Building A More Christ Centered School

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Building A More Christ Centered School
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Song of Dedication

• Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
• Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
• Melt me, mold me, fill me and use me.
• Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me. (2
  Times)

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Whats Wrong With This Picture

• UnionK-8 Enrollment
• 1980
• 1990
• 2000
• 2005 -
• DECREASE (students)

• ? Union Membership
• 1980
• 1990
• 2000
• 2005 -
• INCREASE (members)

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SDA Church School EXPLOSION1895 - 1910
of Pupils
700 (680)
700
600 212
500 (468)
500
400 223
300 (245)
300
200 216
100 (1) (1) (2) (6) (16) (29)
100 (1) (1) (2) (6) (16)
100 (1) (1) (2) (6)
100 (1) (1) (2)
1872 1875 1880 1885 1890 1895 1900 1905 1910
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What Were the Factors That Ignited the explosion?

• 1. Revival Swept through Adventism RIGHTEOUSNESS
  BY FAITH IN CHRIST
• And,
• 2. A Conviction Regarding
• THE GOSPEL COMMISSION Go Ye into all the
  world. (Matthew 2819,20)

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Growth of Adventist Global Missions

• 1880 5 Missionaries
• 1890 56 Missionaries
• 1900 481 Missionaries
• 1930 8,479 Missionaries

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? Union Summary of ITBS Scores 200? (Gr. 3-9)
Grade Reading Total Language Total Math Total Social Studies Science Composite
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Note There are approximately 325 students per
grade level in Lake Union Schools Note
Percentile rank is based on national school norms
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The Watchword of Adventist Education Ed, p. 296

• Something better is the watchword of education
  Let the students be directed to something better
  than display, ambition, or self-indulgence.
• Lead them to behold the One altogether lovely.
  When once the gaze is fixed upon Him, the life
  finds its center.

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The Watchword of Adventist Education Ed, p. 296
(Continued)

• The enthusiasm, the generous devotion, the
  passionate ardor, of the youth find here their
  true object.
• Duty becomes a delight, and sacrifice a pleasure.
  
• To honor Christ, to become like Him, to work for
  Him, is the lifes highest ambition and its
  greatest joy. (Ed. p. 296, 297)

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The Objectives of Adventist Education
From Myths in Adventism by G. Knight
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The Finished Product of Adventist Education

• Students Who Demonstrate that the purpose of
  their lives is
• SERVICE TO GOD SERVICE TO MAN both here and in
  the hereafter.

Dr. Ben Carson, SDA neurosurgeon.
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So What Estimation Does God Place on Adventist
Teachers?

• To the teacher is committed a most important
  work-- a work upon which he should not enter
  without careful and thorough preparation. He
  should feel the sacredness of his CALLING and
  give himself to it with zeal and devotion The
  schoolroom is no place for surface work. No
  teacher who is satisfied with superficial
  knowledge will attain a high degree of
  efficiency. CT 229.1

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The Three Objectives of Early Adventist Education

• 1. To Teach the Children about Christ. (Seek Ye
  FIRST the kingdom of God)
• 2. To Equip children with the Skills Needed for
  Service and Evangelism. (Go Ye into ALL the
  world)
• 3. To Protect the Children from the Influences
  of satan in our World

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Our Fathers Two Options for Adventist Education
Today

• Plan B
• He will use a few key people in the church and
  the school to prepare brochures, and videos and
  make public presentations to show how Christ is
  IN our church schools.

• Plan A
• He will once again ignite the people in His
  church on the Righteousness by Faith in Christ
  message and,
• He will convict His people on the need to take
  the Gospel to all the world.

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But for Now We Will Do the Best We Can With
Gods Plan B

• How Do We Make Our Schools More Christ Like?
• It Starts With Our Teachers Our Preachers Our
  Parents Our School Boards Even Our Students
  Making Christ the Center of the Program.

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Barna Research Group Ltd. November 15, 1999

• Probability of people accepting Christ as Savior.
• Ages 5-13 32 rate of probability
• Ages 14-18 4 rate of probability
• Ages 19-death 6 rate of probability
• Bottom Line If a person does not accept Christ
  by age 14, the likelihood of ever doing so
  diminishes drastically.

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Key Themes to Building a More Christ Centered
School

• 1 Keep Christ at the Center of the School and
  Each Classroom
• 2 Intentionally build and Strengthen
  Relationships
• 3 Involve Students in Outreach/ Witnessing
  Activities

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1Keep Christ at the Center of the School
Program. (Nuts Bolts)

• Make Christ the focus of your life.
• Invite Him to be the center of your school daily
  perhaps hourly. (brainstorm).
• Focus on modeling Christ IN THROUGH you. Be a
  walking book about Gods love to be read by all.
  With Christ as your model play follow the
  leader every day.
• Bring in adults who can share their Christian
  journey Worship habits with your students.
• Celebrate the joy found in Jesus. Share victories

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Keep Christ at the Center of the School Program.
(Nuts Bolts)

• Encourage prayer action for individuals in
  need.
• Praise God in personal and public interactions.
• Form What would Jesus do? clubs in each
  classroom. (Our High Calling, p. 198)
• Provide a couple of profound agape feasts yearly.

