The Master's College Essay Contest 2010

Please share this information with interested high school students!

Win a $4000 Scholarship to The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California, one of the best Christian colleges in the world and led by president and pastor/teacher John MacArthur.

GRAND PRIZE: One $4000 tuition scholarship to The Master’s College PLUS free airfare, lodging, and meals to College View Weekend, March 25-27, 2010 at The Master’s College.

ENTRY PRIZE: All who submit a valid essay will receive a free copy of John MacArthur’s excellent book, Right Thinking in a World Gone Wrong.

ELIGIBILITY: All high school and college students who could attend The Master’s College starting in the Fall of 2010.

ESSAY TOPIC: Write a letter to Charles Darwin explaining why you believe biblical creationism is more plausible and reasonable than Darwin’s theory of evolution.

ESSAY LENGTH: 900 – 1200 words

DEADLINE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Click here for complete information:  The Master’s College Essay Contest 2010

Another Year is Dawning

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee. 

Frances R. Havergal, 1874.She wrote these words as a poem for her New Year’s greeting cards. The hymn was subsequently included in her Under the Surface, 1874, and Life Chords, 1880.

The New Gospel ~ A Call for Discernment

A note from DiscoverChristianSchools.com co-founder Dr. Tim Sierer:

Satan is tricky!! He is looking for anyway to gain a foothold both in our schools, homes and churches. One of the ways he will strive to accomplish this is in the watering-down of the Holy Scriptures. It is our responsibility to remain diligent in guarding against becoming a victim of the 'slippery slope.' Take a few minutes to read this very pertinent blog by Kevin DeYoung.

The Intro:

Have you heard the New Gospel? It’s not been codified. It’s not owned by any one person or movement. But it is increasingly common.

The Conclusion:

This is no small issue. And it is not just a matter of emphasis. The New Gospel will not sustain the church. It cannot change the heart. And it does not save. It is crucial, therefore, that our evangelical schools, camps, conferences, publishing houses, and churches can discern the new gospel from the old.

Wagging the Dog

Challenging the Backward Thinking of Parental Surrender
By Jonathan Nazigian
The King's Christian School (Cherry Hill, NJ)

There is a reason we don’t let 12 year-olds vote.
There is a reason we don’t let 15 year-olds join the army.
There is a reason we don’t let 13 year-olds drive.

Children are an incredible blessing from God, and we love them, but let’s face it, they are not the pinnacle of sound judgment.Ask any parent who has seen that glazed, deer-in-the-headlights look staring back at them after they’ve asked, “What were you thinking?” and you’ll know. There is a reason God did not say, “Let the child train himself up in the way he thinks he should go…”

Why? Because God, who created and designed us, knows we come into the world under the curse of sin. We are born in ignorance with our hearts bent toward rebellion. We are not, because of our sin nature, naturally prone to seek out God’s best over our own selfish desires. Just like us, adolescents struggle with many things, but the difficulty of their struggle is compounded with a profound lack the maturity and an absence of real-world experience that helps put those struggles into a better perspective. A few things we know . . .

1. Adolescents have little idea who they are (their true identity).

2. Adolescents do not successfully delineate between what they want and what they truly need.

3. Adolescents have lots of energy but are flooded with hormones. Hormones do not make judgment clearer.

4. Adolescents often have dreams not based in reality.

5. Adolescents are perpetually ungrateful and think the grass is so much greener anywhere else but where they are at the time.

And yet, even knowing all of this, many Christian parents will take the one parental decision that will have the greatest bearing on their child’s future—the decision as to who, aside from them, will most shape the worldview of their impressionable, searching, and vulnerable children for 40+ hours every week—and hand that decision over to the child to make.

As someone who has been involved in Christian Education as a student, a teacher, and an administrator for 33 years I have seen what used to be a rare occurrence grow into an astounding trend. Christian parents who leave the ultimate decision for their child’s schooling in the hands of their child.

Some parents do this directly. “Johnny, where do you want to go to school next year?”

Others do it indirectly; they cave in to their child’s constant complaining often directed at “the school” when, ultimately, the school is not the real issue, just the easiest target.

