Declining School enrollment

On the current WELS internet site, there is an article regarding the continuing decline in the enrollment in WELS elementary schools. The link is posted below.


http://together.wels.net/


Here is my question to you and the other users of this blog...

Over the past several years I have met several WELS families who, while financially able, prefer to homeschool their children rather than send them to the local WELS school.

Why is this, and is this at least partly responsible for the decline in WELS grade schools? I know it probably also has a lot to do with the lower birth rate among white families in general (which compose the majority of the WELS population).

Does anyone care to comment on what the short comings of WELS grade schools might be? One family I talked to, who actually send their children to a public school (although it is in a very nice section of town), said our local WELS school was too much like a one room school house, with multiple grades being taught by a single teacher.

Can someone else share their perception or experience with their local WELS grade schools?

Gods Blessings.

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I have posted this as a new topic. I do feel that the 10% figure is a drastic decline. I would be interested in finding out what impact home schooling has had on enrollment.

I do know that in Lutheran schools there are effective teachers and there are teachers in Lutheran schools that simply followed the family pattern. I wonder if MLC is effectively addressing the needs of the Lutheran schools and teachers? I do know that the smaller the schools get the less attractive they become. This does not necessarily mean that they are becoming less effective.

There is a charter school push that is rising up in the WELS. It will be interesting to see what impact this has on enrollment also.

Making a stronger and clearer Confessional stand ?

One cannot deny that over the last two years the tide of the Church growth movement has been slowed in the WELS. For the past decade the Church and Changers had free reign in the synod. Those that sought to discuss and question what was occuring in the synod were tossed out and others had to hide in the weeds. The battle continues and progress is slow.

The Church and Change crowd believes that the WELS confessional position has only been trying to Germanize rather than Lutheranize people. A leading changer said that, "in order to get things done one has to break a few rules and look for mentors outside of the Lutheran circle." Yet this rule breaker is the current spokesperson for the WELS (although he only identifies himself with the WELS by saying that's "my tribe.")

This type of attitude leads a few pastors to take a trip down to see Stetzer and contract him for the next C&C conference. The grants are drying up and the battle lines have been drawn.

Can the WELS maintain its Confessional integrity?
1) by denying the importance of the Holy Supper,
2) tossing aside the Church calendar,
3) looking outside of Lutheranism for mentors,
4) funding the ministry of the Word with "alternative sources?"
5) ....

As we look to uphold our Biblical principles we must ask - is this wise? is this beneficial? is this brotherly?

Time of Grace - new hire

Rev. Bruce Becker resigns to take a position at Time of Grace.

http://together.wels.net/2009/3/2/bps-administrator-hired-for-new-position

http://www.timeofgrace.org/


Interesting that this comes not long after Rev. Paul Kelm accepted a postion as a Parish Assistant at WELS headquarters