A Note from "Mom"

The following was sent to me by a mom with permission to share on the blog.  The name of the school has been changed, and the children are identified by their first initial only.  This is not only for privacy reasons, but because this mom's story is the story of many moms and dads who have their children in Christian schools.  It's stories like this that remind that "this is why we do what we do."  To God be the Glory!



It is very important for us to provide our children with a Christian education, with godly teachers and fellow students. We love Jesus and want our children to know that our love for Him transcends material possessions and worldly comforts.

We desire for our children to grow to love Him deeply and to serve and glorify Him with their lives.

We want our children to grow up knowing that although we may not have been able to give them many of the things their friends may have, like American Girl dolls and video games, that we cared enough about their souls to do everything possible to surround them with Jesus, even if it requires sacrifice on our parts.

We have been pleased with “Hometown” Christian's roll in our lives thus far.

My oldest son, C, has given at least three neighbors Bibles and even has asks them if they read them. He thinks he may be a preacher one day (or a tree house designer). Either way, we know that whatever He does He will glorify God. We also know that his love for Jesus is nurtured by “H”CS. Our second child, A, has a real heart for orphans and missions. She even asked me if we could adopt some orphans for Christmas, and again wants some from Japan now. She prays faithfully for Haiti and Japan. Again, I know that her zeal is furthered by “H”CS.

We have five children and hope to give them a Christian education throughout high school. We pray faithfully for the school, Mrs. “Elementary Principal”, our teachers and classes. We love them.

A 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.

Responsible to God

Received via email from Cindy

“Thank you so very much for this helpful website.

Our sons have been in Christian School for the past two years. Prior to that, I home schooled our older son from K-5 through 5th grade. We have been thinking about other options (i e public school) because our children want a change. I told them that their dad and I would pray about it and let them know.

I googled christian education vs. public education. Your web site reminded me of why we have chosen the path we do and that our children can have an opinion and we will consider it but ultimately we are responsible to God for how we train them. I told a mother today I didn't think my children would ever be in a public education system.

This web site helped me to remember why I feel as I do. God has had to sort out my belief system through the years because I did receive a public education and my Christian walk didn't bear much fruit until the last 10 years or so. God is faithful to complete the work he began in us. (Phil. 1:6). Blessings to you all.”

From the Heart of a Mother

Written by: Trisha
Originally posted on A Mother’s Heart blog (March 8, 2009)

My husband and I are both products of the public school system. Granted that was "xx" number of years ago. When our first child was born I wasn’t even thinking about schools at all. I’m not going to share why we now 11 years later, do not have our children in a public school, I will instead share why we have chosen and continue to choose (at great expense and sacrifice) Christian education for our children.

We choose Christian education because:

• It supports what we teach at home.
• It provides someone else beside mom and dad teaching biblical truths. With our children entering the age where the listen to others more, the teachers and most peers, who they respect are echoing what we teach.
• It is a place to prepare our children for the world. An environment where students are equipped with a biblical foundation for long term success.
• Its another place, outside our home, where our children’s ideas about themselves and God are shaped.
• It provides another place where they are taught to sustain their faith and impact the world.
• It is a place where the voices and ideas they hear are true.
• It is a place where our children can build friendships with other Christ followers. (We have friends have told us several times that they wished that had sent their children to a Christian school simply for this reason alone.)

Now specifically, why Wheaton Christian Grammar School in addition to the above, which is true for WCGS:

• It is obvious that the teacher and staff love the Lord.
• The teachers are spiritually mature, walk daily with the Lord, and talk to their students about their time with God.
• The teachers integrate biblical truths into every area of academics.

We know a teacher who tried to get a job there and told us that we should know that the teachers there are top notch because of the rigors of the interview process to be hired as a teacher.

We walk by faith on the journey to provide a Christian education for our children.

Parents Make Christian Education a Top Priority

Somehow they manage the costs
Wednesday July 23, 2008 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
Originally posted on the blog of the Ontairo (Canada) Alliance of Christian Schools

The Hendriks family in Fenelon Falls has made Christian education a top priority and one way or another, they are finding a way to manage the tuition costs.

“The thing that’s worked for us is to say, ‘We’re going to do it’ and then trust that we will be able to,” says Eleanor Hendriks, a parent of three who attend Heritage Christian School in Lindsay. “It’s worked out so far.”

Both Eleanor and her husband Steve come from a Christian education background, which has been a key factor in their decision to send their children to a Christian school.

Eleanor adds that they are also motivated by the attitudes and actions of their young children who are already reflecting the effects of a Christian education.

“The blessings that come from seeing our kids singing songs of faith and praying in school and having Christian friends and talking about faith and Jesus with their friends and with their teachers is very precious and it’s never been hard to choose Christian education first.”

The Hendriks family routinely makes choices to ensure they’re able to continue with Christian schooling; they drive older vehicles, never eat out, carefully budget for groceries, avoid elaborate entertainment and live with more debt than they’d like.

“Every time we make a (tuition) payment we think, ‘OK, we’ll trust for the next one. See if we can hang on for another month,’” says Eleanor, admitting it does get stressful at times.

Still, she doesn’t consider what they’re doing sacrificial, in the sense that they’re giving up a lifestyle they’d really enjoy for Christian education. Christian education is what they want, she says, and choices must just be made to make room for that decision.

At the same time, the Hendriks hope for a slight reprieve from the ongoing financial pressure. Steve, a social worker, is considering a move to a job that would ease the financial squeeze, even if it isn’t exactly his line of work. Eleanor is trusting her pottery business will expand to help cover costs as well.

