Generosity is often seen as an act of kindness, but it’s more than that — it’s an overflow of gratitude. When we look at generosity through a Biblical lens, we see that it begins with thankfulness. God created a continuous gratitude-generosity loop in us. In simple terms, when we are thankful for kindness shown to us, that gratitude inspires our own compassion and generosity. The Bible beautifully illustrates this truth in Proverbs 11:24-25, showing us that a generous heart leads to abundance in return. Gratitude prepares our hearts to give and live generously.

As parents, we feel pressure to prioritize our children’s future — enrolling them in the best SAT prep courses, hiring the perfect pitching coach, and encouraging them to be involved in numerous clubs and activities. But do we place enough emphasis on opportunities to grow in faith and service? As we raise a generation of Christ-followers, we should empower students to become servant-leaders, following the example of Jesus Christ. One great way to accomplish this is through short-term mission trips.

It is evident by data collected and records received that MPCS alumni are continuing to be servant-leaders beyond graduation. Alumni are adhering to the mission of MPCS, one that seeks to “prepare servant-leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.” In a recent alumni survey, 72% indicated that MPCS played a significant role in preparing them to be servant-leaders while all agreed MPCS was an important part of their foundation. 

A growing body of research supports the importance of small classes in K-12 education. A 2011 study by the Brookings Institution found that students in small classes outperformed those in larger classes (22 students or more) by a rate equivalent to three months of additional schooling every four years. This means that students who begin kindergarten in small classes are nearly one year ahead of their peers in larger classes by eighth grade.

 

I imagine by now you have seen all the negative political ads you care to see. According to presidential campaign finance trackers, the Democratic and Republican candidates will likely spend more than $1 billion each on their campaigns, much of it on negative ads aimed at each other. Unfortunately, research shows that negative political ads increase voter cynicism, contribute to declining voter trust in elections, decrease participation in politics, and contribute to increased societal incivility.

 

The teaching profession appears headed for a crisis. According to the National Association of Independent Schools, the number of bachelor’s of education degrees awarded fell from 176,000 in 1971 to only 90,000 in 2021, a 49 percent decrease in 50 years. Of the approximately four million K-12 teachers in the US, about 8 percent (320,000) leave the profession annually. A quick subtraction equation yields a stark reality: each year far more teachers leave the profession than enter it. 

Jesus’s greatest commandment comes in Mark 12 where he teaches to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts and then to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). As Christians, service is not optional, but an act of obedience. How then are children and students taught to develop a love of serving one another? Any preschool teacher can probably verify that sharing is not an innate human instinct. 

Science classrooms can often be intimidating places full of beakers, test tubes, numbers, graphs, data tables, and the like. One can easily be overwhelmed by such seemingly daunting instruments and figures. However, when examining the evidence closely, there’s unexpected Truth to be found lying just beneath the surface, if one knows how to look for it. 

 

An alumnus asked me at our recent Homecoming Alumni Dinner if I ever imagined in 1976 the amazing campus Mount Paran Christian School has become almost 50 years after the school’s inception. The 1988 alumnus, representing our first graduating class, commented on the vast programs, the beautiful campus and buildings, and the record enrollment after briefly reflecting on our humble beginnings. “Did you ever see all of this in our future?” he asked me. Clearly, the answer was "no." 

 

It is logical for confusion to exist when those of us in K-12 Christian education begin to define ourselves. It should be simple and straightforward, right? Well, not exactly. The many Christian schools that exist across the American landscape do share a common goal: we are colleagues who have embraced a calling to academic excellence in an environment that honors Christ preeminently. I have discovered none who refutes this. These two aspirational goals stand as the cornerstones and foundations on which Christian education has been built. 

 

America is a melting pot, they say - a place where people from the world over have long sought refuge or a chance at the “American Dream”. Perhaps instead of the tired melting pot metaphor, we can think of this country as a tossed salad - whereby each “ingredient” remains unique but contributes to the whole. 

The same is true when considering diversity within our schools. Students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, differing learning abilities, and various socioeconomic situations all bring meaningful contributions to the classroom experience and to a school’s community. Read on to discover ideas for how schools can recognize the value and uniqueness of each individual person, ultimately for the glory of God.

 

Each January, as we turn the page on the calendar to a new year, along comes New Year's resolutions - a promise that you make to yourself to start doing something good or stop doing something bad on the first day of the year. Of course, a new year's resolution can be great! But, all too often, what starts off as a great idea can end up feeling rigid and restrictive and is ultimately ditched after a few months. Instead, consider a different tactic to help you focus with intentionality this year: choose a word of the year.

 

If you know a little about Christian education with experience as a parent, teacher, or administrator you might be aware that there are pretty significant differences among religious schools. You may have had the privilege of being a part of several different christian school communities — large and small, up north or down south, preschool or just high school. A big difference among these independent Christian schools that they may or may not share is whether they are covenantal or not. This begs the question: what does being a covenant school actually mean?

 

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,
and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

—2 Corinthians 10:4-5

No matter one’s age, there comes a time that prescription glasses become a necessary fact of life. Even if you have long had perfect 20/20 vision, eye strength weakens as we get older. We find it more and more difficult to see the small things. And, though we may fight it, wearing glasses can be a help – our view becomes once again crystal clear, sharp and in focus. What a perfect metaphor for the life of a Christian!

 

The motto of Mount Paran Christian school is, “A place where faith and intellect grow as one.” In Latin, it translates to, Fides et intellectus simul unus. It is on our crest, but more importantly, this principle is woven into the fabric of what, how, and why we teach and learn together at MPCS.

Saint Augustine, in the 4^th century, was known to have said, “All truth is God’s truth.” Since the beginning, we, at MPCS, have wholeheartedly endorsed this ideal and the theological position that affirms there is and can be no separation of the sacred and the secular in life and learning. In other words, we believe in the immersion of biblical understanding and truth in all we do and in all we study.

 

When a school takes its mission to heart, pouring into students and families with intention through the years, the results are graduating seniors who continue to live out the school mission years after turning the tassel. To maintain relationships with students who have reached alumni status, many schools build out alumni relations programs that continually keep the mission of the school at the forefront of the minds of the alumni community. But, just how can schools build a robust program that extends beyond the norm? At Mount Paran Christian School, through service opportunities and various partnerships, alumni are invited to keep living as servant-leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.