• Pre-School & Kindergarten Supply List
• 1st-3rd Grade Supply List
• 4th-6th Grade Supply List
• Junior & Senior Highschool Supply List

Remember to check the school calendar for upcoming school events.

Below are some useful resources and information regarding Central Maine Christian Academy.

• CMCA Student Handbook (printable booklet)
• CMCA Registration Packet

“ There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven….”
(Eccles. 3:1)

As we prepare for the end of the school year, enrollment, and next year, let us remember that God’s timing is perfect. The secret to having peace in our lives is to trust in His timing and accept it. If we doubt that God is at work, then we can resent the unexpected happenings that come up in our lives and school. Over the years, many events have occurred in my personal life and in the school ministry that I have not understood and have even doubted that God was at work in them. Yet, as I look back, I can now see that what I thought was an impossible situation was a time when God was especially at work. He has had a purpose and a plan for each season in my life and in the life of this ministry. Let us continue to trust in a God who loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us, so that we could have eternal life. How could we ask for anything more? And, in this season of preparations for ending the year and planning for another, let us continue to pray for His timing and direction. Please read the attached Christian Comment, and take heart!

Talent Show

You are invited to come and enjoy a night of fun and entertainment. All performances will be done by the CMCA students, friends, and family members.  Please join us at6:00 p.m., Tues. May 8, atEastAuburnBaptistChurch. Although this is a fund raising event, we will not be charging a set fee, but rather, we will be accepting donations at the door. Please feel free to invite friends and family members as well. Hope to see you there!

Senior Day/Graduation/ Closing Program

Graduation will be held on Sunday, May 20, at2:00p.m.at theSouthLewistonBaptistChurch.  Senior Day will be held on Tues., May 15, with all students invited to celebrate and have a piece of cake. Each class will have time to share cards, gifts, etc. with our graduates, who will be the only ones allowed to wear shorts to school on that day. Other students may wear modest length shorts on our last day of school, which is scheduled for Thursday, May 24, with school closing at11:30. Our Annual Closing Program will be held on Tuesday, May 22 at  6:00 p.m.to be held atEastAuburnBaptistChurch. All students are asked to attend.

Please pray for our seniors: Courtney and Zaq, asking God to bless them and to continue to direct them during this season of their lives.

Teacher Conferences/Incentives

Parent/teacher conferences will be scheduled for Wed. &Thurs. May 16 &17, classes closing at11:30both days for conferences. Final incentives/field trips will take place the last weeks of school, with students who have shown good behavior/ study habits  and are up to date with their work participating.

Parents’ Brunch May 6th

Our annual Parents’ Brunch will be held on Thursday, May 10, from7:30-8:30 a.m.Each student may invite one parent or adult friend to the brunch. Students are asked to help provide brunch foods, sign up sheets are at classroom doors.

Prayer and Praises

Prayer for conferences as teachers and parents review the work done by students this year and the Terra Nova  Achievement Test results. Praise the Lord for the friendships made this year and the ways we’ve grown in Him.

• Prayer for students and staff who are leaving for a season to go somewhere else, and for new ones to take their places.
• Prayer that staff and students will end this year well
• Praise the Lord for CMCA’s dedicated staff. Celebrate staff appreciation week , April 30th –  May 4th.

Please see the school calendar on our website for school events. 

It has been said that hindsight is 20/20. As I look back over the details of my life, there have been key periods of time when my faith grew by leaps and bounds. In fact, I would say that several of the “bad times” were really the “good times”! Let me explain.

Faith requires the believer to rely upon the grace and mercy of the Lord and to follow Him closely (see Psalm 32:8). Most of the time, we are tempted to think that as we walk through life we can go it alone. But when we lose a job or experience a financial setback or have a health issue that we know is beyond our control, suddenly we are unable to see around the corners in our life walk. Faith grows when we yield our will to the Lord’s (Romans 12:1–2). We walk by faith. When we cannot see from A to B down our path of life, we choose to walk with God.

