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A PUBLICATION OF CONCORDIA UNIVERSIT Y, SEWARD, NEBRASK A

Church Worker Enrollment Challenges: How Can the Church Respond?

Fall 2014 Vol. 48, No. 1

Editor

Editorial CommitteeEditorials Associate Associate

Graphic Design

Copy EditorCirculation Coordinator

Issues in Christ ian Education is avai lable online only. We encourage church workers, lay leaders, interestedcongregational members, university and seminar y faculties, district and synod offices, and libraries to visit www.cune.edu/issues and simply complete the sign-up form on the page.

Marvin Bergman, Ed. D., Ph. D.

Russ Moulds, Ph.D.Daniel Thurber, A.D.Brian L. Friedrich, M.Div., Ph.D.Seth A. Boggs, M.F.A.

Marlene Block, B.A.Holly Matzke

ReectionsRev. Dr. Brian L. Friedrich, President

Editorials

lcms Church Worker Enrollments: The Current Scene

The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Philp

Ways of Recruiting Church Workers: One Persons Viewof One Churchs ApproachThe Rev. Dr. Jeffery Schrank

Increasing Access and Opportunity to the Lutheran Teacher DiplomaDr. Bernard D. Bull

Two Worlds: Called to the Beautiful and Truthful WorldThe Rev. Dean O. Wenthe

Book Reviews

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4

8

18

14

23

25

IN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

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CONCOR DESIGN STUDIOA Student + Faculty Design Collaborative

TYPEFACES USED IN THIS PERIODICALTitles set in 22 point Mrs. Eaves Roman (Emigre of

Sacramento). Tracking normal.Subheads set in 13/13 point Mrs. Eaves bold.By-lines and author information set in 13/13 point

Mrs. Eaves small caps.Footers and folios set in 11 point Mrs. Eaves.Feature articles set in 11/13 point Mrs. Eaves.Three column text set in 9/10 point Mrs. Eaves.

Layout, design and illustration by CONCORDesignof Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska. Artist: Seth A. Boggs, M.F.A.

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? As mother tells it, I gave only one answer to this question, a pastor! Whetherthat was my only answer, I do not remember. However, I do remember how welland often I was encouraged to follow this vocational calling. It was the workof the Holy Spirit and the call of the church that led me to prepare for and tobe placed in the pastoral ministry of The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod.However, it was also the support of my parents, prayers of congregationalmembers, encouragement of relatives and friends, the nancial support ofSynod, district, congregation and family, and the never-ending love of my wife that, humanly speaking, made this possible.

This edition of Issues peels back many layers of a much asked and vitallyimportant question being asked throughout our church: How can the churchrespond to the decline in church worker enrollments? The answers to thequestion are complex, but there are answers, the most important of whichis the power of the Holy Spirit sending forth workers into the harvest eld.The following quotes of authors of the edition are samples of the richnessof their perspectives.

The mission of the cus institutions has experienced a shift. The shif thas been in the broadening and expansion of the mission, rather thana change from one mission to another. The distinction is crucial tounderstand. (Philp)

I believe that the value of a degree from a cus institution plays a largerole in challenging, molding, and equipping men and women forservice and leadership in church and world. (Schranz)

It can seem to be presumptuous to comment on Gods work. Recruitingchurch workers is essentially a person answering Gods call. To suggesthat we can orchestrate, manipulate or force such is problematic .It is Gods activity. (Schrank)

Research indicates that 85 percent of those seeking a college degreeare post-traditional, not seeking a traditional residential collegeexperience. That means that less than 15 percent of undergraduatestudents in the United States are pursuing their degree in a traditionalresidential program (Soares, 2014). As a result, creating options forthose 85 percent to become rostered church workers will requirealternate models, many that are made possible by the revolution indigital education. (Bull)

It is the privilege and calling to announce, to embody, to live out anddisplay the truthful and beautiful world that is ours by Gods gracein Christ. To spend ones life in inviting people to the realizationthat they are the apex of Gods creative labors rather than cosmicaccidents is noble and satisfying in a profound way, for it ows fromGods grace and mercy. Indeed, every Christian is called to witness tothis truthful and beautiful world. The blessing of giving ones life toservice to Christ is simply that one can ll ones days and nights withthe beautiful and truthful narrative of Gods love and mercy. (Wenthe)

Come, Holy Spirit, and kindle in us the re of your love that through the witness, work and words of your called workers, all may know the Good Newof the Gospel and be saved for all eternity.

Brian L. Friedrich, President

reectionsreections

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ll out a ministry position request formfor a candidate, and then submit the formto any cus institutions they choose. It hasbeen a valued time saver for call committees,principals, and placement directors. Inthe past three years, this online form hasbeen lled out by over 850 different callingbodies who were seeking to call any rsttime commissioned candidate as a Teacher,Director of Christian Education, Directorof Parish Music, Director of Family Life,Lay Minister, and Deaconess.

The request form has also al lowed us the

ability to collect and use data to see trendsthat are taking place in our synodical callingbodies and those candidates who are beingplaced. Below are trends that indicate a needfor more synodical candidates to meet ourministry needs.

The Requests for Candidates indicatesthe number of candidate requests wehave received from calling entities of theLCMS . These requests include a variety ofcommissioned minister positions, with 85percent being requests for teacher ministers.

Total Candidates A ssigned indicates thosecandidates who were approved by the Boardof Assignments for their rst Calls. Thedata show that our synodical calling bodiescannot fully meet their current ministryneeds through our church worker programs.

We can get a c learer v iew of the t rendsby looking more closely at the candidatesassigned. Candidate assignments are brokendown into Teachers, Directors of ChristianEducation, Directors of Parish Music,Directors of Family Life, Lay Ministers,Deaconess, and other CommissionedCandidates positions. The largest group ofassigned candidates is teachers. Teachersassigned are Graduates from our cus institutions who have completed their

road to travel. Though the placement processitself hasnt changed, the call documentshave changed, and the way informationis exchanged between calling bodies andplacement officers has changed. In myearly days in Placement, before we useddigital and electronic copies, our officesent out hundreds of paper credential les

with candidates informat ion to ca ll ingbodies. My administrative assistant and herorganized groups of student workers stuffedlarge envelopes and coordinated the massmailings of these les. At that time, some

of our student credential les required two weeks to reach a calling body. Today, weget digital copies of a credential le in thehands of calling bodies usually within 24hours and sometimes even within the hourof a request.

The days when we held a Service ofConsecration or Call Service wheregraduates received their call documentsare gone. Todays candidates and callingbodies work through a protocol processknown as the Guidelines for Designation.Candidates openly correspond aboutministry opportunities with calling bodiesusing technology to communicate. Skypeinterviews are common. Candidates sharetheir online portfolios which contain theireducation philosophy, classroom teachingexamples with sample lesson plans andrubrics. Most portfolios contain photos andsome contain video clips, which provide aplethora of information for calling bodiesto review.

Technology has allowed us to become moreefficient in getting information about ourcandidates to calling bodies and to publicschool districts looking to hire teachers.More than 90 percent of the hiring forpublic teacher openings are facilitated insome way through submitting informationto school districts electronically. In asimilar way, all Lutheran ChurchMissouriSynod calling bodies are able to maketheir requests by contacting the ConcordiaSystem University Placement Directorsand lling out an online form called the

Candidate Request Form. This form wasdeveloped by the placement directors six years ago and has been supported by theConcordia University System (cus ). Thishas enabled calling entities to go online,

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A Decade as Placement

DirectorThis past year I celebrated my 10th yearas Director of Synodical Placement atConcordia University Nebraska. Thoughmy title has changed some over the years,my role has remained the same: to facilitateplacement for our synodical candidates andassist our public education candidates intheir search for employment. It has been adecade of blessings for me, watching God work through the gifts He has given me,to assist more than 1,000 candidates ndopportunities to serve and share the GoodNews of Jesus Christ in ministry within

schools and churches in communitiesaround the world.I begin each academic year meeting

in groups with all Education, Directorof Christian Education, and Director ofParish Music candidates. This allows methe opportunity to introduce myself to oursoon-to-be graduates and get them think ingabout life after college. Over the next few weeks I meet individually with our synodicaland public candidates. As they enter myoffice, many will comment on the photos andmementos on my shelvesa memory lane tome, reminding me how God continues to work in and through my life. It is also a greatconversation starter as we get to learn moreabout each other. Candidates share theirfuture teaching goals and job preferences.

We talk about geograph ica l preferencesand also where they dont see themselvesbeginning their minist ry. Some will sharenews of their upcoming marriage and otherstheir love for ministry overseas. This time oflife for our soon-to-be graduates is excitingand adventurous, yet scary and complicated.They often share their concerns aboutnding a teaching job or being cal led.

