Every few years, the North American Division (NAD) comes up with a theme for Christian education. One focus was that we were all on a “Journey to Excellence.” Then came the theme, “Something Better,” based on Education, p. 296, where it states: “Something better is the watchword of education.”
These are wonderful words to help us remember why we are here as Adventist educators. But recently, I was at the Atlantic Union Conference office for meetings, and our education director shared a theme that was used for Academy Connect, as well as for the union meetings, that resonated with me like no other theme: “All In.” As those words were shared, bits and pieces of memories began floating in my mind of the times in my life when I was all in for Adventist education.
I remember when I was determined to provide a Christian education for my three children. It started with homeschooling and then led to boarding academy. Homeschooling was not popular at the time, and boarding academy was beyond our reach financially. But I did both because Christ had called me, and I was willing to face any consequences because I was all in.
As I ponder the meaning of all in, I need to ask myself if I am all in as an education superintendent. Am I as committed to our schools, teachers, and students as I was to my children’s education many years ago? When I accepted this position, did I acknowledge that this was a calling from God, and was I truly all in?
As I think about our teachers, who are struggling to meet the demands of educating for eternity when so many children are behind academically or suffering with post-pandemic emotional issues, or just struggling from trying to survive in this challenging world, I wonder, are we all in to offer encouragement and support to them?
Then there are our parents, who are grappling with how to navigate as Adventists in this complex world, trying to pay rising rent or mortgages, buying food and other necessities with growing inflation, and trying to find the financial resources to send their kids to our schools. Again, I must ask, are we all in to support them?
What about our churches, who scramble to find ways to pay the teacher salaries, wondering how they will meet their local church budgets and not get into debt to their local conferences while operating a school? Are other churches willing to assist them? Are church members willing to donate their time and talents to our schools? Are pastors willing to spend time with our kids? Are we all in?
What about the conferences, unions, or the NAD? Are they willing to do whatever it takes to retain and support our teachers and keep our schools open? Are we all in?
I think that all of us can admit that at one time or another, we have not been all in for Adventist education, and this very thought frightens me as a Christian, because we are on the edge of eternity. I wonder how many of our children could be potentially lost because we were not all in for Adventist education.
As we contemplate the God-given task of educating our children for eternity, at times, it can be most overwhelming. Yet it is during these moments that we are reminded that we are not alone. We can be assured that God will give us the grace to accomplish the work if each of us is willing to be all in for Christian education.