Christmas 1999 I received a treasured gift from a dear friend, Dr. Henry Smith, president of Indiana Wesleyan University. His gift to me was a Bible—a One Year Bible. With the Bible came a card, which read:

Dear Brian:

When I saw you wave your tattered “One Year Bible” at the ACSI convention, I knew I wanted to give you a new one to remember IWU! Thank you for your service to IWU and for your strong and enduring friendship!

Cordially, Henry

I enjoy reading through this special Bible every year. This morning in my quiet time with the Lord I read Hebrews 11. Following a passage from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament is a passage from Psalms and a passage from Proverbs. The passage from Psalm 111:1 this morning read, “I will thank the Lord with all my heart” (NLT).

As I thought back over the details of my life, I thought of periods of time when Bonnie and I struggled while raising our children. I thought about the death of my father, and I thought about the career transition I went through as the Lord led me from K–12 Christian education to Christian higher education.

Our pastor, Matt Heard, has just completed a series on extravagant grace. As a congregation we have been on a journey together exploring, experiencing, and expressing God’s grace.

The mission of Woodman Valley Chapel, where Bonnie and I attend, is to “launch and strengthen a fleet of Christ-following communities who are compassionately sailing through a turbulent culture toward a deeper amazement of God’s grace.” Matt writes, “Amazement over the grace God has exhibited toward us through Christ is what feeds our response and our submission to Him. He took the first step toward us and our response of amazement to His graciousness is what should fuel our lives, our relationships, our fulfillment, our obedience and our stewardship of everything He’s given us…. God’s grace could be summarized as Him giving us not what we deserve but what we need.” The trouble is that sometimes what we want and what we need do not align.

During many of the most difficult times in my life, when I could not see from A to B, by God’s grace and to His glory I chose to walk by faith. Times of trial drove me to my knees in dependence on God. And you know what? He proved Himself faithful in every one of the most difficult circumstances of my life!

Listen to Matt’s closing words on this point: “To extravagantly lavish us with His grace for His glory. That’s God’s posture toward us through the person and work of Jesus Christ. ‘Amazing,’ you say? Exactly.”

Brian S. Simmons, President

Association of Christian Schools International

“The riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us…” Ephesians 1:7-8

 The enclosed Christian School Comment addresses an important subject, especially during re-registration time, with many of us going through some difficult times. It outlines some important factors in our decision-making process, and some things to consider as we walk by faith.  Many of us are looking towards leaner times. Let us pray for wisdom and guidance. He is able to lavish us with His provision, grace, and mercy in our times of need. We continue to see this happen over and over again in the ministry of CMCA, and it’s all for His honor and glory!

Re-registration Time and Handbook

March is re-registration time for students already enrolled at CMCA. The full re-registration fee for next year is $100.00: the first half ($50) is due by March 29th; the second half ($50) is due by May 15^th. We are also asking families to review the handbook that will be given to those who indicated that they will be re-enrolling for the next year, and to fill out the required forms for the re-registration process. All tuition and other fees need to be paid up to date before any child will be considered for re-enrollment.

ACSI TERRA  NOVA Achievement Tests

Terra Nova Achievement Tests will be given on Monday April 2 and Tuesday April 3. Students are asked to bring two #2 pencils and extra reading activities for these two days. They should come well rested. Achievement test fees of $20 need to be paid. ACSI has recommended the Terra Nova as the Stanford was updated and ACSI felt it is not of the high quality of the Terra Nova.

Chapel Awards

Chapel awards will be presented on Wed. March 28^h. The Honor Roll field trip to Dairy Queen will be on Thursday, March 29 from 11:15-12:30pm. Incentives and mid-quarters are scheduled for April 14^th.

Prayer and Praises

• Praise the Lord for a successful science fair and open house!
• Prayer for re-registration, staffing needs and His provision for staff and school families during tough financial times. Prayer for our Vineyard School friends as they seek His will for their next school year.
• Prayer for our nation and its leaders during these uncertain times.
• Prayer for the Terra Nova achievement testing program.