Not many candidates at rst see the posterhanging above my computer. It reads, Wemay not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. But itreminds the candidate and me how God works through us to serve others. Here is thetime I get to remind them of who is reallyin charge of our lives and of this placementprocess. We complete the credential lesand prepare for interviews, but we continueto pray always and leave God in control ofthe process.

My ten-year time line as Director ofSynodical Placement has been an interesting

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Lutheran Teaching certication as wellas candidates who complete the colloquy.Colloquy candidates who have graduatedfrom other public or private institutions,are hired by a church or school as contracted workers, and then complete the onlinecolloquy program are usually called to theirpositions by the cal ling bodies.

As our cus teacher graduate numbersdecline, our synodical calling entities mustturn to hiring other educators to meet theirministry needs. This raises the question,

Why the decline in the number of custeacher graduates? A number of variablesaffect this decline, including some factorsin college admissions but also some at thecompletion of a students program that weplacement directors can address. One that Ihave noticed recently is candidates deferringtheir church worker placement because asstudents they have taken on state-sponsoredteacher education loans. The graduate canthen have the loan forgiven by teaching acertain number of years in approved low-income schools. One may wonder if thiscandidate will seek a call once completingthe required commitment. It is difficultto say.

Other changes I have observed includethe closing of more than 200 Lutheranschools. But other churches and associationsof congregations have made a commitmentto their school ministry. They are willing torevisit and change their mission statementsto meet the challenges of dynamic changesin their community. These Lutheranschools have survived by pursuing uniqueand diverse mission opportunities withintheir communities.

There have been at least four revisionsin the format of call documents, from atypewriter format to an online format.

Whatever the format , tenured ca ll s are

now in the minority as more callingbodies choose to issue non-tenured callsto candidates. Under some circumstances,some calling bodies issue contracts, decidingthat a contract works best for their purposes.Of the 21,256 Christian educators who teachin our schools, 10,658 are called.

Health care costs have caused callingbodies to change family coverage plans toemployee-only plans, and candidates areasked to pick up the costs for spouses andfamilies. This year the required 3 percentoffset in benet plans which previously

assisted church workers disposable income was eliminated. Many cal ling bodies arenow trying to gure out how to provide fortheir church workers without the workertaking on the extra costs which decreasetheir already low starting salaries. Thechallenges of church worker ministries aregreat, but the cost of not continuing is evengreater. We no longer have to go overseasfor a mission eld: the mission eld is ourown community.

Concordia University Nebraska did astudy last year to see where our Lutheranteacher candidates were teaching ve yearsafter they were assigned their rst cal l. Wefound that after ve years almost 70 percentof our candidates were still at their rstassigned call. Did this surprise me? Notreally. I have the opportunity to spend time with our graduating candidates going intoministry. I see and hear the passion theyhave for ministry and why they want toteach in a Lutheran school. I believe thatthe value of a degree from acus institutionplays a large role in challenging, molding,and equipping men and women for serviceand leadership in church and world. Imlooking forward to seeing how God usesme to facilitate placement this year. I know

Who holds the future.

Bill SchranzDirector of Education and

Synodical Careers,Concordia University Nebraska

Bill.Schranz@cune.edu

What my TeachersShowed Me

Detroit was a wonderful place to growup. I know that when people today thinkof my hometown, they shake their headsand wonder how things could have gottenso bad. Still, I am confident that the

America n Dream f lou ri shed more inour neighborhoods and our hearts thananywhere else in the country. We believed inthe future. The assembly line workers knewthat the war could have been lost withoutthe contributions of the Motor City. It wasPresident Eisenhower who designed theInterstate Highway System, but Detroit putthe cars on the roads.

My baseball team lived in the shadow of

the Yankees, but we had Al Kaline, a man ofclass and consistency. We had Willie Horton, who boldly addressed the racial divide thatultimately took its toll on our city. Today thehot stove league twitters in anticipation ofhow the top free agents will judge our cities.But Al Kaline was loyal; he was dependableand embodied the persona of success thatparents wanted for their kids.

I loved the Tigers! I wanted to be Al Ka line.

But the Tigers werent the only team thatmade growing up in my Detroit suburb a

joy. The team at Emmanuel Dearborn wasmore important to my future than I could

ever have imagined. I attended public schooluntil the end of sixth grade. My parentsfaced a choice that is still in front of tens ofthousands of families even as you read thisarticle: Is public school the right choicefor our family?

I know that for those of us in Lutheranschools, we would like all of our familiesto attend our school because of theircommitment to the spiritual growth of theirchildren. Alas, it is not always so. When Iended the sixth grade, my parents lookedfor a better place for me to continue myeducation. Spiritual growth was not onthe top of the list as my parents weighedtheir options.

I was about to discover a new world, a world where the teachers concern for astudent as a child of God provided thepower to change lives. During my rst daysat Emmanuel in Dearborn, Mrs. Glotzober was the embodiment of Christ. From hersecond grade class she saw this new seventh

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grader as a child of God. When my parents were not able to get me to t he ChristmasEve service, Mrs. G sent a cab to bring meto the celebration.

The leader of that Emmanuel team wasPrincipal Justin Schwartz. He taught me Lawand Gospel. He held the Law up before a kid without direction; he helped me understandthat all of the aws and weaknesses in my

young life were countered by a loving God who is full of Grace. The loyal and consistentteam that took their place in the classroomseach day showed me the face of Jesus.

When my two years as a Bul ldog werecoming to a close, my teachers encouragedme to attend Lutheran High School West.I trusted them, and I enrolled at LHW.Mr. Ralph Nitz found me there and saw inme something I never saw in myself. MissLilla Finzel required us to do a collegeapplication. No one from my family hadever been to college. I would be the rst toeven apply. I was given an application toConcordia Teachers College, River Forest.Ha, me in college, me a teacher? I lled itout and began my college experience in thefall. On campus I found people with earneddoctorates who invested in me. They believedin my potential when I was consumed by mypresent activities. Dr. Lyle Kurth asked mehow my passion on the baseball eld wouldserve my students. Dr. Pete Becker askedme to consider the perspective of a studentrather than see the c lassroom as a efdom where my rules and my opinions were theonly ones worthy of consideration.

And so, I grew up with the guidance ofrole models who walked the path to thefuture, my future, with me. Furthermore,I became a church worker, and I am walkingthat path today. The rst 35 years have beenrewarding, but I have a lot of growing to do.

Today, there is angst over the difficultiesin recruiting church workers. We wonder why kids are not knocking down the doorto begin preparation for full-time church

work. I think I have a simple answer.I am not Mrs. Glotzober. For that matter,

too often I am not Ralph Nitz. My life wasshaped and directed because of these people

who be lieved in me; these people whoencouraged me to consider my responseto Gods love; these people who gave me an

e d itor i als

application to Concordia Teachers College.There are lots of days when I lose my focus.

I complain about low pay and long hours. Ideliver a disproportionate dose of the law inmy classroom. I make movie references thatshow Im out of touch with the kids today. Imake Gods Word seem to be less relevantfor a changing world than I know it is.

At many of our schools, we issue pressreleases when a student is accepted at anIvy League school, but dont say a word when a student makes a comm itment topreparing for a life in the classroom. In

our Concordia universities we have a needto build enrollment by launching newprograms. The training of lay leaders iscertainly a God-pleasing pursuit, but do wegive enough encouragement to those whoare choosing to teach the children and ourchildrens children?

The challenge of recruiting church worke rs ca n best be met by those whounderstand most completely the joy thatcomes from a career of service. When ourkids look at us, they need to see a spark inour eyes that says being Al Kaline wouldbe great, but so would being Mr. Schwartz.Often students leave our schools and oursystem because they feel they have outgrownthe intimate surroundings of the parishschool or the tiny high school with onehallway. Our challenge is to show students

who desire to perform on a big stage thatLutheran teachers inuence the world, andour impact continues across generations.Dr. Kurth challenged me to look into thefuture and see the effect I could have onothers who are searching for their role inthe Kingdom of God. I want God to use mylife like he used Dr. Beckers life.

Let me share again, step by step, whatmy Christian teachers did to invite me intotheir world.

1. Be a real living example of Gods lovein the life of your students.

Keep your standards and expectperformance from you students, butalso be on the lookout for the times when they need a minister and bethat minister. Your actions willdemonstrate to them that church workers make a difference in the livesof others.

2. See the potential of the student whoappears to be wandering.

Talk to them about future plans.Chances are they have not thoughtmuch about the Call that God hasfor them. If they are unsure, helpthem to inventory the gifts that theyhave and the motivations that are justbelow the surface. By doing this you wil l show them the skill-set that youbelieve God has a use for, not just inthe future, but today.

