“ARE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS REALLY TOO EXPENSIVE?”

SHINE FM Interview with Kelly Turner and Brian Hazeltine,

Principal Airdrie Koinonia Christian School

(May, 2004)

www.akcs.com and principal@akcs.com and 948-5100

THESIS: Everyone can afford Christian Education!

Q: Brian, I know you are fan of Christian Schools, but many people hold back because of the costs. What do you say to them?

A: Over the years I have spoken with many people who would love to have their children in a Christian school if it wasn’t so expensive. They often sigh wistfully and say, “We just can’t afford it.” The lack of funds seems to them to indicate that the Lord is leading them to enroll their children in the public school. I have never accepted the idea that Christian schools are too expensive.

Let me say too that I believe that Christian Education is available and within the financial reach of every single person listening to this broadcast. I can say that because at Airdrie Koinonia we have taken a very strong stand that we would never turn a child away due to lack of ability to pay the tuition. So, although I am going to challenge your listeners to make a commitment to providing a Christian School education for their children, I also want to make sure that those who are listening who have done all they can and still can’t afford it have a willing partner at AKCS. We are prepared to come alongside and make it work, so that no one will ever have to say “I just can’t afford it.”

Q: But Christian School tuition is expensive, isn’t it?

A: Well, when we say “Too expensive”, we need to ask ourselves “Expensive compared to what?” A mortgage will easily run $700-$1000 a month. Car payments are often $500 a month. The cost of babysitting a pre-schooler can run up to $400 a month. One month’s tuition at AKCS is less than $300, and for three it is less than $600. That works out to $2.50 per hour for one child and $5.00 an hour for three! Think about that! For $2.50 an hour, you can provide fully qualified educators who will not only teach your child all the knowledge and skills required in the Alberta curriculum, but will add to that a consistent Christian perspective in every subject. On top of that they will take a personal interest in your child, pray for and with your child and continue training them up in the way of the Lord through the day as you do at home. That is a pretty good deal! In fact, you could call that downright cheap!

Q. Still, when you total up all those hours and kids, it’s a big chunk of change that a parent has expended.

A: Well, that’s true enough, but we need to ask ourselves, “What is my job as a parent? What is the most important thing to me in the world? What is worth investing in more than anything else in the world?” I hope that you and our listeners would agree that the answer to that is “Our children!” But, we need to take a step back and consider how this money is being used. Financial managers often make a distinction between money that is “spent” and money that is “invested.” What makes an investment different from every other kind of expenditure is that you expect to get a return back from your money. That’s the difference between renting and owning a home. Everyone needs shelter, so regardless of whether one rents or owns, providing shelter is a good use of money; however, when we own, we end up with an investment. Not only do we have shelter, but we will expect to see a very real return for our money down the line.

The same principle applies to our children. As a father, I have chosen to invest in my children. I want to provide the best home environment and the best education possible for them. I also believe that as I do that, I will reap a great reward down the line. You see, a Christian education is not really an expense but an investment in your children and their future. You will reap the benefits both now and in eternity.

Sure, it’s a lot of money, but you have to ask yourself, is the return worth it? Your children are the only treasure you have on earth which you can take with you to heaven. Everything else will either rot away or rust away. It certainly makes more sense to invest in your children than in a house or car.

Let me add a personal note here. I am a Dad with five children. I have four boys ages 17 to 27, and a girl age 7. They have all attended Christian schools from the beginning. Sure, there was a lot of sacrifice involved (and if we are not prepared to make sacrifices for our children, we shouldn’t have any, should we?) But, they are all serving the Lord faithfully. In fact, despite not wanting leadership roles, they often end up in leadership positions because of the depth of their relationship with the Lord. If you come into my office inquiring about the school, I will pull their picture down and share with you what they are doing. They are my testimony of God’s faithfulness. What we sow we will also reap. I want to sow the very best seed into my children’s lives, and I am willing to pay a bit more to reap the rewards of that investment.

Q: I suppose many people will say that they have already paid for their children’s education through their taxes.

A: Well, that is true, and it is frustrating that we have this unfair system where the secular humanist can get a free education that supports his values, while the Christian parent must pay again. However, remember, you get what you pay for. While public schools are “free,” we shouldn’t assume that they provide the same kind of education. First, they cannot provide a foundation in the Word of God for every subject they teach. This comes up in a hundred and one ways day after day. For example, students in junior high will study the Brazilian rain forest and Amazon River. Did you know that the water cycle of evaporation and rainfall is mentioned in Ecclesiastes where it says that the rivers flow into the oceans and return from whence they came? Or, did you know that the man who discovered the trade currents in the oceans did so because he read a verse that spoke of God’s paths in the sea. Working from that, he began to do some research and found out that lo and behold, there are paths in the sea. One of the best known is the Gulf Stream which gives Great Britain its milder climate.

It is vitally important to me, as a parent, to know that my children are reading books in literature which will not undermine their faith or my values. It is vital that our young people have a good understanding of evolution and the problems with it so that they can defend the Biblical doctrine of creation. When they study health and look at career choices, it is critical that they do so from a Christian perspective. I want my children to view work as a calling from God and to understand that He has given them specific gifts for a specific purpose. Their lives are to be lived out in ways that honor Christ. Getting the right job has very little to do with making money, but everything to do with being in the centre of God’s will. A student can’t get this in a public school, even if they have a godly, Christian teacher (and by the way I am a big supporter of Christian teachers in the public school.)

