When Times are Difficult . . .

The Christian School Journal
Barrett Mosbacker, Editor
February 20, 2011


Leading a school can be a tough business! I joke with my parents that my job is easy;  I only deal with people’s children, money, and religion!

People can be complainers, inconsiderate, gossips, stubborn, resistant to change, and just downright mean and ornery. Such people can make our jobs and lives miserable.

Before you and I start feeling sorry for ourselves, consider Said Musa’s situation. After reading of his plight I believe we will gain a little perspective on our troubles.

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

Teachers as Soldiers

By:  Mark Strohm
Colossians 2 Ministries

2 Timothy 2:2-3 “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

I have always appreciated teachers.  Having taught and then served as a Principal of schools I know the value of a great teacher.  But now as a grandfather whose 4 children all attended and graduated from Christian elementary and high schools I look back with great appreciation and fondness at the privilege it has been to watch my children grow and mature under godly, gifted teachers.

When I was in college for several summers I worked alongside three World War II veterans.  Each had remarkable war stories to tell.  Books about soldiers have amazed and inspired us as we read the difficult circumstances that soldiers have endured and overcome in battles.  I can’t help but feel it is significant that Scripture mentions teachers and soldiers together. 

While our Christian School teachers are not fighting with guns and bullets, they are fighting against a pervasive, dogmatic, ungodly world view that seems to have taken over media and educational systems alike.  Teachers must skillfully use “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Ephesians 6:17.

Soldiers fight against tyranny and aggression but Christian School teachers fight against those who want to keep our children from the knowledge of God.  “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:5.

While soldiers are out to destroy or take captive the enemy, Christian School teachers are out to serve God above all and desire to love the enemy. “Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will,” 2 Timothy 2:25 – 26.

Soldiers seek to keep their citizens from being taken captive by the enemy but Christian School teachers fight to keep students from being captive to the philosophies and forces of the world.  “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ,” Colossians 2:8.

Despite the strength and enormity of the enemy, Christian School teachers are making a difference every day.  While physical death is not around every corner, spiritual darkness and separation from God are the natural consequence for a lost and dying world.  The heroic efforts Christian School teachers are giving each and every day is no less inspirational than the stories I heard as a young college student.  Soldiers fight for life and freedom which merely last a lifetime, Christian School teachers fight for the soul which will last for all eternity! 

Thank you Christian School Teachers!

Enlightened and Encouraged

Dan Berens

Christian Schools International

Originally posted on Nurturing Faith

We are living in instant times. We are fixated on the newest and latest. Sometimes we forget how we have gotten to where we are. Since CSI just celebrated 90 years, I thought it might be a good time to consider some of the rich history that is ours to see what can be gained from the past for living in today’s times.

A book that I recently read was 22 Landmark Years, Christian Schools International, 1943 – 1965written by John VanderArk, who served as Director of CSI from 1953-1977. The comments below are reflections and quotes from that source, published by Baker Books.

VanderArk begins his preface with a quote: “Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well (that) the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning…”.  Would you be shocked if I told you that this was a September 26, 1642 letter explaining the reason for establishing Harvard College? He goes on to say that “the purposes of life and learning are essentially theological issues, and one’s theology is important. Consequently people who take their faith seriously wish to entrust the education of children to those of a similar faith.”

While there were schools started by various denominations, VanderArk states that many of them closed as civil education gained ascendancy and can’t truly be considered the forerunners of today’s Protestant Christian schools. He points out that the rise of secular education that focused students on national citizenship to the exclusion of the consciousness of the kingdom of God was a primary cause for the establishment of Christian schools. While many in the late nineteenth century were enamored by Enlightenment thinking that promoted the concept that “knowledge is power” and that man is the measure of all things, the Netherlands immigrants who began many of the schools in CSI thought otherwise. While they taught their children to appreciate their heritage and to embrace citizenship in their new country (whether Canada or the U.S.A) their focus for their children was on preparation to live and worship God above all in this world and the world to come.

We are linked to those who have gone before us and their story can both enlighten and encourage us. Their struggles are our struggles, just in different clothes. We seek to show students that all of life belongs to God, that no part of it can be understood apart its Creator. It is our turn to share the story. As VanderArk warns: “The distance between a goodly heritage and its extinction is but one short generation.” Let us be faithful!