3. Help them to see the impact they

can have bringing Christ to a post-Christian world. It is not good for the man to

be alone. By our nature we arecommunal creatures. We want tomake a difference. Let your studentsknow that you see in them a spark thatcan start a re in the lives of others.

4. Introduce them to the people in theuniversities who share a commoninterest, trait or skill.

Take them to games andcompetitions on campus. Bookthe traveling music group in yourbuilding. Invite speakers from arange of schools in our Concordiasystem to speak at your chapel, tocome to career day, to watch yourstudents performances.

5. Give them an application. No, serious ly, hand them an

application to the school of yourchoice or to more than one. Put itin an envelope and handwrite thema short note, asking them to considerhow great they will be in the serviceof the Lord.

I love the story of how Saul became Paul.I would give a lot to have been one of theshermen who was called away from his netsto follow Christ. But most of us receive ourcalls from a friendly and familiar face. I amhappy that my teachers showed me the joysof being a church worker.

Don GillinghamExecutive Director, Rockford Lutheran

High School, Rockford, Ill inoisdgillingham@rockfordlutheran.org

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Theological Living that

Draws into Church Work *Note to reader: For the sake of clarity, I haveunderlined the problem and bold-typeda solution.

I have the best job in the world. I teach Jesus every day. I connect people to theBread of life that they may have treasure inheaven, grace in abundance, freedom fromthe world and sin, and relationship withan incomprehensibly loving almighty God.

I have the dumbest job in the world. I teach Jesus every day. What fool would consumethe idea of less money, little gratication,heartbreaking sacrice, dependence upon

a strange invisible deity, and living underscandal and ridicule every day? We Jesus-teachers teach what the spirit

craves and the esh recoils from. Is it any wonder that few people knock on our door?

We dont promise more money or a better job. My sales pitch offers the less tangible. What do our students receive? Condence.Peace. Assurance. Knowledge. Answers.Insight. Balance. In a word: Jesus. I have yet to hear regret from anyone nishing acourse I teach, as if the time and money wereill-spent. Not that I take glory from thissuccess, for it is not I who have succeeded.Rather, it is I who was passive that Jesusmight be active.

This edition of Issues asks how the churchcan respond to dismal enrollment in thechurch work vocation. Youll hear talk aboutpouring more money into the problem(which would help a bit), but remember, we Jesus-teachers teach poverty of earthlyriches. Youll read about better recruitmentthrough better marketing and better alumniservices. But remember, we Jesus-teachersteach scandal over scintillation and sacriceover success.

I believe the best recruitment methodfor the church work vocation is taught tous by Philip of Bethsaida. Philip knew theLord Jesus and found someone to whom hesaid (and I paraphrase a bit), Come, letsget you more Jesus. In this historical event, we learn three absolutely vital lessons aboutrecruitment for Jesus. First, partnership.Second, steadfastness. Third, trust. In therst place, church work is cooperative. One

endless hours, unnoticed sacrice, and littlegratitude, there is an underlying wave ofpurposelessness in the minds of those whohave been conrmed. Im done with church.I graduated. I was conrmed.

Thesis: Religious instruction should beregarded in similar ways to cooking classes.

Evidence. Learning the basics of cooking(how to crack an egg, how to peel a potato,how to steam vegetables) is not a diplomafor never having to cook again nor neverhaving to eat again. So, too, learning thetheological truths of the faith (traditionallylater elementary, early high school level) isbut the merest taste of what is to come and what can be.

If a person, for instance, once learnedhow to scramble eggs or how to steamgreen beans, do they think they are done

with preparing or eat ing food? Suc h apresumption is unreasonable. More likely,the person retains such skil ls, improves onthem, and broadens ones horizons about themany methods of preparation, the varietyof products available for consumption, andthe artistry necessary for true enjoyment.

So, too, theological training of theadolescentand the adults I teachmusthave the inherent and the expressedunderstanding that this is but the surfaceof the riches to be found and experiencedthroughout life. The Ten Commandments,for example, are not a memorized-and-done list, which is what most conrmationprograms stress. Rather, a Commandmentis like an egg (if we pursue the food analogyhere). How many ways are there to preparean egg? In how many different dishes caneggs be included? How many ways are therefor a Commandment to be prayed, studied,illustrated, lived, expressed? This is theChristian lifeexploration, discovery,understanding, deeper relationship, greaterdenial of self and evil, greater Love, Truth,and Life.

This thinking, this theological living,draws people back to the church and intochurch work vocations. It is time for anew generation to rise up and know theLord Jesus.

Rev. Timothy SternbergM.Div., M.S. Ed

Colloquy Mentor, Director of Technology,Concordia University Education Network

tsternberg@cuenet.edu

great failing of current thinking in thechurch is hoping that someone else willnd church workers, train them, employthem. Philip took the hand of his fr iend,talked with him, wal ked with him to Jesusand learned with him from Jesus. In thesecond place, Philip faced adversity f romhis friend in the form of reluctance anddoubt. These things did not deter Philip.In the third place, Philip trusted that theLord Jesus was really worth the time andeffort. Philip was not disappointed.

So far in this editorial, I believe I haveoffered little in the way of new insights.

Allow me now to postulate what may initiallyseem foolishness, but if indeed it is true, we can turn the rudder of the church moreprecisely toward the bright Morning Star.

Thesis: The modern practice ofconrmation in the church has led to lowlevels of people entering the church work vocation.

Evidence. Ei ther inherent ly orunintentionally, conrmation is perceivedsimilar to other modern educational systems,that once completed, return is unnecessary.One never returns to elementary schoolafter graduation; one never revisits (to learnmore about) the material of 2nd grade mathor 4th grade l iterature. One never returnsto high school after graduation, or college,or trade school, or medical school, or lawschool. Once you know the stuff, you aredone. So it is with conrmation. Once you

know the stuff, there is no need to return.Thus, Christian living, or I might suggestthe term theological living, becomes likedivision in math. Sure, you learned howto do it in elementary school, but if youneed to do it in real life, you pull out thecalculator. Sure, you learned about God inconrmation, and if you need God again, you have the pastor do itafter al l, hesfaster at it, knows it better, and thats his job.

Now that several generations have beenimbued with this thinking, the idea ofcoming back to church seems, intellectually,silly. (I speak here not of the need of thesoul for God and His church.) Thus, priorto the stumbling blocks of dismal wages,

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Enrollment uctuations within institutionsof higher education are a common part of thelife of an institution, particularly at the levelof individual programs. Even in institutions where overall enrollment may not be shiftingsubstantially, enrollment within particularprograms offered by the institution may seedramatic shifts. An institutions enrollmentcould be shrinking while the enrollment in aparticular program is increasing; conversely,an institutions enrollment could be growing,perhaps even substantially, while theenrollment in a particular program of studymay be decreasing. Such internal programmaticenrollment fluctuations may result from a variety of different circumstances.

Internal programmatic changes may bethe result of biological or unplanned change.Biological change happens over the course oftime in somewhat of a natural progression which may resu lt in a gradua lly developinglevel of support from institutional stakeholders(Fiedler, Welpe, & Picot, 2010; Kezar & Eckel,

2002). In a similar manner, change may alsobe very intentionally planned or teleologicalchange, which can range from minor alterations

in the manner in which business is conductedto substantial changes that result in radicalrestructuring of an organization (Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, 2009; Burnes, 2004; Kezar,2005; Kezar & Eckel, 2002; Van Loon, 2001).Changes of both types may ultimately result inchanges which alter the overall system withinan organization; systemic change of this natureoften leads to a change in one area that resultsin changes throughout the system (Foster-Fishman, Nowell, & Yang, 2007).

Changes of all of these types, the interactionbetween changes of various types, and numerousexternal factors have the capacity to result inshifts within programmatic enrollments atinstitutions of higher education.

The institutions of the Concordia UniversitySystem (cus ) have experienced changes inenrollment over the course of history. Thearticles in the present edition of Issues in ChristianEducation are exploring those changes particularlyrelating to enrollment within the programs ofchurch work formation at the cus schools. The

nature of these changes ts within a varietyof the categories of change; some change hasbeen planned, some has been unplanned, andmuch of it has some bearing on the overallsystem. Setting the current scene of church

work enrollment is par ticularly crucial forboth gaining an understanding of the natureof the change that has transpired, as well asexploring in greater depth, as other authorsdo in this edition, the potential ramicationsof such change.

The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Philpis the Director of Institu tionalResearch and Integrity, ConcordiaUniversity System, The LutheranChurchMissouri Synod.paul.philp@cus.edu

LCMS Church Worker Enrollments:The Current Scene

I s s u e s

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The Current Scene

Enrollment data from each of the cu s institutions is compiled on an annual basis.

