Children, Precious in the Sight of Jesus

The School - Church Mission ConnectionTending the Flame at the ROC

August 3, 2013Richmond VA

Lutheran Schools

Continuously Reaching Our Neighborswith the Love of Jesusfor Kingdom Growth

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

What does this really mean?

A great door for effective work has opened to me.

I Corinthians 16:9a (NIV)

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

We know…

• Nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (43%)

• Two out of three born again Christians (64%) made that commitment to Christ before their 18th birthday.

• One out of eight born again people (13%) made their profession of faith while 18 to 21 years old.

• Less than one out of every four born again Christians (23%) embraced Christ after their twenty-first birthday. (Barna Study)

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

Lutheran Schools are..

• In the neighborhood• Serving the neighborhood• Meeting families at the intersection of

children and education• Daily sharing Jesus

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

We offer our neighbors

• Academic Excellence• Safe Environment• Great Teacher-Student Ratios• Christian Values• And a Great Reason to Come to Church!

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

Our Southeastern District Schools

• 91 total school programs46 Early Childhood Programs21 Child Development Centers20 Elementary Schools4 High Schools

10,000+ students15% are members of LCMS CongregationsMission challenge…?

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

Missionary Team

Church staffSchool staffCongregational members

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

Additional Information– Average worship attendance – 135 70% congregations average worship is 135 or less (30% worship less than 50)– All 10 of our largest worshipping communities have an

educational program– New members through adult confirmation 45% of all adult confirmations are reported by 15 congregations and only 2 do not have school ministries

– 67% of our congregations reported no adult baptisms.Congregations baptizing 3 or more adults represent 44% of all adult baptisms, 9 of them have schools

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

Strategy

Church-School-Neighborhood-Community strategy is necessary!

-intentional-inclusive-impelling

And one that is both inward and outward.

Witness in the NeighborhoodINWARD - outward

• Elder specifically for school families• Open Houses• Prayer partners/worship partners• Work with ushers – greeters: creating sensitivity to non-member presence• Child friendly worship/events • Midweek worship during school hours

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

Witness in the Neighborhoodinward - OUTWARD

• Sponsor sports teams• Presence at neighborhood events• Set up space on Sunday morning at the sports fields• Participate in community activities: parades, fairs• Servant events – family style• Partner with local public school

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

Communications

Social MediaJust as in your person-to-person relationships, your school’s online social relationship with fans/followers requires you make an effort to get to know them.

Making the Luther Connection

“What do we older folks live for if not for the care of the young, to teach and train them? The prosperity of a city does not depend on the accumulation of great riches, the building of walls and houses, many guns and armors. Rather, a city’s greatest and best prosperity, salvation, and power is this that it has many fine, learned, sensible, righteous, well-trained Christian citizens.”

Making the Gospel Connection

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.Matthew 28:19-20

sjhiller, www.se.lcms.org

Making the Mission Connection