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Keep Christ at the Center of the School Program.
(continued)

• Encourage your staff to pray one-on-one with all
  students.
• Be intentional with spiritual programming. A
  what ever approach to song service sends the
  message, this isnt really important to
  students. Make the spiritual program a priority
  with your time your money.

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1. Keep Christ at the Center of the School
Program. (continued)

• Make Bible class practical personal.
• Plan the yearly program well in advance to ensure
  that Christ doesnt get squeezed out by other
  programs.
• Expect miracles celebrate them.
• Expect disasters use them as teaching/learning
  experiences.
• Provide opportunities for students to lead out in
  spiritual endeavors.

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2Building and Strengthening Relationships

• The literature on child resiliency and
  intervention is clear Every child needs at
  least one adult who is irrationally crazy about
  him or her. (Bodine Crawford 1998)

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2. Building and Strengthening Relationships

• Make it a priority to ensure that every student
  is well known by, and in regular contact with, at
  least one caring adult in the church. Example
  adopt grandparents.
• Connect older students with younger students in
  big brother/sister relationships.

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2. Building and Strengthening Relationships

• Intentionally do things to build rapport with
  students. Example cookie day/night, birthday
  celebrations etc.
• Understand that the purpose of discipline is
  REDEMPTION. Use discipline to point students to
  their loving Father in heaven. Your actions will
  speak louder than your words.
• For discipline to be redemptive, it must include
  a strong relationship component.

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2.Building and Strengthening Relationships

• Include students on advisory committees. (Not
  necessarily policy making ones)
• Be involved get out of the office and be part
  of the flavor of the school.(Be a welcoming
  committee of one).
• Let kids tell you how they feel and LISTEN. Act
  on what you can and tell them when you cannot.
  Be open up-front with them.

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2. Building and Strengthening Relationships

• Play with the students. Good advice for teachers,
  pastors and board members.
• Teach cooperation team work and then expect
  both.
• Celebrate successes beat the drum and bring out
  the band.

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3 Bible Labs Gods Plan for Serving

• A curriculum that explores issues of caring is
  enriched by opportunities for helping others.
  Community service can be particularly beneficial
  for students at risk. It gives them a chance to
  feel useful and build self-esteem. (Curwin 1993)

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of Retention Comparedto Method of Teaching

• LISTENING (Lecture) 5
• Reading 10
• Audio Visual 20
• Demonstration 30
• Discussion Group 50
• Practice (experience) 75
• Teach Others 95

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3. Bible Labs Gods Plan for Serving

• According to the V.G study, the two most
  influential factors in students connecting to
  Christ and remaining faithful are 1)
  Parent/child dialogue about faith and .
• Involvement in helping projects. (home, church,
  and school).

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3. Bible Labs Gods Plan for Serving

• Include witnessing/service activities in the
  schedule, and not just an add on.
• Study the life of Christ with your students and
  help them see that service is not something you
  do, its who you are in Christ.
• Lead them to experience the joy of serving others
  for Christ (and not for self).
• Remember, servant leadership is taught best
  through two models Jesus You.

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The Role of the Principal, Pastor, School Board
Teachers is to Create a Spiritual School CLIMATE

• C - Christs
• L - Love
• I - Influences
• M - My
• A - Attitude
• T - Toward
• E Everyone Everything

• It is the Love of Christ that controls me. -2
  Cor. 514
• Evidence exists that a school or church are the
  shadow of the administrator.
• School Church improvement begins with the
  administrator.
• Here is the Starting Point for building spiritual
  CLIMATE

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Think About This

• Both then and now, Adv. ed. at its best stands
  for something of great importance, rather than
  representing an escape from the non-Christian
  world. We may conclude that the health of Adv.
  ed. depends upon its ability to maintain its
  spiritual identity and its sense of mission.
  Without these distinctive qualities it loses its
  reason for being. With them, it will continue to
  be a dynamic force in a world in need of
  redemptive healing. George Knight.

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The End!
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Why Do I Believe In Adventist Education?
Adventist Schools Provide ----

• More Opportunities for Students to Know Their
  heavenly Father - Abba
• More of a Safe Environment Emotionally,
  Physically, Spiritually
• More Emphasis given to Developing a Christ Like
  Character
• More Understanding that Their Lives Have a
  Purpose Tools in their Heavenly Fathers Hands

• More Opportunities to Discover the Joy of Serving
  Christ by Helping Others
• More Emphasis on a Healthy Life-Style
• More Opportunities to Develop Leadership Skills
• More of a Family Atmosphere
• More Opportunities for Your Children to Take
  memory Snapshots of Jesus Lived Out in the Lives
  of His People.

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Conclusion

• Children/Students Only Grow Up One Time.
• Dont settle by giving them what is good When
  you can give them what is best.
• And, what is best is
• The home, the school and the church all working
  to help your children/students know who they are
  what they are here for.
• They are children of God
• He plans to use them to finish the work here on
  earth!

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The main thing is that we dont forget that the
main thing is still the main thing. And in
parenting or teaching, the main thing is .Christ
IN us Christ THROUGH us for the good of His
children every day.