Among the pieces of data which are collectedare the enrollment statistics for church workpreparation programs. The most recent dataavailable is from the Fall 2013 reports of theinstitutions and is the data used for this article.Table 1 provides a summary of church workenrollment at the cus schools in comparisonto overall enrollment. { Table 1 }

The data presented above indicate that the

percentage of thecus

student populationpreparing for church work is 4.58 percent.This number represents those students whoare formally enrolled in a program of church work study; however, not inc luded are anystudents who may be enrolled in a graduate levelprogram that pertains to a church profession,such as a master in church music degree. Thepercentage also does not include students who may be planning to attend seminary, butare not enrolled specically as pre-seminarystudents. While the percentage of the total

student population is an important number toconsider, perhaps more helpful is the percentageof the undergraduate student population thatis preparing for church work. The church work programs are primarily undergraduateprograms. The percentage of the undergraduatepopulation preparing for church work of 9.2percent is nearly double the percentage of totalenrollment.

The percentages of the total enrollment andof the undergraduate enrollment represented

by church work students provide a snapshot ofthe current scene. What these numbers fail toprovide is indication of whether or not there isa substantive change in these percentages. Assuch, it is not possible to draw any particularconclusions without considering what thedata show from prior years. This comparativeanalysis is the subject of the next section.

Enrollment Trends2000 to the Present

The current enrollment numbers and thenumbers of church work students includedin those numbers provide a snapshot of thecurrent scene across the cus . Table 2 illustrateshow these numbers compare to cus enrollmentand church worker enrollments since 2000.The years 2005 and 2009 are provided astouch points of comparison between 2000 andthe present. {Table 2 }

An examination of the data presentedin Table 2 reveals a number of trends inenrollment at the cus institutions. Enrollmentat the cus institutions during this period oftime has increased substantially; more thantwice as many students were being served andtaught in cus institutions during the 2013-2014 Academic Year than in the 2000-2001 Academic Year. The increase in enrol lmentillustrates the strong growth and academicexcellence of the cus institutions. The overalltrend of increased enrollment does not matchthe trend in church work enrollment; whileit might be expected that a corresponding

* The data does not break down thiscategory; teachers at all grade andspecialization levels are included.

** This number includes diaconalstudents enrolled at ConcordiaChicago (16), as well as 5 studentsenrolled in pre-deaconess programsat other cus institutions who willcomplete their studies elsewhere.

cus 2013 Fall EnrollmentProgram Enrollment Number of Schools with Students

Currently in the ProgramPre-Seminary 156 9Lutheran Teacher * 1,011 10DCE 251 6

DCO 9 1Deaconess ** 21 3Lay Ministry 32 1Dir. Family Life 28 1Dir. Parish Music 23 5Total Church Work 1,531 NA Total Undergraduate 16,580 NA Total Graduate 16,819 NA Total Enrollment 33,399 NA

Table 1

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enrollment increase would be present amongchurch work programs, the opposite is true.

During the same period of time whenenrollment at cus institutions more thandoubled, the enrollment in church workprograms overall decreased by about half(49.77 percent ). The decrease in church workenrollment was not consistent across church work programs. The program with the greatestdecrease was the Lay Ministry program and the

least change was in the Director of Parish Musicenrollment which remained the same in 2013as it was in 2000. This program did experiencean increase in 2005 which had disappearedby 2013. While three programs that werecounted in 2000 are no longer counted, onenew program began after 2000, offsettingthese numbers to some degree. The decrease inchurch work enrollment represented in thesedata illustrates the current trend, but they donot provide an indication as to why the trendis transpiring.

Explanations

Developing explanations for the trend identiedin the data involves a multiplicity of factors.

Among the factors are issues which will bediscussed in other articles within this editionof Issues in Christian Education: challenges facingchurch work enrollment, challenges in ministrycontexts, educational debt, and a variety ofrecruitment-related challenges. Additionalfactors are related to the size of the population

from which church work students are able to bedrawn. Reporting of lcms Rosters and Statistics(just over 70 percent of congregations reportedcurrent data in 2012) indicates a reductionin the total number of both baptized (13.99percent) and communicant (11.72 percent)membership between 2000 and 2012. Such areduction of the overall population of potentialchurch work students may also be a contributingfactor. Finally, systemic changes, perhaps

unplanned in nature, have likely developed outof transformations that have slowly taken placerelative to the manner in which the institutionsof the cus carry out the mission of bringingChrist to the Church and World.

The context in which the cus institutionsare presently operating is ever-changing.Institutions of higher education of all typesare facing transformations in the historicmodels of revenue receipts, cultural changes,technological changes, increased governmentaland accreditation agency requirements for

accountability, and a myriad of complexissues (Asplund, Abdelkarim, & Skalli, 2008;Blumenstyk, 2009; Cheslock & Gianneschi,2008). These factors, paired with uctuatingeconomic trends and a sense of politicaluncertainty, have made the operation of aninstitution of higher education difficult at best.Challenges such as these are often exacerbatedin the private institution sector and particularlyin the religious institution sector of highereducation. The institutions of the cus are

cus Enrollment 2000 PresentProgram 2000 2005 2009 2013

Pre-Seminary 422 426 245 156Lutheran Teacher * 1852 1439 1192 1,011DCE 374 404 278 251DCO 33 34 18 9

Deaconess ** 33 33 26 21Lay Ministry 203 182 78 32Dir. Family Life 0 *** 57 44 28Dir. Parish Music 23 38 19 23Parish Assistant **** 1 0 0 0Social Work **** 32 0 0 0Parish Nurse **** 75 0 0 0Total Church Work 3,048 2,613 1,900 1,531Total Undergraduate 12,657 13,658 13,852 16,580Total Graduate 2,044 4,911 11,664 16,819Total Enrollment 14,701 18,569 25,516 33,399

Table 2

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* The data does not break downthis category; teachers at allgrade and specialization levelsare included.

** This number includes diaconalstudents enrolled at ConcordiaChicago, as well as studentsenrolled in pre-deaconessp r o g r a m s a t o t h e r c u s institutions who will completetheir studies elsewhere.

*** This program was not inexistence in 2000.

****These programs ceased to existin the reporting between 2000and 2005.

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institutions, the world of online education wasalso growing exponentially.

cus institutions were able to begin offeringalready well-respected programs in the onlineenvironment. These online program offeringsallowed for increased enrollment of studentsin a program of study that could be completed while continuing to serve in their respective vocations without travel to a local campus. Manyof these students are from the local area near

the institution at which they are enrolled. Inseveral locations this pairing of well-respectedprograms with online access quickly allowedcus institutions to become the institution ofchoice for many. The inux of students andtuition revenue for these programs provide keysupport for the institutions to also continueto support the programs of church workpreparation which form the historic core ofthe institutions.

The argument may be made by some thatsuch rapid increase in graduate programs

and new programs of undergraduate studyredirected the focus of the cus institutionsor caused institutional missions to shift.Certainly there is an aspect in which such anargument is correct. The mission of the cus institutions has experienced a shift. The shifthas been in the broadening and expansion ofthe mission, rather than a change from onemission to another. The distinction is crucialto understand. Many of the institutions whichhave experienced the largest growth in new F

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facing the changing demographics in theirrespective communities as well as decreasesin the population from which students can be

drawn. At the same time, new opportunities forthese same institutions to serve the Church and world through Christ-centered programs havedeveloped, leading to increased enrollment inmany areas.

Enrollment increases within the cu s institutions, as illustrated in Table 2, have comein a variety of areas. In particular, the numberof students enrolled in graduate programshas increased at a signicant rate since 2000.The total number of graduate students at cus institutions has increased at a staggering rateof over 700 percent, with the largest shareof that increase coming after 2005. Such adramatic increase was the result of a numberof key factors coming together at the same timeand creating somewhat of a tipping point, whichled to the exponential increases.

The institutions of the cus have experiencedsignicant increases in graduate enrollment asa result of several key factors. First among themis the strong development of reputations asinstitutions of excellence through the increased

prominence of the Concordia brand nationally;but somewhat of even greater importance,the development of such reputations withinthe institutions local markets. Graduates ofcus institutions, both church workers andnon-church workers, have gone out into thecommunities around the institutions from which they have graduated and performed well in the marketplace. In the non-church work world, in par ticular, graduates beganto return seeking to study at the graduatelevel with the same excellent cus faculty

in a familiar context. In response, the cus institutions began to develop graduate levelprograms, built upon their existing strongand reputable undergraduate programs, whileat the same time also seeking to develop newundergraduate programs which could serve tomeet the needs of local niche markets. Eachof these programs is marked by a decidedlyLutheran identity, and thus carries the missionof the institution forward. As the reputationof these programs developed at various cus

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programming and online offerings are the sameinstitutions which have seen the least decrease,if not balance or even some growth, in theenrollment within the church work programs

at the same institutions. The two trends areconnected because they are both componentsof what is presently happening within theenrollment trends of the cus institutions,but the relationship of these trends is notnecessarily causal.

