The Lutheran Congregation and its Day School
The Lutheran Congregation and its Day School
Questions have been raised about the relationship between the church and the school. Is the longevity of the congregation tied to the well-being of the day school? What does this imply for congregations without a day school? Is the day school the primary mission of the congregation? What does this indicate about the relationship between the church and school? What does this suggest about the Word and Sacrament, mercy for the neighbor, and our life together in fellowship? What is our willingness to live contentedly within our means? What about pursuing additional income from offerings, fundraisers, and capital campaigns?
Our assertions must be tested, and questions must be addressed from God's Word, our Confession, and with wisdom and understanding before other conversations about economics, staffing, and strategic planning can be fruitful.
WHAT THE LUTHERAN PARISH IS GIVEN TO BE:
The mandated ministry of the Christian congregation, according to our Confessions, is:
“1 Our churches teach that one holy Church is to remain forever. The Church is the congregation of saints [Psalm 149:1] in which the Gospel is purely taught and the Sacraments are correctly administered. 2 For the true unity of the Church it is enough to agree about the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments. 3 It is not necessary that human traditions, that is, rites or ceremonies instituted by men, should be the same everywhere. 4 As Paul says, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:5–6).” (Ausgburg Confession, VII).
Our Constitution states similarly.
"The purpose of this congregation shall be: A. The establishment and maintenance of the holy ministry in our midst for the salvation of our souls. (Rom. 10:14-17); B. The mutual admonition and strengthening in the confession of faith. (Heb. 10:23-25; Gal. 6:1; Matt. 18:15-17); C. The fostering of Christian education in our midst among young and old. (Matt. 28:20); D. The spreading of the Gospel and the extension of the Kingdom of God in all the world. (Mat. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16)" (Constitution, Article II)
Everything we say and do as a congregation is under the Word as our sole rule and guide.
"Whereas the Word of God demands that a Christian congregation not only conform to the Word of God in doctrine and practice (Ps. 119:105; Gal. 6:6-9; II Tim. 4:1-5) but also that all things be done decently and in order (I Cor. 14:40)…” (Constitution, Preamble)
Every parish member, young and old, is to be nurtured in the faith, to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to be saturated with God’s Word, to live lives according to Christ’s commands, to be equipped for Christian service, and to reach out with Christ’s Word of Law and Gospel to those unbelieving, lapsed, or weak in the faith.
Parents are responsible for teaching this faith to their children. They fulfill this task according to their gifts and talents (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:24-25).
WHY A LUTHERAN DAY SCHOOL:
Congregations may establish a day school, and parents may delegate to the day school this sacred duty to teach their children to fulfill God’s Word.
The day school was founded to preach and teach God’s Word to children, instructing them in faith, life within the church, and vocation. The gift of faith and integration into the life of the Church in Divine Service is primary for the Lutheran parish and its ministry of the day school. (2 Peter 3:17-18; Mt 28:19-20; Eph 3:16-19; Heb 5:13-14)
Other subjects and instruction topics are subordinate to catechizing the youth in God’s Word. These subjects include but are not limited to submission to God’s good order, practicing Christian virtues, living humbly under God’s providence, defense and support of the Word, actively living within the worship and service life of the parish, developing a love of the Christian home, and learning to live as Christians in their worldly vocations.
“17 In the third place, after you have taught them this short catechism, then take up the Large Catechism and give them also a richer and fuller knowledge. Here enlarge upon every commandment, ‹article,› petition, and part with its various works, uses, benefits, dangers, and injuries, as you find these abundantly stated in many books written about these matters. […] 19 In this matter you should especially urge magistrates and parents to rule well and to send their children to school. Show them why it is their duty to do this and what a damnable sin they are committing if they do not do it. For by such neglect they overthrow and destroy both God’s kingdom and that of the world. They act as the worst enemies both of God and of people. 20 Make it very plain to them what an awful harm they are doing if they will not help to train children to be pastors, preachers, clerks‹, and to fill other offices that we cannot do without in this life›. God will punish them terribly for this failure. There is great need to preach this. In this matter parents and rulers are now sinning in unspeakable ways. The devil, too, hopes to accomplish something cruel because of these things. (Small Catechism, Preface)
Our mission is to provide instruction that promotes the goodness, truth, and beauty given in God’s Word. We mark and avoid godless and anti-Christian education philosophies from secular humanists, Marxists, and modern Gnostics, along with their rejection of the truth of God’s Word, original sin, the authorities established by God, and faithful Christian indoctrination.
HOW TO ESTABLISH AND SUPPORT A LUTHERAN DAY SCHOOL:
Neither God’s Word nor our Lutheran Confessions prescribe the form, size, method, or context of Christian instruction. Just as not every congregation needs to have identical practices and traditions, we are free to fulfill this duty to instruct children with wisdom guided by God’s Word in a manner particular to our context and with the means God provides.
The congregation and all her ministries, including the day school, are God's good gifts to be received and cared for with responsible stewardship.
Responsible stewardship is acting with wisdom and understanding informed by God's Word, as the Word guides our logic and reason.
The First Article of the Apostles’ Creed and the Ninth and Tenth Commandments instruct us to be satisfied with what God the Creator provides rather than take what is not provided.
So we learn from this article that none of us owns for himself, nor can preserve, his life nor anything that is here listed or can be listed. This is true no matter how small and unimportant a thing it might be. For all is included in the word Creator. 17 Further, we also confess that God the Father has not only given us all that we have and see before our eyes, but He daily preserves and defends us against all evil and misfortune [Psalm 5:11]. He directs all sorts of danger and disaster away from us. We confess that He does all this out of pure love and goodness, without our merit, as a kind Father. He cares for us so that no evil falls upon us. 18 But to speak more about this belongs in the other two parts of this article, where we say, “Father Almighty.” 19 Now, all that we have, and whatever else is in heaven and upon the earth, is daily given, preserved, and kept for us by God. Therefore, it is clearly suggested and concluded that it is our duty to love, praise, and thank Him for these things without ceasing [1 Thessalonians 5:17–18]. In short, we should serve Him with all these things, as He demands and has taught in the Ten Commandments. 20 We could say much here, if we were to wander, about how few people believe this article. For we all pass over it, hear it, and say it. Yet we do not see or consider what the words teach us. 21 For if we believed this teaching with the heart, we would also act according to it [James 2:14]. We would not strut about proudly, act defiantly, and boast as though we had life, riches, power, honor, and such, of ourselves [James 4:13–16]. We would not act as though others must fear and serve us, as is the practice of the wretched, perverse world. The world is drowned in blindness and abuses all the good things and God’s gifts only for its own pride, greed, lust, and luxury. It never once thinks about God, so as to thank Him or acknowledge Him as Lord and Creator. 22 This article ought to humble and terrify us all, if we believed it. For we sin daily [Hebrews 3:12–13] with eyes, ears, hands, body and soul, money and possessions, and with everything we have. This is especially true of those who fight against God’s Word. Yet Christians have this advantage: they acknowledge that they are duty bound to serve God for all these things and to be obedient to Him. (Large Catechism, First Article, 16-22).
The longevity of the congregation and all her ministries depend on God’s providence, the fruits of wisdom, charity, and love worked by the Holy Spirit. As we pray and confess, “Thy will be done.”
Rev. Christopher Gillespie
Presented on Thursday of Septuagesima 2025
Additional commentary in audio version.
