Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
To declare the glorious truth of the resurrection is to proclaim the lordship of Jesus Christ over all things. For, by “raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” the Father exalted the Son “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Eph 1:21).
As believers, we not only worship the risen Savior, but also the reigning Savior—the King of kings and Lord of lords. We submit every part of our lives to Him, seeking to be faithful even as the world grows increasingly dark and hostile. Like Peter explained to his readers, every Christian is called to “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15). The lordship of Christ encompasses every category of life; and we give evidence of that reality when we defend the truth of the gospel and declare the hope that is in us.
One critical way our church can do that is by investing in the hearts and minds of the next generation of young people. That is why our elders established Grace Academy last year, to provide parents with a God-honoring alternative to the destructive and deceptively dangerous ideas taught in government schools. Since starting Grace Academy, we have been overwhelmed by the positive response from parents who have reiterated the desperate need for this vital ministry.
As we look ahead, the demand for Christian education beyond primary school represents the next area of opportunity. To that end, we are already working to launch Grace Academy High School in 2024 which will make it possible for our church to provide a complete education from kindergarten through high school, preparing students for undergraduate and post-graduate studies. This will include a dual enrollment program with The Master’s University and Seminary so that we can offer our students the most faithful education with the greatest efficiency.
One next endeavor will be to take the Grace Academy model and make it available to other churches around the nation. At this year’s Shepherds Conference, pastors expressed the need to come alongside the families in their congregations and offer the kind of Christian education that Grace Academy has developed. Our plan is to assemble a team of highly-skilled, doctrinally-sound educators who will craft the curriculum to assist other churches in fulfilling the same goal—to educate the next generation in light of God’s truth.
As you can imagine, reaching this goal will require a significant investment of time, energy, and financial resources. But there is no question it is worth that investment. Rather than passing the cost on to parents, I want to present this opportunity to you to partner with us in ensuring that our children are brought up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
Thank you for your faithfulness to the Lord’s work.
Love in the Truth,
John and Patricia