Do Not Wait for Synod Leadership
Why the laity must become urgently assertive over Synod institutions to protect the vulnerable and innocent, and regain high fidelity institutional governance.
Immorality Defiles the Church
1 CORINTHIANS 5:1-14
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Immorality Must Be Judged
I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
EDITORIAL — Recent events surrounding the arrest and federal detention of Central Illinois District President, Rev. Michael Mohr, have once again exposed a persistent weakness in how the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and its institutional response to allegations of sexual and other misconduct.
In the wake of Mohr, Synod leadership has responded in a fragmented and reactive manner because the corporation’s institutional governance and risk management have demonstrated systemic weaknesses, despite knowing our age is thoroughly wicked and perverse (Philippians 2:15). Loopholes exist because we have preferred lawyerly compromise over Scripture, which has thus far prevented decisive removal of Mohr (Titus 1:6-9, 1 Timothy 3:2-5). To add insult to injury, silence is demanded by LCMS bylaws.
These are harsh words, but they are true words, and Missouri needs to return to the truth and light of Christ Jesus, not the other Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4) we use as a get-out-of-jail card, but the real one in the Bible. This is not a time for the habitual praise-singing about leadership’s “faithful handling” of XYZ.
Consequently, Ad Crucem News is facing significant pressure to cease coverage and avoid criticizing processes and leadership, including accusations that we are violating the Eighth Commandment and being “incendiary”. Yet, Scripture is clear:
Hebrews 12:11
No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.Ephesians 5:8-14
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
The Mohr case is proximate to the actual root cause: the LCMS has fallen into a dreadful antinomian and universalist stupor, stemming from its deformation of the doctrine of justification. Dr. David Scaer is thoroughly vindicated in this fact.1
It is of a piece that demands we appreciate how the Synod is now more “Confessional.”
“Young pastors and laity today likely have no idea how bad things were getting for confessional pastors and congregations, and for Confessional Lutheranism in general.”
It turns out that there is a lot you can hide under flashy chasubles and high liturgical piety.
This insistence that we look at bronzed external forms is also reflected in the reflexive, emotionally dysregulated outpourings of Synod pastors on social media, kvetching about how sad they are for themselves, and how everyone must be more winsome and super empathetic. Many want to be the first to offer the most mercy and grace, without clarifying what true contrition and repentance must look like or even considering that some must be handed over to Satan (1 Corinthians 5:5).
In the Mohr case, formal criminal proceedings advanced more rapidly than ecclesiastical processes because the Synod was unprepared. It evidently did not have a risk management plan and internal governance procedures in place to ensure it could keep pace with the judicial and news cycle for a scandal of this magnitude.
It is almost unthinkable, given the resources and budget at the disposal of the Synod, that it was not prepared for a sexual misconduct scandal involving one of its highest-ranking clerics. It is even more inexcusable because just a few months ago, the corporation was caught napping with the Southeastern District scandal. Likewise, well-publicized abuse cases, such as the multi-decade sexual crimes at Camp Kanakuk, should have set urgent review processes in motion long ago.
These are critical leadership failings that cannot be glossed over. There are recognizable patterns because a system's purpose is what it does. The purpose and the people must change. The central focus for the upcoming National Convention should be wholesale governance reform, starting with the adoption of a “duty to prevent” framework.
In the meantime, the lesson for those at the bottom of the food chain is clear: waiting for centralized action and meaningful leadership is not a safeguarding strategy, but a liability. Given the leadership vacuum, power must transfer to the pews (Galatians 6:9-10)
Power to the Pews
LCMS parishioners need to regain assertiveness over our institutions, from the congregation up, until we can once again be equally yoked with the clergy. Waiting for denominational statements, committees, or task forces does not prevent abuse; it simply postpones or deflects accountability.
Forward this editorial to your pastors, congregational presidents, school principals, tertiary institution presidents, and all the other bigwigs. Let them know the clock is ticking and that they will be held accountable here and in eternity (James 3:1).