Others, who want to move their children from the public school system into Christian school, take an approach that is sabotaged from the start, “Susie, let’s just try Christian school for a few months, and if you don’t like it, you can go back to public school.”

It seems the tail is wagging the dog.

Where are the Christian parents who will make a decision in the best interest of their children and then fight for it, despite the external pressures and internal doubts that inevitably come? Where are the Christian parents who will stand their ground and fight for their children’s best future, even if it means fighting with their children in the short term?

Where is the Christian parent who will sit down with their child, look them in the eye, and say,..

…To the child who’s being picked on…

“Susie, I love you. And I know you do not like school right now. I know your friends are being mean, but just changing schools will not resolve the real issue. Mean girls are everywhere and you will face unkind people throughout your life. The best place to learn how to deal with them is in a school where the Biblical truths of peacemaking and reconciliation are taught.”

…To the child who has dreams of playing sports at the local public school…

“Tommy, I love you. And I know you want to play football. But much more important in your life is your spiritual and academic future. I cannot sacrifice that for anything. I love you too much to put you under the influence of teachers, coaches, and friends who have other agendas and do not have your best interest in mind. We can explore township football, but when it comes to your schooling, Christian Education is a non-negotiable.”

…To the child doesn’t like the rules…

“Mary, I love you. And I know you would prefer to wear other clothes and that you don’t like some of the rules at school. But your true character and integrity aren’t revealed by how well you obey rules you like. True character is revealed by how you respond to authorities and rules you don’t like. No place is perfect, but your spiritual formation is not something I’m willing to sacrifice to a public school.”

…To the child whose friends are leaving for public school…

“Eddie. I love you. And I know several of your friends might be leaving for public school. But God does not hold me responsible for the choices other parents make. God holds me accountable for you. And I know that Christian school is the best thing for you. And I also know what real faith means. It means that despite how it feels right now, choosing to be obedient and to live God’s way will bring blessing, and that God probably has other and newer school friendships waiting for you.”

In the end, it all comes down to how we view what’s most important in the battle for the hearts and minds of our children.

Some parents view Christian Education like Karate classes or swim lessons—a nice little “extra” in their child’s life, so long as it is affordable and the child enjoys it. But if the finances get tough, or the child begins to complain, Christian school can be replaced with cheaper alternatives. Why pay so much for something my child doesn’t seem to like?

I choose to view Christian Education like food or immunizations. These are necessities to my family. I don’t care how much my children complain about having to eat balanced, healthy meals or the momentary prick of the doctor’s needle; my decision is firm, and it is for their best interest. And I will take a third job, do without vacation, or sell my furniture before I place my child in the furnace of an educational system centered on humanism, relativism, and cultural idolatry. You see, God did not call me to a life of comfort, free from struggle. God called me to train up my children in the most Biblical way possible and to give them every opportunity to turn their hearts toward Him.

I refuse to surrender in this war.

Jonathan Nazigian is Minister of Spiritual Life at The King’s Christian School in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He is the undeserving husband to a beautiful wife and the proud father of three wonderful sons. He may be contacted at jnazigian@tkcs.org.

Another Year of Blogging

Welcome to another year of blogging with DiscoverChristianSchools.com. Our desire is to post articles and information that will be helpful to you. Please feel free to comment on our posts - we would love to have your feedback.

In addition, we would love to tell "your story" regarding Christian schooling in your life or in the lives of your children. We welcome your submissions. We would also welcome the submission of articles regarding Christian schooling. Please contact Nancy DeHaan (ndehaan@macsaonline.org ) if you have something that you would like to submit.

One last thing - please use the Update Subscription link at the bottom of the "New Post" email that you receive fromFeedBlitz. This is the best way to keep your email up to date!

Thanks for blogging with us - and encourage your friends to subscribe!

Back to School

A note from DiscoverChristianSchools.com co-founder, 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 YearBruce 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.

Log in and Listen!

In case you missed it - click here to listen to Harold Naylor, co-founder of DiscoverChristianSchools, interviewed on the The Christian Worldview Radio program.
http://thechristianworldview.com/tcwblog/listen


The Christian Worldview Radio program featured an interview with Harold Naylor, co-founder of DiscoverChristianSchools.com.

