A Prayer for the New Year

O Jesus Christ, grow thou in me,
And all things else recede!
My heart be daily nearer Thee,
From sin be daily freed.

Each day let Thy supporting might,
My weakness still embrace;
My darkness vanish in Thy light,
Thy life my death efface.

In Thy bright beams which on me fall,
Fade every evil thought;
That I am nothing, Thou are all,
I would be daily taught.

Most of Thy glory let me see,
Thou Holy, Wise, and True!
I would Thy living image be,
In joy and sorrow, too.

Fill me with gladness from above,
Hold me by strength Divine:
Lord, let the glow of Thy great love
Through my whole being shine.

Make this poor self grow less and less,
Be Thou my life and aim;
Oh, make me daily through Thy grace
More meet to bear Thy name.

Merry Christmas

This Christmas may

C -Christ dwell in you richly;

H - Heaven be a place you long for;

R - Righteousness be your highest aim;

I - Injustice move you to action;

S - Sin be something you hate;

T - The love of Christ guide you in all things;

M - Mountains in your life be moved by faith;

A - All you endeavor to do for the Kingdom be blessed;

S - Salvation be your most prized possession.

Merry Christmas from the MACSA Executive Committee!

Reaching the "Whatever" Generation - Part 2

Steve Cornell, Senior Pastor
Millersville Bible Church (Millersville, PA)

Presented at the MACSA Administrators’ Summit
December 4, 2008
Afternoon Session

Click here for the AUDIO file of the session.
Click here for to view/print the HANDOUT.

Unique Challenge of Christian Schools: Overcome Complacency Due to Overexposure



John 6




John 4




Luke 15




Deuteronomy 8




Hebrews 10

Reaching the “Whatever” Generation - Part 1

Steve Cornell, Senior Pastor
Millersville Bible Church (Millersville, PA)

Presented at the MACSA Administrators’ Summit
December 4, 2008
Morning Session

Ministering in the Context of Western Culture: Challenges and Opportunities

Click here for the AUDIO file of the session.

Click here for to view/print the HANDOUT.

America: A pluralistic society that is rich in multiethnic and multi-cultural diversity (even though the culture of your daily work might not reflect it). We (Christians) welcome this diversity without partiality and recognize that the gospel is meant for all nations and peoples on earth (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Revelation 5:9- heaven itself will be inhabited by people “from every tribe and language and people and nation”)

A Major ideological shift
But, more recently, we have experienced a major ideological shift in our nation aimed at protecting and promoting the pluralistic make-up of society, and a pluralistic civility within it.

Certainly, in a free and diverse nation, we recognize the need for pluralistic civility—for people to treat respectfully those with whom they disagree. Maintaining civility within diversity requires citizens who respect those who differ from them. People who (within the law) choose different beliefs, morals and lifestyles, must be asked to respond respectfully to each other.

But the promotion of pluralistic civility over the past several decades has gone beyond asking for respect to demanding affirmation of other morals, beliefs and lifestyles. And it has been done based on a radical brand of tolerance (which turns out-- on certain occasions/issues-- to be amazingly intolerant).

Some have begun to speak of the tyranny of tolerance because on certain issues no exceptions to tolerance will be tolerated.

True tolerance
The true virtue of tolerance only activates or is practiced when two people/groups disagree with each other and treat each other with respect. Where disagreements either do not exist or do not matter, there is no need for tolerance.

But under the tyranny of radical tolerance respect has been replaced with required affirmation of the validity of each person moral and religious opinions (especially the ones deemed politically correct and protected by elitists within our culture).

We agree that tolerance is a safeguard to civility but tolerance that asks for more than respectful treatment of others, is not only deeply misguided, it is a form of intolerance. And, if we don’t respect this distinction, the liberty of our nation will be threatened. (Is being threatened).

In this new emphasis, people are pressured to remove from their beliefs or at least to downplay any notions of absolute truth or claims to moral superiority or exclusivity.

Here is a profound irony: This is being done under the guise of protecting the diverse nature of society and promoting pluralistic civility. Yet, in the end, it leads to a monolithic culture where we have to down play or mute our differences. What we end up with is a multi-cultural diversity we cannot talk about lest we offend others by sounding intolerant, superior or in some way, imperialistic.

Of course, this new rule of tolerance especially applies to the culturally sanctioned politically correct issues. And, it applies most forcefully against Judeo-Christian beliefs. It joyfully celebrates the marginalization of Christianity. Christians have had their day for being the reigning ideology.

Exceptions to the rule of tolerance
Exceptions to this rule of tolerance are found in areas where society decides the acceptable views for everyone. The primary tools of influence on these matters come through the media and academia. Elitists in these fields pressure others to see things their way or face ridicule and condescension. Uniformity of opinion is required for all who wish to be considered open-minded and progressive. Those who see things differently will be labeled (among other things) narrow, hate-mongers, bigots, backwards and right-wing conservatives.

For examples, homosexual lifestyles and gay marriage must be considered acceptable. Abortion is a fundamental right, not the taking of innocent life. All religions lead to God in their own way and the value of religion is found not in its truthfulness but in the benefit it brings to adherents. As long as you are sincere in your efforts to serve God, it doesn’t matter what religion you follow. Conversely, one must never publically refer to what the bible teaches—outside of Church at least. Those who are brave enough to do this should expect to hear collective groans and sighs about the presence of “one of those radical Christians.”

An entire generation socially conditioned
Without sounding too alarmist, I believe that an entire generation of Americans have been socially conditioned under this tyranny of tolerance and that it has been one of the greatest threats the health and stability of our nation. But I also believe that the Church has been profoundly affected.

First - Mainstream culture
How has this made its way into mainstream culture-- particularly youth culture?

In Christian Smith’s book "Soul Searching" he analyzed the beliefs and values of today’s teenagers. Regarding absolute moral or religious beliefs, youth today have a one-word response: "Whatever."

And this response has been subtly and systematically encouraged through mainstream education. Let me explain.

Children and youth spend six to seven hours a day in school (perhaps more for extra-curricular activities). During that time they recognize that when it comes to certain opinions on morality and religion in particular, “You don’t go there” is the safest policy. No matter how strongly held or valued, mentioning some beliefs or values could get you either in trouble or mocked. This is especially the case for beliefs that sound too exclusive or absolute in nature.
As a result of the “you don’t go there” approach, our young people have developed two very dangerous behaviors:

1. A learned ability to suspend commitment to certain beliefs.
2. An inarticulacy regarding the faith—“you don’t go there.”

See John 12:42-43: “Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.”

Think about it
A learned capacity to talk about differences becomes unnecessary in a society that asks us to avoid speaking in particular or absolute categories. As a result, large numbers of people are not only unable to articulate what they believe and why they believe it, they are guarded against beliefs that are too particular or in any way exclude or offend the beliefs of others.

Even if they actually hold to particular moral or religious beliefs, they have learned to suspend their commitment to them in most social circumstances. And, since they have been taught that moral and religious opinions are merely matters of personal taste, why stir things up over such matters? You don’t go there.

How would this affect the offer of evangelism, logic or apologetics classes? Would these classes be viewed with suspicion?

No need for evangelism or apologetics classes
Under this kind of social conditioning, it becomes unnecessary to be trained in moral argument or to learn how to constructively engage someone in a discussion about different beliefs. Young people in particular might question the value of such training. Why talk about things that could be perceived exclusive or violations of pluralistic civility. Some might even suspect hidden imperialistic agendas designed to oppress a minority group or to impose your politics on others. Let’s not go there.

A growing number of people actually feel that there is something morally repugnant about followers of one religion maintaining that they are correct in their beliefs and that sincere adherents of other religions are mistaken in what they believe. Most college students, for example, accept the idea of some creative force behind the existence of the universe. “What is a debated topic is how you move from this rather impersonal force to the beliefs of a particular religious tradition, and especially whether in affirming the truth-reliability of one path, you must stand against the truth-reliability of all other paths.” (Professor Daniel Liechty, Illinois State University).