New Year's Resolutions

By Dan Beerens

Originally posted on Nurturing Faith ~ the blog of Christian Schools International

The best time of the year for resolutions is January 1. True? Not really in education! Many of you are wrapping up the school year and some of you are already “childless” and roaming around in a mostly empty building. While you wrap up the year, many of you are already in planning mode for next year. Given our agricultural/cultural schedule of summer months without students, let me encourage you to take some time to reflect and resolve.

• What went well and not so well this year that I hope to change in the fall?
• What did I want to work on but could not take the time for or get to in the crush of the year?
• What could I do proactively so that I will feel calmer when I get into the busyness of the fall schedule?
• How will I strengthen the weakest aspects of my work? For teachers it may be finding better learning activities for a less than stellar unit, for principals it may be putting together a classroom visitation schedule that is more realistic and committing to it.
• How will I pursue professional passions that allow me to bring unique benefits to my school or system?
• How will I recharge my spiritual tank? Will I take more time to refresh my interior life?
• Maybe summer is a good time for you to take a minute and reassess what you are doing in terms of your chosen work. Do you still feel called? Are you still passionate about what you are doing? Are you still eager to learn more about your discipline and life?

Is it a perfect time to catch up on reading the Nurturing Faith blogs you have missed this year? (Actually principals tell me they read the blog more in the summer than the school year!)

Have a great summer! I will see some of you at the CSI convention and others at your school for staff development. Nurturing Faith will take a summer hiatus now and begin again in the fall.

Click here to see the original post and to search the blog archives for some good summer reading!

Let Us Consider . . .

Dr. Timothy Sierer, MACSA President
Headmaster, The Christian Academy (Brookhaven, PA)

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 

Clearly, we live in a society where the concept of encouraging one another and building each other up is foreign. To many the order of the day is not how I can build up others but rather how do I elevate myself above those around me. That attitude so prevalent in today’s culture is in direct disobedience to our theme verse found in Hebrews. Serving as an encourager to others is a trait that not only goes against the thinking of our present day culture but the very fabric of our sinful nature.

In each of our schools, we attempt to instruct our students in the daily application of this verse in their lives. We believe that our students can have a huge impact on their surroundings for the cause of Christ if they allow this verse to shape their interactions with others. Sadly, we are sending the Class of 2010 into a culture where the foremost concern is for self even at the expense of others. It is our desire that as these graduates leave our secure surroundings, they will become a beacon to an unsaved world through the demonstration of Christ’s love in their daily lives. 

As the Class of 2010 prepares to graduate, those who profess the name of Jesus can step out confidently into the next phase of their lives. They can step out knowing they have been equipped academically, but more importantly, they have been equipped with the tools to stand boldly for the cause of Christ. Provided they have fully yielded themselves to His will, they can also boldly step out knowing that He will direct their footsteps in the future.

As another school year draws to a close, let us all purpose in our hearts to: 1) Praise God for the gifts and abilities He has bestowed on our students and 2) Pray that He will use the lives of these ‘new’ alumni not only to touch those around them but also to bring glory to Him. Thank you for your commitment to pray for our new graduates as they leave our schools and embark on the next stage of life’s journey. 

On a personal note as my term as President comes to an end, I want to thank you for the privilege of serving in this capacity for the past three years. It has been a pleasure to serve MACSA in this way and to hear of how God is continuing to use our organization to reach future generations for Him. As Mrs. Williams takes over the leadership role I know you will provide her with the same level of support and encouragement you have given me. May God richly bless each of you with a restful summer as we look forward to serving our students in the 2010-2011 school year.

Listen Slowly

Chuck Swindoll, chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, tells of a time when he had allowed the ‘busyness’ and demands of his life to interfere with his relationships with his wife and children.  All of their interaction was rushed, to the point where he was treating them rudely.  After yet another rushed meal one night, his young daughter blurted out that she had something important to tell him and she’d do it really fast.   Ashamed at her unintentional rebuke, Swindoll assured her that she didn’t have to rush - she could talk to him slowly.  ‘Then listen slowly,’ she replied.

As you approach the ‘busyness’ of the end of the year . . .

• Administrators . . . are you listening slowly to your teachers?
• Teachers . . . are you listening slowly to your students and parents? 
• All of us . . . are we listening slowly to God?

