| Interviewer: |
Pastor Stanford, is it true that the LC-MS has the second
largest religious educational system in the country, second only to the
Roman Catholics?
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| Pastor Stanford: |
Yes, that is true. The LC-MS has 66 high schools, 1,022
elementary schools, 1,308 preschools, 10 colleges, and 2 seminaries.
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| Interviewer: |
What is it about Lutheran theology that leads Lutherans to
create their own schools?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
Real Lutherans are more faithful to the Scriptural
testimony, so we take our Lord's commands to train our children in the
theological and philosophical sciences more seriously than others.
Lutherans understand that the people of the church need to be taught to
think and act in a truly Christian manner. Our own church polity (voters'
assemblies, church councils, and elders) assumes that the laity has been
properly and thoroughly instructed in the Christian faith and thus are
competent to lead the congregation. Lutherans also understand that God
works through two realms to accomplish His will. He works through the
secular authorities and communities to govern the world to hold evil at
bay. Here civil virtue is to be taught, practiced, and enforced through the
use of rewards and punishment. In this realm education in the liberal arts
is essential to good government and a peaceable life. If there is peace and
prosperity, the church can do its work in peace. But when the secular world
fails to teach that which is good, right, and virtuous and even supports
that which is evil and hostile to the Christian faith, it is imperative for
the church to step in and provide Christian families with an education based
on truth.
More importantly, the church needs well educated, informed, and
articulate pastors, laymen, and leaders. The Christian should be among the
most educated and well-read citizens. When the LC-MS first started in 1847
and for its first few decades of operation, membership in the synod required
each congregation to have its own church school. Our Lutheran forefathers
understood, if Lutheranism was going to thrive in America, we needed to have
our own schools wherein children would be trained in Christian doctrine,
Christian virtue, and in the best liberal arts tradition.
|
| Interviewer: |
The four other attempts to start a Lutheran High School in
Peoria failed. Why?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
First, they failed because they couldn't think outside the
box. They tried to build a school through theological and political
compromise and the traditional association model. That was bound to fail
given the inability of LC-MS Lutherans to work together in Peoria. Second,
they failed because they quit.
|
| Interviewer: |
If you don't achieve your goal of August 25th, 2003, will
you quit?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
We don't intend to miss this goal, but if by God's will we
do, I have at least 23 years before retirement and as long as the Word of
God (our theology) doesn't change and as long as the culture continues to
move away from decency, I will work to create schools and congregations that
teach the truth, the whole truth. Faith is not a quitting kind of thing. It
is a trust in Christ that never quits. It is a persistent, living, and
active creation of God. It seeks that which is good and the school that we
seek to build is a very good thing.
|
| Interviewer: |
Does the Lutheran community support the efforts of your
group?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
They support us in an abstract sense, but not in a concrete
sense.
|
| Interviewer: |
What does that mean?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
Lutherans know that a Lutheran High School is needed.
Lutherans know that a Lutheran High School will help keep our children in
the church in greater percentages than has been the case in the past. They
know that the public schools and the culture are increasingly hostile to
Christianity and virtue. They know that all too many of their adult
children have left the church. Too many have become non-Lutheran. Too many
become relativists and materialists. Too many of our children engage in
premarital sex. Too many get pregnant outside of marriage. The list goes
on. In an abstract sense they support the idea of a Lutheran High School.
Many even like the idea of a classical and somewhat conservative Lutheran
high school. But they are not yet supporting us in concrete ways. They
aren't giving money and they aren't coming to our meetings and benefits in
numbers that will help us reach our goal in a timely fashion. "Do we need a
Lutheran High School?" Overwhelmingly the Lutheran community says, "Yes."