The relationship between the two trends, while not causal, does underscore the crucialneed for the cus institutions to be diligentin maintaining a Christocentric focus and astrong Lutheran identity. The effort required inmaintaining this identity and focus within thecontext of church work preparation programshas challenges, primarily of a theological nature;the same effort in other programs involves evenlarger challenges. The cus institutions arecommitted to this effort as collectively they workto ensure that the mission of the institutionsand of the Church is advanced. The relationshipbetween the two trends suggests the need fora broader discussion regarding both aspectsof enrollment in what has become a somewhatbifurcated issue.

Further Discussion What Does This Mean?

The data presented raise several items fordiscussion within the cus institutions and thebroader church. The increases in enrollment,the addition of new programs, the extensionof institutional mission, and the manyopportunities for shining the Light of Christinto the dark arena of higher education and the world itself are all positive aspects of the workof the cus institutions. At the same time, theseitems have generated a substantial amount ofdiscussion about the work of the institutionsand are often linked directly with the decreasein church work enrollments. Paramountfor any discussion regarding enrollment atcus institutions is the clarication that therelationship in enrollment trends is not causal.Closely related to this key point is the processof emphasizing a Christ-centered focus paired

with a strong Lutheran identity through thecus . This is a central component of the workof the task force created by Resolution 5-01Aat the 2013 Convention of the Synod. Helpful

progress is being made within the 5-01A TaskForce on these specic issues.The discussion of these aspects of the cus by

the 5-01A Task Force is excellent, but there areother items which must also be discussed relatedto this data. Among the items for additionaldiscussion is what the various changes notedin the data mean for the institutions in termsof student recruitment, faculty recruitmentand development, sources of funding, andrelationship to the church body of which theyare a part. Discussions on these topics shouldtranspire and have the potential to result inpositive developments for the cus institutions,greater partnerships with various entities ofthe Synod, and numerous blessings throughthe collective work of Witness, Mercy, and LifeTogether. What such discussions are not likelyto do is to address the related key questions ofchurch work enrollment.

The trend in church work enrollmentindicated in the data presented raises anadditional set of items for discussion with the

church body and the cus institutions. Severalof those issues will be discussed in other articles within this edition. The multiplicity of issues,challenges, demographics, and other factorsthat have resulted in the decrease in church

work preparation enrol lments have ar isenover a period of many years and may not beassigned to any one particular entity or group ofentities. Discussions surrounding church workenrollment decreases will only be fruitful andbenecial to the church body if this fact is clearlyemphasized from the outset. Whats needed in

the discussions related to a decrease in church work enrollment patterns is attention to theneeds of the church body both in numbers andin the nature of the work for which church workstudents are being prepared.

Church work preparation falls into a varietyof categories, and a component of the discussionthat the data from the last several years illustratesis that some programs cease while others begin.

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and pastors are perennial, programs for othertypes of church workers may in fact change withthe needs of the church body and the natureof where the Lord of the Church has need of

workers. The way in which teachers and pastorsare prepared to carry out the work of teaching,preaching, and distributing Gods gifts mayalso change with the needs of the church bodyand the opportunities presented by the Lordof the Church. The Word of God remains thesame; however pastors, teachers, and otherchurch workers may require education to enablethem to fulll the work of their service to theChurch that was not previously a componentof church work preparation. Not only must thequestion of whether or not the present levelsof church work enrollment are sufficient, butit must also be asked whether the nature of theprograms is preparing that which is needed.

The questions noted above are a criticalcomponent in the analysis of this data. It is truethat the number of church work students hasdropped substantially in the years covered bythis study. What the data does not say is whetherthe enrollment in 2000 should be the target.The target must be set, and it must include notonly numbers but the nature of the programs of

preparation, as well. For example, how many ofthe 1,011 Lutheran Teacher program studentsneed to be able to teach preschool in Spanishor Mandarin? How many of that same numberneed to be willing to teach in the schools of worldwide partner churches? How many ofthat same number need to be prepared to leada faculty in a Lutheran school where they areone of the few who has completed training forthe Lutheran Teacher Diploma? These andsimilar questions could be asked of all church

work programs. What is clear from the data

is that as the answers to these questions aredeveloped and the opportunities which thoseanswers produce are presented to the CUSinstitutions, the institutions have the capacity,the expertise, and focus on the mission of theChurch to accomplish the task.

References Asplund, R., Abdelkarim, O.B., & Skalli, A. (2008). Education Economics, 16(3), 261-274.doi:10.1080/09645290802338102

Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, S. (2009). Mechanisms of

teleological change. Management Revue, 20(2),126-137. doi:10.1688/1861-9908_mrev_2009_02_Bekmeier-Feuerhahn

Blumenstyk, G. (2009). Market collapse weighsheavily on college endowments.The Chronicleof Higher Education, 55(22), A17, A21. Retrieved fromhttp://chronicle.com/article/Market-Collapse-Weighs-Heavily/16390

Burnes, B. (2004). Kurt Lewin and the plannedapproach to change: A re-appraisal. Journal ofManagement Studies, 41(6), 977-1002. doi:10.1111/ j.1467-6486.2004.00463.x

Cheslock, J., & Gianneschi, M. (2008). Replacestate appropriates with alternative revenuesources: The cast of voluntary support. Journal ofHigher Education, 79(2), 208-229. Retrieved fromhttp://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/25144659/uid=2134& uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102045454133

Fiedler, M., Welpe, I., & Picot, A. (2010).Understanding radical change: An examinationof management departments in German-speaking universities. Management Revue, 21(2),111-134. doi:10.1688/1861-9908_mrev_2010_02_Fielder Foster-Fishman, P. G., Nowell, B., & Yang, H.(2007). Putting the system back into systemschange: A framework for understanding andchanging organizational and community systems.

American Journal of Community Psycholog y, 39, 197-215.doi:10.1007/s10464-007-9109-0

Kezar, A. (2005). Consequences of radicalchange in governance: A grounded theoryapproach. Journal of Higher Education, 76(6), 634-668.Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3838781

Kezar, A., & Eckel, P. (2002). Examining theinstitutional transformation process: Theimportance of sensemaking, interrelatedstrategies, and balance. Research in Higher Education,43(3), 295-328. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40196456

Van Loon, R. (2001). Organizational change: Acase study. Innovative Higher Education, 25(4),285-201. doi:10.1023/A:1011098607957

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The Rev. Dr. Jeffery Schrank isthe Executive Pastor of ChristChurch-Lutheran, Phoenix(hosts of the annual BestPractices Conference).

jschrank@cclphoenix.org

Ways of Recruiting Church Workers:One Persons View of One Churchs Approach

It can seem to be presumptuous to commenton Gods work. Recruiting church workers isessentially a person answering Gods call. Tosuggest that we can orchestrate, manipulate orforce such is problematic. We who plant or we who water are nothing, it is God who gives thegrowth (1 Corinthians 3). It is only the favorof God, the movement of the Spirit and thegood news of Jesus Christ that fuels the church.

As Luther said in his catechism, calls gathersenlightens and sancties the whole Christianchurch on earth. It is Gods activity. With

humility, I proceed to share one churchs story.I have the humble privilege to be a pastor atChrist Church-Lutheran in Phoenix, Arizona. We are a city church with a large school. Wehave about 1,000 folks who worship in ourservices over the course of a week. We value the

Word of God, children, missions and helpingpeople. We have goals by 2020: zero debt, tenmissionaries, 100 people launched into church work careers, 1,000 people on mission tripsand 10,000 people who are helped. We have ahealth clinic and a Celebrate Recovery program,summer camp, and connection to mission eldson four continents. Our church spans thesocioeconomic spectrum. We are real people

desiring to do Gods will in Phoenix, Arizona. We believe in many things...

We Believe in Death

This may seem to be a strange place to start,but we begin at the end, otherwise known asthe end, that is, our new beginning. Death isreal. So are heaven and hell. Without Christ aneternity of separation from God awaits. Overseven billion people now inhabit this planet.The vast majority does not know Jesus Christ.Each person who reads this article will diesomeday. Our time is limited. Teach us tonumber our days, as the Scripture says. Thisperspective forces the question, Who willfollow you in your Christian work? Who will bethe teacher who wil l succeed you, the preacherto speak from your pulpit, the missionary onthe eld, the youth workers to shepherd the young? Who follows you when you die? Youmight say, This is morbid. I say, Teach usto number our days.