The new tension is not about belief in God but whether or not it is "safe" to believe in one absolute deity. The tyranny of tolerance has scared people into postures of neutrality. It feels safer to choose not to believe anything too conclusively but to hold all beliefs in their broadest terms. The by-product is a culture that has lost its ability to think, discuss and debate. “Whatever” has become the common response to differences on morality and religion. In this environment, it becomes increasingly hard to train people to share and defend their faith.

Observation about Christian missions
Those who study trends in Christian missions tell us that in the very near future America will cease to be the primary sending nation for Christian missionaries. Already large numbers of missionaries are being sent to bring the gospel to the world from places like Latin America, India and South Korea (to name a few). And they are even being sent to reach us. Question: Why is it that our Churches are full (especially in their Mega forms) and yet a steadily decreasing number of Christians answer the call to take the gospel to the ends of the earth?

Division of truth: Personal and Public
A division of truth into personal and public categories strengthens the social conditioning based on radical tolerance. So moral and religious opinions are widely viewed as matters of personal taste like preferences for chocolate over vanilla. Media and academic elite (the primary means for social conditioning) have tried to persuade the public that moral and religious opinions (unlike scientific facts) are merely personal matters we should keep to ourselves. An unsuspecting public has been taught to marginalize and trivialize religion and morality into a private sphere irrelevant to life in the real world.

Pressure on religious communities
In the cause of promoting and protecting pluralistic civility, social pressure is particularly placed on religious communities to de-emphasize all positions that could be perceived as claims to superiority among the religions of the world. Under the tyrannical rule of the twisted version of tolerance, people have been conditioned to be deeply suspicious of attempts to privilege one religious tradition or teaching as normative for all. If a religious tradition claims to have special access to truth about God, it is considered intolerant no matter how respectfully it relates to others. Absolute religious and moral opinions are considered potential threats to pluralistic civility.

Effect on Christian witness and missions
Should we be surprised that Christians with a missionary faith feel intimidated by this attitude? How can they obey Jesus’ call to, “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), without being considered rude and intrusive? Under the tyranny of tolerance, how should we think about Jesus statement, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father but through me” (John 14:6)? Should we change Jesus' words and make him say, “I am a way, a truth, and a life. People can come to the father through me or any other means they desire.”

It’s tempting to feel marginalized by the selective tolerance of our culture. The primary object of intolerance is Christianity. Islam doesn’t receive the same level of ridicule and hostility. Professors who openly mock Christianity wouldn’t dare attack the Islamic faith in university classrooms. But like the first followers of Christ, we must not compromise the message of salvation. In a fiercely pluralistic and polytheistic Roman society, the early apostles testified of Jesus that, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). They did not offer this as a personal opinion among many equally valid options. This was proclaimed as a fact of prophecy and history.

When Jesus described his true disciples in the beatitudes (see Matthew 5:10-16), he included persecution as distinguishing mark (cf. John 15:20). Persecuted people live provokingly different lifestyles in the world. They are true difference-makers and Jesus picks up on this when he reminds his disciples that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He also cautioned them not to follow the temptation to dilute the salt or hide the light. The followers of Jesus must be like well-lit cities on a hill that cannot be hidden. We must capture strategic places of influence for Jesus and not allow ourselves to be marginalized by the pressures of selective intolerance.

The Christian School
Good news: The Christian school environment is not bound by such restraints. It fosters the ability to freely express and evaluate moral and religious conclusions. Used wisely, this could be one of the most important contributions Christian schools make to the Church and the wider culture.

Witness with wisdom and grace
Considering the atmosphere I have described, Christian witness should be offered with wisdom and grace. Scripture that is particularly applicable exhorts us to, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:5-6). Given the prevailing distortions of tolerance and the misdirected attitude toward religious beliefs, it is also wise to emphasize the inclusive parts of our message. The good news of salvation is meant for all people.

At least seven truths related to the gospel apply to all people - without exception.

1. God has demonstrated his love for all people (John 3:16).
2. God desires the salvation of all people (I Timothy 2:3-4).
3. God has made provision for the salvation of all people (I John 2:2).
4. God commands all people to repent (Acts 17:30).
5. God will hold all people accountable for their response (Acts 17:31).
6. God takes no pleasure in anyone’s rejection of his provision (Ezekiel 18:23,32).
7. God will save all people who place faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16).

Questions for discussion:

1. What are the long-term effects for those who spend large amounts of time in environments where they learn to avoid talking about particulars and absolutes?

2. Would a learned ability to suspend commitment to one’s belief lead to moral compromise in similar circumstances?

3. How can churches address these matters and the issue of inarticulacy regarding the faith?

4. How does the Christian teaching that all people are created equal in the image of God serve as the only reliable basis for true tolerance?

5. Does tolerance ask too little of people?

6. Would it be better to use the word respect instead of the term tolerance? If so, Why?

7. How would a call to radical neighbor love over tolerance be more socially transformative from a Christian perspective?

8. How do the salt and light metaphors relate to the roles of Jesus’ followers in the world?


Steve Cornell
Senior Pastor
Millersville Bible Church
58 West Frederick Street
Millersville PA. 17551
717-872-4260
http://www.thinkpoint.wordpress.com/

I believe in education!

Commencement Address
by Everett Piper President, Oklahoma Wesleyan University

In a recent address to the graduates of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Dr. Piper began by saying, "I believe that the best education is one which is tested by time, confirmed by experience, validated by reason, and ultimately grounded in Scripture. "

Dr. Piper also made several other "I believe . . ." statements to his listening audience, and now, by extension, to his reading audience.

I believe that the academy is the gate keeper of our individual virtue and our national conscience.

I believe that all intellectual and moral training must be anchored in our Creator who endows us with the rights of life and liberty and that if we build education on any foundation but Him we will lose our conscience and shortly thereafter lose our freedom, our joy, and our ability to pursue happiness.

I believe that our future lies in the hearts and minds of today’s students and that all cultures are but one generation away from irrelevancy and extinction.

I believe that what is taught today in the classroom will be practiced tomorrow in our churches, our companies, our communities and our country at large.

I believe in absolutes and that if we don’t teach them, learn them, and cherish them that we will be cast about by every wave of human desire, political promise, and selfish ambition.

To read the rest of Dr. Piper's address and his challenge "to believe", please click here to visit the Oklahoma Wesleyan University website.

Oklahoma Wesleyan University, located in Bartlesville, OK, is a four-year Christian university of the liberal arts and sciences that is fully accredited by the North Central Association. OWU also obtained professional accreditation with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the International Assembly of Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). It is a member of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities as well as the Council of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Association of Oklahoma Independent Colleges and Universities.

Teacher Resource - World Missions Curriculum

This resource came across my desk today via a Blog Alert and we thought it was worth sharing with our MACSA teachers! Please check it out and leave a comment with your thoughts! Thanks, Nancy R. DeHaan, MACSA Executive Director

Teaching With God's Heart for the World
By Ann Dunagan

This is the two-volume world missions curriculum (with over 500 pages) Ann wrote years ago to assist homeschooling families and Christian teachers (in both churches and Christian schools) to impart a fervent heart for world missions in children. The curriculum includes day-by-day teaching plans, missionary highlights, motivational mission stories, crafts, songs, prayer projects, and hundreds of ways to incorporate a passion for the lost into nearly every subject (including Bible Study, Family Devotions, Reading, Writing, Geography, History, Art, Science, and even highlights for Math).

The curriculum presents a "whirlwind tour" of God's enduring passion for missions - all-the-way through world history and all-across-the-globe. Using unit-studies, this curriculum is created to be used over a one-year school year, although it can be easily adapted to be used throughout two years. It can be used as a core curriculum guide (for elementary children), or as a supplement to another curriculum. It is written especially for elementary grade levels, but it can also be used for the whole family to study missions together.

Click here for a review on TWGHW by the Old Schoolhouse Magazine

As far as we know, this two-volume curriculum, Teaching With God's Heart for the World, is no longer in print, and there are only a few used copies available for purchase (see eBay or Amazon). Currently, Harvest Ministry is considering republishing this material so it can remain available. Until then, we have decided to offer this curriculum on-line in individual unit-studies (completely FREE of charge!!! as download pdf files) to print from your own home. We hope they will be a blessing to you, and to your children, and to the LORD!