Let’s start here: by February 28, 2026, demand that your church, your district, the parochial schools, Concordias, the Seminaries, the RSOs, the auxiliaries, the partners, and the corporation all have a provisional framework in place to manage the risks surrounding sexual abuse. It can include things like:
Updated safeguarding standards and learning from best practice.
Travel and housing risk protocols.
Supervisor background checks and training requirements.
Signed church worker training manuals.
Reporting and escalation pathways.
External audit or review mechanisms.
Summer camps, the Youth Gathering, Higher Things, March for Life, and any church travel-away situations need heightened attention. Do not pay a deposit or fee for an event that may place your child at risk of grooming and exploitation because it does not have detailed risk management plans with clear lines of accountability extending to your church’s chaperones and how they interact with each other and your kids.
Operation Degroomer
Mohr is innocent until he pleads or is proven guilty. However, in hindsight, his behavior patterns were very concerning and should have been identified and acted on earlier. Statistically, it is improbable that Mohr is the sole example of a currently rostered LCMS individual who can be charged with the alleged production of child pornography or other sexual crimes.
He relied on his clerical and a stuffed toy, “Backpack Bear,” as disarming devices that provided a plausible purpose for photographing minors he was chaperoning (we have seen photos from his Facebook account, which has since been taken offline). Which photos never made it into public view? Nobody thought anything of the jolly Rev always taking pictures.
Go through ALL the media in the feeds of your leaders, church, school, and the LCMS institutions you have associations with. Look for concerning patterns and, preferably, remove identifying close-up photos of children.
If your pastor or professor has a fondness for public displays of children’s toys, video game culture, or movie culture, tell him to put away childish things. Pastors, stop with the open-mouth Redditor photos; be sober-minded (1 Peter 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:6).
It is not a witch hunt, and we are not vigilantes, so do not make accusations or do anything that will land you in jail. If you lack the emotional register to do this work dispassionately, please allow others to take the lead.
If you encounter inappropriate media or have concerns about a pattern of behavior, you should take it to a mandated reporter for his or her consideration (requirements vary by state). Pastors, nobody is asking you to break the confessional seal.
Travel Proofing
Experience across churches, schools, nonprofits, youth organizations, and universities shows that abuse is rarely random. It flourishes in predictable conditions:
Overnight trips and retreats.
Do not assume that your 18-22-year-old is automatically safe and safeguarded by their age in a tertiary setting.
Mixed-sex or mixed-authority housing.
Same-sex arrangements are not immune, as illustrated by the Mohr case.
Unstructured “downtime” during travel.
Weak supervision on transportation (mixed sex and authority seating).
Informal leadership hierarchies.
Assumptions that “this could not happen here”.
Adults with independent, unsupervised access to the lodging quarters of children.
These are routine features of church life, but it is no longer enough to proceed on trust. The reality is that when proximity, ambiguous authority, and inadequate oversight converge, risk explodes.
Every congregation, school, and ministry that sends young people on trips, retreats, tours, or gatherings should implement without delay:
Increased adult-to-participant ratios.
Mixed sex groups must include at least one woman and one male chaperone.
Total separation of sleeping and housing arrangements. No unrelated adult (including chaperones) should have unsupervised access to the bedrooms and bathrooms used by children.
Supervised seating and travel protocols.
Multiple and visible accountable supervisors at all times.
Clear protocols for unrelated adult chaperones with regard to their social mixing and “off duty” activities.
Zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs (vaping as well because cartridges can be loaded with drugs).
Documented reporting chains that bypass personal loyalties.
Awareness training before every excursion for participants and chaperones, with regular refreshes for long trips.
Regular check-ins: “Do you have any concerns today?”
Written incident documentation and review.
They are necessary marks of stewardship, not unhealthy distrust. Will it drive up costs and cause inconvenience? Absolutely. That is worth the price of never having your child placed in danger or suffering actual harm, both physical and spiritual. It is the minimum price for not disgracing the church, and it is why many should not become pastors (James 3:1).