I want my children to receive godly counsel and correction when they misbehave, and to get encouragement based on the Scriptures. I want them to grow up knowing that they are accountable to God for their actions each and every day, not just at home, and not just at church. I want the adults in their lives to model a Christian lifestyle that puts love for God and love for man above everything else.

The public schools cannot teach about the real world that was created by God and is upheld by God every single minute of the day. They cannot support the values that are taught in our homes; in fact, very often they undermine them. For example, one of the cardinal virtues of the modern Canadian is “Tolerance.” However, this word no longer means what it used to. Historically, tolerance meant that, I will support your right to hold to your beliefs even while I may think you are wrong and will try to prove that you are in error. In other words, it meant that we tolerate every person, but not every opinion. Nowadays, tolerance means that we must accept every position as legitimate and as worthwhile as the next one, no matter how foolish it seems! We have accepted the postmodern nonsense that truth is whatever a person wants it to be, and that therefore, no one should have the right to declare anyone else’s views as wrong. All we are permitted to say, presumably, is that it is “wrong for me.” I totally reject this philosophy, and I want my children to be taught in an environment that encourages them to analyze it and critique it.

I could go on for hours about the ways that a Christian education differs every single day in crucial ways, but I’ll stop here. We may bemoan the fact that we have already paid for our kids’ education through our taxes, but we also have to ask ourselves if that education is good enough for our children. I don’t think it is good enough. Remember, our children are not really ours; we are stewards of their lives. They belong to God; we need to be sure that we have provided them a godly education.

Q: What would you say to a family where one parent is a Christian, but the other is not? In this case, perhaps the character element of a Christian education is not going to be very persuasive.

A: You are absolutely right. In this case, I encourage each family to look at the academics also. I don’t believe that any child should take an academic penalty to get a Christian education. There is no excuse for shoddy workmanship from any Christian. Whether we are plumbers or teachers, we should work in such a way that God would be pleased with our product. A look at the track record for Airdrie Koinonia Christian School, and indeed for the vast majority of Christian schools will reveal that these schools are, in fact, consistently providing a superior education for their students. One group of people that will often verify my point is our Sunday School teachers. They have a great opportunity to work with Christian children from both public and Christian schools. There are two or three things that they are particularly struck by: First, they are amazed at how well our students read; there simply is no comparison. Second, they are very aware of how well they know their Bibles, and third, they often notice how well-mannered they are. I can’t vouch for every child all the time, of course; they are children after all, but there are some clear differences. In the later grades, the differences show up in their writing and spelling and understanding of grammar.

Q: Do you have any other evidence besides the comments of Sunday School teachers.

A: Certainly, we have our own observations of students transferring in and transferring out. Many who transfer in are struck by how much higher the standards are than in their previous school, and those who transfer out almost always find it quite a bit easier. They have been well prepared.

Q: What about evidence from testing such as Achievement Tests or Diploma Exams?

A: Well, I think we all recognize that standardized tests don’t tell the whole picture about a school, but I personally feel that they are important evidence that a school is doing its job well. We post the results from our school’s Achievement Tests and Diploma Exams on our website for anyone to peruse. We are very proud of our students’ accomplishments, and certainly believe that anyone who wants to provide a top quality academic education would do well to consider AKCS from that angle. If one parent is trying to persuade the other on the basis of academics, I would encourage them to point their spouse to our website and have them review these test results.

Q: So, let’s assume a parent is sold on the importance of Christian education, but says, “I just can’t afford it.” What would you say to them?

A: I would say, “Believe it or not, you really can afford it.” Most Christian schools have a financial aid program so that no child will be denied a Christian education due to lack of funds. That is certainly our position and our experience at AKCS. Somehow, through the combined giving of the Body of Christ, every child gets cared for. We really need to put that myth to bed. The money is there.

Q: So does everybody who applies for financial aid get free tuition?

A: (In your dreams!) No, the reality is that we have all kinds of different income levels in our school. We have single parents paying full tuition and married couples receiving some assistance. Each situation is unique. First, we don’t believe that financial aid should be a permanent way of life any more than receiving social assistance should be a permanent situation. It’s there to help people through tough times, but those times pass, and then people are able to pay their full tuition, and eventually they are able to give donations on top of that to help support others.

Second, we need to realize that money is really not a problem for the Creator of the Universe. How can we say that we are going to trust God with the salvation of our souls and our eternal destiny, but not trust Him for tuition? It doesn’t make sense. There is definitely a faith element here, but God seldom provides the money in advance. (Think about it: If you had another $500 a month in income, you’d be spending it on the same kinds of things you are spending it on now!) In fact, I am amazed by the people who say that they can’t afford Christian education and then drive away in a very expensive SUV or minivan. It’s usually not a matter of not being able to afford it, but simply not really believing that it is important. I see the same thing from people who can’t afford to tithe. For every person who can’t afford to tithe, I can find another person making thousands less each year who faithfully tithes. What’s the problem? It’s our priorities and our lack of faith. If God is first in our lives, then we will treat him that way. If our children are our most important treasure, then we will invest in them accordingly.