Click here to review and/or download the files for this curriculum.

Reaching the Whatever Generation

It’s NOT TOO LATE to attend the MACSA Administrators’ Summit on Thursday, December 4 at Lancaster Bible College.
http://www.macsaonline.org/228919.ihtml

Please contact Marie Young at the MACSA office if you haven’t sent in your RSVP.
· Phone: 610-364-1801
· Fax: 610-364-1809
· Email: myoung@macsaonline.org

9:30 am - 2:30 pm (Note the change in time, especially the earlier start time)
Topic: Reaching the "Whatever" Generation
Speaker: Rev. Steve Cornell, Millersville Bible Church (Millersville, PA)

Cost: Complimentary for one person per school, $10 for each additional person

We Gather Together

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Many of you will be traveling "over the river and through the woods" to be with family and friends - while others may be just headed "up the road apiece" as my grandmother says.

Prayers for safe travels and a blessed time of family and fellowship -and thanksgiving - during the Thanksgiving holiday! Amen (and pass the creamed onions!)

We Gather Together

Text: Nederlandtsch Gedencklanck; trans. by Theodore Baker
Music: 16th cent. Dutch melody; arr. by Edward Kremser (1838-1914)

Click here to listen an arrangment by pianist Michael Faircloth

used with permission of MDF Music

We gather together
to ask the Lord's blessing;
he chastens and hastens
his will to make known.
The wicked oppressing
now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name,
he forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us,
our God with us joining,
ordaining, maintaining
his kingdom divine;
so from the beginning
the fight we were winning;
thou, Lord, wast at our side,
all glory be thine!

We all do extol thee,
thou leader triumphant,
and pray that thou still
our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation
escape tribulation;
thy name be ever praised!
O Lord, make us free!

Now Thank We All Our God

Words: Mar­tin Rink­art, cir­ca 1636; trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­ther­ine Wink­worth, 1856.
Music: Nun Dank­et, at­trib­ut­ed to Jo­hann Crü­ger, 1647; har­mo­ny by Fe­lix Men­dels­sohn, 1840



Click here to listen.



Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.


O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!


All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Sing to the Lord of Harvest

Words: John S. B. Mon­sell, 1866.
Music: St. Edith, Justin H. Knecht, 1799, and Ed­ward Hus­band, 1871
Alternate Tunes: Blairgowrie, John B. Dykes, 1872 or Lancashire, Hen­ry T. Smart, 1835

Click here to listen (Lancashire)

Sing to the Lord of harvest,
Sing songs of love and praise;
With joyful hearts and voices
Your alleluias raise.
By Him the rolling seasons
In fruitful order move;
Sing to the Lord of harvest,
A joyous song of love.

By Him the clouds drop fatness,
The deserts bloom and spring,
The hills leap up in gladness,
The valleys laugh and sing.
He filleth with His fullness
All things with large increase,
He crowns the year with goodness,
With plenty and with peace.

Bring to His sacred altar
The gifts His goodness gave,
The golden sheaves of harvest,
The souls He died to save.
Your hearts lay down before Him
When at His feet you fall,
And with your lives adore Him,
Who gave His life for all.

To God the gracious Father,
Who made us “very good,”
To Christ, who, when we wandered,
Restored us with His blood,
And to the Holy Spirit,
Who doth upon us pour
His blessèd dews and sunshine,
Be praise forevermore!

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Words: Henry Alford, 1844.
Music: George J. El­vey, St. George’s Wind­sor 1858

Click here to listen.

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.

For the Beauty of the Earth

Words: Fol­li­ot S. Pier­point
Music: Con­rad Koch­er

Click here to listen an arrangment by pianist Michael Faircloth
used with permission of MDF Music

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

Refrain
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.
Refrain

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.
Refrain

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.
Refrain

For Thy Church, that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love.
Refrain

For each perfect gift of Thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven.
Refrain

Let All Things Now Living

Words: Katherine K. Davis, 1892-1980
Music: "The Ash Grove", a traditional Welsh melody.

Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the creator triumphantly raise.
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who still guides us on to the end of our days.
God's banners are o'er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night.
Till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished
As forward we travel from light into light.

His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a Song let us raise
Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
"To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!"

Click here to listen.

A Failure as a Father

by Jonathan Nazigian

I am a failure. At least that is what my TV told me. The other night, during the evening news, several of the local TV stations conducted a digital signal test to show viewers if their television was ready for the upcoming switch from analog to digital broadcasting. As my wife and I sat with our two boys, we had fun counting down the seconds until the test would begin (the outcome already known to my wife and I since the TV we were given 9 years ago was definitely not digital-ready). And, lo and behold, when the clock struck zero, the message was clear: we had failed. The boys had even more fun as we flipped through the channels calling out to each other, “We failed!” “We failed, again!” “How about channel 10? Nope! Failed again!”

So yes, I am a failure. I have failed to provide my family with a digital-ready television. Soon, our rabbit ears will be obsolete and our 24” electronic window to the world of broadcast news and entertainment will grow dark. Unless, of course, we convert (but that’s a discussion for another day).

As I was musing on my “failure” as a father, I was actually encouraged that despite my inability to provide some extra “niceties” of modern life, by God’s grace, I have been able to provide not only what the world recognizes as necessities (food, clothing, shelter), but God has also allowed me to provide that which is even more vital to my children—a godly home and Christ-centered schooling.

I was also encouraged to be a part of a Christian school ministry, where other Christian parents and I have partnered together to provide our students with an education that is of the highest caliber—an education where all of God’s truth is taught with excellence for His glory.

And yet, as I continue to watch dozens of Christian schools across the country close their doors for lack of students and for lack of donor support, I have to ask some hard questions of my fellow Christian parents.

How many Christian parents are failing their children on an issue with eternal stakes far greater than digital TV? This Christmas, how many Christian parents will sacrifice to provide their children with new toys, outfits, and electronic gadgets, while failing to provide what their children need most—the one thing God has commanded parents to provide for their children—a knowledge of God, a Biblical worldview?

How many Christian parents who would never, knowingly place their child in physical danger, will more than willingly place their highly impressionable children in spiritual danger every day in a public school system which must, by law, teach moral relativism? How many Christian parents will continue to enroll their intellectually curious children in a public school system which must, by law, artificially remove the truth of God from every academic subject, and which must, by law, remain not neutral (for neutrality when it comes to God is impossible) but anti-God (for acknowledging the creation without acknowledging the Creator is the epitome of idolatry)?

How many Christian parents are giving their children the world to the forfeit of their soul?

A few years ago, my wife and I attended a dinner party at the home of a local couple. The hostess was actually a graduate of the Christian school in which I serve and commented on how impressed she was with the improvements she had seen in the school over the years. She then made the comment I have heard so many times, from so many people. “It’s a shame Christian school tuition is so high. I would love for my kids to go there, but we just can’t afford it.”

I’ll be honest. What I said out loud and what I was really thinking were not the same. What I said was some general, polite comments about scholarships and fundraising and true cost vs. tuition. What I was really thinking was quite different, and perhaps the geniality of the evening was preserved because I didn’t have the boldness to speak it out loud.

As I looked around the very large house, furnished with very nice things, located in a very nice neighborhood, with two very nice cars parked in the very nice, multi-car garage, and some very nice toys filling the very large back yard, I really wanted to say, “Please. Don’t say you can’t afford Christian school. Be honest with yourself. Say you choose not to afford Christian school.”

Too blunt? Maybe. Too insensitive? Probably. And I know, I know, you can’t judge by appearances, etc. etc. But I think there is a core truth to the “I can’t afford Christian school excuse” that many ignore. There are those who value Christian school but genuinely cannot afford it, and there are those who, instead, choose to afford other things they value more.