Harm Reporting
Victims often fear not being believed, being isolated, shamed, or being professionally harmed if they report. Our institutions need reporting mechanisms as visible and trusted as a police call box in a dark parking lot. When victims are discouraged from reporting or left in procedural ambiguity, the message conveyed is that harm is too inconvenient to address.
In the Mohr case, the youngster who reported the alleged abuse is a hero, a lion among men, and to whom we owe an immense debt of gratitude. He is a David who slayed a Goliath, and the LCMS must honor him and his family appropriately. Well done, young man!
Conclusion
Scandals are often treated as anomalies. They are not. They are the predictable result of weak governance, delayed action, and misplaced trust.
Consequently, the Mohr case is not merely a criminal matter, but a last and final warning to us.
Do not wait for Synod leadership. Do not wait for committees. Do not wait for perfect information. Protect the vulnerable now. Strengthen supervision now. Demand clear standards now. Forgiveness requires truth, and care requires action. Stewardship requires courage, and the cost of delay is measured in lives, faith, and trust.
Postscript
Dear District Presidents,
On November 26, 2025, we recommended that each of you urgently form a task force to scrutinize the schools you are accountable for, because there are other problems that will inevitably come to light. Have you actioned that suggestion?
We also recommend that you spend a lot of time examining what your district pastors preach and do, because probability suggests there are more things waiting to blow up. Please deal with them proactively.
A decade ago, Rev. Mohr gave a sermonette on KFUO from John 18:1-14, which illustrated a fatal Law/Gospel error that is standard fare in the LCMS and would probably receive high marks in a seminary setting. It has been disappeared from https://www.kfuo.org/2015/06/19/ht-2015-06-19/. However, the WayBack Machine has everything archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20241015211242/https://www.kfuo.org/2015/06/19/ht-2015-06-19/
An expert’s succinct diagnosis:
“Law” - we want purpose and victory
“Gospel” - only Jesus has purpose and victory
Correction - Christ gives us purpose and victory over sin through His purposeful victory
----
Audio excerpt from a recent episode of a Brief History of Power illustrates the sin problem well:
This is one of the reasons that I, as a pastor, do not participate myself in youth events/retreats/conferences. I ask parents to go as the chaperones and I stay home and write my sermon.
First, because we live in a society that is eager to accuse clergy.
Second, because pastors should not do anything that could open the door for accusation (not that this is completely avoidable, but everything he can do he should).
Third, because pastors don't have to be involved with every activity to which the youth attend.
If I must go, I will get my own hotel room and likely in a different hotel (I have a dog that comes with me).
These days pastors have to be extra careful to protect themselves. A person could get upset at a pastor for no good reason and turn around and accuse the pastor of something horrible out of spite.
I have a camera in my office/study for when I'm doing counseling, so should anyone accuse me of anything, I can have a defense. The camera is right there where anyone can see it and I tell them that I record, especially if it's a female. We never want to show impropriety.
However this situation turns out, prayers for the district and the LCMS, for Mohr's family and for the families of the alleged victims. Pastors, do your due diligence! Make sure no one can accuse you of anything. Be above reproach; be mindful of where you put your hands and what your eyes see. I won't go so far as to say don't play video games, but be mindful of the type of games you play, that they aren't tempting you to do horrible things. If you're married, stay close to your wife. Be sure you have a Father Confessor with whom you can confess your sins and struggles. If you are single as I am, suffer all the more that you do not frequent the bars or clubs, but spend your "me time" praying the Catechism or reading the Psalms rather than hitting Facebook or worse.
Remember your baptism! Focus your time on sermon prep, bible study prep, visiting your shut-ins and the sick, and keeping yourself occupied. Put the freakin' cellphone down -- lose it like I do for a day every once in a while.
Upon reading this news, I have numerous thoughts, but for whatever it’s worth here are some of them:
(1) To be certain of the truth in this case, the public will have to wait until all the evidence from both sides is presented, but, considering the allegations, even though we don’t have all the evidence yet, it is reasonable and important to immediately take the precautions of suspending the charged clergyman from the positions or roles he has occupied, as suggested by Ad Crucem, until the involved parties have had the opportunity to officially present the evidence they have.