If not, try the following:

• practice being a good listener
• learn to hear the voice of God
• listen with your heart as well as your ears
• give God your full attention when you pray
• realize that your students feel valued when you  listen to them
• recognize the way God listens to you
• understand that hearing God requires obeying him as well

Pipes and Reservoirs

Originally posted by Tim Challies on his blog:  Challies.com
Click here to view the blog.

Tim writes: Yesterday I began reading Michael Emlet’s CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet. Just eight pages in I had to stop and reflect on this quote. Though targeted primarily at those who are in vocational ministry, I immediately saw its application even to my task as a father. - or (Nancy adds) as a Christian School teacher.

*****

A temptation in ministry is to think that just because we prepared a Bible study, a sermon, or a discipleship appointment (or wrote a book like this!), we are deeply engaging with the God of the universe. But that’s not necessarily true. It’s easy in ministry to live more as a ‘pipe’ than a ‘reservoir.’ That is, it’s easy to live merely as a conduit to others of the transforming truths of God’s Word, rather than as a changed and transformed reservoir who overflows with lived-out gospel truth. You wouldn’t imagine cooking meal after meal for your family without sitting down to enjoy that nourishment, would you? To paraphrase James 1:22, let’s not merely be hearers or speakers or counselors of the Word, but doers, first and foremost.

Does Mist Matter?

As originally posted on "Nurturing Faith" - Christian Schools International

“Lord willing” was a commonly heard phrase in my childhood years. Perhaps having parents who had seen war and depression made them more aware of who was really sovereign.  Or perhaps it was a phrase reserved for older people, who live more with the realization of shortening years or have experienced the unpredictability of life. James reminds us:

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’ Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15.

What power or influence does mist have? Can mist control very much or is it subject to other forces such as heat and light? If we are mist, it certainly puts the phrase “Lord willing” in a different light. This year ahead brings uncertainty at an earthly level – we have no guarantees for ourselves or the schools/churches/organizations we serve. We are here at God’s desire and for his purposes – what a delight to rest in that fact. We operate at his will and for his pleasure– let’s acknowledge our temporality and his sovereignty – even in our daily speech. We must trust he has “prepared in advance” the work that he wants us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Blessings on the new year ahead!


http://nurturingfaith.wordpress.com/2010/01/05/does-mist-matter-a-devotional-for-the-endbeginning-of-a-year/

Starting Something You Cannot Finish: Christian Ministry From Generation to Generation

Please take a few minutes to follow the link below and read the Commencement address and charge to graduates of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, delivered December 11, 2009 by R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President.

While this address was given at a seminary - and most of us minister in elementary and/or high schools - there is much to be gained from the wisdom that Dr. Mohler passed along to his graduates regarding the "Unfinished Work of Christian Ministry."

In the context of "unfinished work", he reminds the graduates:

" . . . the biblical conception of the Christian ministry is, as we should not be surprised to find, radically at odds with worldly wisdom. According to the New Testament, one of the most important insights about the Christian ministry is this: We will not finish what we begin. This is not to say that we will never set goals and reach them or that we will never complete plans and programs. It does mean that the Christian ministry must be seen in the context of faithfulness extended from generation to generation until Christ returns to claim his Bride."

" . . . if you aim to finish what you start in ministry, you will aim too low or finish what is not Christ's. Go out to plant, but also to water. Sow the good seed of the Gospel, even as you cultivate and irrigate. Build faithfully upon the foundation laid by Christ and the apostles. Receive the stewardship of ministry that is passed on to you and give your all to this calling so long as you live. Then, pass this ministry to a generation yet unseen and unborn to continue this ministry and extend the reach of the Gospel until Jesus comes."

Finish this calendar year in faithfulness - and begin 2010 committed to the "Unfinished Work" of Christian Ministry in your school - for this time - to this generation - in anticipation of a time we can not see!

Click here to read the full address.

Getting Ready for the New Year

It's still December - but, January's coming! Are you ready?

Take a few minutes to read this blog post by Tim Challies. It is his encouragement to begin (with intentionality) the New Year with a commitment to strengthening your devotional life. He concludes the blog post with a list of devotional books for you to consider for 2010 - and it's not too late to order them online for delivery by January 1 - but don't delay!

As we all know, we cannot give to our students what we do not possess ourselves - academically and spiritually! You are always (ok, mostly always) prepared for the academic "demands" of your students and classroom. The question - are you equally (or better) prepared to be the spiritual leader of your students!

