F
OR THE CHRISTIAN parent, pastor, or educa-
tor, these might be some of the most devastating
words they could imagine hearing, especially if
the statement was from a graduating senior they had
invested years of their life in. I’ve seen it happen.
I was at a Christian school that was implementing
Renewanation’s revitalization program. One activity tied
to the assessment of the school was a time with graduat-
ing seniors. I looked forward to the meeting, as seniors
can be so much fun and are one of the best indicators of
the effectiveness of a school.
The meeting met my expectations. Students were
excited to share their stories and experiences at the
school. They spoke of their education prior to entering
the school and found it easy to contrast their Christian
school experience. The consensus was that their Chris-
tian school was a positive experience with caring teach-
ers, good learning opportunities, a safe environment,
close-knit community, and more God-awareness.
Several students indicated a sense of clear spiritual
growth. Others indicated liberation on what it meant to
be a Christian, expressing appreciation for teachers who
helped them to become open-minded and learn to think
for themselves. This was such a strong sentiment that
I pressed a bit by saying, “Talk to me more about that.
Could you be more specific?”
The very first response was, “Well, I guess I would call
myself an agnostic.” With that, all the cards were on the
table, and much of the oxygen seemed to leave the room
until others found the courage to speak.
While the frankness of the response was shocking, I
shouldn’t have been surprised. Our assessment of the
faculty indicated there were individuals who were very
committed to excellence in education but who did not
have strong biblical perspectives or clear testimonies of
faith in Jesus.
This is not an isolated incident. Students across this
country graduate every year without a solid faith in Jesus
from schools that were trusted to help form a biblical
worldview in their graduates. Schools are not entirely
responsible as negative family and other influences also
have an indelible impact on students. But it is always
tragic when poor leadership allows for such an instruc-
tional environment to exist.
The good news is that many Christian schools, with
careful and continuous evaluation and prayerful and
intentional guidance, minimize these losses and prepare
thousands of students for a life that is full and significant
and joyful in their faith in Jesus Christ.
Renewanation is committed to helping millions more
students experience such an education and the life that it
brings. If you know of a Christian school that is struggling
to graduate young men and women who are committed
Christians and show evidence that they possess a biblical
worldview, please tell them about Renewanation. We
would love to help them experience a revitalization.
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