Reminders and Upcoming Events

• April vacation will be from April 14- April 22. ·Graduation will be held on Sunday, May 21. The closing program will be on Tues., May 22, with the last day of school on Thursday, May 24.
• Maine Academic Day, sponsored by ACSI, will be held in Bangor at the Bangor Christian School, on Friday, April 26. Top students in the math, science, and music areas will be invited to participate in the competition. Judges are also needed. We are pleased with the academic success of our students and wish them well, and ask that all would be done for His honor and glory!

Please see the calendar on our website for important scheduled school events.

March is Christian School awareness month and registration time. Our teachers strive to integrate the Christian faith into every part of learning that takes place during the school day. The Christian School Comment illustrates some of the results of Christian teachers equipping their students for tasks far greater than final exams or graduation. It is our prayer that our students will develop the kind of worldview that will cause them to go out and change the world for Him.

From the School Board and Faculty

March is re-registration time for students already enrolled at CMCA. Because our school family faces rising costs due to the economy, the school board has decided not to raise tuition for next year. The full re-registration fee for next year is $100: the first half ($50) is due by March 29, the second half ($50) is due by April 30^th. Registration opens to the public on April 2. We will be asking parents to indicate if students will be returning next year so that we may have indication of how to order materials for the fall classes, as well as to indicate to us how many spaces are open to new students. As parents and students consider the re-registration process, we ask that these following aspects be prayerfully considered:

1. Is the student committed to Jesus Christ and happy with the Christian goals and philosophy of the school?
2. Does the student have the self-discipline and academic skills necessary to succeed in the classroom?
3. Does the student respect the authority of teachers and principal and heed correction when given?
4. Do parents support the Biblical mandate to educate their child, reinforcing at home what is being taught at school, academically, spiritually, and socially, and is the tuition affordable?

Report Cards and Incentives

Ranks will close for the third quarter on Thurs. Mar 15 with report cards being sent home on Thurs. Mar. 22. Our incentive activity will be on March 15. In order to participate, students must have shown good study habits and classroom behavior, and have met all academic requirements.

Science Fair and Open House

Students are preparing for the science fair to be held Wed, March 21 from1:30-2:30, snow date Mar.22. Parents and friends are invited to attend. An enrollment open house will be held with the science fair. Please help us spread the news by posting the attached flyer in a store, business, church, or other public place and tell others about us!

Prayer and Praises

• Praise the Lord for the food, valentines, and special support from the students and the parents during valentine day activities.
• Praise the Lord for our ACSIMissions Penny Drive!
• Prayer for our staff and school families as the re-enrollment process begins for next year as well as teacher contract renewal.
• Prayer for Science Fair and open house.
• Prayer that the school family will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and put aside inappropriate things of the world.

Reminders and Upcoming Events

• Move-up days will be done every Wed. in March starting March 7.
• March Madness Days are happening!
  Crazy Hat/Hair Day (Mar. 1)
  Crazy Slipper/Sock Day (Mar. 10)
  Mix & Match Day (Mar. 15)
  Backwards Day (Mar. 22)
  Teddy Bear Day (Mar. 29)
• Looking ahead: Terra Nova Achievement Tests will be given to all students from Kindergarten and up, beginning Mon. April 2 and Tues. April 3. Students will need2 -#2 lead pencils, and extra reading materials.
• April vacation will be from April 13 -20.

Please see the calendar on our website for important scheduled school events.

Change—I look in the mirror and I see it. I look at my children and I see it. I look at my grass and I see it. I am reminded of a statement attributed to Benjamin Franklin: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” I would suggest that a more accurate version would be, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and change.”

Even as we sometimes grieve and worry over the certainty of change, we also go to great efforts to celebrate change. We are most wise when we capitalize on the certainty of it, particularly as it relates to our children. It is the reason that you as parents invest so heavily in Christian school education for your children. You recognize the inevitability of change, you know there is a particular direction you want that change to go, and so you have carefully selected the place you believe will produce the desired change in them.

Now that our own four daughters are grown and are each parenting children of their own, it is interesting for my wife and me to look back through the picture albums and the home videos and to recapture snippets of time. Often for the briefest moment we will pause and wish again for one of those times to be recaptured and frozen in place. Then we quickly realize that this phenomenon is not going to happen—nor should it.

