A Back to School Prayer

I Offer Myself
Words and music by Steve Green and Phil Naish
Copyright 1999 Birdwing Music, Steve Green Music, Meadowgreen Music Co., and Davaub Music. Admin. by EMI-CMP. All rights reserved.

I offer myself to you,
Presenting every part,
Pure and holy, set apart, I offer myself to you.

I offer my hands to you, may labors great or small be done in answer to Your call.
I offer my hands to you.

To be holy, holy, holy like you.
To be holy, holy, holy like you.

I offer my words to you. May everything I say be pleasing in your sight, I pray,
I offer my words to you.

To be holy, holy, holy like you.
To be holy, holy, holy, holy like you.

I offer my life, my praise to you, O Lord, for endless days.
To be holy, holy, holy like you.
To be holy, holy, holy like you.
Oh to be holy, holy, holy like you.

Let me be holy, holy, holy like you, holy like you.
Holy, to be holy.

Lord take my hands, my feet, take every word I speak.
May it be holy, holy to you, O Lord, holy like you.

http://www.stevegreenministries.org/lyrics/index.php?song=61

It's Back to School Time!

A note from MACSA President, Dr. Timothy Sierer

"We are about to embark on another year that is shaping up to be full of challenges in light of the current economic atmosphere in our country. Yet we are able to take heart because we know that we serve an awesome God who has not been caught off guard by current circumstances. I wanted to take this opportunity to share this article with you as a means of encouragement as we seek to train our students in a manner pleasing to the Lord. May God richly bless your efforts during the coming year."

Things are Different This Year
Bruce Etter

It's that time of year...the time of year when we all start to think of going back to school. Teachers are thinking of setting up classrooms, home-schooling families are planning their year, parents are buying supplies, and students, well, some are getting excited and others are desperately wishing for more time. This year is different, though. We are starting this year with a burden.

When the recession hit around October 2008 the school year had already begun. Most people could finish out the year without worrying about how it affected our children's education in the long term. Things have changed drastically for many people for this coming year. Schools have had to downsize or even close, families have had to begin home-schooling because they cannot afford tuition, mothers have had to go to work and cannot be as involved in their children's education. Things are different. Several men who are close to our family have lost their jobs.

How does this affect the education of our children? First, this does not change the calling God has given us to provide our children a Christian education. Second, as we observe the reaction of our government to the recession-a reaction that appears more and more socialist-it is more important than ever to educate our children in such a way that enables them to be the generation who can bring about godly change. Whether you are a teacher in a school or a home-schooling parent, never forget the importance of giving your children a distinctive Christian worldview.

When asked how he could afford to spend several hours a day in prayer, a wise theologian responded, "I cannot afford to NOT spend these hours in prayer." We can apply this well-known story to education. These times tempt us to conclude that we cannot afford a Christian education. The question we must entertain is, "Can we afford to NOT give our children a classical and Christian education?" The hard reality is we have to think about the future. Our nation is a mess, and if we are not producing committed, Christian-thinking students, where will we be in twenty years? Riddled with both fiscal and moral dilemmas, more than ever we need thinking minds which are submissive to the Word of God. Let me encourage you, regardless of your situation, to continue to find creative ways to inculcate your children with a thoroughly Christian mindset.

But, you might say, we are living in an economy that has taken its toll on many families. You can't get blood out of a turnip, as my father used to say. If there's no money, there's no money and a quality education is not cheap. Let me respond to this valid concern with a few thoughts. First, the truth is, we tend to find creative ways to get what we want. We spend money on the things we truly desire. When it comes to providing enriching and educational experiences for our children, we often conclude that something else less important has to go. It's simply a matter of weighing priorities and choosing to spend money on things that have eternal consequences as opposed to luxuries that we can do without.

Second, I know that many are blessed to have grandparents who are involved in the process. I have talked to homeschoolers who make a point of getting grandpa and grandma in on the teaching of their children. What a wonderful way to experience the multi-generational nature of education! But it doesn't have to stop there. I challenge grandparents to recognize the struggles that their children are having in this economy and step up to lend financial aid as they are able to do so. I cannot think of a better gift that a grandparent can give than to play a role in providing a Christian education for their grandchildren. Now would be a great time to commit to paying for a portion of your grandchildren's tuition and school uniforms or curriculum if they are homeschooled. All grandparents are not in a position to do so, but many are and should consider the value of assisting in this way.

Finally, education should not be viewed as something that takes place only in the 8:00-3:00 time slot, Monday through Friday. There are activities that we should be doing with our children that do not cost anything (or very little) that get to the heart of what it means to provide them with a Christian worldview. Are we having a regular time of family worship? Are we praying together as a family? When you see a TV commercial or any type of advertising do you use it as a teachable moment to challenge worldly, illogical thinking? When you are having family movie night do you discuss worldviews that fall short of being thoroughly Christian? When you observe ungodly behavior by others in public do you discuss what causes and perpetuates these kinds of actions? Are you taking opportunities daily to provide your children with a mindset that is distinctly Christian?

Remember the words of Deuteronomy 6:6-9: "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

This economy has affected us all in one way or another. Whether it is our common plight of paying more for groceries or gas, a great loss in the stock market, or the loss of a job, you are in the minority if you are not affected by these stressful times. My prayer is that despite the tough circumstances God would allow us to see the fruit of our labors and sacrifices in the hearts and minds of the next generation.


Bruce Etter is the head administrator and teaches online with Veritas Press Scholars Academy. He lives in Lancaster, Pa., with his wife Julie and their five children.

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.