For example, let’s say an average, middle-class man walks past a Mercedes Benz dealership and says, “Sure, it would be nice to have a Mercedes, but I can’t afford one.” Technically, this is probably not true. He could afford it; he just decides to spend his money elsewhere. For example, he could sell his house and buy the Mercedes. However, most would agree that this would not be a wise decision. It would be a foolish financial move to sell what, for most people, is their largest investment (their home), to buy a car, the value of which depreciates very rapidly.

In the same way, an average, middle-class, Christian family says, “Sure, it would be nice to have our children in Christian school, but we can’t afford it.” As I said earlier, for some, this is indeed true. But technically, for most, this is probably not true. They just decide to spend their money elsewhere. For example, they could move to a smaller home or choose lesser furnishings or drive an older car or vacation in a less expensive place. This brings us to the core question of value. What is the more valuable investment, a home (or furnishings, or car, or vacation, etc.) or the formation and education of one’s children in the best, most biblical way possible?

And the irony is that if even half of those Christian parents who can afford Christian schooling chose to enroll their children, Christian schools would be in such a strong position financially that they would be able to lower tuition for everyone and fully fund scholarship programs for those who truly cannot afford it.

Most parents would sacrifice everything for their children, even their very lives. So why are so many Christian parents not willing to sacrifice financially to provide their children with the best education possible?

I may fail at many things as a father and provider, but may I never disobey God by failing to provide my children with every possible opportunity to be trained up in the way they should go, so when they are old, they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

May I never disobey God by failing to teach my children God’s commands, when I sit at home, when I walk along the road, when I lie down and when I get up (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). And since I cannot be with my children throughout the day, may I never fail to place them under the day-by-day, moment-by-moment teaching and influence of someone who loves God with all of his or her heart and has the freedom to teach my children openly about the Truth.

May I never disobey God by failing to pray for my Christian school, by failing to give to my Christian school, or by failing to lovingly confront my fellow Christian parents in love about their need to do the same.

May I never fail at what matters most.

A High Calling

by Charles R. Swindoll
excepted from The Finishing Touch
Word Publishing, 1994

Ephesians 4:11-16

Many professions draw public attention like warm watermelon draws flies. Those who practice them are constantly in the news. If it isn’t the money they make, it’s the company they keep or the trends they set or the controversy they spawn. Their notoriety is somewhere between amazing and appalling.

There is one profession, however, that is neither notorious nor controversial. Although essential to our future as a nation, being inseparably linked to the home as few other professions are, it has been treated like a stepchild.

Those who make their living in this field press on against overwhelming odds. They live with criticism they usually don’t deserve. They invest extra hours for which they are never compensated. They maintain a standard of excellence regardless of resistance. They remain enthusiastic in spite of daily discouragements. They apply creativity and every motivational technique they can muster without applause or thanks from their recipients.

Fueled by hope, these brave men and women shape minds, stretch imaginations, challenge thinking, and model consistency. They have one major enemy they fight with tireless energy: ignorance.

Who are the relentless, courageous heroes I’m describing? By now you know. They are those who teach.

The tools of their trade may not seem that impressive—a piece of chalk, a book, an overhead projector, a homework assignment, a smile of encouragement, a nod of affirmation, a strong word of warning, a question to answer, a problem to solve. How powerful are those adept with such tools!

Teachers. Tough-minded, clear-thinking, ever-learning educators who gave me their time and their attention, who early on overlooked my immaturity, who saw raw material behind my boredom, overactivity, and mischievousness, who held my feet to the fire and dared me to grab the challenge, who had enough wisdom to drop the bait in just the right places to hook me for life.
So to all of you who teach, hats off. Yours is an invaluable profession, a calling sure and high and noble, a model we cannot live without if we expect to remain strong and free.
Don’t quit. If ever we needed you, we need you today.

MACSA Convention - Workshop Notes

For All Generations: A Legacy of Faith . . . A Future of Hope

WORKSHOP NOTES:

Several of the workshop leaders have submitted notes of their workshops – and those notes have been posted online.

Additional notes will be posted as they are received. Click here to view the available notes!

Listen Up!

For All Generations: A Legacy of Faith . . . A Future of Hope
One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4

Click on the link below to listen to the Keynote Addresses at the 2008 MACSA Convention which was held November 6-7 in Lancaster, PA.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Crawford Loritts. Dr. Loritts is a nationally known Bible speaker, author, and senior pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Georgia. Crawford and his wife, Karen, have four children and live in Georgia.

Click HERE to listen to and/or download the files. The files are in MP3 format and vary in size.

Thursday Morning - Stewardship of a Generation
Thursday Afternoon - On Assignment from God
Friday Morning - The Anatomy of Pressure

See You Soon!

60th Anniversary Convention - November 2008

For All Generations: A Legacy of Faith . . . A Future of Hope
One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4

A note from the MACSA Convention Director, Dr. Don Dawes:
We are planning an exciting MACSA convention celebrating our 60th year of supporting Christian Education in this area. We look forward to honoring men and women who were involved with this ministry for decades and have a wealth of history to share about our movement. Over 150 workshops planned and a special track for our office staff. Don’t miss this historical event.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Crawford Loritts
Speaking Thursday morning, Thursday afternoon, Friday morning
Dr. Crawford Loritts is a nationally known Bible speaker, author, and senior pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Georgia. Crawford and his wife, Karen, have four children and live in Georgia.

Special Workshops:
Education CEU and Graduate Course: Integrating Children’s Literature (Dr. Sheryl Vasso, Philadelphia Biblical University)
Bible CEU: Lessons from the Life of Jonah (Dr. Gary Gromacki, Baptist Bible Seminary)
Philosophy of Christian Education: ACSI CEU (Dr. Jack Layman, Columbia International University)

A Sampling of Workshops:
Cyber Savvy School Policies
Training the Heart: Developing a Biblical Philosophy of Discipline
Fresh Ideas for a Stale Classroom
College Planning from A-Z
Beyond Smiley Stickers: Assessing Beginning Writers

Good Coffee - Good Teaching

By Jason A. Van Bemmel (Headmaster, New Covenant Christian School – Abingdon, MD)
As posted on Christian School Journal

I love watching old Andy Griffith shows on DVD from the library. They are a perfect way to unwind after a long day. The DVDs from the library have the original sponsor spots which closed the shows when they aired. These old commercial spots are fun to watch, but one thing really bothers me: Andy Griffith pitched Sanka.

I love Andy Griffith.

I hate Sanka.

Sanka is an example of what should never be done to coffee. Sanka has two nasty qualities, which make it barely qualify as coffee:
1. Sanka is chemically decaffeinated.
2. Sanka is instant coffee.

Coffee should never be robbed of its stimulating effect. This is why most sensible people drink coffee. Rob coffee of its caffeine and you have lost the essence of what coffee is. The only worse thing you can do is to then freeze-dry the coffee so people can make it in an instant.

Coffee is meant to have caffeine. Coffee is meant to be brewed right before you drink it. Sanka is an attack on the essence of coffee. As much as I love Andy Griffith, it pains me to see him hawking this rubbish that no human being should be forced to drink.

Teaching is like coffee, and the same kinds of critical elements that make for good coffee also make for good teaching. The essence of coffee is to stimulate. The essence of teaching is the same.

John Milton Gregory says that the essence of teaching is to stimulate the mind of the student for self-activity. “The true stimulant of the human mind is a question, and the object that does not raise any questions will stir no thought.”

Compare for a moment the stimulating effect of Sanka with a more excellent coffee – Starbucks. Drink Sanka and you are ready to fall asleep. Drink Starbucks and you’re ready to take on the world.

What is the effect of your teaching on your students? Does it call for action, stimulate thought, excite the mind, get the life ready for response?

Good coffee takes time to roast and brew properly.
Starbucks roasts their beans until the bitterness is gone and the complexity of flavors can be fully tasted. If the beans are not roasted as long, the bitterness of the raw bean remains and the complex and more subtle flavors of the bean cannot emerge. Yet even properly roasted coffee beans must be ground and brewed properly, too. BUNN coffee makers can brew a pot of coffee in just 2-3 minutes, but coffee grounds need to be exposed to hot water dripping through them for 6-6.5 minutes for ideal results.