(2) Depending on whether the allegations against Mohr are true, if they are true, my sympathies are with any people he abused, and/or misled, if they are untrue, my sympathies are with Mohr.
(3) What has been a revealing, and in my opinion, embarrassing spectacle, is much of the public expressions on other social media sites, which leave the impression that LCMS officials, and commenters who appear to exhibit an attitude of blind faith in their beloved leaders, care more about how an incident like this case makes LCMS officials look, or about the corporate reputation, than about much worse harms inflicted. Official comments and press releases from the LCMS have communicated impassioned explanations which distance corporate LCMS and its officials from any responsibility for preventing Mohr’s alleged misconduct. LCMS authorities made a point of explaining they intend to fully cooperate with the civil authorities, which, of course, is what anyone would expect them to do, and everyone knows to do otherwise would be an indefensible public scandal. That distracts from the real question which is whether LCMS authorities supervising Mohr have a responsibility to prevent the alleged abuse? It is a good question, and one that should not be ignored if evidence shows the allegations to be true.
So many commenters on these other sites, in response to LCMS official press releases, have expressed their deep concern that this all must be so very difficult for the LCMS officials having to deal with this matter. Commenters offer their heartfelt sympathies and support… primarily for LCMS officials because they might have to endure some discomfort in dealing with this problem. I have good reason to believe there is a silent majority of LCMS churchgoers, and Christians in general, who are not easily fooled or manipulated by words in press releases. I have reason to believe a large number of Christians have a very similar reaction to the press releases as I have had. I doubt it is unusual for Christians observing the press releases and comments on them to roll their eyes, silently saying to themselves some version of, “Are you kidding me, so the big concern is that this incident is causing LCMS ecclesiastical supervisors some discomfort?” Christians who have suffered from church worker misconduct, especially where church officials have refused to hold church worker perpetrators accountable, recognize infuriating hypocrisy, but usually continue to suffer in silence. Based on my own long-term observation and experience in LCMS church communities both on the West Coast, and in the Midwest, I believe their instincts are correct to feel that way. I thank our Lord for our civil authorities who often seem to be the only authorities left with the strength to enforce God’s good laws that are in place to protect vulnerable sheep against harm by church worker misconduct of a serious nature that profoundly continues to erode faith and trust.
A commenter on the recently documented case of mistreatment of congregants of the Pastor who publicly modeled a transgender affirming stole, explained the numbers of people profoundly hurt by church worker misconduct are likely to be considerably higher than what is reported statistically because most people, especially in the church, will suffer even severe trauma in silence, and will be successfully silenced, or driven out of a church community, while the misconduct is swept under the rug, and not recorded as part of any statistical record. I’ve witnessed that happen repeatedly, and I am not referring to simply behavior directly against me. I have witnessed incidents involving at least a dozen individuals I can count off the top of my head, across the spectrum geographically, in different LCMS churches or other LCMS institutions, plus the entire core of a congregation, all faithful confessional Lutherans, including even a brother of a very high-ranking LCMS official, driven out of their home congregation by the insidious deceit of a pastor who talks a good game of identifying as a “confessional,” who to this day, still holds his job and has not been held accountable by any LCMS authorities. In that case, when formal complaints were made, LCMS authorities decided not to even hear the testimonies of the laypeople involved. (This was NOT a Pacific Southwest District congregation.)
Those who suggest there are more people suffering from church worker misconduct than what is statistically reported have correctly assessed the reality, in my opinion. If God‘s patience with that reality, and its concealment is running thin, I am grateful for His judgment as maybe the only means of help for all the voiceless in the LCMS who have suffered intensely, and privately from church worker misconduct. It seems to require civil authorities to step in to enforce God‘s laws that are in place to protect God’s sheep against church-worker misconduct. That is a shame, but God‘s work in protecting His sheep is not a shame, it is a long-awaited blessing and vindication where those placed in offices within the church charged with protecting sheep from church worker misconduct, neglect or refuse to do it.