# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1042
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

RSE

B44 ’. PARISH EDUCATION _

AL. PARISH EDUCATION

Report of the Board for Parish Education
(Memorial 201) ,

God places the obligation for Christian training upon both the
home and the church. To the parents, God says Eph. 6:4: “And, ye
fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” To the Church, God
says in the great commission of our Savior, Matt. 28:19-20: “Go ye,
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” The
first of these commands (Eph. 6:4) is the basis for the emphasis
that our Lutheran Church has placed upon the divine obligation
and prerogative of Christian parents to teach their children. The
second of these commands (Matt. 28:19-20) is an educational
imperative to the Church.

There is a growing consciousness of the fact that the scope
of the parish-education program is from infancy to adulthood.
While God does not designate for us the agencies of Christian
education that a congregation is to set up, He does give us definite
criteria by which. we can be guided in setting up a program of
education and by which we can measure the adequacy of exist-
ing programs.

1. Christian education is a lifelong process. This is clear from
2 Pet.3:18: “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.” Cp. Col. 1:10. This increase and growth
is commanded without any reference to an age or time limit.

2. God has set high standards for Christian education. This
is clear. from the words of Deut. 6:6-7: “And these words which
I command thee this day shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt
teach them diligently unto thy children.” To meet God’s high
standards, there must be careful and prayerful planning for an
effective program of Christian education.

That our congregations are concerned about measuring up
to the criteria which God has set for Christian education is evident
from the reports given by our District Boards for Parish Education
as well as from the activity of our pastors, teachers, and lay people
in expanding and improving their educational program. While
there is much room for improvement in every phase of the educa-
tional program of the Church, it is evident that something is stirring
in Synod in support of effective Christian education.