From Tim Challies:

The end of the year is drawing close and, if you're like me, you're already beginning to think about what you'll do differently (and, hopefully, better) next year. When it comes to my daily devotions, I've been thinking about putting myself on some kind of a reading plan. I have only rarely done those in the past and don't know that I've ever really stuck with one all the way through to December. But next year I think I will give it a go. I have also been thinking about daily devotionals--something I could read either by myself or with the family. I've drawn up a list of a few notable devotionals. There are hundreds available so this is represents a drop in the proverbial bucket. But I think if you are considering a devotional, you are likely to find at least one here that would appeal. Do let me know if you know of others that would be worth investigating.

Click here to read the full post.

A Challenge to "Love One Another Deeply - From the Heart"

This week, Mr. Glenn Clement challenged the Bridgeton Christian School (NJ) faculty, staff, students and families to "love one another deeply from the heart." With his permission, we share that challenge with all of our MACSA schools!

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...and love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37

As Christians, we face challenges every day. One of the greatest is to love one another deeply from the heart - but that is my challenge this year to myself, our faculty and staff and our students. Throughout the coming months we will be studying the principles of servanthood. Part of our mission here at BCS is to prepare our students to be servants of Christ. Please encourage your children to practice the following principles of servanthood:
Love
Submission
Generosity
Trust
Encouragement
Obedience

We want to serve others without thought of ourselves or gain. We want a spirit of cheerful obedience to authority. We want to be sensitive to the needs of others and to show compassion. We want to face suffering and disappointment with a sincere faith and positive attitude. We want to look for opportunities to do good and help each other. We want a genuine excitement about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His teachings.

This is a challenging time to be alive and to possess an authentic faith that hopes in Christ's promises. The Holy Spirit will give to us all that we need and more. As we have heard before from the beginning, Jesus's command is that we walk in love. Let's walk together down that pilgrim road this year and devote our lives and all that we have to Jesus for all that he has done for us. As Saint John recorded in the third chapter of his first epistle, "let us love not in word or speech but in truth and deed."

Sincerely,
Glenn Clement
Administrator

What Did You Write Today?

Nancy R. DeHaan
MACSA Executive Director

When was the last time you wrote a letter? Not a quick note to a parent or an email to a colleague or a “note” on your Facebook page – but a real honest-to-goodness letter – on paper, with ink, in your own handwriting?

I am a big fan of electronic media. I appreciate the “almost” instant communication of email and instant messaging – and I am learning how to text message, too! But getting an email is not the same as getting a letter – there is something “missing” in the electronic communication.

This concept hit home for me several years ago when my son returned from an 11 month deployment to “The Sandbox” in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He had pretty regular Internet access during his deployment and we were able to exchange email and IM – a great way to keep in touch while he was half a world away. When he returned home, he hadn’t printed out and saved any of my emails, but . . . he brought home a packet of letters – handwritten by his great-grandmother (who was 100+ years old at the time). She wrote to him every week – for the entire deployment. The letters had been opened and read – and re-opened and reread – many times over. Letters have a sense of permanence that electronic communications do not.

In his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul refers to the Corinthian Christians as “his letter of recommendation . . . to be known and read by all.” It was a letter written “not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Corinthians 3:3) The changed lives of the Corinthians testified to the work of the Spirit in their lives (individually and as a church) as a result of Paul’s ministry.

Back to the opening question – When was the last time you wrote a letter?

· Every day in your classroom, you are writing a letter – not with ink or crayon, but with the Spirit of the living God.

· Every day in your classroom, you are writing a letter – not on the back of the lunch memo or the bottom of the spelling paper, but on the hearts of your students – individually and as a class.

· And . . . every evening at home, the parents are reading your letter.

So . . .

What did you write today? Was it a letter of recommendation – to be known and read by all? Was it a letter dictated by the Spirit of God and written on the hearts of your students? Was it a letter worth reading today – and tomorrow – and for many years to come?

May God bless you this year with 180 days of great letter writing!

And . . . sometime soon, recover the lost art of letter writing. Sit down with pen and paper and write a letter to a loved one – fold it, seal it and mail it – and know that your time and effort will be appreciated.

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.

Hang in There!

