case statement for christian education

8/11/2019 Case Statement for Christian Education

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A Case for Christian Education at

Messiah Lutheran Church & School

It is valuable for us to reflect on where they have been and consider where we are going. This is true in our businesses,

our families, our churches, and our schools. Theplacethat we call Messiah has a long history of offering Christian

education to its families and to the families of the Lincoln community. In many ways, this placewould not be here if

not for the school.

As has happened at other points in our history (both as Messiah and as Calvary), our ministry spaces are coming into

question. We are hearing and asking questions like:

How might we better serve young working families who are seeking care for their children (ages 0-5)?

How can we engage the next generation of church leaders (ages 18-30)?

Are our classrooms sufficient to serve children with an excellent 21st century program?

What about those who wont come here, shouldnt we find ways to go where they are?

How do we leave a legacy for generations to come, building disciples who see their world through Gods eyes

and make a difference in it for Him? Is the Lutheran School a viable piece of the puzzle in fulfilling Gods mission for us at Messiah? What is that

mission?

What does Scripture say?

The first part of this answer has to do with the role of the parent. The parent is the God-appointed leader and teacher of

a child. This should come as no surprise to anyone, including a non-Christian. The overwhelming task of raising a child

is in the hands of the parents.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and

instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

But teach them what? Clearly, God has a great deal to say about this. And before that question is answered, another

must be dealt with: "What or who is the most important thing or person for the child to know?" The answer is, "God is

the most important person for a child to know." The goal of Christian parents is for their child to know God in a

personal way and to know all about God. Nothing could be more important.

The Apostle paul says it this way:

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything

as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have

suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

Philippians 3:7-8

God says that the education of children and youth is a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week process that must take place from

birth through maturity. Note the Deuteronomy passage below and the context. God is instructing His people how to live

as they prepare to go into the Promised Land. Critical to the life and health of His people is the teaching of the Word of

God by parents on a daily basis in every situation.

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall

bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall


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teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when

you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them

on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your

children may be multiplied in the land that the LORDswore to your fathers to give them, as

long as the heavens are above the earth. Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

As Scripture tells us, the education of children and youth must be based on God's Word as absolute truth. At

Messiah, we have chosen the following statements to articulate our purpose and the values that make up the core of

who we are and why we desire to serve children and parents through our school ministry.

Purpose Statement

Teach the Truth as found in Scripture so that each child may know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, equipping them to

develop fully academically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually to serve Him and others.

Core Values

INSPIRE- Provide a nurturing environment that encourages life-changing spiritual growth so the Holy Spirit can move

within the hearts of students and those students can carry their light into the world.

GROW- Provide challenging curriculum that encourages students to reach their full potential through excellence in

academics and the integration of the Truth into all subjects.

SERVE- Provide opportunities for students and their families to serve God by serving one another, encouraging a

life-long love of service to others.

TOGETHER- Provide a safe environment where students are loved and learn how to treat others with love and respect.

Why is it important for Lutheran churches to operate Christian school?

Historically, the answer to this question has not always been the same. In the early days in America, our church

members were immigrants wanting to preserve their language and culture for their children and in so doing, bring

children up in the faith that they loved so dearly. Lutheran education was so important to the first German settlers to

come to America that they brought teachers with them to educate their children on the journey. Language and culture

are not dominant reasons for establishing schools today, but the need to teach the truths of Gods Word continues.

Missions and Christian education have always been important pillars of Lutheran Congregations. Both proclaim the

Good News of Jesus Christ. If mission refers to sharing the Gospel with those who have never heard it, Christian

education is sharing that same Good News with those who have heard it (and some who havent) and by the power ofthe Holy Spirit believe it, and need to hear it to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

(2 Peter 3:16)

How do congregations and their pastors support the Lutheran school?

Does it make a difference in the health and future of the church that congregations

support schools?


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When church and school are united in a seamless ministry, outreach to the community is a given. A seamless

ministry looks at the school as an outreach ministry of the congregation. As many families at Messiah will likely tell

you,We came for the school and stayed for the church!

The Lutheran school reaches out to families who do not have a living faith in Jesus Christ, becoming a mission outpost

that shares the caring Christ. It is amazing how children bring that message home to their parents.