Like good coffee, good teaching cannot be rushed. It takes time to stimulate the minds of our students to inquire, discover, know, understand, appreciate and apply the complex truths we have to teach them. The bitter flavors of a rush to judgment, a quick and dirty answer, will dominate teaching that is rushed. The more subtle and complex flavors of contemplation, genuine understanding, appreciation, delight, discrimination, and transformation take much longer to emerge and can be overwhelmed by cheaper and easier and much less transformative elements if teachers do not have patience with the teaching process.

Good coffee is roasted and brewed carefully, with attention to detail and discrimination. Roasted coffee has over 1,000 flavor and aroma compounds. Only 30 of these make the best-tasting coffee.

Likewise, good teaching must be careful and discriminatory. The world is full of thousands of ideas. Most of them will not make our students think God’s thoughts after Him. They will poison, rather than enhance, their ability to live a life that pleases God. The teacher must be careful and pay attention to detail so as not to confuse, overwhelm or dishearten students.

Good coffee can stand on its own or can be enhanced and enjoyed with a variety of flavors added to it.
Starbucks comes in different roasts and brews and adding flavored syrups and creamers makes it taste even better without obscuring the essence of what makes the coffee excellent. Cheap coffee, on the other hand, needs flavor enhancers to try to mask the cheap and bitter quality of the coffee.

Quality teaching also speaks for itself. It can come in a variety of subject areas (or “roasts”) – history, English, math, languages, etc. Each of them, while varying from each other, can still be recognized as excellent teaching with the same core essence – stimulating the mind of the student to self-action, discovery and understanding with patience and discrimination. Teaching can be flavored with field trips, feasts, celebrations, videos, games, etc. These additions make excellent teaching even more enjoyable. Poor teachers try to mask poor teaching with videos, games, and field trips (often meaningless ones), trying to compensate for poor teaching by adding lots of flavorful fun. This may amuse some students, but it cannot really make up for the fact that the teaching itself in its essence is poor and does not stimulate the minds of students to quality thinking and acting.

Good coffee must be properly strong, as even quality coffee is not very good when it is too weak. The more coffee grinds you use, the more complex and robust the flavors you can produce. Of course, you can also make coffee that is too strong.

Good teaching must also be delivered at the appropriate strength. Teachers need to be assertive, bold, joyful and confident. They should lead and guide their class from a position of strength, not weakness. Of course, a teacher can be overbearing – too strong – and overwhelm their students and keep them from being able to properly express themselves, ask questions, discover the truth for themselves and exercise dominion over their piece of God’s creation. So teaching, like coffee, must be properly strong but not overly assertive.

Finally, when good coffee is brewing, it is enticing.
The aroma of good coffee draws people to it – even people who don’t drink coffee. In fact, I have heard many people smell good coffee brewing and say, “I wish I drank coffee.”

So also, good teaching should be enticing. It should attract students to the truth. It should make them want to have a drink from the fountain of knowledge. As our teaching entices students, we can then equip them to be life-long learners because they will want to learn and to love to learn.

God has given us the highest privilege – to stimulate the minds of our students to know God’s truth, to embrace His goodness, to love His beauty. We have been called by God to entice our students to the highest truths, the greatest goods. We have the opportunity to make an eternal difference in the life of a child made in the image of God. Our students are looking for something to believe, for someone to follow. They want to be stimulated. The real question for us, as educators, is simple: What will we offer them – Starbucks or Sanka?

Is Your School an "Authentic" Christian School?

The following reflection/challenge was posted by Arthur Bennett, Superintendent of Arkansas Baptist School System and was based on a brochure entitled What Is an Authentic Christian School?, written in 1996 by Dr. Carl Herbster, President of the American Association of Christian Schools.

Click here to read the original post.

Dr. Bennett reviews several areas of school ministry to help determine the authenticity of Arkansas Baptist . . . so, substitute YOUR SCHOOL NAME where you read "Arkansas Baptist" as you examine the authenticity of your ministry.

The first few sentences [of the brochure] read, “The sign over the front entrance of a Christian school does not necessarily serve as proof of a Christian school inside. Neither does the American nor Christian flag hanging in the corner or a Scripture verse displayed on the classroom wall. It is impossible to identify an authentic Christian school solely from its appearance.”

So, I asked myself, “Is Arkansas Baptist an authentic Christian school?” Honestly, I am convinced we are, and I’ll tell you why:

• Every single decision that is made about the operation of the school is backed by Scripture.
• The Bible is taught each day and is a major part of the curriculum.
• The Bible is integrated within all subject matter.
• The Bible is central to guiding students in developing character, attitudes, and values.
• All classes are taught by Christian teachers who are willing to share their faith with the students.
• Students not only develop their faith, but actually put it into action daily.
• Students and teachers have the freedom to pray with and for each other at any time.
• Servanthood is gained through numerous mission opportunities.
• Academic mediocrity is unacceptable.
• Our students learn in a disciplined atmosphere.
• We value not only the students, but parents, too.
  

At a time when some Christians have a hard time agreeing on what it means to be a “Christian”, our school is known for its integrity and pursuit of truth in order to honor and please God. Our staff and faculty are caring, genuine, real and trustworthy. Arkansas Baptist is an authentic Christian school.

Leading Your School In Uncertain Economic Times: Practical Suggestions

Dr. Barrett Mosbacker
Superintendent, Briarwood Christian School (Alabama)
Full article posted on The Christian School Journal

Many experts predict that we are headed for a recession. A recession in and of itself is not particularly worrisome. Like breathing, expansions and retractions in the economy are normal and keep the economy healthy and vibrant over the long-term.

Whether the predictions of gloom and doom come true or not, it seems clear that we are in an extended economic slowdown, which may affect many of our schools. As school leaders, it is our responsibility to assess the situation and then to provide prayerful, faithful, and steady leadership.

So how do we prepare our schools for economic turndown, or even a possible prolonged recession? The role of the leader is not to react but to respond prayerfully and strategically. If the economy spirals into a long recession it will affect our families and in turn, our schools.

I offer the following series of possible contingent responses for your prayerful consideration if, as seems inevitable, there is a sharp economic downturn. Obviously, every school and local market is different, but perhaps one of these suggestions will be helpful.

• Pray faithfully for your families and for your school ministry.
• Look at possible ways to prepare your students for an economic downturn.
• As much as possible, move toward zero-based budgeting or at least look at your budget from that perspective.
• Smaller schools need to assess the number of students per class to ensure that each class is at break-even on a contiguous basis
• Increase financial aid.
• Stay on top of your accounts receivables.
• Think of ways to expand your market.
• Work on your retention rates!
• Consider merging with other Christian schools.
• If you are a Covenantal school (a school that only enrolls children born to at least one confessing parent (1 Cor. 7:14), consider enrolling the children of non-believers.
  
  

Click here to read the full post, including detailed information on each of the above suggestions.

The Teaching Power of Music - Not Just for Music Teachers!

Scott Anoil
The following is an excerpt from a workshop recently presented at the Michigan Association of Christian Schools Teachers Convention earlier this week.

Originally posted on Religious Affections Ministries

In the words of the workshop speaker, the purpose of the workshop was:

• to convince teachers that it is important that music be a part of your classroom
• persuade teachers that music is essential to your students’ educational development

The goal was to demonstrate how music will help students:

• Physically
• Academically
• Socially
• Morally
• Emotionally
• Spiritually

CLick here to read the rest of the post.

Please note, by clicking on the link, you are leaving The MACSA Blog. Linking to this particular article does not imply MACSA's endorsement or approval of the general content of the external website.

The Distinctive Mission of Christian Education

submitted by Bill Stevens, Headmaster ~ Wilmington Christian School (DE)

Jesus' Greatest Commandment

Dr. David Dockery, in his book, Renewing Minds: Serving Church and Society, writes about the Great Commandment of Christ . . .

