Vibrant
Christian Schools:
have learned how to
create a high level of
spiritual morale.
I attended several Christian schools as I was growing up.
Some of them were permeated with an atmosphere of spiri-
tual joy and fervor and others were not. I will never forget
a speaker asking for everyone to stand who was willing to
publicly profess his or her relationship with Jesus, and only
one high school student stood up.
I had one young lady tell me after transferring from one
Christian school to another, “This new school is not really
a Christian school like my last one. There are wild parties
every weekend and all the coaches curse.” She went on to say,
“We use the same textbooks my cousins use at their public
school, and I can’t really tell if the teachers are Christians.”
Christian schools should be distinctly Christian! Not
just in name but in every area of practice.
Far too many Christian high schools do not have a high
level of spiritual morale and momentum. In many schools,
being a sold-out Christian isn’t popular and there is a sense
of “let’s see how much we can get away with.” This should
not and does not have to be the case. I have seen first hand
Christian high schools that are teeming with young people
who love Christ with a passion and lead their fellow students
to do the same.
There are at least four essential
components that must be in place in
order for a Christian school to have
a high level of spiritual morale:
1. THERE MUST BE STRONG ADULT
SPIRITUAL LEADERS
Again, this sounds like a no-brainer but it isn’t the case in
many schools. Adult leaders must have a burden for the
spiritual well-being of the students. This burden will be
evident by a deep commitment to serious prayer for the
students and intentional efforts to engage them spiritu-
ally. These adult leaders are not content to simply lead kids
through the sinner’s prayer. No, they will not rest until their
students are passionately in love with Christ.
As we think about the adults who lead the spiritual
growth and development program, we need to ask
a few questions.
Who leads the chapel program?
In many schools, this assignment is passed from person to
person like a hot potato. No one really wants it, and no one
really takes it serious but someone’s got to do it. The person
in charge calls all the pastors in town and they begrudgingly
agree to come speak. They come with little purpose or desire
and the students sense their lack of passion. I believe it’s a
great idea to use community pastors, but we must find those
who care and who can identify with our students. If chapel is
an afterthought for the faculty, it will be an afterthought for
the students. Chapel should be a time to impact students in a
powerful way, not a time to take a nap. I highly recommend
student involvement in chapel. If they are helping to plan
chapel and are involved in such things as leading worship,
etc., they will be much more committed to its success.
Who plans your annual spiritual emphasis events?
"Christian schools should be
distinctly Christian! Not just
in name but in every area of
practice."
Bringing in a captivating speaker for a few days and setting
aside class time to show that this event is extremely impor-
tant, will go a long way in helping your students understand
the importance of these events. I have seen the entire
atmosphere of a high school change as a result of a few days
of spiritual emphasis. I’ve seen sin confessed, relationships
mended, and rebellion subdued in a short period of time. If
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