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In this, schools started seeing the importance of not simply teaching with technology but teaching digital citizenship and equipping students for faith and life in a world with an increasingly digital component. Today is a messy and intriguing mix of all of these past phases. We are now entering a time when the focus is upon the what and how of teaching [along] with how to design more hopeful, deep, and inspiring learning communities grounded in our distinctly Lutheran mission. As such, it is an incredibly exciting time to be in Lutheran education. Q: What are key responses you say Christians should have to technology and innovation becoming a part of everyday life in the classroom? A: Innovation is really just exploring and implementing new methods and ideas, so it is about much more than technology. What is new for one school or community is not to another, but here is what interests me because it is a blessing to the students as well: I'm starting to see much more substantive and thoughtful approaches to innovation in Lutheran education. As I shared at a recent presentation to Lutheran school administrators, I'm seeing the cultivation of what I call virtues of mission-minded innovation. Q: Do you see ways in which technology has aided students in taking the lessons they learned about Christ in the classroom and sharing them externally? A: It is happening, but it's not really about technology anymore. The technologies in the lives of our students are expressions of how they live, communicate, interact with others, and represent themselves. As such, we see many examples of young people sharing their faith as they go about their lives in these digital spaces. At the same time, the growth of social media and technology-medicated interactions appear to be creating a shift in how people see themselves. Being immersed in a digital world where my "identity" can be changed and experimented with on a regular basis, it becomes increasingly common to think that other parts of who I am are just as changeable, with limited consideration for God's plan and design for me. Our identity in Christ is not context-specific. I am a redeemed sinner and child of God in Jesus Christ whether I am sitting in an in-person classroom, participating in a multiplayer online game, creating and consuming TikTok videos, hanging out on Reddit, or binging on YouTube content. Yet this is an exciting time in another way because as society goes in these directions, the stark contrast of a biblical understanding of humanity, identity, relationships, human worth, and so much more will become increasingly evident. If we take this work in Lutheran education seriously, we have the opportunity to raise up a next generation of wise, creative, and faithful Christians who truly challenge people to consider the significance and relevance of Jesus Christ in view of modern life. Virtues of Mission-Minded Innovation What does it look like to embrace a spirit of innovation that can build a bridge to lessons learned from those who came before us? 1. Faithfulness. Standing firm upon the promises God makes in His Word. We are engaging in countercultural innovation. In Lutheran education, our innovation must be grounded in a crystal-clear understanding of our identity and then our mission. 2. Courage. There are times when a school's past innovation is seen as synonymous with the mission, but sometimes it is a hindrance. It takes courage to recognize that our mission calls us to adapt and respond to the needs of those whom God has called us to serve, even as we must never compromise on the contents of our faith. 3. Empathy. Our innovation must be fueled by empathy, listening, learning, and striving to understand the lived experiences and needs of those to whom we are called to love, serve, and teach. 4. Wisdom. Innovation is about being forward-thinking—ahead of the times. But our call to innovation in Lutheran schools is sometimes about leaning into the tried and tested of the past in order to equip for the present and future. w Lutheran Life 5

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