The Lutheran school reaches out with the Gospel, but it is also an arm that reaches in as well. The Gospel can

become real when the child reaches home and shares his/her faith and parents have faith conversations with the

family. Consider this: at the dinner table the first grader tells the family,We learned a new prayer to say when we eat.

Can I say it now? Or, at the funeral home the fourth grader tells everyone within listening distance, Grandpa knew

Jesus loved him.

In the past Lutheran schools served well to preserve the language of the fathers and plant the faith in the hearts of the

young. Today Lutheran schools continue to plant that same faith while reaching out into the community. As our core

values states, we desire toprovide opportunities for students and their families to serve God by serving one another,

encouraging a life-long love of service to others. We have expanded our vision for Lutheran Christian education from

parochial (focussed on preserving our culture for the next generation) to also missional (focussed on building disciples

for Christ who will make a difference in their world for Him and see Gods creation through a Biblical worldview.

Isnt the public school experience good enough?

The following section is not meant to disparage the public school system. It is widely acknowledged that many

outstanding Christian students, parents, and teachers exist within the public school system doing their utmost to be

the salt and the light. Many parents are emotionally attached to their own public education background or their local

public school. These thoughts are not meant to discourage those feelings. The intent is to encourage people to

consider the benefits of a Christian day school education.

Scripturally speaking, the message or worldview espoused by any school CANNOT be neutral. A worldview is either

Christian or non-Christian. Christ put it this way, He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather

with me, scatters. (Matthew 12:30)Is it realistic to believe that when Christianity is removed from a school that what

remains is neutral? If the worldview of a school isnt centered in Christ, then something else must assume that role.

That something is most definitely a religion of sorts secular humanism. In todays public schools, children are often

told in some fashion that Biblical principles are irrelevant, that absolute right and wrong do not exist, and/or human

existence is due to evolution. Secular education, officially and deliberately, excludes God from the classroom. By

doing so, public schools will inevitably promote, intentionally or not, a non-Christian worldview.

Is the foundation provided at Messiah Lutheran School (PK-5) enough?

Why not switch to public school for middle school and high school?At best, a Christian student in this environment will fight the constant battle of discernment dissecting what is beingpresented and avoiding the influence of the humanistic worldview. At worst, a Christian student will entertain

non-Christian ideals mixing them with his or her Christianity resulting in potential strain on their relationship with God.

Granted, much of the life of a Christian is spent in environments that are non-Christian in nature. Discernment of right

and wrong while in the world is indeed an important spiritual discipline. However, many students are not ready for


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35-50 hours a week of a message that says, Your worldview is wrong, intolerant, and/or old-fashioned. Christian

parents have the opportunity to help shape the worldview of their children for Christ.

The average student attends school for 8 hours a day, including daycare and other activities. Thats 1440 hours per

school year and approximately 40% of his or her weekly awake time. Thats a big number! The question is where might

that time be best spent?

The importance of Christian education reaches beyond elementary school. Current scientific research tells us that a

teenagers brain is not fully developed. An underdeveloped frontal lobe explains certain teenage behaviors like

recklessness, emotional outbursts, and poor decision making. Simply put, middle school and high school play a

pivotal role in the development of the brain and there is no doubt that it can have an effect on how the brain of a

teenager is hard-wired.

The truth is that Christian schools have the one thing that public schools can never have the intentional presence of

Jesus through His living Word, the Bible, which forms the basis for our Christian worldview.

At Messiah Lutheran School and at Lincoln Lutheran, Gods Word is incorporated in the following areas:

Daily religion classes

Weekly chapel services

Integration into all academic courses

Daycare and extra-curricular clubs

In the care & concern shown by teachers, staff, & students

In all aspects of the schools operation!

Doesnt a Christian school shelter students from the real world?

The sheltering concern regarding Christian education makes two erroneous assumptions about the spiritual nature of

the world in which we live:

1. Children need to experience (or be around) sin to know how to avoid it.

2. A Christian school is somehow without sin (or does not have as much sin) as a public school.

Lets start with the first assumption. Scripturally speaking, the Bible does not teach that you should surround yourself

with sin 35-50 hours a week and then youll know how to avoid it. In fact, the Bible makes a clear case for avoiding

temptation and evil influences. One need not experience or observe sin to know that it is wrong.

Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 15

What are proponents of the real world experience hoping to accomplish? At best, it could mean subjecting children tounnecessary peer pressure. At worst, children may ultimately be in an environment that will not respect (and possibly

denigrate) their Christian faith. The overriding humanistic philosophies of mainstream academia Darwinism, moral

relativism, secular humanism, etc. WILL have an effect on the development of a teenagers outlook. It is hard to see

the logic in subjecting adolescents to unnecessary pressure to abandon the Christian truths that have been instilled in

them from Baptism. At a time when children are most vulnerable to influence, is it really wise to surround them with an

increase in non-Christian influences?


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As for the second assumption, does enrolling your child in a Christian school mean that they wont have to deal with

temptations and other tests of their faith? Unfortunately, that is not the case. Put simply, Christian schools, including

Messiah Lutheran School, can have the same problems as any public school. Anyone who has worked in or attended

a Christian school can verify that fact. So what, then, is the value of a Christian education?

The best benefit lies in the approach to sin a careful balance of Law and Gospel. Messiah Lutheran School students

experience temptations like their public school counterparts but we use different weapons!

Because Jesus Christ conquered sin on the cross, our spiritual arsenal includes:

Reliance upon Gods Word

Clear delineation of Biblically defined right and wrong

Teachers and staff who provide Scriptural Christian advice

A supportive environment of fellow believers that promotes growth in Christ

An atmosphere that exalts obedience to Gods Word

Forgiveness given freely

Appropriate consequences assigned when actions call for it

Recognition of each student as a dearly loved child of God

At Messiah Lutheran School, our students face real challenges, real expectations, real accountability, and real

problems. There is no doubt that our students are in the real world every single day. However, we are reminded:

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own but...you are not of the world...I chose you out of

the world... John 15:19

Therefore, our Lutheran trained teachers, stress the importance of not succumbing to the worlds expectations. In

short, we encourage our students to be IN the world, but not OF it.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you maydiscern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

Whether our children attend public or Christian school, their education shapes them in several ways:

Academics

Skills

Worldview

Spirituality

At Christian schools, our faculty and staff are equipped to address each of these developing areas of a childs life. We

take seriously the responsibility to develop childrens minds, but dont distance or discount God from academics. We

know that developing skills in young people is essential to helping them reach their God-given potential.


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Christian educators help cultivate a worldview in which God has His rightful place, and we look to the Bible for

guidance in answering lifes big questions. Our teachers enhance childrens spiritual development in an intentional and

nurturing manner.

Big ideas to consider

1. There are basically two kingdoms: a kingdom of light and a kingdom of darkness. It seems strange to havethose who walk in darkness educate children of light. It doesn't fit.

2. If Jesus Christ is Lord, then He is Lord of all. We cannot divide things into secular and sacred.

3. All truth is God's truth, and God's Word sheds light on our path. Only in His light can we see light.

Education is not focused on possibilities but on certainties found in God's Word.

4. Deuteronomy 6 tells parents that, in all they do, they should provide a Godly education 24/7.

5. Three key institutions that shape a child are the home, the church and the school. Children are served best

when all three institutions point them in the same direction.

6. Only an education that has the liberty to address the whole child -- social, intellectual, emotional, physical

AND spiritual -- reaches the possibility of excellence.

7. The best preparation for effective service is to be well grounded in one's mind before direct engagement of

the culture.

A danger: The hardened heart

The education of children and youth must be based on God's Word as absolute truth. If the school

your children attend adopts any other approach, it is competing directly against your training at

home, and ultimately, against the training God wants you to give them.Here's the problem. Public

schools have banned the book upon which you, as a Christian, have based your life. The question is

not, "Should I consider Christian education?" but rather, "Why should I consider anything else?"

1. A non-Christian school teaches children that they can find or create truth apart from the Bible

because the school does not teach that absolute truth exists (the Bible). This is a devastating way

for a child to begin to think and prepares his mind to reject the absolute truths presented in the Bible.

We are commanded to align ourselves with the truth of God, not create our own (Romans 12:2).

2. A non-Christian school teaches a system that tells children that their work is very good even

when it is very bad. This is the great "self esteem" movement that trades the truth of how well thestudent is really learning for the goal of not making any student feel badly. This has two terrible ends.

