Development 101

Much time, money, and attention are given these days to the growth and sustainability of Christian schools.  There are some schools that spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on personnel, training, and advertisement for the purpose of growing the ministry.  They target and foster relationships with key donors who either share the vision of the ministry or at least agree with the good that it produces.  

Whereas, I do think this can work for those ministries that have the means to carry it out, my experience as a head of school of 600 hundred students, with an advertising budget of $1,000, was a tad different.  However, over my 10 years as a head of school, God always provided.  He always provided the people, the facilities, the possessions, and the funds that were needed to not only make ends meet but also to go above and beyond in many areas.  

As we look at Scripture, we see that God’s will can never be thwarted (Job 42:2). God always provides.  He provided a boat for a coming flood, a birth line for His coming, food from heaven for His people, dry ground in the middle of a river, safety in the midst of a fiery furnace, an open jail door with which to walk through, and so much more. If God has called us to Christian education, we can be confident that as we obey Him, He will provide for our every need, and then some. 

With this being true, I do believe there are some simple things we must do as we ask for God to provide:

First, proclaim the mission.  Let everyone know what God has called your school or ministry to do.  Don’t sugarcoat it.  Don’t soften it to make it more appealing to those that don’t desire it.  Let everyone know that God has called your ministry into existence for the sole purpose of training up a generation of young people who know and love the Lord and those that God will use to transform the culture for His glory.  

Second, produce the mission.  A school’s mission statement is as good as the paper it is on if not carried out with intentionality.  Of course, we are dealing with humans so we cannot control the hearts of every parent, teacher, and student.  However, we can make sure that we hire God-fearing people who are passionate about the mission and are intentional in making sure that every program is laser focused on the mission. 

Third, partner with others who are like-minded.  Relationships are important and we must foster healthy relationships with parents in our schools, pastors in area churches, and those in our community.   Remember that Joseph and Daniel both found favor in the eyes of those that were not necessarily committed to Christ. When I was a head of school, my message to the parents was that everyone was a part of the development office.  If we as a school were unified in the mission and carrying it out, there were hundreds of parents and grandparents that were spreading the word about the school.  In some sense, we had hundreds of volunteers raising support for the mission God had called us to.  

Finally, praise the Lord!  In a social media driven world, we must be sure that as we share our successes, we give God all the glory.  As we faithfully obey and commit our lives to Him and praise Him for the work He does, God will continue to bless His ministries as He sees fit.