Our pastor uses the term "plunder the Egyptians" a lot. I am not exactly sure what is meant by this, and since he has used it so long I am now embarrassed to ask what he means by the phrase whenever he mentions it.
I think it has something to do with using the secular world to achieve sacred objectives. In this case, using taxpayer money (even though the people sending their kids to WELS schools are usually tax payers) is sort of like plundering the Egyptians.
Back in ancient times when I was in WELS schools, it was a source of pride that WELS did NOT accept public money.
I guess maybe this has changed?
Our WELS teachers would often critically point out that Roman Catholic school children would often have "Vote Yes" stickers on their book bags for various proposals which would allow parochial schools access to public funds.
So I guess we are now supposed to plunder the Egyptians?
On their way out of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites boldly asked the Egyptians for their finest goods (plundering the Egyptians). In other words, they actually had to walk up to the Egyptians and ask them for things.
Ironically, our pastor does not believe in walking the neighborhood and canvassing potential members.
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GJ - The term was used by St. Augustine, but more recently by Larry Crab, one of the favorites of Fuller Seminary. David Valleskey, former president of The Sausage Factory, used the term "spoiling the Egyptians" to say we needed the gold and precious jewels of Fuller Seminary, his alma mater, in WELS.
I pointed out to Valleskey, when he gave the paper, that the Israelites stole the gold and jewels from the Egyptians, not their garbage. He scowled. Later he claimed I never talked to him about his essay.
So I imagine the pastor is simply echoing Valleskey. One of the ELS professors gave his Amen Halleluia chorus paper on Church Growth by quoting Valleskey quoting Crab. Nothing is new or original in the Church Growth Movement. Even Craig Groeschel admits cobbing from Andy Stanley, and everyone cool borrows heavily from both of them.
Valleskey's essay would been more accurate if it had been titled "Figs From Thistles," but that was what I called my response to his false doctrine.
ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Plundering or Spoiling the Egyptians
Hope Floats
On Big Foundation/Thrivent Bucks
Journal Online
Hope Christian Schools building $3.27 million K-8 school
By Alan J. Borsuk of the Journal Sentinel
HOPE Christian Schools, a network of three north side schools known for structured and demanding programs, is taking a big step forward with construction of a $3.27 million building.
The new building, at 3601 N. Port Washington Ave., will allow the HOPE Middle School to be restructured as a kindergarten through eighth-grade program. The school is now located in the Holton Youth Center at 510 E. Burleigh St.
HOPE is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and also includes a K-8 school at 2345 N. 25th St. and a high school at 3215 N. King Drive. Together, the schools have more than 500 students, almost all of them participants in Wisconsin's private school voucher program.
HOPE leaders said they aim to open in September in the new building, offering 4- and 5-year-old kindergarten and first and second grades along with middle school grades. The middle school currently has about 70 students. Plans call for the new school to have about 250 students in all grades within five years.
The two-story building under construction now will primarily consist of classrooms. Fund raising is under way for a $2.5 million second stage of construction that would add a gym, library, cafeteria and additional classrooms.
"With the support of our local and national partners, we will put thousands of children on the path to college and contribute to efforts to help Milwaukee build and maintain a viable work force," Andrew Neumann, president of the HOPE network, said in a statement.
Money for the first stage of the new building came from donors, including the Siebert Lutheran Foundation, the Elizabeth A. Brinn Foundation and PAVE, an organization that has helped schools, primarily in the voucher program, for more than 15 years. The effort also received a $1 million low-interest loan from an organization known as the Illinois Facilities Fund.
Among other major supporters of HOPE in recent years is Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and its foundation.
The new building is being designed not only to be energy efficient - with some solar and geothermal power features - but to have those systems exposed and easily viewable so students can learn from them.
The HOPE network began in 2002 with about 50 students in the facility on N. 25th St.
The schools require students to wear uniforms, have strict codes of behavior and generally use educational materials that emphasize building skills. There is also a strong emphasis on Christian content during the school day.
In addition to its obvious meaning, HOPE is an acronym for Hold Onto the Promises Everywhere. "The promises" include fulfillment of religious as well as academic aspirations.
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Hope Schools
HOPE opened its doors in 2002 with one school and nearly 50 students. Today, HOPE operates three schools in Milwaukee’s central city – an elementary school (K5-8), a middle school (5-8) and a high school, serving close to 500 students and their families.
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GJ - The voucher program allows the government to control "private schools."