were held to a high standard of character in these roles.

On Sunday 7 September, LM-A President Matt Anker and Pastor Michael Prenzler joyfully announced that Lutheran Theological Seminary - Australia (LTS-A) will open its doors for students in January 2027 in the Greater Adelaide area.

The announcement was made during an Adelaide Northern Suburbs Lutheran Mission service, where Pastor Michael serves as half-time pastor as well as his half-time call as Seminary Development Officer.

Pastor Michael explained the name and logo of LTS-A during the children’s address, and in his sermon explained that ‘the seminary will form pastors, deaconesses and lay-people to become disciples of Jesus and to make more disciples. They will serve the church and those who are yet to know Jesus, through Word and Sacrament, works of mercy and witnessing. They will bring Jesus’ gifts to you to forgive your sins, comfort you in your suffering and strengthen your faith in His promises for your eternal future.’

Since the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation, the letters VDMA have served not only as a theological symbol but as a confessional device and mark of protestant denominational identity. These anglicised letters serve as an acronym for the Latin phrase Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum (VDMA) which translates as, ‘The Word of the Lord Endures Forever’ (derived from Isaiah 40:8 and 1 Peter 1:23-25).

It is a declaration that God not only transcends time, but He is faithful to His promises and will not abandon His chosen people. He will work through the history of Israel for the salvation of all nations, for all who abide in His Word.

In Isaiah 40-55, we see that although Israel had sinned and had been sent into exile in Babylon, the God who manifested His holiness by wrath speaks to his people as their ‘redeemer’ (41:14), creator (43:1), and ‘Saviour’ (43:3). The Lord who once freed them from bondage in Egypt pledges, ‘I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’ (41:10,13; 43:1,5). God will bring His people back from Babylon against all opposition and will bring comfort to Jerusalem (40:1-9). Kingdoms can rise and fall (40:15-17). The Lord and His Word are above history and all human arrogance.

Today marks a very significant day in the history of Lutheran Mission – Australia. As we formally announce our plans for the formation of Lutheran Theological Seminary - Australia (LTS-A), we are looking to the future with confidence in God’s provision and His continued blessing as we seek to be faithful to His Word and serve the people of this country and beyond for years to come. From our earliest conversations regarding the formation of Lutheran Mission – Australia, we recognised the importance of establishing our own seminary if this new church body was to have a future. A seminary not only forms servants for Christ’s church, but it also safeguards the doctrine of the church by ensuring these servants are formed under the same teaching and united in the same confession.

Lutheran Theological Seminary - Australia is committed to in-person instruction which not only delivers the knowledge that is required to serve as pastors and deaconesses but also provides the environment for Godly formation within the community of faith. Studying and living in community is the essential seed bed that grows men and women for faithful service in congregational communities

Tasmin Bourne is Lutheran Mission -Australia’s latest seminary student. He will complete his pastoral studies at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary St Catharine’s in Canada.

Tasmin has prepared a profile of his family, faith journey and the call to serve God’s people as a pastor.

G’day. How’s it goin mate? (I very much miss not being able to greet people like this)

The first academic year here in St. Louis has recently come to an end. It’s been a long sprint of three terms, starting in late August, and finishing in the middle of May, with just three weeks break over Christmas. Surprisingly, the biggest difference I have noticed between ALC (Australian Lutheran College) and CSL (Concordia St. Lois), is that when you are in term, they work hard, and due to changes in the schedule, we are in class a LOT. At ALC we had a generous split of twenty-eight weeks of classes per year, and twenty-four weeks of holiday, at CSL, this year I will be surprised if I have more than eight weeks of break, total. Now do not mistake this observation as a complaint. This rigorous culture of academic study and practical formation activities has been wonderful to be a part of. President Anker was kind enough to share that he has noticed a significant positive change in me in the ten months since I have been here.

My classmates and I were sitting in the chapel the other day and saw the first-year Greek students enter, and it dawned on us that we are now second-year students. The year has flown by, and I have learnt a lot. I am currently taking summer classes (Hebrew 1 and Hebrew 2) so no rest for the wicked really!

People often describe the academic experience here as trying to drink from a fire hose - and after a year of study I can concur. When the quarter starts you know you have 10 weeks of intense learning, trying to take in and learn as much as you can, all while balancing academic life with your field work commitments and family.

On 7-8 June, Dr Stephen Pietsch led a wonderful weekend of learning and mutual encouragement at the ‘Before Christ and the World - What it means to be a confessional Lutheran’ Seminar, which was held at St John’s Lutheran Church in Tanunda SA. The event was attended by approximately 100 people, with a large number of people viewing the livestream.

The seminar began with an opening responsive prayer service, led by Pastor Lee van Rossen, and a warm welcome on a very cold, wet day from Pastor Mathew Ker, who acted as MC throughout the weekend.

Dr Pietsch began the seminar by exploring why Christians have confessed their faith since the very earliest days of the church, what confessing actually means, and why “confessing the faith clearly and openly teaching the doctrines of Scripture is an essential calling of all Christians, and is according to Luther, a ‘mark of the church’, that it teaches, confesses and proclaims the word of God.”

After a sumptuous morning tea, provided by Barossa Lutheran Mission who were our hosts for the weekend, participants returned for the second session, in which Dr Pietsch focused in on the Lutheran Confessions, discussing the context in which they were developed and why they continue to be the confession of the Lutheran church almost 500 years later. As Dr Pietsch explained, the Confessions “clearly express the whole witness of Scripture which is the rule and norm for our teaching and practice.” He emphasised that the Bible is the “norm of norms” - the overarching authority under which the Confessions sit.

On Saturday, 17 May, LM-A President Matt Anker delivered the Commencement Address to the graduating students of Concordia Seminary St Louis. During the ceremony he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity in recognition of his “outstanding service to the church” …

…Speaking to the students and all assembled in the Main Quadrangle of the 186-year-old seminary, Pastor Matt said:

You are all about to begin a divine adventure that will unfold before you in the coming years and which you will look back on in astonishment as you see the twists and turns it has taken under God’s fatherly and divine providence. Having sat at the feet of faithful professors and heading out into a church body that, for all its flaws, remains a beacon of hope for confessional Lutherans worldwide, you can take these steps with confidence. For you do not embark on a journey of your own making or on your own authority – but you go as one who is sent by the Lord through His church. Ambassadors of reconciliation and bearers of hope.

Wherever the church has been planted and nurtured through God’s spiritual means, it has needed to raise up pastors and workers. Jesus did this in his own ministry, calling the twelve, first as his disciples (students). Later, after his resurrection, he sent them as apostles (commissioned witnesses). Those first pastors of the church with the authority of Jesus to baptise, preach and teach, forgive and retain sins, administer the Lord’s Supper, and to guide and protect God’s people in Christ’s own name.

We spoke with Sandra Rhein, Deaconess and Sacred Music Educator, LCMS Asia. Sandra, together with her husband Rob, a retired professor of music, recently travelled to Australia to present sessions at ‘Sacred Song,’ a Creative Word Fellowship Young Adults and Families camp.

In this interview, Sandra shares a little about herself, how she came to become a deaconess and how God has used her in that role in surprising ways.

The LM-A Committee of Management, along with the directors of LM-A, have called Rev. Michael Prenzler to serve in a dual role as church planter in the Adelaide metropolitan area and as Seminary Development Officer.

Please pray for Pastor Michael and his family as he seeks to discern God’s will in regard to this call.