Heart to heart …….

Returning to the Basics                                                Glenn Slater, Administrator
May 19, 2010

“The world needs what we as Christian schools have to offer.  And what is that, you ask? We must be the best schools anywhere, and we must keep Christ in Christian education, for in Him alone we find life and meaning!  Jesus Christ is our distinctive! We are not merely excellent private schools; we are private Christian schools that exist for a very specific life-saving purpose.  In times of crisis we must return as a movement to our mission, our reason for existence. We exist as an international association of Christian schools to bring glory to God as we make thoroughly prepared disciples of Jesus Christ, building all we do on the firm foundation of the Word of God and focusing on God’s Son, Jesus Christ.”    

-         Dr. Brian Simmons, President, ACSI

In August, 1981, I walked onto the campus of Greenville Christian School in Greenville, Texas for the very first time as a beginning teacher.  I had never been to this part of town before; the school was located in a run down section of Greenville.  The school consisted of two portable buildings and the education wing of an old church.  The parking lot could only accommodate 5 or 6 cars.  There was no playground, but there was a small piece of grassy lawn that was fenced in on two sides by the backyards of houses in the neighborhood.  One of the backyards was home to a large German shepherd, and as the school year progressed this yard filled with an increasing number of soccer balls and volleyballs. The kids were always accidentally kicking balls into this yard, but the dog was too intimidating for anyone to retrieve them.

There was nothing attractive about the campus from the outside but when you walked inside the old building, you were immediately struck by the spirit of the place. Children were busy at their desks. Instructors were diligently teaching in front of their classes writing on chalkboards (with real chalk!).  Most importantly, the spirit of God was very present. You could see it in the heart of the teachers, you could see it in the smiles of the students and you could feel it from parents as they walked the halls.  As a young teacher, I soon forgot that we were in a shabby old building in a bad part of town.  It was a joy and a privilege to share with my students the love I had for history and the love I had for God and His word. 

After school, the campus was pretty quiet. No one wanted to stay very long.  We did have a basketball team, but they practiced in a church gym and only played in a small league against a few youth group teams. The 6 games we played were the entire sports season for our school. 

I have many memories of my first years as a Christian school teacher, but none more vivid than the devotion of the parents to the cause of Christian education. They worked so diligently to provide a great place for their kids to get an education that was based upon the word of God. It was the teaching and hearts of the instructors that mattered most to these parents. No one ever complained about the facility or the lack of a sports program. We all just wanted to make sure that these precious kids were getting God’s word stamped deeply into their minds and hearts. We knew that this was much more precious than anything else.

I know that was a long time ago. And, as my career has progressed, the Christian school movement has changed a great deal over these last 30 years.  As Christian schools have sprung up all across our nation, they have all strived to be the best they could be and establish credibility in their respective communities. By in large, they have accomplished that and in the 21^st century we see Christian schools with large, attractive campuses and elaborate programs designed to put their graduates in the best colleges and universities. It is not surprising that the Christian school movement is the fastest growing segment of America’s private schools.

But, sometimes I wonder if we have lost our way a bit over the past three decades.  In our struggle to establish our credibility, have our priorities changed?  In our desire to be recognized by the established educational community, have we become too much like them?

Perhaps the answer to these questions lies with each of us as we consider why we are involved in a Christian school.  I have been pondering this from a personal standpoint for several months. And, I have asked myself several striking questions that I would like to share with you:

·        Are academics the major reason I’m at a private Christian school?

·        Do I demand that the Christian school have a certain level of academics or facilities or extra-curricular activities or technology?

·        Am I expecting too much of the teachers?

·        Would I still be here if this building was old and in a bad part of town?

·        Am I viewing Christian education as a consumer rather than as a fellow laborer in this ministry devoted to raising godly children?          

·        Are spiritual matters really the highest priority in the lives of my children?

I have really appreciated the chance to evaluate why I chose to devote my career to Christian education and it has driven me back to my basic beliefs.  I am here because I believe God has called me to serve in this place. I am here because I believe children need to be nurtured in an environment that is deliberately Christian. I am here because I believe children need to be trained fully before they face the challenge of the ungodly world they will inhabit as adults.  I am here because I recognize that children spend as much time at school as they do at home.  I am here because these children are precious gifts from God and I want to be a good steward of these gifts that are entrusted to me each day for 7 hours. 

Please understand that I am not saying that facilities and extra-curricular activities are unimportant. To the contrary, I know they are vital components of any good school. But, what I am saying is that we should not get so caught up in things like computers or basketball and forget that at its heart, Christian education is all about changing lives for all eternity that will impact our world for Jesus Christ.

How about you?  Why are you at MCS?  It’s an important question to ask at this time of re-enrollment for next year.  Thankfully, I know many of you well and have been so blessed to see your commitment to a Christ centered upbringing for your children. If you were unable to attend our Open House before Spring Break, you missed a blessing. To hear Madeline Bishop share why she as a parent wants her boys to be trained in a loving godly environment was very compelling.  To hear Michael Adams respond as a student about the great family atmosphere of MCS was also very poignant.  And to hear Joanna Reynolds state as an alumni about how she is thriving as a believer in a secular college environment was very encouraging about this work.  

Read again Dr. Simmons quote at the beginning of this document. I have found myself dwelling upon it quite a bit recently during these tough times. What a blessing to be in a position where we can truly re-evaluate our priorities and refocus on the ultimate mission of our school!

We all wish that tuition were lower and that the teachers could receive higher salaries. We all wish we had more sports and more technology. But, isn’t it great to be serving in a place with teachers and parents who are willing to sacrifice for eternal riches?   The deep convictions I see everyday in my fellow believers here at MCS have been a continual source of encouragement for me in the midst of this very trying year. I saw this in Greenville, Texas in the 1980s and I see it in Maryville, Tennessee in the current days.

But, will we all be here in the years ahead?  Are we committed to Christian education in grades K-12 despite the pressures of an enticing world and tough economic times? Have our priorities veered off a bit so that we have forgotten that the spiritual lives of our children are at stake everyday?  Are we too much like consumers when it comes to our kid’s education?

I want all of you to know that the board, administration, faculty, and staff of Maryville Christian School remain committed as we have been for years to raising a distinctive generation of godly men and women. In fact, the trials of this year have actually strengthened the resolve of many of us to fight even harder for a godly school.  I recently had a parent lift my spirits by telling me that in the past few years, they have really seen notable differences that have made MCS become a distinctively Christ centered school. If you haven’t already done so, I hope you will consider re-enrolling your children in Maryville Christian School for next year.  I hope you will consider stepping out on faith for the sake of your children. When you think about the spiritual challenges they are facing and will be facing, isn’t it truly the right choice for your children?

P.S. If you really want to see the end result of an MCS education, let me challenge you to attend our annual graduation on Saturday, May 22 at 11:00 at Madison Avenue Baptist Church. I guarantee – you will be blessed!