"Harvest Strategy"

Introductory Remarks

Using Lutheran schools as a means to reach those people who are not connected to Christ is no longer a unique or new idea. Many congregations in the WELS and ELS are quite interested in this concept and have attempted to use their Lutheran elementary school (LES)/preschool for such a purpose with mixed results; some have been successful and many have not. This outline is intended to assist congregations in developing a purposeful, formal plan of outreach using their educational agencies.

Demonstrate Excellence

The first step in this Harvest Strategy is the school itself. Parents are looking for schools that are safe, teach moral values and are excellent. Schools that do not give the appearance of being safe, nor are attractive, nor appear to have a well-structured curriculum, nor are well-equipped, nor have well-qualified personable teachers will not attract parents who will be interested in enrolling their children. Those schools will fail. The schools that have the "curb-appeal" mentioned in the previous paragraph will get inquiries which lead to the next steps of the Harvest Strategy.

Step One: First Visit

Office appointments should be made in the initial contact with anyone who wishes to enroll a child. This office visit is critical to the whole process. Parents should meet with the principal/director/pastor for this visit and should follow this plan.

Tour the facility with the parents and child, possibly observing the school in action.
Return to the office where brochures about the school can be discussed. At that time emphasize the Christian element of the school.
Ask the parents if they have a church home
1. If the answer is "no". . .
  
  . . . take the opportunity to tell the parents what the child will learn about sin and grace; tell them about Jesus' victory won for us.
2. If the answer is "yes, but don't attend" . . .
  
  . . . take the opportunity to tell the parents what the child will learn about sin and grace; tell them about Jesus' victory won for us.
3. If the answer is "yes, and I am active in my church" . . .
  1. . . . take the opportunity to share with parents the confessions which we have that differ with their church stating it positively: "We believe (this) rather than, 'here's where you are wrong.'"
  2. . . . ask the parents if they are willing to submit their children to our teachings.
    1. if "Yes" continue with the plan
    2. if "No" wish them well because there is no need to go further.
Indicate what activities are required as a part of the entire school experience. These will include:
1. participating in the whole church service when the children sing for church;
2. agreeing to support what is taught in the school;
3. agreeing to allow child to attend all religion classes;
4. agreeing to attend (parent) a BIC class;**
5. agreeing to comply with Parent Handbook requirements including tuition and fees payments.
  ** The Bible Information Classes (BIC) could be mandatory, optional or a combination. They could also be the entire BIC (16 week) set of classes or divided into three separate units:
  1. Basic teachings of the Bible-5-6 weeks (optional or mandatory)
  2. Church Membership-5-6 weeks (optional)
  3. Church Membership-5-6 weeks (optional)
Fill out all necessary forms and sign necessary papers.

Step Two: Classroom Teacher

The classroom teacher makes a home visit (after making an appointment) before the child begins attending the school. During this visit the teacher will:
1. introduce him/herself to the parents and chat about her background and theirs;
2. explain all relevant information regarding the classroom and its operation and present the information in writing to them;
3. explain the curriculum and at the end and ask . . .
  1. ". . . May I share with you what we will teach your child in religion class?"
  2. Emphasize the sin/grace evangelism message the child will hear.
4. Get a commitment from the parents to participate in singing for church as well as other school related programs (e.g. volunteering, Open House, PTO, parenting classes, special school day programs, etc).
The classroom teacher writes a note of thanks to the parents for allowing him/her to visit them in their home.

Step Three: the Pastor

The Pastor makes a home visit after the school year begins. During this visit the pastor will:

introduce himself to the parents and get acquainted with the parents;
inform the parents about the BIC classes that will be offered; (Note: policy will determine whether these are mandatory or optional-see page one notes)
encourage (require) the parents to participate in these classes by explaining that their purpose is NOT for mandatory membership, but for information concerning what the child is learning in the school);
leave information concerning the church for them to read; and
write a note of thanks for allowing him to visit them.

Step Four: Evangelism Committee

The Evangelism Committee (preferably a parent with children in the school) makes a home visit to those parents who have no real church home (i.e. "unchurched" or "uncertain churched"). At this meeting the evangelism committee will:

present the "Great Exchange" to the parents;
invite the parents to church and to BIC classes.

Parent School Visitation Activities

The school should encourage active parental participation in the educational process. Many activities should be on-going as the steps of the Harvest Strategy are being implemented. These activities are not necessarily carried out in sequential order but are important to do in the overall strategy. The basic idea is to get the parents into the school and church as often as possible so that they can be assimilated into the culture of your Christian community. By the grace of God and through the work of the Holy Spirit this exposure might lead some to be saved. The following are suggested activities to accomplish this purpose.

school open houses;
driving for field trips;
volunteering in the classroom (some make that a requirement);
parent/teacher meetings;
participating in parent support groups;
participating in parenting classes offered by the church;
participating in family night activities;
helping child memorize "Scripture gems;"
attending special programs put on by the children (Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentines Day, Christmas, Easter, etc.)

Parent Church Visitation

It is important to tie the work of the school to the ministry of the church. If parents see the two as separate entities they are less apt to believe that the children's ministry is an important part of the entire church's ministry. Therefore, the church must make a strong effort to show this connection by doing the following.

Allow the school children to sing for church regularly. (Do not sing at the very beginning of the service and then excuse the children to their parents so they can leave!)
Provide a form of worship that might be more appealing to the culture you serve yet retains Lutheran character and confessions.
Hold a weekly "Children's Service" during the school day and invite the parents to attend.
Print the entire worship service in a bulletin for ease of participation.
Place school parents on the mailing list of the congregation.
Position the pastor visibly and regularly at school when parents drop off children and pick them up in order to facilitate informal conversation with parents.
Pastor offers coffee and rolls for parents once a week as he visits with them.
Pastor regularly visits the classrooms to get to know the children.

Connecting the Preschool Program to the Lutheran Elementary School (LES)

Many congregations have a preschool as well as a Lutheran Elementary School but often find that non-member parents will leave after the preschool experience and send their children to the public school. There are two practical reasons for that:

parents can get a free education in the public school but not a free preschool education; and
we do not do well at connecting the preschool to the LES.

Connecting the preschool to the LES should be a major focus of your educational practice. The following may help to do just that.

Have one head of the preschool-eight program.
Do monthly joint activities with the kindergarten program.
Provide all day kindergarten.
Put the preschool in the same building as the K-8 and locate the room in such a way that parents bringing in their children to preschool must pass the other classrooms (especially the early grade classrooms).
LES and the preschool do joint activities with the preschool (Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, secular programs).
Do not give a separate name to the preschool. Tie its name to the name of the LES and church (e.g. Little Lambs of St. Paul's Lutheran School).
Send school mailings to all parents.
Have a kindergarten recruitment week where the preschoolers spend the week in kindergarten.
Have school wide open houses and invite preschool parents.

Web Note: This "Harvest Strategy" concept was created and implemented by Dr. George E. LaGrow during his years as a Lutheran school principal. In his most recent years of service, Dr. LaGrow served as a Parish Assistance Consultant within the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. He prepared and submitted this documented refinement of his "Harvest Strategy" in February of 2006, only two months prior to God calling him to his eternal rest. May God bless this legacy of love for the ministry of Christian education.