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” ~Matthew 22:36-37

Dockery states that this is the starting point of our thinking about the integration of faith and learning. He says that these words of Jesus serve as the framework for carrying out the distinctive mission of Christian education to this changing postmodern world. It’s learning to think Christianly, to think in Christian categories, and at the same time connectedly to a Christian focus . . . namely Christ.

“Learning to think Christianly impacts our homes, our businesses, our health care agencies, our schools, our social structures, our recreation, and, yes, our churches too. Applying this Great Commandment entails all that we know of ourselves being committed to all that we know of God” (pp. 11-12).

Education today has become academically specialized and thus, being and becoming more unwilling to form interrelatedness between the disciplines. This unwillingness to relate disciplines to one another has resulted in a fragmentation of knowledge. It has resulted in a false dichotomy between the life of the mind and the life of faith. This fragmentation should alarm all who are committed to Christian education, for it strikes at the heart of our purpose and mission.

But alarmed we are not. Lest we would be so angered at the present state of education as to make the leap and sacrifice what was needed (at home and in our churches) to make a biblical worldview paramount for ALL the children of this next generation. As George Barna so aptly illustrated, we have become like frogs in the kettle, instead of leaping out, we slowly “boil to death” as the temperature rises. It is time, as the apostle Paul (and the prophet Isaiah before him) stated in their day . . .
“Wake up, O sleeper
Rise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you”
~Ephesians 5:14

Unfortunately, we have become complacent . . . at the very least, comfortable; accepting a postmodern, relativistic, God-neutral (at best) environment to educate kingdom kids. It’s not the money, for He owns it all and will honor those who honor Him (I Samuel 2:30). It’s not the “salt & light” rationale, for we are to be that wherever we are. It’s the philosophy, the mind-set, and the perspective under which we place our children for the foundation of their thinking, learning, and living.

As we see throughout this political campaign, and in the recent financial crisis, people are looking for a sound foundation. What do the candidates really stand for? What is there true worldview? What is at the heart of our economic structure? Will the financial foundation hold? Are power, greed and manipulation of people and their money the standard for our society? I can’t imagine you saying, “Yes”. So now take these same questions one-step further (or back) to the educational foundation of this next generation . . .

Let’s remember the question asked of Jesus, “What is the greatest commandment”? He answered it straight, that it was the first and greatest. And affirmed that it is a command, not just an option or nice idea. Our children need to learn to love God with their entire mind. That’s at the heart and soul of a Christian education! It’s our mandate and marching orders.

Thinking Out Loud,
~ Mr. Stevens

Because Worldview Matters!

An invitation from Bill Stevens (Headmaster) and Wilmington Christian School:

This note comes to you to let you know of a special time I am planning for our community.

Wilmington Christian School will be hosting, what is hoped to be an annual event, the "RENEWING MINDS FORUM".

It will be held at our school on Friday (evening - 7PM) and Saturday (morning - 10AM), October 17/18, 2008. The speaker will be Dr. David Dockery, President of Union University in Jackson, TN. As you may recall, Union University was devastated by tornadoes back in February.

Dr. Dockery has also authored several books on developing a biblical world view, with a particular emphasis on Christian higher education and impacting society.

I believe this is a timely topic for the era in which we live and certainly for our Christian school community in these days. I am inviting you to join us and attend this seminar.

The cost is $15 per person with all proceeds benefiting the WCS Student Scholarship Fund.

My vision is that this would grow and develop both as an annual event, and a collaborative effort of our schools.

Our churches, pastors, teachers, and board members all need to be stimulated, encouraged, and challenged to move this Christian educational ministry forward . . .

For more information and/or to download a registration brochure, please click here to visit the Wilmington Christian School website and click on the RENEWING MINDS link on the home page! Please direct your questions to Wilmington Christian School using the contact info provided on the registration brochure.

Revitalize Your Classroom

Adapted from The Seven Laws of the Learner by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson
About the author:
Bruce Wilkinson is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Prayer of Jabez ® and Secrets of the Vine ®, The Dream Giver, and Beyond Jabez. He serves as the chairman of Dream for Africa , Global Vision Resources, and Ovation Productions. Bruce and his wife, Darlene Marie, have three children and six grandchildren. They divide their time between Georgia and South Africa .

You teach to make a difference. Now, revitalize your classroom by learning and mastering seven time-tested principles being taught around the world! Written for teachers, including Sunday school teachers, parents, and professionals, this book outlines scriptural principles and techniques that will revolutionize your ability to teach to change lives. From the “law of the learner” to the “law of equipping,” each chapter presents hands-on, practical tools for you to employ in your own classroom.

Students learn best when teachers teach best! So how can you do your part? Employ the seven laws of the learner and unleash your students’ capabilities. You’ll discover how to:
· Help students reach their full potential
· Effect lasting life change
· Rekindle your flame for teaching
· Create an excitement for learning
· Transform apathetic students

Whether you’re a professional teacher, a parent, or teach in any setting, these principles and techniques will empower you to make a lasting impact in people’s lives. Thousands of teachers have already used these principles to spur their students to new horizons of success.

The Law of the Learner
The teacher should accept the responsibility of causing students to learn.

The Law of Expectations
The teacher should influence students’ learning by adjusting expectations.

The Law of Application
The teacher should stimulate life change in students by properly applying the Scriptures.

The Law of Retention
The teacher should enable students to enjoy the maximum mastery of the irreducible minimum.

The Law of Need
The teacher should surface the students’ real need before teaching the content.

The Law of Equipping
The teacher should train students for a life of service and edification.

The Law of Revival
The teacher should encourage an ongoing personal revival in students’ lives.

This article was adapted from The 7 Laws of the Learner DVD Curriculum by Bruce Wilkinson, © 1988, 2008 Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved.

The 7 Laws of the Learner DVD Curriculum is available at www.walkthru.org.

Spread Too Thin: The Peanut Butter Syndrome in Christian Schools!

Are You Spread Too Thin?
How to THRIVE and not merely SURVIVE as a Christian school!
Originally posted by Dr. Barrett L. Mosbacker
The Christian School Journal

I recently read an interesting article by the CEO of Yahoo! titled The Peanut Butter Manifesto. For the purposes of this blog article I want to focus on the following statement from the memo because it is instructive for us as school leaders.

"We [Yahoo!] lack a focused, cohesive vision for our company. We want to do everything and be everything -- to everyone. We've known this for years, talk about it incessantly, but do nothing to fundamentally address it. We are scared to be left out. We are reactive instead of charting an unwavering course. We are separated into silos that far too frequently don't talk to each other. And when we do talk, it isn't to collaborate on a clearly focused strategy, but rather to argue and fight about ownership, strategies and tactics ...

I've heard our strategy described as spreading peanut butter across the myriad opportunities that continue to evolve in the online world. The result: a thin layer of investment spread across everything we do and thus we focus on nothing in particular."

The Christian school movement is not particularly healthy. Based on recent statistics that I have seen, the number of Christian school and overall enrollments are stagnant or declining.
Although there are external forces beyond our control that affect our schools, many of our problems are self-inflicted.

One of our self-inflicted wounds is similar to that articulated by the CEO of Yahoo!--we are often not strategic in the allocation of our tangible and intangible resources and as a consequence we are not offering a substantial marginal value to our current and potential clients. I am referring to our parents a clients because notwithstanding our missions as Christian schools, our parents are essentially paying clients who make economic calculations in deciding whether to enroll or re-enroll their children in our schools.

If our schools are to survive, much less thrive, we must stop "spreading the peanut butter too thin." We need to think far more strategically. Where should we place our resources? What is the basis for our decision? What programs should we eliminate? What programs should we add? The the marginal value of our schools been stagnant or declining?

These are important questions that we must answer with ruthless honesty.

Click here to read the rest of the post on The Christian School Journal.

Inquiring Parents Want to Know!

Mark Strohm, Jr.
Elementary Principal
Delaware County Christian School

From my 20 plus years in School Administration I can tell you - without any doubt - there is one primary bit of information every parent wants to know from their child’s teacher. Often a parent will hear nothing in an initial teacher meeting until they get the answer to this primary question. If a parent is not satisfied they have the answer, all of our communication, every story they hear from their child, will be filtered in such a way as to discern the answer to this most important question. What does every parent want to know?