We Believe in the Church

And the gates of hell will not prevail. As longas there is an earth there is a church. And inheaven it is the church triumphant. The churchdoes not end when we go to heaven, so there willbe teachers and pastors and missionaries in thechurch after we are gone. Because we believe inthe church, we by extension believe in church workers. I love the phrase, the local churchis the hope of the world. Think of itwhereis the church thriving, where does the church

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seem to do its most joyful and best work? Thisis happening where church workers are whereGod wants them to be doing what God wantsthem to be doing. Certainly the church is not

just its professional staff, but the brothers andsisters in Christ who are at a certain locationdoing and living the will of God. It would behard to say, I believe in the church, withoutby extension meaning I believe in the value ofchurch workers for the church.

We Believe in Work and Prayer

As a child in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I heard

my pastor say these words that he attributedto Martin Luther, Work as if everythingdepended on work, and pray as if everythingdepended on prayer. Ministry is hard work. Itcosts. It takes time, effort and energy. Work isnot something to be avoided. It is a good andGodly gift. When church workers are viewed asnot working, not competently working or not working well with others; problems arise. Theseare stumbling blocks to the church that havecreated many a reason why people fall away from

the organized church. People work hard formany things in this life: their family, money,leisure, security, accomplishment. But thereis no higher aspiration than working hard forGod. As a young adult recently stated:

Essentially, growing up in Christ Church-Lutheranhad to be a great opportunity. I worked hard for mycommunity and for kids. How could I not? That placeencouraged and grew my passion to help children.

(Nathan Stevens, Education Programat Concordia University-Irvine, Irvine,California)

We Believe in Children

What a great season of l ife is childhood. Howmany of your childhood memories includechurch? Christmas Eve services, singing onEaster Sunday, sitting with family, servingtogether, etc. are precious memories. Our goalis to instill faith in the children entrusted to ourcare. What a precious season of life and what

a grand privilege, building up children in thefaith. In our community the vast majority of ourtime, effort, and energy is focused on children.

As they say, Children are wet cement. We onlyhave so much time with them.

We Believe in Parents

Honor your Father and Mother. The fourthcommandment comes right after three thatspeak of Gods priority, Name and Word. It issignicant to note that parents have a God-given role for their children. In my 26 years inchurch work I have met many different parents

views of the question, Have you ever thoughtabout your child being a church worker? I havemany that are honored that I thought of theirchild in that light. Others have said, Oh no. Ido not want that life for my child. Then theycatch themselves. That life. When explaining,they name fewer resources and heavier burdensto carry through life as undesirable challenges.But that becomes a jumping off point for theblessing of impacting eternity. Parents are ourpartners. What greater joy than to say that yourchild is impacting eternity?

We Believe in CongregationalSchool Partnerships

Christ Lutheran-Church and School contained myearly life and was my home. It reared me. I was baptized,catechized, conrmed, wed and ordained there. And forit I am eternally grateful. Though at times imperceptiblyand often with my resistance, the Holy Spirit throughthat church provided the soil and spiritual cultivationthat led to me becoming a pastor. I simply would not

be the person I am today without it. (Rev. Adam Burke, Mt. Hope LutheranChurch, Boulder, Colorado)

Our congregation has an elementary school,and is the primary supporting church for

Arizonas only Lutheran ChurchMissouriSynod high school. These three work together.Like a stool with three legs, church workrecruitment culture cannot and does not work unless al l three are standing. Without

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our elementary school, rarely do students go onto Lutheran High, and without the high school,

rarely do students go into church work. Be acheerleader for Lutheran schools. All of them.Our congregations culture is caught up in theservice of children, which is school culture.

We Believe in Teachers

We have great teachers. Let me write it again. We have great teachers. Buildings are nice, butteachers are the most fundamental componentsfor future church workers.

My teachers at Christ Lutheran School helped metremendously as I learned how to use the gifts God gave me. Through countless service opportunities andsummer camp experiences, I saw in myself a desireto lead others toward Christ. Living as Christ in theclassroom has been the greatest joy of my life!

(Tiffany Hartfield, Teacher at ChristLutheran School, Phoenix, Arizona)

If you are a teacher and are reading this, youmatter. Your life and calling matter. Look at your students. Can any of you see any of them

serving God with their lives? Your words arepowerful; your encouragement is life changing.My own faith and calling were inuenced almostexclusively by teachers. It was one well-placedquestion, Have you ever considered being apastor? which changed the course of my life.I attended a Lutheran elementary school inMilwaukee. Milwaukee Lutheran was pivotalfor my life. I am eternally grateful for all of

them nurturing my faith in Christ. To all theteachers reading this, THANK YOU!

Great teachers inspired me. I want to have that sameeffect on people. I want to be in a position where I canshare my faith walk with children and talk to children.

(Matt Siebert, studying to be a scienceeducator at Concordia University-Irvine,Irvine, California)

We Believe in Liking, Dare I Say,Loving Each Other

Not many young people aspire to spend theirlives in conict. Is your church in conict? Is

your church ghting? Is you school in turmoil? Are church and school ghting and in turmoil with each other? Are there more parking lotconversations than speaking the truth in love?

When there is conict, we try hard to addressconict in a Godly way. Unresolved conictdoes not work. This is not to say there is nodisagreement or offense being given or taken.That would not be true. But we attempt to jealously guard the culture. This is hard word. Itcosts time, emotion, tears even, but the churchdeserves the best we can give. We attempt toaddress things quickly and speak the truthin love to one another. Little and big ears arelistening. People are repelled by organizationsand institutions whose members do not likeeach other. This statement sounds simple, butit is powerful.

We Believe in Welcoming and WeBelieve in Fun

If Wal-Mart and Disney have it gured out, whynot us? If companies can greet people as part of

a plan for the bottom line, why not demonstratethe same motivation for the kingdom? How dopeople feel when they come on your campus?Is it a welcoming, joyful place? We have sometime ago begun the practice of standing infront of the school and welcoming the studentin the morning. It is not uncommon for apastor to greet children with puppets on hishands or dressed like a giant chicken. Why?

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you ask. Remember what it was like to be achild? Apprehension coming to school, ghtingboredom, sameness. Laughter and a joyfulspirit set a tone for the day and the campus.

This is what we are about. We welcome fun. We try hard to create a memorable experiencethat says to the child that this is a special place

where you are loved, and that it is a place of joy.Not long ago a pastor was wearing a band hat with a drum and tambourine in tow and a slide whistle in his mouth, creating music to celebratethe beginning of the school day, when a seven-

year-old student walking from the parking lotcame upon this celebration with music forthe beginning of the day. Playful a bit, andcorny, but joyful. The seven year old looked atthe pastor, then looked back at the parent andsaid, Thats going to be me someday! Fun iscontagious. And it recruits church workers!

We Believe in Putting Legalismin Its Place

The New Testament church had its struggle withlegalism. Consider the church of Galatia andthe Judaizers. They added to the Gospel. Somein our own churches debate and ostensibly say

Thus sayeth the Lord when the Lord has notsaid so. They debate what the Scripture doesnot discuss. Recently a church worker whocame out of our congregation came back for a visit and asked, Why did you not tell me aboutthe disagreements that happen in churches?

Would doing so have helped this person? No. A legalistic tone draws all the oxygen out of theroom. Pastors, teachers, missionaries, directorsof Christian education, and all church workersare serving the Lord Jesus Christ. If we over-state the value of one over and against another,this does not promote unity in the body ofChrist. We want to say no more or less thanthe Scripture says. In all things the Gospelmust predominate.

We Believe in Opportunity

The world is lled with needs, not the leastof which is the need to know and love JesusChrist. The brokenness and stress of our age

cry out for the church to be church. ChristChurch-Lutheran functions with a series ofchampions, that is, people who are passionateabout an area of ministry and are interested in

serving. Other people gather around them tomeet those needs and serve the broken. Someministries work very well and increase. Otherslast a short time. When things fail, we repentand try something else. But there are alwaysmore opportunities. Faithful in the small thing;faithful in the large thing. We often give youngpeople an opportunity to serve. Sometimescalled interns, they serve in a variety of areasof ministry including childrens ministry, youth ministry, physical labor, and sound-booth responsibilities on Sunday mornings. Wetry to keep them close in the pivotal times oftheir lives, namely the ages of 14 to18. Withoutopportunity, it would be hard to ask them to domore and to give their life to a church vocation.Small steps provide a basis for conversation.This is intentional.

Multiple opportunities in worship leading and playingin the band pushed me and inspired me to considerwhat I am doing now.

(Mike Pruhs, dce Student at ConcordiaUniversity-Irvine, Irvine, California).

