Grube: What Will We Do?

by Ed Grube

Recent and reliable statistics collected by LCMS School Ministry indicate a loss of 500 schools in the last 10 years. So, if the trend continues…

Society’s persistent push away from Christianity will likely continue, with Satan providing assistance along the way. Fewer parents will perceive the need for Christian education.We may or may not have influence over the trend. Society’s persistent push away from Christianity will likely continue, with Satan providing assistance along the way. Fewer parents will perceive the need for Christian education. And then there are the challenges of providing schools with good leadership and congregations with school-friendly pastors and congregational leaders. Teachers to staff schools are in question too. Will they have the theological training or Lutheran Christian background needed to wrap their lessons in a biblical, Christian worldview?

The Lutheran school dream may turn into a nightmare. But congregations cannot allow Christian education to lapse into a paved route to the gates of hell.* The loss of Lutheran schools is not about Lutheran schools. The threat to address is what we will do to nurture young Christians exposed to teachings that neither respect nor permit godly influence. An additional threat is to the mission outreach so long fulfilled through Lutheran schools by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word as it is taught and lived in classrooms.

The loss of Lutheran schools is not about Lutheran schools. The threat to address is what we will do to nurture young Christians exposed to teachings that neither respect nor permit godly influence.Raising awareness of problems does not solve them. We need to think now—through the dread and grief—of how to address this threat. Here are five ideas. Give them some thought, and share your reactions or additional ideas. Please use BOTH the LEADnet and PEN listservs to network (address your email to leadnet@listserv.cuis.edu; pen@listserv.cuis.edu). Use “Shaping the Future response” in the subject line.

Equip teachers and prepare congregations for a new breed of teachers or DCEs who can meet regularly with students to discuss the topics they learned during the week (or weeks). This will require intellectually nimble and theologically astute teachers who can bring Christian worldview to bear on public school curriculum and address challenges to their students’ faith. This, of course, is complicated, and our Concordia University System would have to reconsider their Lutheran teacher education curriculum.
Reinvigorate congregational children’s and youth ministries. Sunday school and Bible class would need new emphasis, energy, and resourcing to “teach religion.” Perhaps personnel involved in number 1 above would have strong leadership and class roles in this “solution.” Perhaps the concepts in number 1 could be rolled into this initiative, but teachers would likely need additional or more diverse training.
Equip and assist Christian public school teachers to bring their faith to bear within the restrictions placed upon them. I have absolutely no idea how to do this. Perhaps our teachers in highly restrictive global mission fields have something to teach us about this. Some have already suggested that LEA open a network for Lutherans teaching in public schools.
In densely populated areas, explore consolidation of schools. (We have already missed or dismissed this opportunity in areas where schools once were abundant!) Consolidation is not easy; Lutherans are not necessarily in sync with each other, especially when it comes to THEIR school. Many issues need focused and candid discussion, and the process involves as much psychology as management and vision. LEA has produced two webinars on this issue: Worst of Times & Best of Times: School Consolidation Case Study (2013) and Administrator's Role in Potential School Consolidations (2012).
Equip and encourage home schools. This last “frontier” was actually the first frontier, as the Old Testament mentions the responsibility of training children. Today’s sophistication and complexity of information calls for parents to be better equipped for the task of religious education, especially as children grow older. It seems that home schoolers are already ahead of the game here, as a brief review of home school materials reveals. Current homeschoolers maintain a Facebook presence, though it is a closed group for members only.

Again…LEA invites your reaction and additions to the above. Please use both the LEADnet and PEN listservs to network (address your email to leadnet@listserv.cuis.edu; pen@listserv.cuis.edu). Use “Shaping the Future response” in the subject line.

Ed Grube is LEA’s director of publications and communications. He was a Lutheran school principal for 27 years, during which time he led the consolidation of two schools.

*Martin Luther said, “I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.”