Does this teacher love my child?

I have found there are two types of teachers. Some teachers feel it is their divine calling to measure and observe students while imparting knowledge and wisdom to them. Then at the appointed time, through their educated power of observation they are to declare which students are “good” or “bad” as well as which students are “smart” and which are “not so smart.” Parents are not impressed with this “purely professional” approach and conclude that teachers espousing it lack love. Wise teachers understand their calling as an opportunity to roll up their sleeves and come alongside parents to help teach and train students. These teachers work on their skills to be a greater blessing to students. They rejoice with parents and praise God when students succeed. Failure of a child, either morally or academically is a matter of great concern. At the point of failure parents are contacted to coordinate efforts to help the child grow and learn. Genuine interest is shown in each child with an acknowledgement that all are divinely created by God with great love and concern. Parents will appreciate these teachers and recognize the love this teacher has for their child.

I suggest you put every parent at ease! Let them know right at the start of the school year how much you appreciate working with young people.

• Assure them it is a joy for you to get to know their son or daughter.
• Share with parents the call of God on your life and why you desire work as a teacher in a Christian School.
• Let parents know that it is your aim to work closely with them to minister to their child.
• Clearly communicate that you want parents to contact you if they hear something is wrong and that you will work together with them through thick and thin. Trust me on this one - you can take the time up front or you can spend loads of time later trying to repair a parent’s perception.
  

Make it obvious that you love each child and are excited to work alongside parents, then make it doubly obvious!

Do I Belong in the Christian School?

Is it so hard to believe that the omnipresent God of the universe knew exactly what He was doing when He placed you and me in Christian school education?

In an article entitled, Do I Belong in the Christian School, Christian school superintendent Karen Winter asks the above question and challenges readers to understand the calling they have received and to appreciate the privilege and responsibility of being involved in Christian school ministry.

Click here to read the full text of this article.

As you read this article, be reminded:

“. . . doing God’s will is a matter of simple obedience and walking in that conviction each day—especially those days that bring challenges and momentary discouragement. We fulfill God’s will when we walk in complete, dedicated confidence that God called us into Christian education. We fulfill God’s will when we remain fully committed.”

“There is no greater privilege or honor than serving in Christian education. It’s not for the fainthearted but for the steadfast, visionary Christian educator who will help determine our nation’s future. This exceptional career is for the faithful educators who hear God’s call and then respond by walking in persistent obedience as they anticipate the most exciting real-life transformations imaginable. Christian education is for those who are determined to make the greatest impact in the lives of students. I can’t imagine anything greater than serving in a Christian school and making it my personal commitment for an entire lifetime.”

As you begin another school year, may you be committed to making a difference in the lives of your students . . . and “serve where God has called [you], despite the obstacles and difficult challenges that arise.”

Have a great 2008-2009!

From the President. . .

Dr. Timothy Sierer, MACSA President
The Christian Academy ~ Brookhaven, PA

In just a few short weeks the hallways of each of your respective schools will be buzzing with the sounds of returning students for the ’08-’09 school year. It is difficult to believe that the summer has come and gone. The start of another school year presents us with tremendous opportunities to influence your students for Jesus Christ. During the course of this year it will be your privilege, as teachers in the Christian classroom, to help your students gain a better grasp of the character of God. This understanding develops as a result of the studying of His Word and the various academic disciplines that make up your curriculum.

The job of a Christian school teacher is huge. Not only are you attempting to adequately train your students academically, but you are also seeking to sow the seeds of God’s Word into their lives. Seeds that in God’s timing will bring about a transformation of the heart. This ‘sowing’ comes at a time when there is a great battle for the hearts and minds of the students in your classrooms. Without a doubt, you are fighting against a culture that has in many ways captured the hearts and minds of the students in your school. With that knowledge it would be very easy to become discouraged about the prospects for the future. However, you serve a God who is greater than the worldly forces that work against you.

As a classroom teacher, the start of any year brings with it new challenges as you learn to know the individual needs of each student. What reassurance comes with the knowledge that God has purposefully placed in your class those students for whom you are uniquely qualified to teach. As you review your class lists know that each student has been placed there by an omniscient God who is fully aware of each child’s needs even before the first day of school. Moreover, each child has been placed there because you are uniquely qualified to meet those needs. What peace comes as a result of knowing that you serve a God that cares about each minute detail of our lives as to ‘match’ your students with you for a specific purpose. With that knowledge, you can face whatever comes your way this year because you know that your God is greater than any circumstance or situation.

May God truly bless you as you invest into the spiritual, and intellectual, development of your students.

Teaching to Change Lives

Seven Proven Ways to Make Your Teaching Come Alive
By Dr. Howard Hendricks

Teaching to Change Lives outlines seven proven, easy-to-grasp principles any teacher can apply. These strategic concepts call for a passion to communicate. In the introduction to the book, Dr. Hendricks writes, “My heart’s concern for you is that God will give a passion . . . and [you] will never let it die. And I hope that you never get over the thrill that someone will actually listen to you . . . and learn from you.”

Catch Hendricks’ enthusiasm and learn from his experience as you discover how you can practice the best type of teaching: Teaching to Change Lives!

The Law of the Teacher
If you stop growing today, you stop teaching tomorrow.

The Law of Education
The way people learn determines how you teach.

The Law of Activity
Maximum learning is always the result of maximum involvement.

The Law of Communication
To truly impart information requires the building of bridges.

The Law of the Heart
Teaching that impacts is not head to head, but heart to heart.

The Law of Encouragement
Teaching tends to be most effective when the learner is properly motivated.

The Law of Readiness
The teaching-learning process will be most effective when both student and teacher are adequately prepared.

This article was adapted from The Seven Laws of the Teacher DVD Curriculum by Howard Hendricks, © 1988, 2008 Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Seven Laws of the Teacher DVD Curriculum is available at www.walkthru.org.

Good Children's Literature is Essential

"In a day and age when reading good books has never been of greater need for our children, parents and teachers owe Elizabeth McCallum and Jane Scott a deep debt of gratitude for the wonderful service they have provided by compiling this updated second edition of their book. It is a mandatory companion for any home or school."— Patch Blakey, Executive Director, The Association of Classical & Christian Schools

Good Children's Literature is Essential
A Word from the Authors

We wrote our book because a book of this sort is greatly needed. The Book Tree is a recommended reading list for all ages, from preschool through high school, and it includes several unique features. It contains a selective array of excellent books for each age group. We believe with Walter de la Mare that “only the rarest kind of best of anything can be good enough for the young,” so we have spent many years researching and reading old books and new, classics as well as recent releases. In this book, we provide a recommended list of classic books, as well as books by Christian authors, some little-known books by great writers and poets, and a sizable collection of inspiring biographies. Of course, we do not think that these are the only books worth reading. In fact, we are discovering new favorites all the time. We are simply sharing with you some of the books that we have especially enjoyed.

Table of Contents:
1. Preschool Literature
2. Elementary School Fiction
3. Middle School Fiction
4. Elementary & Middle School Biography
5. High School Fiction
6. High School Biography

Also Includes:
Title Index
Author Index
Illustrator Index
Subject Index

Publishers Description:
Once upon a time, a carpenter entered a forest and happened upon a wolf wearing a feathered cap. Quick, whose side are you on? If you don't know, then keep reading. Stories provide a roadmap for life. This is because stories are life. But oftentimes it's easiest to understand where we are when we can look through other eyes—from the perspective of someone else, living somewhere else, somewhen else.

If you thought you knew The Book Tree, think again. Jane and Elizabeth have updated this charming book with over 100 new book reviews, and whimsical illustrations from recommended titles are scattered throughout. New formatting and four indexes (title, author, illustrator, and subject) make it easier than ever to browse for that next well-worn favorite.

For those beginning to read for the first time or those beginning to read again, The Book Tree will drop golden apples in your lap, until you can climb high enough to pick for yourself.

