Why Choose A Christian Education?
Comments from Mitchell Road Christian Academy's Headmaster, Bob Schmidt.
Each year at this time, you prayerfully consider whether or not to re-enroll your children at Mitchell Road Christian Academy. With such economic uncertainty facing us all, it is even more important to prayerfully reconsider MRCA's partnership with your family.
Recently I came across an article by Dr. Ken Smitherman, President of ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International). In his article entitled, In Pursuit of the Priceless, he provides four points for consideration regarding the critical matter of Christian schooling and your family.
The first point of Dr. Smitherman's article is - TRUTH in an Upside-down World. Dr. Smitherman says that "what the world considers important is so often contrary to what God considers important." MRCA provides a Bible curriculum that instills a Biblical-worldview in the hearts and minds of our students so that they are equipped to live in the TRUTH. As well, MRCA intentionally provides a curriculum that integrates Biblical concepts and principles into every facet of learning - concepts and principles that guide our lives and include a personal relationship with God, as well as relationships with others and the Upside-down World.
A former student recently had this to say about his time at MRCA - "I went there from 4th grade through 8th grade. I learned some very good principles and doctrines there that will follow me throughout my life. MRCA was a great support to what my parents were teaching me at home."
3John:4 is one of my favorite verses - "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." I know that is your desire as you prayerfully consider enrolling your children at Mitchell Road Christian Academy.
PART #2 Of In Pursuit of the Priceless
The second point in Dr. Smitherman's article entitled, In Pursuit of the Priceless, states that when considering Christian schooling you "extend support for your Christian values." Dr. Smitherman put is it this way:
"Christian schooling supports the values of your Christian home through the assurance that your children's teachers, in additional to being professionally qualified, are men and women who love God and follow Jesus Christ."
Jesus' words in Matthew 10:24, "A student is not above his teacher," resonate the importance of teachers as role models. At our eighth grade graduation each year, our students recall things that make MRCA so special to them. Over and over again, the greatest comments are about a teacher who made a difference in their life.
In considering the education for your child, not only should you consider what your child is being taught but you should also consider by whom you child is being taught.
PART #3 Of In Pursuit of the Priceless
The third point for consideration from Dr. Smitherman's article entitled, In Pursuit of the Priceless, has to do with who will capture the hearts and minds of our children. In this day and age our children are constantly bombarded by popular entertainment media and the prevailing culture. The pop culture knows that whoever captures the hearts and minds of this generation will also have control of the future. This is being played out as many of the 60's generation are instilling upon our culture their ideas and worldviews. Every day there are more and more attempts to eliminate God from the picture and replace Him with "a hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world, rather than Christ. (Col. 2:8)
Mitchell Road Christian Academy wants to partner with you and "proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ." (Col. 1:28) We desire for your children to be captured in their heart and mind - by Christ. Thus our children will "set their heart and mind on things above, not on earthly things". (Col. 3:1-2)
There is an old saying that goes, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." I would offer that the heart and mind are terrible things to be lost to a humanistic culture.
PART #4 Of In Pursuit of the Priceless
The fourth and final point from Dr. Smitherman's article entitled, In Pursuit of the Priceless, is this . . . Investing in the Priceless.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines invest as ‘spending and/or utilizing ones time, money, or efforts for future advantage or benefit.' The choice of education for your children is an investment not an expenditure. Mitchell Road Christian Academy desires to invest in training your child today for the benefit of a Christ-follower in the future. MRCA's goal is to train up our children in the way they should go so that when they are older they won't depart from it. (Prov. 22:6)
Dr. Smitherman puts it this way:
"Very few if any would subscribe to the notion that things of high value and worth are achieved easily and inexpensively. They often require extreme measures of saving, sacrificing, reprioritizing, and any number of other matters of discipline that simply are not easy."
Your educational investment in your priceless children is not just for their time on earth but rather for eternity. My desire is that you know Mitchell Road Christian Academy takes very seriously its partnership with you - our families. Not only do we strive to provide your children with a strong academic curriculum but we also want to see them mature in loving God, grow in wisdom, live as salt and light, and to serve sacrificially.
I urge you to continue your pursuit of the highest for your children . . . your priceless!