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One to One: BYOT by Jim Van Dellen (ETnet)

Let the Children Come to Me by Jill Zempel (ECEnet)

We Teach Truth

by Jill Zempel

What does your Lutheran School teach? Do you boldly proclaim the Gospel to those outside your four walls, or have you become really comfortable in professing Christ crucified to like-supporters of your school?

Last September the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee (LHSAGM) launched it’s We Teach Truth Campaign on media, social media, website - weteachtruth.org – and at its three Lutheran high schools, Milwaukee Lutheran, Martin Luther, and Lake Country Lutheran.

What initially began as a discussion to raise money for the LHSAGM quickly moved into a brand statement. Ward Alles, a graduate of Milwaukee Lutheran and Concordia University Wisconsin, is President/Brand Consultant of Core Creative – an integrated marketing communications company and full service advertising agency in Milwaukee. “[The Association] had asked for money too many times,” said Ward. “What emerged from our early conversations is that we needed to prove again to our audience that we add value to their lives.”

You can share with the community those things which your Lutheran School teaches, right? You’ve all had compelling discussions about moral compromises you won’t make, how your students’ test scores compare to public schools’, the opportunity to teach Jesus everyday, and why it is vital for kids to defend their faith. But before you can put your message on billboards, Twitter, and Pandora, you have to know who you are and what truths your Lutheran school is willing to defend.

Change the conversation.

The start of the brand statement was the Lutheran High School’s opportunity to boldly evangelize. “We’ve become so comfortable talking with ourselves that we no longer hear what is being said,” says Ward. “Many of our challenges and opportunities are similar to what Lutheran elementary and even Early Childhood schools face. We actually have to engage people outside of our schools and congregations instead of literally preaching to the choir.”

Lutheran schools must define their value proposition. If you don’t define who you are and whom you serve, someone else will define it for you. This past December, American Atheists paid for a billboard in one northern city (which, as it happens, is the same city where LHSAGM launched its new image): Milwaukee. There are websites and mass media campaigns for Atheism, Satanic Temple, and the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. If Lutheran schools don’t boldly teach God’s truth, then why do we exist?

Be relevant to the community.

Boldy and clearly tell the community who you are and share your story. “We’re bringing the Word of God into the classroom every day,” says Ward. “All else is equal at any other school – the Word is what separates us. We’re teaching truth together as a community of Christ-centered schools – that’s who we are.”

Find your audience and be willing to share the awesome things your students are doing in the classroom, in the community, and in their lives because of Lutheran schools.

Simple is never easy.

Developing the We Teach Truth brand took months of planning and resources, and it’s still evolving. Defining and communicating your value takes initiative, conversations, research, and the leadership and support of the board, staff, and parents. Ward recommends initially getting outside help for professional delivery and direction. “How you get there isn’t as important as getting there. Do it. Be proactive!”

Don’t fall into the trap of talking too much about what the world wants.

What separates us from the world is also what defines us. What does We Teach Truth mean to students in the LHSAGM? “It means we’re not ashamed to talk about sanctity of life or serving others as Christ serves us. It means joyfully teaching about grace and forgiveness and being light in the darkness,” said Cole Brown, CEO of LHSAGM.

Make it meaningful.

Teachers worked together at all three Lutheran high schools within the Association to integrate the We Teach Truth brand statement into the curriculum. The curriculum actively engages students in understanding God’s truths and why they matter. Prayer vigils were held at each of the high schools; students and teachers completed prayer cards and prayed throughout the day for others. Bracelets were distributed to students, teachers, parents, and congregation members to remind them of the truth of God’s Word. “We Teach Truth reinforces what we believe; it gives students the courage to convey the Gospel,” says Cole.

We Teach Truth has become the brand for what the Lutheran High School Association represents. We is all of us collectively. Teach is capitalized for our Master Teacher, Christ. And Truth is God’s Word.

All of this lines up perfectly with Core Creative’s tag line of “Say it. Live it. Share it.” This is what they believe connects people to brands they represent such as Harley Davidson and Children’s Hospital. Now think about your own Lutheran school. Say it. Live it. Share it. What is your We Teach Truth?

Here are a few things we learned from We Teach Truth:

Everyone has a story. Nine videos were produced featuring students, parents, and teachers, talking about how being at a Lutheran High School was life-changing. These personal stories were well-received. How can you use feedback from a brand statement like this to talk about how Lutheran education has impacted the lives of those at your Lutheran school?

There was anecdotal evidence of renewed sense of mission and unity among the schools of the Lutheran High School Association.

Set lower expectations of teacher/student involvement from a time standpoint. If you want something to go “viral,” it needs to be fun and engaging.

More than 47,000 social media/Facebook impressions were received, with more than a 30 percent engagement rate. This is a remarkably high engagement rate, and priceless in value. What did that end up translating into? LHSAGM experienced a 15 percent growth in overall enrollment at all of their schools.

The one year process included:

We Teach Truth was promoted via:

 

Jill Zempel is editor of ShapingtheFuture. She lives in Milwaukee, where her daughters attend Lutheran schools.