Thursday, March 5, 2009

A "big picture" for Christian school development

This may be helpful as a starting point to help with the overall focus we need to develop and maintain.

Our Philosophy of Development
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We start with the knowledge that God owns it all. (1), (2)

We are to honor the Lord with our lives, including our material possessions.

We believe that generous giving is the Biblical norm, not the exception (3).
We challenge donors to give liberally to Kingdom causes. We urge donors to do prayerful giving to the school(and to God’s work in other ministry), not for tax benefits or for personal recognition.

Lastly, while we know that giving is commanded in the scriptures, it is also a joyous act (4). Therefore, the gift to the school provides a two-fold blessing, to both the giver and the school as a recipient.

We believe that giving to the school puts a great responsibility on us as a school as a recipient of donors’ giving.

1. We will work to make the school worthy of Kingdom investment

2. We scrutinize our message and methodologies against not what works, but against God-honoring principles

3. We will also practice integrity and make ourselves accountable to external examination through full annual accounting audits

Finally, we are to have a good testimony in the community we serve, to the believer and especially the unbeliever so that they would seek the reason for our faith and have a desire to know our Savior Jesus personally.

Mission
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The mission of the school’s advancement function is to raise awareness of and resources for this Christian school that equips students with skills to pursue excellence through Christ in every area of life.

Vision
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The vision of the advancement function is to:

1. Bless the donor in their faith walk

2. Encourage and educate the community in Biblical generosity

3. Provide resources to the school so that it can execute its mission with excellence

4. Demonstrate the school’s value to the community (including the churches from which we have students)

5. Provide resources that would bless other Christian schools


(1) 1 Chr. 29:11 "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all."

(2) 1 Chr. 29:12 "Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. 13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. 14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand."

(3) Matt. 6:19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

(4) 2 Cor. 9:7 “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

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