I heard an interesting story of a Christian educator who had just delivered a potent message on the importance of having a certain Christian elementary school. He made the case that even if only one child were saved by the spiritual instruction received in that school, all the expenses of erecting and maintaining that institution would be worth it. After his presentation a guest who was listening went up to the educator and in a somewhat condescending tone said, “Sir, you surely didn’t mean what you said. Didn’t you exaggerate when you declared that the salvation of one child would exceed the cost of operating this school?” With a very earnest gaze, the Christian educator looked the person in the eye and said, “No, I did not. This school is not too expensive if that child were my own child.”

God has not stated in his Word that we must establish schools in order to train our children in his Word. Many parents for various reasons may home school their children or use the public system while not neglecting the teaching of the one thing needful in the home. But the Christian elementary school has proven to be an effective tool in assisting parents who desire to carry out the responsibility of Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Dr. C. F. W. Walther, a real champion of Lutheran schools, once wrote: “May God preserve to our Lutheran Church its gem, the Christian Day School. For upon it depends, humanly speaking, the future of our church; for as all church denominations, from the time that they permitted the state to take over the education of their children, have labored at their own dissolution, so the maintenance of our Christian Day School is and remains, next to the public ministry, the one foremost factor fundamental to our future existence.”

Our synod in convention this past June adopted a plan called the Lutheran Schools Initiative (LSI). The LSI is a proposal for our synod to establish a foundation/fund to underwrite startup costs for Lutheran elementary schools in conjunction and cooperation with local congregations. Such a fund would be more substantial in resources and in scope than the current annual proceeds coming from the 1992 “Truth for Youth” offering.

How does the LSI plan to achieve its purpose? The Lutheran Schools Initiative hopes to achieve its purpose by setting up an educational endowment combining the resources of local congregations with the resources of other congregations in the synod, of individual donors, of foundations and other entities favorable to sound Christian education. There will be the need to hire or call a person to accomplish the solicitation of such funds. The Board of Trustees has been authorized to fill this position and also has been charged with the responsibility of investing and monitoring the funds that are gathered. Our synod’s Board for Education and Youth (BEY) will oversee the application for and distribution of the monies for establishing and erecting the schools. The board also will develop guidelines for starting and maintaining the new schools. A synod-wide special offering will be planned for the Lutheran Schools Initiative.

Remember the educator’s comment above! What price should we put on the Christian education of one child, especially if it is one of our own—a son or daughter, a grandson or a granddaughter? The true religious instruction of our children is essential. The future existence of the church depends on it. The LSI is a wonderful opportunity for our synod. Might you consider a special gift for this worthy endeavor? We especially ask for your prayers as we move forward.

John A. Moldstad

President Evangelical Lutheran Synod

NOTE IN BOX: Contributions for the Lutheran Schools Initiative may be sent to the following address: ELS LSI, c/o Keith Wiederhoeft, 6 Browns Court, Mankato, MN 56001.