Dr. Tim Sierer
MACSA President
Headmaster, The Christian Academy

“Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
And His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
And increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:28-29

Growing ‘tired or weary’ as we draw close to the end of another school year is not uncommon nor an indicator that we are somehow sub-par or sub-standard. It is simply an unpleasant fact and part of the teaching profession. Come mid-May we are physically, and in some cases emotionally, spent from a year of investing ourselves into the lives of our students. Frankly, I would be more concerned if you as a classroom teacher had reached this point in the year and were not feeling that way. I would then ask, “What have you been doing?”

As we drag ourselves out of bed each morning to face another day, we can do so knowing that our strength comes not from ourselves but from the very Creator of the universe. We can face the day knowing that He will provide the strength, energy and wisdom to deal with whatever lies before us. Because of Him, we are able to finish this year strong knowing that He has enabled us for each task that we encounter. What better way to end a school year than to know that we are spent, physically and emotionally, because of investing ourselves into the lives of our students.

HANG IN THERE - the blood, sweat and tears of today will result in great joy when we see what God has done with those seeds planted into your students during this year!

PLAN to Finish Strong!

Nancy R. DeHaan
Executive Director, MACSA

About twenty years ago, my family and I were preparing for a 700 mile “cross country” move – from Michigan to New Jersey. We had about a month to pack and get ready for “moving day.”

I remember those first few days and weeks of packing. The boxes were chosen with care – not too big (they would be too heavy) but not too small (who wants to haul bunches of little boxes). Packing tape, rolls of bubble wrap and color coded “room labels” were ready and waiting! Each box was packed with care, carefully taped and accurately labeled – not just with the color coded room label, but with an “inventory list” taped to the outside of the box! We were organized – and we were moving right along! We didn’t ask for much help – we knew how we wanted it done, so “Thanks, but no thanks” was often the response!

And then . . . the days were passing faster than we were packing! We had deadlines to meet and the moving day was not very flexible. So . . . the unthinkable happened, we began just putting “stuff” in boxes (and size, any shape – if it was cardboard, it was being used) and labeling them as “Miscellaneous – Kitchen” or “Miscellaneous – Kid Stuff”. Color coded? Who needs color coded labels anyway!

Well – we got the packing (and moving) done – but I still think there might be a few missing boxes!

Interesting story, but . . . what’s the point?

Do you remember those first few days and weeks of teaching? The lesson were chosen with care – not too long (the kids had been out of school all summer and needed to be eased back in) but not too short (you still had to fill a FULL day of school). The supplies were ready: workbooks were new, no dog-eared pages in the textbooks and the lunchboxes didn’t have the “lived in” look (or smell). Your lesson plan book was up-to-date with the specifics of each lesson carefully written in the appropriate square, including the appropriate page numbers and supplemental activities!

And now . . . the days are passing faster and the kids are already “shutting down”. There is still SO much to cover and the last day of school is not very flexible (you can stop praying for a snow day this time of year!) By now – your lesson plan book (if you can find it) is full of arrows, sticky notes and an occasional coherent activity –and you LOVE filling in those squares with the words FIELD TRIP, SPECIAL ASSEMBLY or EDUCATIONAL VIDEO!

Are you about ready to do the “unthinkable” in your classroom? Are you doing “stuff” for the sake of the stuff - just to “finish” the book? Are you letting “group projects” replace your teaching (you HAVE to have time to grade those book reports, right)?

Don’t let the end of the school year just “happen.” Be proactive in your planning – yes, PLANNING. The end of the school year will still be hectic and the kids will still be spending more time talking/thinking about summer vacation than the lesson at hand - unless your “lesson at hand” is about summer and summer vacation – planning a road trip (geography, math, English). With creative planning – you can finish strong and you won’t spend the summer wondering if there were any “missing boxes” from this school year!

Broken Crayons and Dried Up Markers (and a few chewed pencils, too)

Nancy R. DeHaan
MACSA Executive Director (and recovering preschool teacher)

I love school supplies! I can live without dozens of pairs of shoes (with or without matching handbags), I can wear the winter coat for “one more year”, but I can’t start the school year with last year’s supplies! I LOVE to shop for markers, pens, pencils and new pads of paper! Somehow, I feel better starting the school year new and fresh – with none of last year’s wear and tear on my supplies!

