French sociologist Alexis de Tocqueville visited America in the heyday of the 1830s and immediately saw the source of her strength: Americans, he wrote in Democracy in America, do not assume that government exists to solve their problems. Rather, they created flourishing institutions (families, churches, clubs, aid societies, and so forth) to solve those problems at the level closest to … Read More
Two Types of Wisdom and the Christian School
I recently read a blog post featuring an excerpt entitled “How Productivity Advances the Gospel” from a book by Matt Perman- What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done. Perman’s exposition of the two types of wisdom go directly to the heart of the content and process of a holistic Biblical integration of faith and life … Read More
But I’ve Earned the Right To…
The older I get and the more tread comes off my tires, the more my eyes are opened to my warped sense of identity and value. As I rewind the story of my career as an educator and educational leader, I witness far too many scenes where I have fallen prey to a defensiveness in the face of conflict and … Read More
Q and A with Pastor John Lee: A Response to “Why We Cover Silage Piles”
We were pleased to receive considerable positive feedback regarding Pastor John Lee’s sermons on Christian Education. Below are a selection of the thought-provoking questions from readers and responses by Pastor Lee. Thank you for engaging with CACE as we question and explore the challenging role of Christian Education and strive “to narrow that gap between the ideal and reality” as … Read More
Playing at Eternal Things
I am sorry to say that I had not read any book by Frank Gaebelein until I recently picked up a copy of Exploring the Bible off of a friend’s library shelf. Reading this work reminded me of the value of the Christian classics just as we see the value of other classics in literature. Gaebelein’s ideas on Christian education … Read More
Called to be Salt: Is Christian Education Engaging or Abandoning the Mission Field?
In Matthew 5, Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount calling Christians to be salt and light to the world. Salt, an ancient world preservative, must be worked in to food to be truly effective, remaining an individual compound but aggressively involved in the decaying matter. In his message, Pastor John Lee asks, “are our Christian Schools missional organizations, preparing … Read More
Why We Cover Silage Piles or The Case for Christian Education
Why should the church work so hard to support uniquely Christian Education? When times are tough, and money is tight, why are we making sacrifices to send our children to Christian schools? Drawing from Colossians 1: 15-23, Pastor John Lee addresses the creational and covenantal roots that ground the case for Christian Education, and why the church continues to champion … Read More
The Power of Connectivity: I Gotta Guy
Growing up in Chicago, we had a colloquialism when asked for a recommendation. This colloquialism displayed how deep your roots went in the neighborhood and how connected you were. And like any Chicago colloquialism it is not meant to refer to a specific gender, but rather to someone who is a great professional, trustworthy in their work, and will provide … Read More
Considering Innovation: Part 1
Does the word innovation bring positive or negative associations to your mind? Does it bring to mind hopefulness, promise, and excitement or fad, “the latest and greatest,” and “this too shall pass?” What can truly be considered innovative when we know, as Proverbs tells us, that there is “nothing new under the sun?” Why mess with new when you can … Read More
Heart-Shaped Leadership
As I have observed various organizations over the years, I have repeatedly seen how critical leadership is to the health and flourishing of the organization. One of the most important aspects of leadership in a Christian organization is the spiritual passion/vitality of the leader – it truly does flow down from the top to the rest of the organization and … Read More