It is amazing how many times i will hear statements to the effect of “That’s never going to happen.”  Kind of like: “The Cubs will never win the World Series.”  Or, i have heard students say, “I am never going to use that (class).  I am going to be…..”  My first response is usually something like, “How is it that you know the future?”  A statement of future forecast was recently stated regarding one of our athletic programs.  It is true that there are no guarantees.  However, there are some things we can control to ensure that our teams can compete and regularly achieve success.  One of the strongest keys to success is a program that develops its participants.  In athletics, one must train up the young athletes in the skills, movements, and vocabulary early on, so one can then teach the next steps of strategy and consistency in execution.  Fun should not be ignored at the earliest levels either, nor at any level.  Training the youngest athletes allows them to mature more quickly and be more successful in their sport(s) of interest.  A successful program following this type of blue-print can become a consistent competitor.  Proof is found in the number of programs that consistently find themselves challenging for championships at just about every level in every sport.  (The Packers come to mind, :-) along with Alabama football, Penn State volleyball, U Conn women’s basketball, Bethlehem Academy volleyball, Waupon volleyball, just to name a few.   If the protocol for success is abandoned, or not followed, success can only happen by accident or by anomaly (one hit wonders). 
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    The same thing can be said of our Christian schools.  We need to follow the protocol of training our young students so they can mature more quickly and be more successful.  We also look to minimize the school of hard knocks.  They do not always need to learn the hard way. We need to teach them the Biblical fundamentals early on.  Then we can help prepare them with the necessary apologetic tools to share their faith with others.  In a similar methodology found in successful athletic programs, sharing the Gospel should also be “fun” (joy filled – 1 John 1:4).  The Bible lays out this plan:  Deut 6:4-9, Ps 78, Prov 22:6, Matt 19:14, Eph 6:4, 2 Tim 3:15ff, James 3:1, Heb 12:12ff, and many others.  The Church is here to help parents accomplish this. As parents, Lynn and i recognize our need for help in this, and we are so grateful to the dedicated teachers/ministers that have helped us along the way.  Our family is the beneficiary of the Church’s vision of Christ-centered education.  Please join us in the benefits of the Christian educational process.  At MLHS, our sole purpose is the purpose of souls.  It is vocational training for life.  

                                                                                                                          Come Lord Jesus, Amen!
                                                                                                                          Paul Steinhaus
                                                                                                                          Principal/Teacher/Coach

Some comments may be found offensive to the reader - Luke 12:51.

i may have written various grammatical "errors" - Matt 5:22, Matt 12:10ff.

This may illicit a response that will be counter-cultural - Matt 5:16.

An important question for us is:  Are we (MLHS) being successful in our ministry?  This then begs the question:  What is functional and successful ministry?  Both of these questions need answers in order for us to evaluate our success, or lack thereof.  We are in the midst of the National Lutheran Schools Accreditation process.  This process is a strong tool to help us determine our level of success.  At an even deeper level is to determine the value of one person’s faith being well grounded for a lifetime.  When looking at all the things we do at MLHS (academics, extra-curriculars, counseling, advising, etc), the most important is faith development connected to reality and the ability to share the message of Christ.  How do we accomplish this affectively?  We need beautiful feet!  We need feet to bring love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22-23).  

We have a faculty & staff that is dedicated to doing exactly that, and we all    recognize the need to be better at what we do.  None of us are perfect, and we need more feet to help.  You see, we are well aware that our push to success comes with significant opposition: “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  This is a multiple front attack.  Satan attacks our steps to be fruitful.  He attacks our steps toward fiscal solvency.  He also hits the culture with backwards steps toward apathy and the illusion that we can do things all by ourselves.  God’s plan was, and still is, that we operate as team: “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Gen 2:18).  We need more feet!  We need more feet to encourage.  We need more feet to help us financially.  We need more feet to send out “into all the world” (Matt 28:19-20).  

Help us be successful by offering your feet for service.  When we think of you, we want to shout out, “How lovely on the mountains (and on the plains of southern MN)  are the feet of him who brings Good News, Who announces Peace and brings good news of happiness, Who announces Salvation, and says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"  (Isaiah 52:7) 

Come Lord Jesus, Amen!

Paul Steinhaus, Principal

i have heard it often:  “Oh, that is where ‘those kids’ go.”  The definition of “those kids” changes    depending on the prevailing culture, or population, sharing the statement.  That is where the those rich kids go.  That is where those kids who cannot make it in the public school go.  That is where those kids who need the small school,   
one-on-one help go.  That is where those pre-college kids go. That is where those goodie, goodie, Jesus kids go.  i have heard other “descriptions” as well.  
i would suggest that we have those parents who want their kids in an environment where Jesus is incorporated into the curriculum, the discipline, the extra-curriculars, the music, the art, the hallways, the everything.  These parents are committed to making this happen.  
Yes, we have those kids!  And, we have that Jesus.  It is this Jesus that wants a relationship with our kids and our families.  It is this  Jesus, who was promised in the garden, showed up at Christmas, nailed it at Easter, and will return.  It is this Jesus that has proven His commitment to us. Our Christian schools look to bring those kids (all kids) to that Jesus! 
If you want this as well, we have room for more.  We would love to help!