This time of year I can tell – without even looking at the calendar – that the school year is almost over. I can see and hear it in the excited voices of the students and teachers – and in the “what am I going to do all summer” faces of the parents! But . . . it’s not the calendar; it’s not the students, teachers or parents. I can tell it’s almost the end of the school year by looking in the students’ pencil boxes – and in my center desk drawer!

The school supplies that were purchased during the summer started the year all lined up and ready to work in pencil boxes and desk drawers – like an army of soldiers ready to do battle! And now . . . many battles have been fought (some won, some lost) – and it’s hard to find a crayon that isn’t broken and/or missing its paper! And markers with caps – the caps were long gone by Christmas! The nub of a pencil hiding in the corner of the drawer can still do the job, but it is showing the toll that the school year has taken. The pencils, markers and crayons all have the marks of a school year almost over – they look well used, worn and weary!

Teacher - are you feeling used up, worn and weary? Do you feel a little broken, dried up and chewed? Even the best of school years can take its toll – draining us of our energy and creativity.

The solution – visit your local discount store or office supply store and buy a new box of crayons, a few new markers and a package of new pencils! Line your new “recruits” up in your desk drawer and prepare to finish the school year strong! Suggest that your classroom parents do the same – and pick a day in the next week and designate it as the “Beginning of the End" Day and recapture some of the excitement and enthusiasm that marked the beginning of the school year.

And next year . . . buy extra supplies in August – and hide them (remember where, so you can find them in May) and bring out the “new” things when you are feeling as weary as your school supplies look - but try to wait until after Christmas!

Please forward this to a friend or colleague who could use some encouragement today - better yet, stop by the classroom with a brand new marker!

Where's the Focus?

Bill Stevens
Headmaster, Wilmington Christian School (Delaware)

Most of us heard this past week that Dr. James Dobson is stepping down from leading “Focus On the Family”, a ministry that has brought our attention to the issues of Christian morals, family health, and child development for the past 32 years. It is, in several respects, the passing of an era. As our culture stepped onto the slippery slope of moral relativism, Dr. Dobson and his ministry stood as a beacon of truth and bulwark of resistance to that slide.

So, where will the focus now come from? What noted psychologist, author, or preacher will step forward to continue the crusade and teach us? Our preoccupation with the cult of personality begs for a person of note and expertise to emerge and lead us . . ..

As I mentioned in another writing, I believe that the days in which we live will offer unprecedented opportunities for the evangelical Christian community to come alive and together in witness to the gospel of Christ.

I believe that the “big three” ~ home, church, and school need to speak the same language to our culture, to the next generation, and perhaps most importantly, to ourselves. We need to focus. Men and women like James Dobson have been calling us to focus for years. Now we need to commit to doing it.

What is the focus?

I believe it’s where it has always been . . . on Christ and His Kingdom. Jesus said it himself, “Seek (Focus?) first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (daily needs) will be given to you as well” (Matt 6:33). Our economic situation, and its effects upon our societal situation, will never be solved through monetary stimuli. Nine verses earlier, Jesus places the conflict before us, we can’t serve two masters. I believe that when we focus our attention and resources on the institutions God established for the preservation of his kingdom on earth, and in preparation of its completion when he returns; it will be the home, the church, and the discipling of the next generation that will save our day. I saw it in Romania. The country, after communism, was in economic shambles, like nothing we would ever think of (or can imagine) here. Yet, their recovery was not to be found in the government (“we already had that, thank you”) or the economy.

When I speak of the family, I mean the whole family of God. Our faith is a generational thing and it will take an “all hands on board” attitude and commitment to bailout the next generation. When I speak of the church, I mean the evangelical church that worships both in spirit and in truth, and purposes to disciple in its fullest sense. When I speak of discipling the minds of our youth, I mean that education can not continue to be business as usual, or throwing more money at the problem, but rather . . . well, what true Christian education is all about. Think of the voice and effects we would hear and see if we could unite our efforts around these three . . . it’ll take focus.

I truly believe that as we join together in strengthening our homes around the sanctity of marriage and family, uniting our churches around the call to worship and discipleship, and training our children around the spiritual and academic formation of a biblical worldview, we will experience recovery restoration, and revival. If we fail to see this, we will remain out of focus.

