Everything is different, everything is the same

Christian Education Week 2017 at both CCS and JKCS is a 'wrap'. What an exciting time to be in our schools as students eagerly awaited and greeted visitors, as people experienced us for the first time, and still others who have watched us grow since before we had our own buildings. Many, many wonderful interactions took place over the past two weeks, but an underlying sentiment struck me, in the words of a few of our grandparents in discussion with me: "Wow, education has changed a lot in the past few decades.... and is that ever a good thing!"

The grandparents have changed a great deal as well! One image that will stick in my mind for a long time is that of a visiting grandparent couple taking a 'selfie' on their smartphone with their grandchild in the classroom. At the moment, it was a major mental shift for me, but also seemed so normal and natural. As they looked around, they noticed other things that are 'different': the desks and chairs aren't all in rows, there isn't necessarily a textbook and workbook for each subject, technology is present but not front and centre, the principal and teachers are not filling positions of authority over students but of relationship WITH students.

"Why is it a good thing that things have changed?", I asked.
"The kids are at the centre." was the answer.
Simple, yet equally profound. This will stick with me for a while.

Just as nearly every workplace in our society has changed (some dramatically) over the past decade, so has the education work/learning place. I've had a few visiting parents come in to see JKCS or CCS, hoping to give to their children "the same experience I had as a kid." It's an interesting conversation that ensues. "Everything is different, and everything is the same," is one of my answers. We do not 'do' education the same way I experienced it when I attended Christian School. Students engage in learning experiences very differently than the traditional teacher-directed format of the past. However, we still teach and weave through everything we do that God is the LORD of all, that Christ is the saviour of the world, and the Spirit is active in our lives and in our everyday. In fact, decades of experience and research has taught us new ways to make this relevant and alive for students.

What is so exciting for me? That fact that grandparents are encouraging us to forge forward. They have seen generations of change and perhaps aren't so afraid of it. They certainly are passionate and excited about our current growth at NACE and the ways in which they see their grandchildren thriving. To God be the glory in each new day, with each new change, and in the ways in which we continue to seek Him in all that we do.
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The Christian Courier, a Reformed Biweekly publication, released a special Christian Education Issue on April 24, 2017. The whole issue is a great discussion about Christian Schooling in Canada. One column, in particular, was a fantastic read. By Kathy Vandergrift entitled 'School bullying: Zero-tolerance to mutual respect'. I have included it at the end of today's print version of Journey/Connection. If you are reading a digital version, you can access it here: https://goo.gl/S9ApgG

Growing and Stretching our Faith

I am writing this at the middle point of two Christian Education Weeks at NACE. Last week we welcomed well over 1000 visitors through our doors and hallways at Covenant to see what Christian Education is all about.  Now we're ready to do the same at John Knox!  Student work is on display, songs and acting practices taking place, our classrooms are a little more 'open', and the regular 'busy' of school life is even busier!!
These weeks place us in contact with all kinds of people.  Some are our dedicated founders - those who worked to establish our schools.  Some are family supporters, excited to see how Christian Schools are working in the lives of their children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.  Still others are new to Christian Education - just beginning to see what happens at John Knox and Covenant, and by extension, at Christian Schools rooted in the richness of the gospel woven through every moment of the day.
One of the lessons that I'm continuing to learn is that we are always on stage. Some of the most rewarding conversations that I've had over the past days, weeks, and months are with those who have recently discovered Christian Schools and the unique blessing that we enjoy.  One of those was last week with a grandparent who shared with me that she just wished that she had known about Christian Schools when her own children were school aged.  She is now excited to support the decision that her children have made to become a part of the Christian Education Community, and sharing that with anyone she meets.
I, and I think we, need to remember that there are opportunities every day, and especially in our own Christian Communities.  The good news of God's grace is relevant always, and applicable at all times.  There are always those who are struggling with their faith, those who are new to the message of the gospel, and those who are discovering Christ's work in the world for the first time.
Christian Education doesn't stop at grade 8, at grade 12, at post-secondary studies, or ever.  Our faith is never at a state of completion or arrival.  It is always growing, always stretching, always renewing not only so that we can share the good news, but because we are presented with the opportunity to do so!!
"But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God." - Acts 20:24

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Some of you will have caught our 'Niagara Christian Schools' broadcast that we are undertaking with the help of Scott Street Church in St. Catharines and in partnership with Smithville Christian High, Beacon Christian, and Dunnville Christian Schools.  These programs are broadcasting on WDCX 99.5 FM on Sundays at 12:45 on a show entitled 'Voices of Niagara'.  The first three episodes have highlighted the group of schools, and then Covenant and John Knox individually.  The voices of teachers, parents, and students all attest to how God is working through our schools.  If you missed them, we have downloadable recordings available online at:

Episode #1 (all five schools): https://goo.gl/cqOh6n

Episode #2 (Covenant): https://goo.gl/43x2nH

Episode #3 (John Knox): https://goo.gl/xg8yaz

Episodes #4-6 will highlight the other three schools over the next few weeks.

www.voicesofniagara.ca

www.niagarachristianschools.ca

Walking from Palm Sunday to Good Friday

We are now in Holy Week.  Many of us celebrated Palm Sunday in church yesterday, many with actual palm branches, commemorating the day in which Jesus comes into Jerusalem, knowing full well that it was here that he would meet his 'end', so to speak.  He was greeted with all of the adoration deserving of a king, with shouts of admiration. 

In a very powerful devotional experience years ago when I counselled at a kids camp, we walked up 'cross hill' as it was affectionately known, to the wooden cross erected there, overlooking the camp.  Each child brought forward a slip of paper forward.  Mine said 'Kevin's Sins'... each camper had a personalised card they had made with their name.  We nailed each of the 100 slips of paper to the cross and the kids were allowed to leave once their paper was hung.  I have a photo of that cross up in my house still: cross with sins attached and kids playing on the field below... 'released' as it were from their sins by Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

The next time many of us will be in church will be to celebrate and mark Good Friday.  I've always found this an uneasy transition.  It's kind of like a movie or a bad dream where everything slowly starts to unravel and gets worse and worse. How did we get from the triumphal entry with shouts of 'Hosanna!'  to screams of 'Crucify Him!' less than a week later?  It has underscored for me the fact that Jesus' disciples and his followers, and indeed the world, misunderstood who He really was and what He really was there to do.

I wonder about our own faith walk.  How much of our own view of Christ is made into what we want him to be?  When we approach God in worship, do we really understand fully what and who He is?  I'm inclined to think that we also need to do this Holy Week walk.  Where have we made God into our own object?  Where have we sold him short?  How have we misunderstood and underestimated his power?  In what ways do we need to acknowledge our own sinfulness and take it to him on the cross?

This week, may you experience the heaviness of your own sins, may we as a group of people acknowledge our own shortcomings and the ways in which we have often made God into something of our own crafting, and may we all end up at the cross - the only thing that can release us into Joy.  May we be ready to release our sins to the healing power of Jesus' death and resurrection.  

May your week, in this way, be truly Holy.

Leadership Wisdom and Faith

I don't often write about leadership in this column, but it is a topic on which I dwell, think, and pray about a great deal.  A friend shared a very poignant article with me the other day entitled "How To Know Whether You’re Trusting God…Or Just Being Stupid"  (if you're interested in the entire post, you can find it here: https://goo.gl/D2Wn7K )  Initially, I laughed out loud because I have this conversation with other leaders in Christian organisations often.  It seems to be a very delicate balancing act to figure out just how bold to be in one's vision and decision-making while remaining appropriately cautious and careful.

The author Carey Nieuwof breaks down the decision between trust and wisdom in a great way and one that is helpful for anyone running any organisation, and for distinctively Christian organisations in particular.

1) "Is ‘wisdom’ killing my trust in God?" and 2) "Does my ‘trust’ in God disregard all wisdom?"

The second question here is much easier for me.  It's safer, it seems more calculated, and we can all think of examples in which perhaps someone was misguided in their conviction to move forward in faith and watched as it felt apart. Unfortunately, our faith is always an imperfect faith and we are also blessed with wisdom, discernment, and people on whom we can rely for sober second thought.

The first question is unsettling for me, but lurks as a constant reminder that I am part of something much bigger than the individual parts.  God is working through NACE in amazing ways, and I find that He surprises me weekly by showing me ways in which my vision was limited.  I often do more harm to my faith and trust in God by being calculated and careful in my response.  

So, how can we grow in our balance of wisdom and faith?  James 1 has some advice (which I need to turn to often!)  "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.  But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver..." (NLT)

Do we need to have wisdom, or faith?   Both!  Please pray for the leadership of NACE that we will seek wisdom, boldly asking God with a faith in Him alone!!  This prayer is also for our students who watch us keenly each minute, hour, and day.  Modelling our faith and a desire for wisdom is one of the best gifts we can give them to prepare for a life of service.