First, it sets up a child to be shocked when college or the job world introduces him to the reality of

standards with consequences. Second and more important, the human mind needs to be introduced to

standards which cannot be watered down so that when he hears the immutable demands of God (The

Ten Commandments), he will realize that he cannot meet the standard and will cry out for a Savior.

(Romans 3:20-24, Galatians 3:24-25).


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3. A non-Christian school teaches that all gods are equal. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism,

Hinduism, are taught as personal expressions of faith, all legitimate for whomever chooses to believe in

them, and cannot be criticized or questioned. This lays the groundwork for a child to accept the false

teaching that everybody's god is OK and does not draw the line in the sand that Jesus Himself drew in

John 14:6. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father

but through Me." Furthermore, it opens the door for the child to possibly consider believing one of

those false religions in the future.

4. A non-Christian school teaches children while excluding the Bible. Education fundamentally is about

learning to think and thinking informs a person's actions. From God's Word we find that all truth and

therefore, all true education, is rooted in the truth of God. By excluding the teachings of Christ in the

non Christian school, the child implicitly learns that it is not important to have God as central to how

we are to think and live.

5. A non-Christian school teaches that God is relegated to Sunday only. Because the Christian God

(the only true God!) is banned from the non-Christian school, the child is taught that it is acceptable

and normal to relegate God to Sundays or some specific time of the day or week. The result is the

"casual Christian"- thinking that sets up a dual life mentality toward Christianity. That is, there areonly certain times that a person should behave like a Christian because there are only certain times or

places that God is to be honored. (2 Chronicles 29:11)

6. A non-Christian school teaches that evolution is true. This is especially fascinating to young boys

because of their love of dinosaurs. This teaching rejects the truth of a Creator and often creates an

environment that ridicules a child who may question evolution as fact. No child wants to sound like a

fool among his peers or to his teacher. Undermining the Creator and confusing the child has the effect

of casting doubt and disbelief in the first 11 chapters of the Bible. Because the remainder of the Bible

stands on the foundational truths of the book of Genesis, casting doubt on the first 11 chapters

undermines the validity of the entire Bible (2 Timothy 3:16).

7. A non-Christian school teaches without Christ and leads children to conclude that man can

effectively learn and grow independent of God. "If God is not needed for everything, He may not be

needed for anything." A Christian school teaches that we can, in fact, do all things, but it is through

Christ. Therefore, both the responsibility to achieve a level of independence in society and the

blessing of total dependence on God is missed in the non-Christian school.

8. A non-Christian school teaches that there is no Divine Authority. Without God as the Supreme

Authority over all of life and the source of truth, the framework for a pattern of thinking is in place

that concludes man is the supreme authority in life. How difficult will it be to believe and submit to

God? Even if the gospel is believed, the child may believe that God exists to serve man's need, not the

other way around.

9. By banning Biblical teaching in the non-Christian school, children are implicitly taught that God

does not need to be worshipped daily through their thoughts, words, deeds, prayers and song. It also

teaches that there is no need to thank God for His daily mercies. This teaches that there is

apparently no demand from God that all things be done to honor and glorify Him.

10.A non-Christian school teaches that a person can reach a level of goodness based on their good

deeds. Being a nice person to others and nature, having certain character traits, and achieving


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certain goals or accomplishments will make a person happy, wise, and good. Although those things are

desired in all people, they do not lay the groundwork to accept the truth that all of our good works

are as filthy rags to God and in light of God's holy laws, no one is good, no, not one. This anti Biblical

teaching builds a subtle framework for legalism and works righteousness- a deadly thought process

that draws hearts away from the message of the Cross. That is, a person finds true goodness and joy

before God when he becomes totally reliant on Someone other than himself- Jesus Christ. (Isaiah

64:6, Romans 3:12, Galatians 5, Romans 3:23)

A differentiating brand for Lutheran Schools in Lincoln, NEThe following information was provided by KidGlov marketing firm in 2012, through meetings with

school leaders and data collected via surveys of Lutheran church and school stakeholders in our

community.

Benefits of Lutheran Education

1. Teaches a Christian Worldview

As a parent, you want your child to grow up with the beliefs that are consistent with your familybeliefs. While Lincoln, Nebraska is predominantly Christian, there are so many distractions that can

lead a child astray. The Lutheran schools in Lincoln provide an environment where Christian ideals are

lifted up. Children learn that they have an alternative to the values and lifestyles that are commonly

demonstrated in popular culture. In the process, they are taught that they are loved, that they have

a purpose in life and that it is possible to live according to Christian beliefs in a modern world.