Meet All Your Needs

Bill Stevens
Headmaster, Wilmington Christian School (Delaware)

So says the apostle Paul to the Philippians, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus”. This is a pretty definitive statement, isn’t it? Paul doesn’t say, “Perhaps he will”, or “Maybe if you’re good”, or even “Let’s hope for the best”. No, there is a surety in his words, both in the fact that God will and that he will by a particular promise of a sure thing . . . his Son.

My own problem is in my mental response, “Bill, do you really believe that?” As I sit here in my office, wondering about the future (hey, next week!), listening to the prognosticators & prophets proclaim, “Woe is us”, and then matching this against the words from Scripture, I wonder . . .

Last week I attended a meeting of all the private school heads in Delaware. Obviously, the focus of our meeting was on the economy, education, and how the two would become one in these “strange days”? There was quite a bit of angst in the room over the days ahead and the state of private education in our area. Then one administrator said, “Hey, perhaps this is a time for us to really take a look at what’s truly important in what we are doing?” Bingo!

A dear friend of mine from years passed used to always say, “In all conflict there’s opportunity.” While this is timeless in its wisdom, it is significantly true for this time. What may be more like a 21st century believer’s creed, I would like to state what I believe about these “opportunities” in light of the times in which we live . . .

• I believe that these days are going to be ripe with opportunities for the body of Christ to stand as a light in a world that is searching in the dark, looking to others that are also in the dark, and grasping for answers with no, or at best temporary solutions.

• I believe that the church, the home, and the ministries to young people are going to unite in a way never before experienced in our lifetimes, as we will be forced to work together in order to maintain our relevance in the world.

• I believe that Christian education will blossom afresh in these days. As more and more folks echo, “Hey, perhaps this is a time for us to really look at what is important, particularly as it relates to our kids . . . all the kids!

• I believe that there will be a “uniting of the Spirit, in the bond of peace” that will be unparalleled in recent history, as the body of Christ is challenged to stand together as a testimony to the “oneness” of the hope to which we were called.

• I believe this time will cause our whole society to re-examine and re-order priorities and life-themes. We who “name the Name” will be called to stand in the gap as that living moral, social and economic compass.

• I believe that Christians will be called to extraordinary giving . . . not out of our abundance, but to sacrificial giving. While the world pulls back, hoards, and safeguards, we will give. It will be giving out of the call of our faith, out of the need to give, and out of our responsibility to help those people and ministries who need it.

• I believe that the world around us, as they look for that light at the end of the tunnel will see our light along the way, living and pointing to the One that meets ALL our needs. While the sun and rain rise and fall on both the righteous and unrighteous, our response to them is what sets us apart . . . (read Matt 16:1-4).

• I believe our young people need to believe in these things as well. Who will we allow to teach them these eternal truths? I believe the cord of three strands will not break, even in difficult times.

When Mrs. Stevens and I were working in the Christian schools in Eastern Europe, the Christian folks in Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, and Slovakia all expressed it so well. When we would ask them why they were so committed to the Christian education of their children, they would answer, “Bill, we do not want what happened to our generation to happen to the next one!” As I listen to the news, read the paper, and talk to folks, I hear a lot of anxiety about the state of our Union. Then, I hear those words, “What opportunities await us who believe that God will meet all our needs according to his glorious riches!” You better believe it.

The State of Christian Education

Mr. Matthew Tuckey
Administrator (Carlisle Christian Academy, PA)


We find ourselves today in very turbulent times. Our president-elect prepares to assume a historic national debt, a reeling economy, and fragile national security. Our faith faces increased skepticism fueled by divisiveness among believers, conformity to pluralism, and litigation that reaches beyond the separation of church and state to the exclusion of Christianity among reason. Among the entanglement of our world, we have hope. As I type this, Jack Bauer has returned and redemption is to be found in another twenty-four hours!

Our educational system also faces a turning point. The system is failing as measured by most national and international benchmarks. Money isn’t the issue as per student expenditures continue to rise with assessments failing to follow the upward trend. Many studies show high school graduates in the United States ill prepared to successfully engage in a global marketplace. This isn’t an insult to the many fine, qualified professionals in public education. Some of my closest friends are in public education, and I respect them greatly. The incompetency of public education is not because of the individuals involved, but rather it is due to a broken system. Increased bureaucracy or even more public money has not and will not bring resolution. This is why, for the first time in memory, we had presidential candidates calling for the dissolution of the Department of Education. It’s too heavy and is sinking under the weight of itself.

