Mission:

To disciple for Christ the families of scholars attending schools where there is no active family ministry.

 

Opportunity:

Since 2003 Milwaukee is the epicenter of Christian schools that accept school vouchers, but the school voucher movement is spreading around the country.  Some Christians schools are operated by Christian churches and have leveraged the relationships built by schools into eternal discipleship for families.  Many Christian voucher schools have no church partner leaving “low hanging” discipleship fruit unpicked.

 

One nationally renowned Christian Voucher School operator is the HOPE Schools, operated by Educational Enterprises, has explored partnership with a neighboring church, has experienced some blessings and is willing to partner in expanding the discipleship ministry.  

 

Dr. Paul Steinberg, with 8 years of Urban School discipleship experience, has pioneered outreach efforts and did his doctoral research on such outreach. (reference) He has worked with, presented to and helped train WELS Schools in Milwaukee, as well as throughout Wisconsin Michigan and Ohio.  He has consulted for Lutheran outreach schools in Zambia, Africa, and is considered the expert on educational evangelism with a successful record of continual growth in discipleship.  He has discovered and shared the 16 Best Practices for Educational Evangelism.

 

Through legislation, God has opened doors wide for unprecedented ministry.  Though the voucher movement is strong and growing with a statewide program and sister programs popping up around the country, this ministry door may not remain open forever.  Now is the time to act and broaden God’s kingdom and be wise stewards of the time and opportunity.  

 

HOPE Schools currently operate 7 campuses in Milwaukee and 1 in Racine with a total enrollment of 1500 students.  Their campuses are located in the neighborhoods with the highest levels of poverty, incarceration and educational gap in the world. They are in the process of opening another school in 2016 and others in Milwaukee.  Educational Enterprises also operates other schools around the country.

 

Discovered in research, two thirds of all students who attend Christian voucher schools have families that state they have little to no church connection.  This means that approximately 1000 students and a total of 3000 family members have a relationship with HOPE schools that are in need of a discipling community.

 

A school chaplain would help solidify the Christian training students get every day and not lose their family.  A school chaplain would connect with families to connect them to Jesus and a faith community that would help them keep their faith, support the faith of their children, and ultimately reach out to and change their community.

 

 The potential growth is almost limitless as other partners and opportunities continue to present themselves.