"Do we need P.L.H., a classical and conservative Lutheran High School that
arises out of little Immanuel Lutheran Church on Northmoor Road and is not
controlled by the ‘big four' in Peoria?" . . . that is another question. It
seems clear that there is little interest in breaking up the cartel that has
controlled Lutheran education and congregations over the past 40 years.
|
| Interviewer: |
Why is there so little concrete support on the part of
Lutheran pastors and laymen?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
I believe there are three reasons. First, fear. Pastors
and congregations are afraid of losing members and financial support. Each
congregation, conservative or liberal, has its own financial burden. The
introduction of a new school might change the flow of membership and money.
The small churches have remained small. The big churches have historically
attracted the younger families. If a small church creates a school, they
may find themselves losing members to that small church.
|
| Interviewer: |
But didn't you design a different kind of school system?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
We created a design to minimize the threat to our sister
congregations. That is more than what some of them have done for us in
terms of schools. Despite our best efforts to educate the larger churches
as to our unique design, the larger Lutheran churches have not been
interested in helping with this project.
|
| Interviewer: |
You said there were three reasons why pastors and
congregations are worried about this school proposal?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
Yes.
- Fear of change - membership and money
- The theological division between the confessional liturgical congregations
and the moderate/liberal and accommodating LC-MS congregations
- A terrible ignorance of our doctrine, history, and the necessity for such
a school
|
| Interviewer: |
Do all the members of Immanuel support this project.
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
Of course not. Immanuel is like any other congregation
and as such she (we) suffers from the old sinful nature, short sightedness, and
the same cultural virus of mediocrity, self-gratification, pragmatism, and
materialism that is found everywhere else. Again this comes down to a question
of education and repentance. The reasons for opposing the Lutheran High School
project or Immanuel's official involvement have more to do with emotion and
money, than with any sound argument from Scripture. I can't imagine anyone
launching a reasonable and effective argument against such a proposed Lutheran
High School. It is a school that will teach the truth, reinforce parental
authority, instruct in and reaffirm Christian virtue, and teach the students to
think and act like real Christians. The Holy Scriptures teach that Christians are the salt of the earth, that we are
to instruct our children in wisdom and knowledge, and that we are to train our
children up in the way they should go. When it comes to the education of our
children, the Scriptures place the burden for proper instruction on the parents
and the church. God's Word does not tell us to entrust our children to
non-Christians to be trained. It is safe to say that most of Immanuel's
membership supports P.L.H. at least in an abstract sense.
|
| Interviewer: |
Are the people who support and work with P.L.H. doing it because they
want a school for their own children?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
Some of the most active members won't even get to enjoy
the benefits of a classical and confessional Lutheran education in their own
homes. They don't have children, or in most cases, their children have grown up
and moved on. In this sense they will get nothing in return for their hard
work. These folks aren't helping because they will one day have children in
P.L.H. They work because their Christian faith and love motivate them to help.
They know what is good and God-pleasing. They know what needs to take place if
we are going to keep our children and grandchildren in the church. They know
what needs to happen if Immanuel is going to remain and grow for another 40
years.
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| Interviewer: |
What is the relationship between Immanuel and P.L.H.?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
When members of Immanuel and I first talked about
creating an authentic Lutheran high school, Immanuel had several prominent
members who were opposed to Immanuel to the idea of Immanuel creating its own
school. They were concerned that a school owned and operated by Immanuel would
cost money, would take too much work, would require building improvements and
expansion, and might lead to numerical growth. So they opposed my original
suggestions that Immanuel consider being part of a school association or
creating its own school. So some of us decided rather than fight with those
members (who had a list of other things they wanted to fight about) we would
create a Lutheran High School that would be separate from Immanuel and leave it
to Immanuel to decide later whether it wanted to be formally involved with the
school. So P.L.H. and Immanuel each stands on its own. P.L.H. is not owned by
Immanuel. It is not under the jurisdiction of the elders, church council,
voters, or the congregation. Yet, the two have worked side-by-side in a
mutually supportive and beneficial relationship.