We Believe in Life

Death, the church, work and prayer, children,parents, church/school partnership, teachers,love of each other, a culture that is welcomingand fun. These words represent a picture of thelife of this Christian community. A life thatembraces a church, an elementary school anda high school. A community that is attemptingto impact lives for eternity. I end as I began. Itis presumptuous to suggest that one can nda formal program for nding church workers,for ultimately it is God who calls one to service.

All ministry is local, and by the Spirit of God,people from your community will be called to goout, to be sent, to serve for a lifetime. How are you a participant in that plan of redemption?May God grant your ministry His strength andgrace and wisdom.

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Dr. Bernard D. Bull is the Assistant Vice President for AcademicsContinuing andDistance Education, ConcordiaUniversity Wisconsin at Mequon.Bernard.Bull@cuw.edu

Since there is a shortage of church workers,especially called teachers, one wonders how wecan provide routes toward a Lutheran TeacherDiploma that maintain a high standard, butremove unnecessary barriers that preventpeople from pursuing it. Research indicatesthat 85 percent of those seeking a college degreeare post-traditional, not seeking a traditionalresidential college experience. That means thatless than 15 percent of undergraduate studentsin the United States are pursuing their degree

in a traditional residential program (Soares,2014). As a result, creating options for those 85percent to become rostered church workers willrequire alternate models, many that are madepossible by the revolution in digital education.

I am concerned that our numbers of church workers will continue to decline if most of ouroptions are only within those traditional models,and if we do not act swiftly but thoughtfully(and prayerfully) to create rigorous but moreaccessible routes to become rostered church workers. While increasing access, we remainrmly committed to the direction provided in 2Timothy 2:15, Do your best to present yourselfto God as one approved, a worker who does not

need to be ashamed and who correctly handlesthe word of truth. Access to the CUEnet onlineprogram is an important part of such rigorous yet accessible solutions, but there is value increating even more access and opportunity withother options. Consider the following scenarios.

Sarah grew up in a Lutheran family. She always wantedto be a teacher in a Lutheran school. When it cametime for college, she looked at several schools in theConcordia University System, but she also visited someof the schools near home. The price difference wassignicant, and two of the schools near home hadteacher education programs that were ranked amongthe best in the country. In the end, she decided toattend a university near home. She earned her degreeand was promptly inducted into service at a Lutheranschool in her hometown.

James was an adult convert to Lutheranism who hadtaught for 25 years in the public school system. Astime passed, he found himself wanting to teach in aChristian school. After church one day, he chatted

with the principal of the local Lutheran school, andlearned that they were seeking a new middle schoolmath teacher, a position that t well with his ownexperience, education and skill set. He was delightedwith this opportunity, resigned from his job in the public school, and started his new service as a teacherin a Lutheran school the following year.

Marilyn was a pastors kid and grew up in a part of thecountry that had no Lutheran schools. She was veryactive in the church, a leader in youth ministry, and led

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after-school Bible studies for young people in her local public school. After graduating from high school, shewent to the community college to save money and thenearned a bachelors degree in secondary education fromthe state university. She did this while working part-time in a local bakery, taking eight years to gradually progress toward the degree. She ended up marrying aman who wanted to become a pastor, and the two ofthem relocated to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.While there, she found a teaching position in a Lutheranschool. She wanted to learn more about Lutherantheolog y, so she enrolled in evening classes at theseminary. By the time of vicarage, she had completedcoursework in church history, Old and New Testament,and systematic theology. When her husband nally graduated from seminary and headed to his rst call,

she became a teacher in the local Lutheran school.

Mike attended one of the universities in the ConcordiaUniversity System. His dream was to become a Lutheranschoolteacher, and he was studying toward that end.However, because of family health problems and nancial issues, he just pursued a license as a publicschool teacher, not taking the extra courses (and extrasemester) required by many of our campuses to getall of the requirements for both the Lutheran teacherdiploma and the major in early childhood education.He nished his degree in four years and headed back

home to care for an ill family member. Mike was excitedto nd a job at the local Lutheran early childhoodcenter, where he ended up working for the next 45 years,sharing the love of God in Christ with little ones fromaround the community. Even though he did not nishhis theology classes at Concordia, he was a voraciousreader, and loved to study theology on his own. Heoften met with the pastor at his church to discuss thesebooks, and became deeply informed about the theologyof the church. Over time, many of the rostered churchworkers looked up to him for his knowledge and wisdom,and he became a beloved leader of Sunday school andadult Bible study.

What do these people have in common? Theyare all teachers in Lutheran schools who are notrostered church workers. Look at the currentstatistics about teachers in Lutheran schools,and you will nd that people I am describingabove represent a signicant percentage of thoseserving in Lutheran schools today. They areLutheran, committed to Lutheran education,but they are not rostered church workers.

There is another population of people likethose mentioned in the introductory scenarios,but they are not teaching in Lutheran schools.They are teachers and leaders in the publicschool system, but they are also active in theirchurch and have a love for learning and theScriptures. If asked, perhaps many of them would be interested in exploring the possibilityof serving in a Lutheran school.

Opening the Doors

How can we embrace such people more readilyand open the doors to rostered church workmore broadly? I am not suggesting that we lookfor options with lower standards or expectations.In fact, with a bit of creativity, we might even

want to raise the standards for what it takes tobe eligible for a call as a rostered church worker.However, why must we be tied to options thatdepend upon a traditional schooling model? Wealready have one notable and viable alternateroute to becoming a commissioned minister,namely the Concordia Online ColloquyProgram through CUENet (http://cuenet.edu/colloquy/index.html). What would happen if we created even more options?

We live in an age of personalized education.The concept of mass customization in educationis quickly replacing visions of mass-productionschooling. Michael Horn is a national leaderon topics related to disruptive innovation ineducation. Recently, he has devoted muchof his energy to promoting the power andpossibility of what is called blended learning.In his denition of blended learning, he alsogives a thought-provoking way of thinkingabout personalized learning. He explains a vision for education where the student has somecontrol over time, pace, place and pathway

(Horn, 2014).From a distinctly Christian philosophy ofeducation, this denition also gives us a wayof thinking about education informed by thedoctrine of vocation. Each of us has a distinctset of gifts, talents, abilities and passions. Oneof the purposes of a Christian education is tohelp people discover their gifts, talents, abilitiesand passions, and then learn how to strengthenand leverage them to love ones neighbor.From this perspective, school is not about a F a

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standardized curriculum as much as a collectionof personalized lessons and experiences.

What would it look like if we were to imagineLutheran church worker training in view ofsuch a vision, one that honors existing vocationsand prepares people for future ones? Considerthose four elements described by Horn: time,pace, place, and pathway (Horn, 2014). Doour current routes to church work allow for thecustomization of time and pace? Or, do theyrequire people to work through courseworkon a pre-determined schedule or at a paceestablished by the education provider? Whatif there were options that allowed people toprogress more quickly or slowly based upon theirother vocational commitments, background

knowledge, and overall prole as a learner?Many nd it difficult due to the limited routesand options, or perhaps due to the demands oftheir existing vocations: teacher, son, daughter,husband, wife, parent, coach, etc. Might thisincrease access and opportunity to those who would love to be rostered church workers?

Place is another important consideration, butthis is one that has already been addressed to alarge extent. We have campus-based and someonline options at campuses in the ConcordiaUniversity System, the online program throughCUEnet, along with emerging blended andonline learning through the ConcordiaUniversity System and the twolcms seminaries.

Yet, there are many other possibilities that wecould explore alongside the existing good andimportant options.

This leads us to the last of Michael Hornsfour attributes: pathway. What would it look liketo give future church workers options where theyhave more control of the learning pathway thatleads to becoming a rostered church worker?Imagine that you are in a room full of peopleand something occurs that requires everyone toleave the room quickly. Should we have everyonegather behind a leader and walk out of the roomin a single-le line? Or, would it make moresense for people to each take the quickest routeor, the closest exit, based upon where they arein the room? The quickest route is different foreach person because not all people are in thesame place. The same is true for learners. Thepath that is most effective and most efficientfor one person is different from what is needed

by another person because people are indifferent places in their life and learning.

What would it look like to consider new routestoward becoming a rostered church work that

were more informed by a desire to honor themany callings in a persons life and givingpeople more control over the time, pace, placeand pathway (Horn, 2014) of their learning?This is not to suggest that the current optionsare awed. Rather, it is an effort to increase theoptions while maintaining a rm commitmentto high standards and the requirements agreedupon by those in the church.

With that goal in mind, I have put togetherthree possible modelsroutes that seek toaddress the types of scenarios shared at the

beginning of this article while also providinglearners more exibility in terms of time, pace,place and pathway (Horn, 2014). No singleroute addresses all scenarios, but if we offeredthese plus the existing routes, we could becondent that we have opened the doors wide topeople who aspire to be rostered church workers.This will not provide a complete solution tothe shortage in church workers, but if there isa shortage, this will help create a system whereeveryone who wants to be a church workerhas a variety of options, at least one of whichis likely to meet the unique circumstancesof most people.