Guest: Harold Naylor, co-founder, Discover Christian Schools

If God has given you children, you're sure to be confronted with the question of how and where to educate them. Should you pay to send them to a private Christian school where a biblical worldview will be woven into coursework by Christian teachers?

Should you send them to a state school down the street for "free" (i.e. paid for by your taxes) where their peers and teachers will most likely not have a like-minded Christian worldview? Or should you home school or send them to a private non-sectarian school?

It's a difficult choice that every parent or guardian faces. Issues of finances, peer-influence, academics, apathy, socialization, and proximity all frame the decision-making process.

Discover Christian Schools is a dynamic website and non-profit organization that helps parents find answers to difficult questions about educating their children and a school that meets their needs.

Jesus - A Central Figure in Our Lives

Today’s Christian Education Commentary
with Harold Naylor

A Christian school is not a guarantee for well-behaved children. Nor does it necessarily solve all of the parenting challenges we face. What it can and does do, however, is welcome, and even invite, the presence of God into our lives and our children’s lives in greater ways.
Choosing a Christian school for your child doesn’t guarantee a “happy ending” to the problems you face. However, it can invite the presence of God into your life and your child’s life to a greater degree, and that is what ultimately changes lives.

As Christian parents, we should whole-heartedly pursue those options in our lives that invite God to become a central figure, rather than trying to keep Him on the outskirts of our lives.

To learn more about Christian schools and Christian schooling - and to find a local Christian school in your area - please visit www.DiscoverChristianSchools.com.

Service to Others

Today's Christian Education Commentary
with Harold Naylor

How can a Christian education promote service to others?

Our president, as well as other politicians, promote service to the larger community. It’s a good thing, of course, but often it is tied to some aid for college other remuneration. So, serving is really working for different kind of compensation.

The Bible, in Galatians for instance, teaches that we should do good to others because we will reap an ultimate harvest when we are called to heaven. This kind of giving is taught in Christian schools as students see that they are NOT the center of the universe; the Creator is. Our God allows us and our children to participate in His work of showing grace

That seems to me to be a better bargain than a college loan.

We can help you find a Christian school and fulfill the directive we have been assigned as Christian parents.

DiscoverChristianSchools.com - Where Christian education is priceless!

Failure as a Father - Revisited

This article was originally posted in November 2008 as TV stations were beginning to do the "digital testing" to see if we were ready for the Digital Transition.

Well . . . that transition is now upon us - 12 noon on Friday, June 12. TV stations all over the country will be flipping the switch and the days of analog TV will be just a memory.

In honor of the transition, we have decided to repost the article written by Jonathan Nazigian. This thoughtful article reminds us of what is really important in the lives of our families and children - and it isn't Digital TV.

I am a failure. At least that is what my TV told me. The other night, during the evening news, several of the local TV stations conducted a digital signal test to show viewers if their television was ready for the upcoming switch from analog to digital broadcasting. As my wife and I sat with our two boys, we had fun counting down the seconds until the test would begin (the outcome already known to my wife and I since the TV we were given 9 years ago was definitely not digital-ready). And, lo and behold, when the clock struck zero, the message was clear: we had failed. The boys had even more fun as we flipped through the channels calling out to each other, “We failed!” “We failed, again!” “How about channel 10? Nope! Failed again!”

So yes, I am a failure. I have failed to provide my family with a digital-ready television. Soon, our rabbit ears will be obsolete and our 24” electronic window to the world of broadcast news and entertainment will grow dark. Unless, of course, we convert (but that’s a discussion for another day).

As I was musing on my “failure” as a father, I was actually encouraged that despite my inability to provide some extra “niceties” of modern life, by God’s grace, I have been able to provide not only what the world recognizes as necessities (food, clothing, shelter), but God has also allowed me to provide that which is even more vital to my children—a godly home and Christ-centered schooling.

I was also encouraged to be a part of a Christian school ministry, where other Christian parents and I have partnered together to provide our students with an education that is of the highest caliber—an education where all of God’s truth is taught with excellence for His glory.