The Hendriks family is not unlike many other families across the province who value Christian education so deeply that they will do what it takes to provide it to their children. They make the decision first for Christian schooling and then somehow find a way to make it happen.Anita Doppenberg, whose five children have attended Community Christian School in Drayton, also admits tuition has been a struggle, especially as they have strongly felt that she should remain at home.

But they’ve been able to manage on one income, partly through her husband working long hours, partly, she says, because “God’s providence has been very good to us.”

Michele Kapteyn also says God’s blessing in their lives have enabled her three children to attend Timothy Christian School in Barrie and now Unity Christian High School.

Her husband is a dairy farm owner and operator but despite the financial ups and downs that tend to come with owning a business the family has always managed to cover tuition.

“As much as we thought, ‘How are we going to do this?’ the money was always there and that was a real blessing,” says Kapteyn.

In recent years, she has taken on work outside the home to help handle the costs of two tuitions with the two oldest children in high school.

Kapteyn suggests that families consider out-of-the-box solutions to managing costs, from applying for Children First Grants to making use of the voucher incentive programs that some schools offer.

Her view is that the benefits of Christian schooling “far outweigh the costs.”

In Her Own Words - A Parent's Perspective

Lisa Barry
Radio Host - 98.5 KTIS
Minneapolis/St. Paul

Our family has experienced all forms of education from home school to public to charter schools and private. At our oldest daughters request, we sent her to a public high school. Though she started out fine, by the second year I noticed she was picking up more of the negative influences in the environment. She was nearing a fork in the road and one path was leading toward a destructive lifestyle and though she wasn’t totally on that path yet, she was definitely leaning that way. If I didn’t do something soon, I knew it would be harder to get her to back up and make the choice later.

I talked to a spiritual leader about this and explained to him my dilemma because I had promised my daughter that she could go do public school and that I’d be going back on my word. He told me, “well, we don’t let our children make those important decisions, do we? You’ll need to apologize to her and explain that you made a mistake in promising something that might be wrong for her. "

I realized that as a parent, I needed to put my daughter in an environment where she could make right decisions so I pulled her in March of her sophomore year (crazy timing, I know). And though it was horrible for a while, the following fall, major change began.

She was used to giving status quo work in a multiple-choice world. She didn’t expect much of herself and didn’t think she was capable of more than her minimal work. The teachers at Calvin Christian High School didn’t accept her lack-luster attempts at school work. It’s not to say they expected more of her than she was capable, but they could see that she had more to give, more to offer, more than even she knew. They continued to push, she continued to give a little more and a little more. Even she was surprised at what the teachers were able to pull out of her. Her self confidence grew, her love for learning grew and her desire to grow spiritually grew in leaps and bounds.

These teachers were able to accomplish what I was powerless to do. How can you put a price tag on that? I am so indebted to these individuals and this school, and that is no exaggeration!

A Parent's Perspective - The Right Priorities

Elizabeth W.
Wilmington, DE

We are recent converts to Christian schooling who began as proponents of public schooling, mainly in order to be salt and light. While kindergarten was fine, first grade started off with a lack of peace, which never abated. As the year progressed, God gradually opened our eyes, changing our hearts and minds in the process.

No matter what administrators might tell you, children are NOT their priority. The public schools have all the problems inherent in a government bureaucracy: lack of accountability, political motivations, inefficiencies, unresponsiveness, etc. Moreover, the environment is often not nurturing, not to mention disorderly, which is clearly not conducive to learning. I imagine there are some exceptions somewhere, but why gamble?

Both the reading and math curricula were not rigorous, entailing a lot of busy work, little actual teaching and a lot of extraneous material and projects, versus a focus on critical fundamentals. There are a lot of new, experimental teaching methods being used for the sake of novelty. Who wants their child to be used as a guinea pig and be academically handicapped as a result?

Let me emphasize that I spent extraordinary amounts of time in the classroom and talking with parents, administrators and teachers. If you have not done this, trust me, you do not have an accurate idea of your child’s experience. Even at the first grade level, I was alarmed by the negative peer influences, which included age-inappropriate boy/girl interactions.

I should note that our child was in the only gifted program offered in the entire state. This is a highly regarded program by many, even some Christian parents, but as I spent more time in the classroom, I concluded that the “best” in public education is decidedly inadequate. The visit to WCS shed light on the deficiencies in public school; I should note that this was based solely on my observations, as school personnel did not even discuss public schools. Even if you feel public school is fine, I urge you to visit your local Christian school. God wants the best for our children, and so do parents. Wisdom demands we make decisions based on knowledge. Consequently, don’t we have an obligation to investigate all options, especially regarding the training of our children?

Readers Respond

…another great story about the usage of the DiscoverChristianSchools.com website.
Shawn Hill, Christian school parent in Humble, Texas

"I have a coworker who was contemplating sending his kids to a Christian school, but was getting some resistance from his wife. It was a money issue, which would require the wife to get a job. Since she was adamant about not wanting to work, he was just about ready to dismiss the whole idea. I talked to him and introduced him to the website, which he reviewed and immediately passed on to his wife. She read through it and apparently felt convicted and agreed to look for a job. Well, you'll never guess what happened. She ended up landing a position at the Christian school in which they were wanting to enroll their kids. The problem was the pay still wouldn't cover the additional cost. Here's the kicker. Unbeknownst to them, the position came with a 50% reduction in each child's tuition. This finally allowed them to enroll their kids in the Christian school. Praise God! It's just amazing to see Him work in peoples lives.”