Change can take different courses of direction, and some of them are sad. It is the recognition of this fact that so quickly sobers the thoughtful and caring parent. Often, a solemn reminder comes to my mind from Proverbs 22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (NIV). Here, Scripture gives a mandate: you, Mom and Dad, take responsibility for the change that is supposed to occur in your children. Know the way your children should go, and take the course of action to create that change.

In a pamphlet published by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), The Distinctives of Christian Schooling, Dr. Derek Keenan writes (2006; italics in original), “Schooling, no matter what type, shapes its students in significant ways. These ways cannot be separated or pulled apart, as some may think, but are all woven into the person that each child or young person is becoming. This shaping may be thoughtfully defined or ill defined, but no matter the intention of the school, the life of every student is being changed in these areas:

• Academics
  Thinking that includes knowing and understanding
• Skills
  Proficiency in using content and ideas
• Worldview
  Belief system about the world and how it works
• Spirituality
  Individual personhood and the core beliefs that control behavior

Change is inevitable, and the great news is that change can be very good.

Change is inevitable, and the great news is that change can be very good. Your Christian school, the education change agent that you have chosen, is strategically endeavoring to bring about change through an education process that strengthens the academics by integrating faith, that focuses on strengthening students’ skill development because there is a higher purpose for implementing those skills, that purposefully intends to develop in students a biblical worldview, and that nurtures students spiritually toward a love of God and a commitment to Him. I commend you for your choice of Christian schooling—an effective agent for change.

From the Principal’s Desk

“You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men…   (Matt. 5:13, 14,16)

The enclosed Christian School Comment from ACSI outlines the importance of the partnership between parents and staff in Christian education. The staff at CMCA greatly appreciates the support from parents that we are given and pray for parents and our school families in our daily devotions. During the months of January and February, our prayers also center around other families and Christian schools in the world who especially need God’s provision. January and February are Missions Emphasis Months. Students will be learning about missionaries who were the salt of the world and were not afraid to let their lights shine before men. We need to do the same as we have our annual penny drive to support the ACSI Missions Program. Each classroom will design a new penny bank to be set outside the classroom door by Mon. Jan. 9^th. There will be a pizza party for the class that raises the most money for missions. Pennies will count towards the class amount, while any dollar or silver coin will count against that amount. Other classes will be allowed to put silver and dollars bills into penny banks during snacks and recess breaks. The penny drive will be finished on Wed. Feb. 8^th, with classrooms having until Thursday Feb. 13^th to build up their amounts. We will have our Chapel missions program on Wed. Feb. 9^th. May we all be in prayer for hurting families around the world and support Christian school education and missions.

Winter Weather Notes

*Students need to dress warmly and appropriately for outside activities; this means that hats, mittens, gloves, boots, warm jackets, snow pants, etc. need to come to school. No student is excused form outside recess unless a physician has given prior notice or inclement weather exists and all students are inside.

*When Lewiston/Auburn schools are closed during the school day because of inclement weather, CMCA is automatically closed. On days when school is in session and hazardous traveling conditions exist, parents are asked to use their judgment in bringing their children to school. Students will not be considered tardy when arriving late because of hazardous traveling conditions. Parents will need to notify the school if their student will not be attending, and the student will be held responsible for any make-up work. In the event that school is closed on a Sam’s order day, the student’s order will be automatically transferred to that day on the following week.  Snow days will be made up on Fridays.

Praises and Prayer Requests

*Praise the Lord for the way that He allowed our final weeks before Christmas to go smoothly. Thank-you to staff, students, parents for the donations, gifts, and hard work that went into the Christmas program, the gingerbread houses, and nursing home visits.

*Let us continue to pray for ways that we can share Christ’s love and let our lights shine in our community and around the world.

*Pray for needed sponsors for our yearbook and direction as students and staff prepares it.

Reminders

*Students are reminded that cell phones, CDs, and other objects from home are not to be brought to school unless staff permission has been given.

*Parents and students are asked to review dress code policies.

Special Dates and Upcoming Activities

*Jan. 12^th end of quarter.

*Jan. 20^th report cards

*Jan. 16^th Martin Luther King Day- no school.