|
| Interviewer: |
So the school might not necessarily end up at Immanuel?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
That is possible. Immanuel could withdraw its offer to
house P.L.H. in its start up years. The voters could vote not to formalize the
relationship. By the same token P.L.H. could accept the invitation of some
other Lutheran congregation or rent a place completely separate from a
congregation. People could arise within the ranks of P.L.H. and take the school
elsewhere or even in theological directions with which we might disagree. There
is a risk in the present design, but that was the only way it could be done at
the time.
|
| Interviewer: |
So the partnership that has been created is an informal one?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
Yes, but Immanuel has an opportunity to change that or
decline an ongoing relationship. Immanuel is the finest Lutheran congregation
in the area. P.L.H. will be the finest Lutheran High School in the country. If
the two can work out a mutually beneficial relationship, both will experience
spiritual and numerical growth and more importantly, both will be serving God
and neighbor in a very God-pleasing fashion.
|
| Interviewer: |
What things still need to be worked out?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
Several things need to be done. P.L.H. needs a home.
Immanuel needs some things too. Later this month P.L.H. and Immanuel will need
to begin the process of formalizing their relationship, if Immanuel so desires.
If not, P.L.H. will make other arrangements. P.L.H. needs a host congregation.
That is important theologically to Lutherans. A completely independent Lutheran
School is not entirely healthy. Schools need checks and balances too. A formal
relationship with a confessional Lutheran congregation provides this. Students who do not have a home church will be "encouraged" to seek one.
Immanuel could be that home church. Through P.L.H. we hope that our students
and their families will come to love and appreciate our Lutheran doctrine and
practice. We need to be able to send them to a congregation wherein what they
are taught in school is reinforced in the congregation. P.L.H. and Immanuel
would also benefit by sharing staff. The Headmaster of the school would add much
to the work of Immanuel, should the headmaster join Immanuel or serve in a staff
position here. Immanuel and P.L.H. could share the financial burden of the
staff, much like ILSAP and Immanuel did with the deaconess and director.
Immanuel would also be the natural choice for P.L.H.'s teachers and again
Immanuel would reap the benefits of what they would bring to the congregation.
P.L.H. needs a building to hold classes. Immanuel has previously offered hers.
But some modifications and improvements might be needed. Immanuel on the other
hand, needs to attract and retain families and invest herself in the future.
Immanuel has its own space problems and needs to address these issues with or
without the school. Together they might be able to do more than either one
alone.
|
| Interviewer: |
What does a formal partnership mean for Immanuel's future?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
I am no fortune teller and I am not the son of a
prophet. What I am prepared to say is based on what usually happens when a
school and congregation work well together. The early years will be difficult
financially and in terms of the working relationship. There will be scheduling
conflicts and space problems. The church staff and the school staff will need
to work out the practical implications of working in the same place. Our faith
will be tested. The budgets of both Immanuel and P.L.H. will reflect this new
relationship. There will be disagreements and problems to solve. We will have
to work hard to avoid the "us" verses "them" mentality. Yet, the benefits to our students, their families, the Church, our community,
and to the host congregation (be it Immanuel or some other) will be
indisputable. Faithfulness to God's Word and our duties always yield good
things. It would be my hope that Immanuel would grow right along the side of
the school and the school would grow right along the side of Immanuel. It would
be my hope that within the first seven years of a P.L.H./Immanuel partnership,
Immanuel would be back to two church services with a total average attendance of
175 souls a Sunday.
|
| Interviewer: |
Are there other benefits besides members, attendance, and a good
Christian education for the students?
|
| Pastor Stanford: |
In addition to numerical growth, I personally look
forward to the P.L.H. choir singing regularly at the divine service. I look
forward to all the special music that will come about as a result of the this
relationship. I look forward to a full Sunday School and a High School youth
group that is well attended and preparatory for life in the church and in
college. I look forward to marrying Lutheran men to Lutheran women (high school
sweethearts) and baptizing their children and starting the process all over
again. After all, I am only half way through my working career. |