At the same time, the “product” of Christian education has also seemingly become less desirable as measured by overall enrollment. The perception of what Christian education entails varies greatly, and the spiraling economy makes discretionary money more difficult to cultivate. These two factors, among others, have contributed to an average decrease in enrollment of 12% in Pennsylvania in Christian schools over the past five years. In most markets, select Christian schools thrive, while the majority face downsizing.

In contrast, alternative educational options are skyrocketing. Home schooling is becoming more organized, supported, networked, and in turn more prevalent. Cyberschool and other distance learning formats are becoming more widespread.

So what does this mean? It’s my belief that the free market system would be a catalyst for significant, positive changes in the world of education. Even without true educational choice, parents are increasingly dissatisfied with public schooling as their mandated option and are intensively seeking other choices as shown in the expanding alternative education market. Lobbyists for school choice are gaining merit as initiatives across the nation are showing encouraging results.

Where does Christian education find itself in this evolving educational landscape? The aforementioned statistics support a theory that quality, diverse, focused Christian schools are positioned to experience significant growth while schools vying to survive simply because of the “Christian” label that they carry will fail. Parents seek choice, including non-public, religious schools; however, they will not sacrifice quality academics for thinly veiled dogma. The “church school” with a prayerful heart but with unqualified teachers, a loose curriculum, and an unstructured organizational approach will attract only the parents seeking to hide and protect their children from the evils of the world. (Warning: The humanness of the fallen world permeates the walls of these schools as well, so the protectionist mindset will be unsatisfied, leaving these schools to die on the vine).

With 85% of people in the U.S. considering them “Christians,” parents carry that belief forward as they seek educational options wherein their children develop worldview through the lens of faith. Certainly for the devout Christian, an educational option that integrates academics with faith parallels God’s call for parents to train their children in the way of the Lord. In surveys, this option is even attractive for nonpracticing “Christian” parents as they seek a holistic educational choice that incorporates the mind, body, and spirit into the instruction for their child.

It’s my belief that those schools that are able to construct themselves on the fundamental truths of the one true God while providing diverse, quality academics will continue to flourish. This means providing a consistent, moldable curriculum based on clearly stated objectives. This means benchmarking academic offerings against the leading public and non-public schools, adapting what works and remodeling what doesn’t. This means meeting students where they are at in their faith, catering to the student who has known Christ for years while equally supporting the student who is uncommitted or skeptical about a relationship with Jesus. This means tearing down denominational barriers and inviting healthy, intelligent discussion about the Christian faith. This means being authentic and transparent about our faith journeys, showing hearts that seek a dynamic relationship with Jesus as opposed to doctrinal mandates. This means loving, serving, and forgiving in a way that is softening hearts as opposed to force-feeding evangelism that is hardening hearts.

Christian schools were at their heyday in the 1980’s. Enrollments reached peak levels, and new schools opened regularly. We now see a generation that came through these schools making educational choices for their children. Too often, these alumni are apathetic to the difference that Christian school made in their lives or worse, are jaded by the experience. The negativity is due to a myriad of reasons, but is most predominantly rooted in legalism and hypocrisy.

However, like Jack Bauer, we have a new “24.” As a Christian school, we have a new opportunity to define ourselves, not by what the world calls for but by what God calls us to be. At Carlisle Christian Academy, we believe that we are called to be an educational community that seeks to know, love, and serve God. We believe that we are to pursue excellence, trying to serve our students more effectively and more efficiently tomorrow than we did today. We believe that separating academic knowledge and spiritual truth is ineffective as they are not mutually exclusive. We believe that God has called us individually to be at this school to collectively learn and grow in and through Him. We will attempt to walk alongside parents as they work to train their children up in the way that they should go. I believe that in our new “24,” parents will continue to see the inherent value in this.

So what does this mean for Christian educators worldwide?

• Embrace today like you first did when you felt God’s call to this vocation.
• Teach with passion.
• Work with parents to support their children.
• Go deeper into the student world to find what might motivate them.
• Be open to let God change and transform you so that you might have a greater impact on the impressionable lives of your students.
• Think of the most difficult parent, student, and co-worker and consider how you might change yourself or your approach to strengthen those relationships.
• Forgive instead of judge.
• Be real instead of pretending.
• Commit or recommit to being completely disposable to God in allowing Him to make your school place a true “city on a hill,” a light in your community that cannot be hidden.