*Chapel Awards Jan. 25^th.

*Honor roll field trip to Dairy Queen, Jan. 26^th.

*Classroom incentives will be held on Thurs, Jan 26^th. Only those students who have shown good classroom work habits, acceptable behavior, and have their class work up to date will be allowed to participate.

*Feb. vacation –Feb 17-24, unless make up day on 17^th.

Please see the calendar below for important scheduled school events.

January Calendar

“And she shall bring forth a son and He will be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”

(Matthew 1:21)

The enclosed Christian School Comment reminds us why we celebrate the gift of Christmas. Jesus is the Light of the World! During these times of uncertainty, let us shine out His love to others so that they, too, may have hope and joy.

Winter Weather Notes

*Students need to dress warmly and appropriately for outside activities; this means that hats, mittens, gloves, boots, warm jackets, snow pants, etc. need to come to school. No student is excused form outside recess unless a physician has given prior notice or inclement weather exists and all students are inside.

*When Lewiston/Auburn schools are closed during the school day because of inclement weather, CMCA is automatically closed. On days when school is in session and hazardous traveling conditions exist, parents are asked to use their judgment in bringing their children to school. Students will not be considered tardy when arriving late because of hazardous traveling conditions. Parents will need to notify the school if their student will not be attending, and the student will be held responsible for any make-up work. In the event that school is closed on a Sam’s order day, the student’s order will be automatically transferred to that day on the following week.  Snow days will be made up on Fridays.

Praises and Prayer Requests

*Praise the Lord for the coat collection and other special projects that our students and families have been involved with during the month of November. Pray that the Lord will allow us to serve Him in other ways during this Christmas season.

*Prayer for staffing needs and His provision for staff and   school families during tough financial times.

*Prayer for safe traveling mercies as families travel during the holidays.

*Prayer for our nation and its leaders during these uncertain times.

*Prayer for yearbook sponsors to help bring down the cost of the publication of the yearbook.

Office Notes

*Yearbook sponsor collections need to be made by Jan 15^th, 2012. We are encouraging all students to bring in at least $50.00 in sponsors so that they can receive a free yearbook. Please contact Miss Megan Corff if you have any questions.

*Please be sure to have all tuition payments up to date by Dec. 15th, we need to close the schools books for the fiscal year.

*Our annual Trim-a-Tree Incentive will be held Thurs. Dec. 1.  Students who have shown good work habits and behavior will be allowed to participate in this activity. They   will be asked to bring in refreshments and game boards.

*All students are asked to bring in hard candy to decorate the gingerbread houses that we will be making for the nursing home on Mon. and Tues., Dec.5 & 6. We also are collecting milk and juice cartons for the houses. The field trip to the nursing home is tentatively planned for Dec.7^th. We are looking for parent volunteers to help with making gingerbread houses in each classroom.

*The annual Christmas program will be held on Tues., Dec. 13^th, (Snow date, Wed., Dec. 14^th), at Thomas Memorial Baptist Church. A dress rehearsal will be held at the church at 8:00 a.m. All students are asked to attend the program that night, arriving at 5:45 p.m. The program will start at 6:00 p.m.

*A gift exchange for students will be held on Thurs., Dec.15^th, for first grade and up. Students are asked to bring a gift valued at $5.00 or less, girls bringing a girl’s gift, labeled girl, and boys bringing a boy’s gift, labeled boy, signed with the student’s name. Students will also be asked to bring baked goods, popcorn, chips, and other refreshment items.

*School will be closed, Dec. 16^th for Christmas vacation, and will re-open on Tues., Jan. 3^rd, 2012. The CMCA staff wishes all school families a Merry Christmas. We continue to pray for God’s blessings upon “our” school family in our daily devotions. May He allow us to share the true meaning of this holiday season with our friends and loved ones.

*Please remember our service projects for December. There are collection boxes in the front of school for Toys for Tots and Coats for Kids.

Please see the December calendar for important scheduled school events.

