More and more people are looking for alternatives to public education. We invited our friend, Jerry Nelson, Chief Ministry Officer at ACSI to share about the pros and cons of Christian schools. What are some important things to look for to see if it's a good fit for your family? Plus, we asked Jerry about ACSI's vision to put discipleship and biblical unity before diversity.
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Jerry Nelson, the Chief Ministry Officer at the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), joined us to talk about ACSI’s recent shift in the organization. At ACSI, Jerry’s main responsibilities are to elevate God’s Word and prayer. He oversees spiritual formation, Biblical worldview development and integration, Biblical unity, diversity, and social engagement, and the elevation of the Great Commission.
What is ACSI?
Mission: ACSI exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ
The largest Christian school association in the world
Offers a variety of services to its member schools, which includes 2,200 in the US and 168 internationally, and untold numbers of global national schools
Services include professional development, accreditation, legal legislative department, certification of teachers, online education, and more!
What should parents consider in a Christian education?
First, all Christian schools are not created equal! Parents must do their due diligence and vet every school carefully!
Generally two types:
1. Covenant school–at least one parent needs to be a professing Christian and be actively involved in a church
2. Open enrollment–open to anyone, but likely involves a contractual agreement that the parents will uphold the policies of the school
Parents need to ask themselves: what is my goal for my family and how does that extend to my kids?
Look at the school’s mission, vision, core values of the school, and the expected student outcomes (doctrinal statement, policies)
Look for competent and committed teachers (certification and tenure of teachers)
What is the level of parental engagement?
Ask open-ended questions (eg What do you think about DEI? What if my child were to disclose gender confusion?)
Resources:
ACSI has many resources available to families. Check out the "Find a School" tab to locate an ACSI-approved school near you:
For guidance on spiritual formation, check out the many resources available:
To download the ACSI Statement on Unity, click here: https://www.acsi.org/unity
Our forthcoming book is available for pre-order!
Go to the book's website to get all the info and check out the trailer!
Impact 360 has exceptional programs available for your high schooler and young adult. Check out their website:
Connect with the Guest:
Connect with Jerry Nelson at ACSI:
Email: jerry_nelson@acsi.org
Sponsor:
Tonight's show is brought to you by the Center for Biblical Unity, Theology Mom podcast, Family 210 Clothing, and Impact 360!
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