Campus Ministries and Church Worker Preparation

The lcms has a robust campus ministrythroughout the United States. These ministriesserve students attending many of the stateuniversities throughout the country. Each ofthese campus ministries could offer a curriculumthat leads toward earning a Lutheran Teacher

Diploma while pursuing a degree at the stateuniversity. Such a program might also be enteredby students who are in programs other thanteacher education. It would provide them witha rich and substantive theological foundationto help inform their work in the secular world.Even if a student aspires to teach in a publicschool, having this foundation would betterprepare them to live out their faith in diverse worker environments. We could leverage localclergy and other qualied church workers to I s

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teach these classes, and the cost of runningsuch a program would be negligible. Notethat we would hold the graduates to the exactsame standards. We could develop the exams,reviews or assessment necessary to assure usthat these students are indeed prepared forcommissioned ministry.

One concern about such an option wouldbe questions about what this might do to theteacher education programs in the ConcordiaUniversity System. Would this lead morestudents to opt for a state university insteadof a Concordia? That is a possibility, butthe mission of Lutheran education is largerthan one form or structure. Lutheran teacherprograms in the Concordia University System

do not exist for the purpose of self-preservation.Our mission must inform our practice. Theformation of church worker preparation haschanged many times since the rst century,and the current academic model is not oneprescribed or described in the Scriptures or theLutheran Confessions. If our goal is to increasethe number of fully equipped church workers,this option still has promise and merit. Also,as a professor and administrator at ConcordiaUniversity Wisconsin, I am completely condentthat our program is at a level of excellence that

we would continue to draw students who wantedan excellent program and a potentially life-shaping Concordia experience.

Low-residence Programs

A low-residence program is one that leveragesonline learning, but also includes one or moreintensive face-to-face learning experiences. Iam one of the rst to champion the benetsof online learning, as there is ample researchto indicate its effectiveness. In fact, my rst

piece of graduate research for my mastersthesis in the 1990s was on the promise andpossibility of online learning for the missionand ministry of Lutheran schools. Yet, there aresome people who are not ready for a fully onlineoption. By not ready, I am not suggesting thatanyone is incapable of learning in an onlineenvironment (granted an appropriate designand accommodations). Instead, I am suggestingthat some people would rather not go theonline route. They want to have the assurance

of being in the same space with others. They want the experience of learning in a physicalcommunity with people. Why not create moreof such options? In partnership with districtoffices or our 12 higher education campusesthroughout the United States, it would not bedifficult to leverage the excellent curriculumfrom the online program through CUEnet,adding to it options for face-to-face meet-upsaround key topics in the program.

A National Competency-BasedDigital Badge System

What do we need future church workers toknow and be able to do? The lcms SynodicalHandbook does not provide a detailed answerto this question. However, both the CUEnetonline program and the curricula for church work programs in the Concordia University

System provide much detail, rened through years of experience. Using those details, wecould generate a list of competencies expectedof future church workers.

From there, we ask another importantquestion. How will we know when a learnerhas met a given competency? That leads usto develop a list of robust criteria to measure whether or not a learner has demonstratedcompetency. What type of evidence does thelearner need to provide so that we can be F a

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condent that he or she has indeed met a givencompetency? Once we have an answer to thatquestion, we have accomplished some of themost important work.

Add to this notion of competency-basededucation a recent development known asdigital badges. Digital badges are visual digitalsymbols (think Boy Scout badges) with dataattached to them. These data include who issuedthe badge, a badge description, criteria met toearn the badge and much more. They can beauthenticated to ensure that the badge is not animitation, and recipients of a badge own anddisplay it in various online locations.

Now consider a model where you could earna digital badge1 once you meet the criteria anddemonstrate a given competency. Once youearn all the required badges, you have met therequirements necessary to earn a Lutheranteacher diploma. Note that this model is largelyambivalent to how you learn something. It couldbe through self-study, taking formal courses,guidance from a pastor or mentor, throughsmall group study led at a church, through aprogram established by an individual school ordistrict office, or even through a series of freeopen online courses. The pathway you take tolearn it is not important, only that you have, inno uncertain terms, demonstrated that you met100 percent of the competencies, as veriedby an approved group of reviewers around thecountry (perhaps our faculty in the ConcordiaUniversity System).

If we created a competency-based badgesystem like this, we would not only have acommon standard across the entire LCMS,but also an immense amount of exibility onhow one reaches that standard. Such a badgesystem would have some upfront design costs,

but once it is in place, this could be used by theConcordia University System and also work asa stand-alone route toward a Lutheran TeacherDiploma or a comparable endorsement. Apartfrom a small cost for people to review ones work,this route to church worker endorsement couldpotentially serve as a system that is nearly free.

Imagine how such a model would open thedoors to anyone aspiring to earn a LutheranTeacher Diploma while maintaining a highstandard. People with signicant informal

theological training could progress quickly.Others could work at this over a series of years. By establishing such a system, we couldbe condent that we sustained quality andcredibility without adding unnecessary barriersfor someone who truly wants to be a rosteredchurch worker.

Conclusion

I have chiey written this article to initiatea national discussion, not to offer a specicsolution or roadmap. These three proposedmodels are far from rened, and they leavemany unanswered questions. Whats more,every model has its benets and limitations.

Yet, what if we embraced a vision like this ona national level, maintaining high standard,providing highly affordable options, andmaking a strong effort to provide exibility of

time, pace, place and pathway (Horn, 2014)?This will not solve all the problems related toa church worker shortage, but implementingsuch a multi-faceted approach would give us

condence that we have not unknowingly orunnecessarily prevented people from earninga Lutheran Teacher Diploma.

FootnoteFor a Helpful introduction to Digital Badges, watchthe following short YouTube video: What is a Badge?(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgLLq7ybDtc).

ReferencesHorn, M. (n.d.). What is Blended Learning?Retrieved September 16, 2014, from http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning/

Soares, L. (2013, January 1). Post-traditionalLearners and the Transformation of PostsecondaryEducation: A Manifesto for College Leaders. AmericanCouncil on Education Newsletter . Retrieved September 16,2014, from http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Documents/Post-traditional-Learners.pdf

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The Rev. Dean O. Wenthe is thePresident of the ConcordiaUniversity System, The LutheranChurch-Missouri Synod.Dean Wenthe@cus.edu

Two Worlds: Called to the Beautiful andTruthful World

Imagine a world where there were no realchoices no adventures no mysteries no beauty. In this world everything--work and

play--is determined. Some say that everythingis determined by chemical variations in thehuman nervous system. Others suggest that itis determined by a chance process a portionof a larger aimless movement of natural forcesmoving into the future.

What would people do in such a world? Many would seek satisfaction in the moment. Some would strive for power, others for popularity,and still others for pleasure. But what wouldcharacterize all of their activity would be aninexorable flatness--a complete, confiningatness. Self-absorption would dene everymoment. Every human would quite simply betrapped in this shallow reading of reality, forthere would be no possibility for meaning andsignicance beyond the moment. In a word,selfabsorption followed by absorption into thedarkness of the cosmos would summarize everyhuman life.

Such a world, tragically, does exist. It existstoday. It can been seen on television andthroughout the Internet. In many and various

ways, it asserts and advances an understandingof human beings that reduces men and women toonly transitory and material beings. Countlessnumbers have been conned, reduced, and their

lives destroyed by believing they actually aresuch beings who live in such a world.

This false world is the result of Adam and

Eves desire to be like God, i.e., to create theirown world where they would dene their ownbeing. Every generation since has been temptedby this false and tragic self-denition.

Listen to a prestigious, recent voice whoadvocates such an understanding of our world.

We humans are one among mi ll ionsof separate species who live in a worldburgeoning, overowing with life. And yet, most species that ever were are nomore . No species is guaranteed its

tenure on this planet. The hard truthis this: We live in a vast and awesomeuniverse in which daily suns are madeand worlds destroyed, where humanityclings to an obscure clod of rock. Thesignicance of our lives and our fragilerealm derives from our own wisdomand courage. We are the custodians oflifes meaning. We would prefer it tobe otherwise, of course, but there is nocompelling evidence for a cosmic Parent who will care for us and save us fromourselves. It is up to us.

(Carl Sagan, Pulitzer Prize winningauthor and Stanford University Professor)

Now, imagine a world that is rich and complexand full of mystery and wonder and beauty. Inthis world, there is complexity and richnessand joy and peace. It is a world where a lovingand giving God has bestowed and sustainedlife. It is a world where Gods innite love has F a

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