DELTO Information

DELTO (Distance Education Leading to Ordination) provides contextual theological education leading to ordination for men who provide pastoral service to congregations or in situations that cannot support a full-time pastor or missionary.

DELTO Admission Criteria

  1. Applicants should be mature in faith and life (ordinarily no less than 30 years of age), have significant experience in the Church, adequate post-secondary school course work and experience to enable successful completion of the program.
  2. Applicants must be communicant members in good standing of an LC-MS congregation, supported by their spouses (if married) and other immediate family members, and be sufficiently committed to the Lutheran faith to represent the LC-MS in their unique situation.
  3. Applicants must be male and have demonstrated the aptitude to serve in the pastoral office as identified in Scripture (esp. I Timothy 3 & Titus 1).
  4. Applicants must be in, or entering, a word and sacrament ministry where no seminary-prepared pastor is available and where his presence and ministry is expected both during and after the completion of the program.
  5. The District in which the applicant serves and his District President must screen and recommend the applicant to the program.
  6. The District in which the applicant serves, his District President and his congregation must recognize and support the ministry situation in which the applicant will receive his training
  7. After the first ten courses applicants must be paired with an ordained pastor of the LCMS who will serve as their Mentor/Vicarage Supervisor throughout the course of study.

Mentor/vicarage supervisors must be approved according to standardized criteria and agree to provide appropriate feedback to their student and to the seminary on a regular basis. Each mentor/vicarage supervisor must have the permission of his own congregation to be engaged in this educational endeavor.

Steps in DELTO Application:

  1. Gather Information
    1. Personal Data Sheet Filled out
    2. Biography Sheet Filled Out including:
      1. Summary of Word and Sacrament Ministry
      2. Summary of Other Ministry Experience
    3. Summary of training
      1. LAP/AMC/CU/Other Training Records on courses taken
        1. OT Bible
        2. NT Bible
        3. Christian Doctrine Summary
        4. Interpreting the Bible in Translation
        5. Basic Preaching
        6. Lutheran Worship I
        7. Fundamental Pastoral Care
        8. Teaching the Faith
        9. Mission Outreach in Context
        10. Church History I
      2. Transcripts from universities, others.
      3. LAP records that might be of assistance.
    4. Correspondence with District/Seminaries/LAP/Others pertinent to this applicant.
  2. Gather Letters of Recommendation
    1. Local Pastor
    2. Congregational Leaders
    3. Other Clergy/church professionals
    4. Letters from those served by applicant
    5. LAP
    6. District President
  3. Competency Exams
    1. OT
    2. NT
    3. Doctrine
  4. Fill Out Application Forms from Seminary
    1. Application from Seminary filled out by applicant
    2. Application sent to LAP for review, suggestions, etc.
    3. Approval/certification by District President
    4. Application and supporting data and letters sent to the seminary with a cover letter from LAP.