Past Principal Points

Over the years Christian schools and Christian churches have sometimes been at odds with one another. It has therefore been my goal to be proactive in this matter and take steps which would eliminate sources of friction before they become a problem. There are several areas which can be a source of frustration or conflict. A common one has to do with money. Parents who enroll their children in a Christian school often are unable to support the ministry of the church at the same level as they could before enrolling. In fact, I talked to a board member of another school once who said that his tuition was his tithe. He then went on to bemoan the lack of support for their school among the local pastors! The Koinonia Schools have always taken the position that a tithe is part of one’s giving whereas tuition is a fee for service. We encourage people to give to the work of the Lord generously whether it be to their local church or missions, etc. We also allow for a tithe on our financial aid application and believe that it is one’s first commitment in financial stewardship.

Another area for concern has to do with the commitment of our students to their local church. Students in public schools will get their main spiritual nourishment at church or youth group, whereas those in a Christian school will often receive far more through the week in their classes and chapels than on Sunday or Friday night youth combined. So, it is understandable that they may not wish to attend as many church events as some other kids. Students who attend a Christian school are a "problem" for Sunday School teachers because they know so much. I have always maintained that it is a good thing for our kids to be as well fed spiritually as possible. Surely, the "problem" is not kids who know the Scriptures too well, but those who do not! The challenge for the churches is to ensure that they have programs which are relevant both for the spiritually educated as well as those who are less knowledgeable. My hope, however, is that students who attend AKCS will be used in the churches to assist in leading Bible studies for elementary students and teaching Sunday school. We hope that the churches will come to see our students as a ready supply of workers because many of them are well versed in the Scriptures but need opportunities for ministry. I hope that our students will be actively involved in their churches not just because they may get fed there, but because that is where they can find a meaningful avenue of service.

For some years we have worked actively to ensure that our relationship with the churches in Airdrie is the best it can be. When my teaching load decreased substantially a few years ago, I began to attend the Airdrie Christian Ministerial Association meetings and have been a full partner in their work ever since. We have held periodic Pastors’ Luncheons to provide a forum for dialogue between the school and the churches. Teachers ask students to write about what they learned from the sermon or in Sunday school to encourage them to listen attentively and be actively involved in their church. (By the way, it is disturbing that some children repeatedly can’t write about the sermon because they weren’t in church on Sunday!)

There are a number of other strategies we employ to ensure strong bonds between our school and the churches. These are more related directly to parents and students. First, with the endorsement of the local pastors, the board approved an annual Pastor’s Report for all families. Some families joined the school many years ago, but have changed churches or are no longer as involved as before. After all, our Parent’s Code requires one parent to be a born again Christian who is actively involved in a local church. An annual pastor’s report helps us to ensure the integrity of the school and helps build the local church at the same time. The "report" is less detailed than the one used for admission and simply asks the pastor to indicate a family's on-going involvement in the church. From time to time we find families who haven't been attending for some time or are "in between churches." We have been able to use that as an opportunity to encourage them to return to their church or find a new church home as the Lord leads.

In a similar fashion, we have an annual Youth Pastor’s Report for our high school students. This is used to complement the High School Students’ Pledge and ensure that we maintain high standards for students enrolling in high school. As a school for Christians, we expect our students to live by Christian principles both inside and outside of the school. Where there is some question as to the sincerity of a student's Christian commitment we are able to work directly with the youth pastor (or youth group leader) when teaching and/or counseling our students about their behavior or admission to the school. 

Finally, we require that high school students complete three credits for work experience in the area of Christian service sometime during their three years of high school. This encourages students to find ways that they can put their Christian faith into practice in ways that will directly benefit our community. While service in a church environment is not a requirement, it is certainly one way that students can complete one or more of their required credits. We have had students working with church youth ministries, summer camps, weekend retreats, Sunday Schools, and Daily Vacation Bible Schools.   Others have worked as tutors or teacher aides at AKCS. The opportunities for the students are endless, and the service they will give to the Christian and secular community will be of real value. 

While a Christian School is very much like a church, it is different in significant ways. Perhaps the most important is simply that we minister primarily to children. We do not have a minister to young adults, the married, middle aged, or seniors. The local church is the place where the entire family will be fed and nourished, receive ministry and find opportunity to give ministry. The church is the institution that cares for the individual from cradle to grave. Our role is to come along side and provide a specialized teachig ministry to children between the ages of six to eighteen. After that, our role declines. Understanding these principles helps us to work together rather than in competition.