About the Authors:
Elizabeth McCallum (M.A. English, University of Houston) has taught high school and college English for thirty years. She currently teaches English at Covenant Christian Academy (Cumming, GA) and conducts seminars on literature and English for both parents and teachers.

Jane Scott (B.A. English, Covenant College) spends much of her time managing her home and teaching. Her husband, Martin, serves in the Georgia legislature, and they live in northwest Georgia with their four girls.

Click here to see a sample of the book and to watch The Book Tree advertising trailer.

Don't Take the Whole Summer Off - Remember to Pray!

Summer has arrived!

We have heard the final bell – watched our graduates triumphantly “recess” from their graduation ceremony – said the last goodbye to fellow teachers who will be moving on to new areas of ministry.

The school year that just a few short months ago held such promise and anticipation is over – and now the desks are empty, the chalkboard is clean and washed- the promise of the 2007-2008 school has been realized and the many events of the school year are now a memory.

While the “responsibilities” of being a teacher might be over for the summer (you did turn in your grade book and plan book, didn’t you) – you are never really “done” being their teacher! Your influence goes beyond the walls of your classroom and beyond the calendar! If you haven’t had the experience yet – you will (if you teach long enough) to have adults point in your direction and whisper to their children “That’s Mrs. Smith – she was MY third grade teacher.” Those who are bold enough will approach you wearing their best “you remember me” smile and will be able to recall with vivid clarity something that you said and/or did during that 3rd grade year – and expect that you will, too!

As we are still in the “early stages” of summer, please take a few minutes to remember your class – recall them one by one – say each name aloud and thank God for the privilege of being “their” teacher and for the opportunity you had to be part of their lives for just a moment in time!

Pray for them throughout the summer and as the summer winds down, begin praying for the students who will be in your class for the upcoming school year. You don’t have to wait for your class roster to begin praying – pray for the students, their parents and for the transition of new students/families into your school.

But above all – remember to pray for yourself – that God will prepare you for a new year of ministry and that you will be looking forward to the new school year – one that will be filled with promise and anticipation!

MACSA Scholarships Announced!

Barbara Williams, MACSA Vice President and Chair of the MACSA Scholarship Committee
Lehigh Christian Academy ~ Allentown, PA

Each year MACSA awards several scholarships to educators (teachers and/or principals) in Christian schools who will be taking graduate courses during the upcoming summer months. The Lord has continued to bless this effort and each year we award a scholarship to several candidates.

This year we had over fifty applicants and awarded eight scholarships. The educators chosen answered questions about their educational background, current responsibilities, future plans, and the impact that the coursework would have on their professional growth.

We trust that we will be able to continue to offer these scholarships to teachers and administrators dedicated to Christian education and the students they serve.

· Stephanie Cruz (Calvary Academy, Lakewood, NJ)
· Vivian Dippold (Penn Christian Academy, Norristown, PA)
· Mary Catherine Fox (Crossroads Christian Academy, Clinton, NJ)
· Mark Gebhardt (Cumberland Christian School, Vineland, NJ)
· Thomas Hoffman (Grace and Peace Academy, Toms River, NJ)
· Alice Latouk (Calvary Academy, Lakewood, NJ)
· Linda Marvin (Seaford Christian Academy, Seaford, DE)
· Christine Mitcheltree (Meadowbrook Christian School, Milton, PA)

Effective Ministry Leadership

Dr. James Jeffery
President, Baptist Bible College

This article was orignially printed in the Spring 2005 edition of the MACSA Bridge. Dr. Jeffery was the keynote speaker at the November 2004 MACSA Convention.

Our mission at Baptist Bible College, Graduate School, and Seminary is to provide excellence in biblical education for effectiveness in ministry leadership. The needs of the local church and those it partners with as it fulfills its mission on Christ’s behalf in a broken world demand the right kind of leaders. They must be Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered, servant leaders who stand ready to take their places according to God’s call. They are able to influence others toward God’s purposes.

What are the characteristics of these leaders?

Convictions
Effective ministry leaders are the result of theological formation. They have put deep roots down into the soil of the Word of God. Because of this, they know what they believe and why they believe it.

Commitment
Spiritual formation shapes leaders to be committed to the lordship of Christ over all of life. These leaders are committed to Christ’s cause in the Great Commission and the local church as the center of God’s program on Earth.

Character
Leaders must earn the trust and respect of those they influence. That comes from being conformed to Christ as the fruit of the Spirit is developed on the vine of character. Who we are inside determines what we do in ministry.

Competencies
Effective ministry leaders develop leadership, specific ministry, and personal competencies to be effective. The Book of Nehemiah gives an outstanding example of leadership competencies. Nehemiah was unwilling to accept the status quo of the broken-down wall. He inspired a shared vision, mobilized people to team up, encouraged the people, and set the example.

Capacities
No two servants of Christ are the same. As we follow Christ, He shapes us individually to become effective leaders. That comes from knowing yourself as you discover the way God has designed you for ministry with your gifts, personality, and experience. It also comes from growing through lifelong learning and mentoring.

As these five "C's" are integrated into every aspect of life and ministry, we will be effective in carrying out the Great Commission of Acts 1:8.

God Be With You

God Be with You till We Meet Again
Text: Jeremiah E. Rankin, 1828-1904
Music: William G. Tomer, 1833-1896
Tune: GOD BE WITH YOU, Meter: 98.89 with Refrain (MH--no refrain)

Click here to listen.

God be with you till we meet again;
by his counsels guide, uphold you,
with his sheep securely fold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Refrain:
Till we meet, till we meet,
till we meet at Jesus' feet;
till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
neath his wings securely hide you,
daily manna still provide you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
when life's perils thick confound you,
put his arms unfailing round you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
keep love's banner floating o'er you,
smite death's threatening wave before you;
God be with you till we meet again.

A Word of Thanks

From Nurturing Faith
Dan Beerens, author and editor
Vice President of Learning Services for Christian Schools International

A word of thanks to those of you who . . .

. . . kept in focus the big picture of nurturing faith in students, despite all the distractions and obstacles during this school year;

. . . kept your cool when working with a student for the umpteenth time on a repeated issue—thanks for remembering that God continues to forgive each of us for repeated sins;

There's more!
Click here to jump to the Nurturing Faith blog to read the rest of the Thank You!

MACSA Development Institute

Confidence in Your Christ . . . Confidence in Your Calling
Therefore, do not cast away your confidence,
which has great reward. Hebrews 10:35

November 5, 2008
Lancaster Host ~ Lancaster, PA

The MACSA Development Institute is designed for a full day of
Inspiration ~ Information ~ Networking
with Christian school administrators, development officers and board members
Cost: $50 per person - registration forms will be sent late summer/early fall.

Thanks to Ambassador Advisors for their sponsorship of the
2008 MACSA Development Institute
Click here to visit the Ambassador Advisors website.

Four Distinctive Tracks ~ Sixteen Workshops
Stay "on track" or mix and match throughout the day!
Check back for specific workshop titles and descriptions!

· Where Do I Begin?
Basic topics in development - for schools just starting out in "development" and/or for the administrator who needs to "do it all".

· Marketing and Promotion
Including the importance of the admissions process and the "re-recruitment" of current families.

· The Nitty Gritty
A series of workshops designed for the seasoned Development Officer.

· Fundraising That Works
In depth discussion on specific events, programs and techniques - including a panel discussion on "Events Work".

Schedule
8:00 am
Registration, Coffee, Networking
9:00 am
Opening Session
10:05 am
Workshop Session I
11:10 am
Workshop Session II
12:15 pm
Lunch : Round table discussions during the lunch break
1:30 pm
Workshop Session III
2:30 pm
Workshop Session IV
3:45 pm
Questions and Answers ~ Networking

Extend your stay and attend the 60th Annual MACSA Convention on Thursday and Friday, November 6-7
For more information, please contact
Ruth Hennigh, MACSA Development Institute Registrar
717-671-8112
MACSADev@yahoo.com