With the Lord begin thy task,
Jesus will direct it;
For His aid and counsel ask,
Jesus will perfect it.
Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise,
And when day is ended,
In His name then close thine eyes;
Be to Him commended. (TLH 540).

The 2002 ELS Convention motto was: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” These are brave, defiant, reassuring words—words to forge courage and to strengthen resolve. Do we believe them? Do we believe that God is “for us”? The delegates at the 2003 ELS Convention acted on a submitted memorial entitled, “Calling for the Establishment of Parochial Schools.” This memorial was sent to the Convention for a number of reasons: 1) the synod’s recognition of the importance of Christian education, 2) the erosion in a post-modern world and culture of everything Christian, and 3) the need to re-emphasize God’s directive: “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

President George Orvick reported to a 1990 General Pastoral Conference that the Reverend Bjug Harstad, our synod’s first president, issued a powerful plea, based on Scripture, to the 1919 Synodical Convention, calling on pastors, parents, and congregations to establish Christian Day schools. President Orvick noted, “As we proceed through the years we find that at almost every convention serious consideration was given to this subject.” We thank God that pleas from presidents Harstad, Orvick, and others have encouraged the founding of schools over the years. Today our congregations operate 21 schools, including preschools. But should not much more be done? Might we ask: Why any timidity if “God be for us”?

The intensifying contagion of secularism in our world is stunning and frightful. Decadence and perversity are applauded, held up as desirable. How can our children and grandchildren resist the infectious attractions paraded daily before them? Few of those who sit in classrooms today have been inoculated against demonic beguilement and the allure of decadence. They are among the throngs who “sit in darkness” and are not likely to see “a great Light.” Few children will understand that they are sinners and that Jesus alone saves them. Self-gratification, social instability, and moral relativism seem to be sufficient grounds to rationalize the grossest behaviors. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is ignored or debunked.

Is there anything we can do? The 2003 Memorial, “Calling for the Establishment of Parochial Schools” asks that the synod “Establish 100 new elementary/pre-schools in the next 50 years!” A modest request! A modest vision! A vision, yes, but modest, you say? This is not possible! Get serious! It’s preposterous! The audacity of such a proposal makes one’s knees quake! How in the world can we consider starting at least two schools a year for the next fifty years? We can’t afford that! Where will we get the money? We will receive the gifts from God's people who are interested in Christian education. The Lord has said "Train up a child in the way he should go..."(Proverbs 22). The Lord has also promised to bless the efforts of His Church to teach God's Word to young and old alike. "If God is for us who can be against us?"

The Lutheran Schools of America Vision will be built on a solid foundation of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. There are several precedents. A) God said, “Abram, get out of your country…and go to the one I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). Abram went! B) A voice called from a burning bush, “Moses! Moses!” Though reluctant and grumbling, Moses heeded God’s call and brought Israel out of Egypt to Canaan. C) God said, “Noah, you are going to have a lot of rain; build a boat!” Noah said, “How big?” How many people believed Noah? Eight! D) Jesus said to the blind man, “Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved thee.” They had faith in God’s Word. When people in the Bible took God at His word, miracles happened! When one considers the impact of this vision on the survival of our beloved synod, and especially the health and ultimate salvation of untold numbers of children, can we simply shrug it off? Instead of asking, “How can we afford this,” the question really is, “How can we not afford to do this?”

A vision without implementation is akin to faith without works. The Rev. H. A. Preus, president of the Old Norwegian Synod 150 years ago, was “very concerned about providing a Christian education for the church’s children, and encouraged every Norwegian congregation to start a day school” (September 2003 Sentinel). The 2003 and 2004 synod conventions have, with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, taken dramatic steps, this time, to walk the walk.

Those of us who have been involved with the conceptualization of Lutheran Schools of America (LSA), members of our synod, convention delegates, pastors, synod officers, the Board of Education and Youth, the Board of Trustees, and the Lutheran Schools Initiative ad hoc committee, are now reaching out to every member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod for the final phase of realization and implementation of this vision. We sincerely implore your prayers, the enrollment of your children, grandchildren, and those of your friends and neighbors in our existing ELS schools, your financial support, and your faith in this endeavor.

Wayne Anderson, Lutheran Schools Initiative Ad hoc Committee member.

James W. Reith, author of the 2003 Memorial “Calling for the Establishment of Parochial Schools.”