And yet, as I continue to watch dozens of Christian schools across the country close their doors for lack of students and for lack of donor support, I have to ask some hard questions of my fellow Christian parents.

How many Christian parents are failing their children on an issue with eternal stakes far greater than digital TV? This Christmas, how many Christian parents will sacrifice to provide their children with new toys, outfits, and electronic gadgets, while failing to provide what their children need most—the one thing God has commanded parents to provide for their children—a knowledge of God, a Biblical worldview?

How many Christian parents who would never, knowingly place their child in physical danger, will more than willingly place their highly impressionable children in spiritual danger every day in a public school system which must, by law, teach moral relativism? How many Christian parents will continue to enroll their intellectually curious children in a public school system which must, by law, artificially remove the truth of God from every academic subject, and which must, by law, remain not neutral (for neutrality when it comes to God is impossible) but anti-God (for acknowledging the creation without acknowledging the Creator is the epitome of idolatry)?

How many Christian parents are giving their children the world to the forfeit of their soul?

A few years ago, my wife and I attended a dinner party at the home of a local couple. The hostess was actually a graduate of the Christian school in which I serve and commented on how impressed she was with the improvements she had seen in the school over the years. She then made the comment I have heard so many times, from so many people. “It’s a shame Christian school tuition is so high. I would love for my kids to go there, but we just can’t afford it.”

I’ll be honest. What I said out loud and what I was really thinking were not the same. What I said was some general, polite comments about scholarships and fundraising and true cost vs. tuition. What I was really thinking was quite different, and perhaps the geniality of the evening was preserved because I didn’t have the boldness to speak it out loud.

As I looked around the very large house, furnished with very nice things, located in a very nice neighborhood, with two very nice cars parked in the very nice, multi-car garage, and some very nice toys filling the very large back yard, I really wanted to say, “Please. Don’t say you can’t afford Christian school. Be honest with yourself. Say you choose not to afford Christian school.”

Too blunt? Maybe. Too insensitive? Probably. And I know, I know, you can’t judge by appearances, etc. etc. But I think there is a core truth to the “I can’t afford Christian school excuse” that many ignore. There are those who value Christian school but genuinely cannot afford it, and there are those who, instead, choose to afford other things they value more.

For example, let’s say an average, middle-class man walks past a Mercedes Benz dealership and says, “Sure, it would be nice to have a Mercedes, but I can’t afford one.” Technically, this is probably not true. He could afford it; he just decides to spend his money elsewhere. For example, he could sell his house and buy the Mercedes. However, most would agree that this would not be a wise decision. It would be a foolish financial move to sell what, for most people, is their largest investment (their home), to buy a car, the value of which depreciates very rapidly.

In the same way, an average, middle-class, Christian family says, “Sure, it would be nice to have our children in Christian school, but we can’t afford it.” As I said earlier, for some, this is indeed true. But technically, for most, this is probably not true. They just decide to spend their money elsewhere. For example, they could move to a smaller home or choose lesser furnishings or drive an older car or vacation in a less expensive place. This brings us to the core question of value. What is the more valuable investment, a home (or furnishings, or car, or vacation, etc.) or the formation and education of one’s children in the best, most biblical way possible?

And the irony is that if even half of those Christian parents who can afford Christian schooling chose to enroll their children, Christian schools would be in such a strong position financially that they would be able to lower tuition for everyone and fully fund scholarship programs for those who truly cannot afford it.

Most parents would sacrifice everything for their children, even their very lives. So why are so many Christian parents not willing to sacrifice financially to provide their children with the best education possible?

I may fail at many things as a father and provider, but may I never disobey God by failing to provide my children with every possible opportunity to be trained up in the way they should go, so when they are old, they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

May I never disobey God by failing to teach my children God’s commands, when I sit at home, when I walk along the road, when I lie down and when I get up (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). And since I cannot be with my children throughout the day, may I never fail to place them under the day-by-day, moment-by-moment teaching and influence of someone who loves God with all of his or her heart and has the freedom to teach my children openly about the Truth.

May I never disobey God by failing to pray for my Christian school, by failing to give to my Christian school, or by failing to lovingly confront my fellow Christian parents in love about their need to do the same.

May I never fail at what matters most.