Look at it this way: If it isn’t God’s will to enroll your children in a Christian school, then money isn’t a problem because you won’t need it. And if it is God’s will for you to enroll your children in a Christian school, then money isn’t a problem because He will supply it! Either way, money is not a problem, but we must exercise faith. We have countless testimonies of how God has supplied for the needs of our parents over the years, and He will do it for our listeners also!

Q: What about people who say that they just don’t feel right about accepting financial aid?

A: Well, there are several ways to deal with this. First, if no one is going to receive a gift, then no one is going to be able give one, right? Sometimes, we need to swallow our pride, humble ourselves and let God decide how He wishes to supply for our needs. However, there is nothing stopping a family in need of assistance from offering to do work around the school. Heaven knows there are lots of things that need to be done. This can be done as a volunteer activity as a way of saying “thank you” or perhaps one could be hired to do work around the school for the equivalent of the financial aid. From the school’s perspective, it doesn’t cost any more to give the aid than to employ the person; and it’s a way to get some things done that might not otherwise be done. This really is the best way to do it, but that may not be possible in every situation.

Q: So are you saying that if it is God’s will for me to enroll my children in a Christian school, then He will supply the funds?

A: Yes. Probably not like manna from heaven, but somehow. He may supply through the generosity of relatives; He may supply through the school’s financial aid program. He may supply through one parent getting a better job or a raise. Often, however, He provides by showing parents how they can spend less. We could talk about money management for another hour or two, but let me give you one simple insight about money: The secret to wealth is spending less than you make. If you are spending more than you make, you will be in debt and experience declining wealth. If you spend less than you make, you will have a surplus and experience increasing wealth. There are only two ways to get on top of this: Either earn more or spend less. For most people, the best solution is to spend less.

We need to remember that our expectations in North America are way out of line with what the rest of the world expects to receive or to spend on themselves. What we have come to assume is normal, is in fact extravagant by most of the world’s standards. We have come to believe that we have to have a home of 1600 to 2000 square feet so that each child can have their own bedroom, and so we can have a living room, and a family room, and a rec. room. Our parents and grandparents often had larger families in smaller homes; how did they survive?! So, it may be that the first thing a family needs to do is rework their priorities and sell their house and car and find something less expensive. It is amazing how fast money can be freed up if people are really determined. I think we need to start getting really radical about our faith; whatever the cost of following Christ, we should be prepared to pay it. For heaven’s sake, we are talking about moving to a house of 1200 square feet as if that is a sacrifice! That still makes us filthy rich by most of the world’s standards throughout history.

Q: What if someone says that you are expecting too big a sacrifice?

A: Well, it’s your children. What is more important for their well being, a nice home or a nice education? We need to be clear, that the Bible doesn’t really give us an option about raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; so if obedience requires sacrifice, then so be it. I’m not saying that the decision to provide a Christian school education won’t be costly, but I am saying it will be worth every penny. Let us be clear that it is an inviolable law that “whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap.” If you sow little, you will reap little. If you sow a lot, you will reap a lot.

Q: That’s a hard step for many families to make isn’t it?

A: Yes, but it is interesting to note that many families who said that they couldn’t afford a Christian education for their children when the children were little suddenly find that they are able to afford it when they get older and start experiencing difficulties in a public school. My point is that they can’t afford not to provide Christian education for their children! Too many parents wait and then enroll their children in a Christian school after their children start encountering problems. Maybe it’s with the academics, or maybe it’s the social situation, but all too often a lot of damage as been done to the child academically and socially that must now be repaired. My point is that when things reach a crisis state, they find the money they need because it has become a necessity. I believe a Christian education is a necessity not just for children with difficulties but for all kids because it is academically sound and morally right. Can we really afford to give our children less?

Q: Any final point you would like to make to our listeners?

A: I would like to reiterate that money is not a problem for God. Where God guides, God provides. If that is not true, then let’s forget this whole Christian thing. I would encourage every parent to do some Bible study about raising children and then decide whether they can do any less than provide them with a Christian education. If they decide, as I have, that the Word is really clear on a parent’s responsibility to provide their children with a Christian education, then the next question is simply to decide where. If this is God’s will, He will indeed make a way.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about Peter getting out of the boat to walk on water towards our Lord. They were in the midst of a storm; the boat was being tossed to and fro. The whole situation was pretty scary, but Peter was adventurous enough to get out of the boat and try walking on water if Jesus called him. We sometimes focus on the fact that he took his eyes off Jesus and then began to sink, but we really should focus on the fact that he at least initially fixed his eyes on Jesus and began to walk on water. None of the other disciples did this? Why? Because the water doesn’t firm up until you step out of the boat. Every natural instinct says to stay in the boat where it is safe, but the life of faith means stepping out of the boat where it is scary.

Trusting God for tuition money is a scary thing, but a family will never see Him supply until they step out of the boat, enroll their child in a Christian school, and then watch Him supply step by step.