2. Individual Attention for Students and Families

The K-12 Lutheran schools in Lincoln are not bound by the same rules as the local (Lincoln, Waverly,

Norris, Seward) Public Schools, Lincoln Catholic Schools or even Lincoln Christian School. As such,

educators have the opportunity to see each student and their family as individuals. They are able to

provide individualized attention, encouragement and problem solving. This might take the form of

smaller class sizes, classroom prayer, closer relationships with parents or even just the application of

biblical teaching and guidance to difficult situations.

With five different Lutheran elementary schools in Lincoln, you can choose the environment that best

fits the individual needs of your family or student.

3. High-Quality Education

While each school is different and has its own curriculum, Lincoln Lutheran Schools are typically

among the highest in standardized testing scores. Lincoln Lutheran High School traditionally has the

highest ACT scores of all Lincoln high schools, and its students tend to be the most prepared for

college.

Additionally, the Lutheran schools in Lincoln are innovative implementing the latest in technology

and teaching methods for their students.

The Lincoln Lutheran K-12 Schools need to be positioned as vibrant and high-quality alternatives to

public schools, while also providing a Christian worldview and the kind of attention that will help

children and families succeed.


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Brand Archetype: Agape Love

Love in the Greek language is expressed by different words that have much more precise meanings

than the single English word "love" which can be used interchangeably for almost everything. We

can say, I love my spouse and I love chocolate. Both are using the same word, but it is only by

the context that we can determine the difference. The Agape Love Archetype as it applies to

Lutheran education in Lincoln, NE.

Agape ( agp)(Pronounced: ah-GAH-pee)-is all about unconditional, selfless and

sacrificial love the love displayed by God through Jesus. There is an underlying idea of total

commitment to the object of love, even if it doesnt deserve or desire it. It is a generous

self-donation without concern for reward.

We will differentiate from others by communicating love for students and families and love for God.

We will touch the hearts of families by identifying with the love parents have for their children.

The ChallengeWhile few could argue the merits of providing a school choice for families in Lincoln, NE; some might

argue the stewardship value (the cost) of providing it at Messiah or Lincoln Lutheran. The parochial

model which values above all else the dispensing of our faith culture to our own children is difficult to

sustain. In fact, it is an Old Testament model.

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall

bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall

teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when

you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them

on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your

children may be multiplied in the land that the LORDswore to your fathers to give them, aslong as the heavens are above the earth. Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

The value of this parochial (Old Testament) perspective remains, but there is so much more we could

be! Jesus calls us to make disciples of all nations.

And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to

me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commandedyou. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20

All nations includes the children from within our church and from the community. This has been our

legacy at Messiah. We meet children and families where they are and, through the power of the Holy

Spirit, grow disciples who discover their world through a Godly lens. Lets see what God has in ready

for us next!


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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with

thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all

understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Additional Resources:

Why the Lutheran School Matters

http://www.kidssoar.com/buzon/whylutheranschoolmatters.pdf

Missional Lutheran Educationhttp://www.cune.edu/download_file/view/230/868/

Where Are Christian Schools Going?

http://www.kcea.com/media/print/christian_schools/

Why Lutheran High: A Case Statement for Wolf River Lutheran High School

https://drive.google.com/#folders/0B5QhmM2uEl2oWk9TUEVWYkRVOXM

A Vision for Westminster Christian Academy (St. Louis, MO)https://drive.google.com/#folders/0B5QhmM2uEl2oZ1ZXV0d6VGFZMTQ
https://drive.google.com/#folders/0B5QhmM2uEl2oZ1ZXV0d6VGFZMTQhttps://drive.google.com/#folders/0B5QhmM2uEl2oWk9TUEVWYkRVOXMhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kcea.com%2Fmedia%2Fprint%2Fchristian_schools%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE-AA4PY25CrQilwwge_e50qg1G8Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cune.edu%2Fdownload_file%2Fview%2F230%2F868%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNF5NRu673q85lp9vgBvJEnt_IShpQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kidssoar.com%2Fbuzon%2Fwhylutheranschoolmatters.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGOrZmrLBzZOw3S4LIfVfnDOnSqBw

case statement for christian education

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