The Christmas season has taken on disappointing characteristics in our highly secularized culture. ese characteristics include removing Christ-centered displays and using verbiage that eliminates references to the namesake of the season’s special day. Some businesses have removed the familiar and once prominently accepted greetings that include any reference to Christmas and instead have attempted to pretend the specially named day really is not. ese businesses give it a bland moniker such as “winter holiday.” My, what a threat this day must be to a secular culture.

It really is fascinating—try as secularists might to take Christ out of Christmas—that the popular and seemingly secular symbol of Christmas, Santa Claus, represents the work of God’s Son. Santa Claus remains pretty much OK probably because the spoilers have not figured out how to explain from their vantage point, or do not know, the gradual transition of St. Nicholas to Santa Claus. The real Nicholas was born in Patara, a Greek area that is now a part of the southern coast of Turkey. His parents were wealthy and devout Christians, who died when he was quite young. Nicholas dedicated his life to serving God, and he became the bishop of Myra as a young man. He used his entire inheritance to help the sick, the needy, and others who were suff ering. Because he was held in great esteem for his life and deeds, the anniversary of his death, December 6, AD 343, became known and celebrated as St. Nicholas Day.

In the 1800s, because of the work of artists and writers, St. Nicholas took on an elfi sh appearance and eventually a beard and a pipe. He gradually acquired a rotund appearance and a red suit. By the late 1800s, the saint’s name shifted to Santa Claus, “a natural phonetic alteration from the German Sankt Niklaus and Dutch Sinterklaas”. It must be noted though, when you dig down, he is still Nicholas, who modeled true giving and faithfulness—a result of his love for Christ.

And so, may I take this opportunity during the Christmas season to remind you of the importance of your choice of Christian schooling for your students? Your school is intent on indelibly imprinting the heart of Christmas on the heart of every one of its students—helping each student understand God’s gift of a Savior, one whose life would give us a taste of the kingdom of heaven and whose sacrifi cial death, undeserved, would provide redemption and eternal life.

Your Christian school is intent on integrating the kingdom of heaven into every aspect of living, on providing a richer depth and level of preparation for higher education, future vocation, and fullness of life.

Christmas is that wonderful opportunity to reexamine the boundless love of God for us, His creation. Your school is a place where the richest and deepest meaning of Christmas is honored and celebrated, where your children are reminded that the birth of the Savior not only opened the door to the family of God for all who choose Him but also opened the door to a new way of life—life having the fullest meaning, opportunity, and responsibility. Your Christian school is intent on integrating the kingdom of heaven into every aspect of living, on providing a richer depth and level of preparation for higher education, future vocation, and fullness of life.

Even in these most challenging economic times, a good investment is still a good investment, one that will pay dividends far, far into the future. Discipling and nurturing children in the fullness of their education is crucial. So even as we recognize the significant role of the school, we do most importantly recognize the work of God Himself in the life of a student. Dallas Willard writes in The Great Omission, “Well-informed human effort is necessary, for spiritual formation is not a passive process. But Christ-likeness of the inner being is not a merely human attainment. It is, finally, a gift of grace. The resources for it are not human, but come from the interactive presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who place their confidence in Christ” (2006, 105). That spiritual formation is Christian schooling’s greatest desire for your children.

May this Christmas be a celebration of the gracious gift from God—His Son, Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

More information: St. Nicholas Discovering The Truth About Santa Claus

Reference

Willard, Dallas. 2006. The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship. New York: HarperCollins.

Dr. John Blanchard is one of the great pioneers of Christian school education, having served as a national leader for many years. I felt honored a few days ago when he visited my office in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Some years before I had asked him, “What is the number one challenge in Christian education?” Without hesitation he said, “Keeping Christian schools Christian.” Through the years when people have asked me that question, I have given the same response: “Keeping Christian schools Christian.” Most likely that will always be the right answer to that question because Christian educational institutions have a long history of starting out Christ-centered and ending man-centered. For example, all of America’s ivy league colleges (Harvard, Yale, and others) were founded as Bible-centered institutions.

The “main thing” in Christian education is to teach and train in such a way that honoring Christ is clearly central to the school’s mission. The Bible says, “… that in all things he [Christ] might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18, KJV). That includes education. In a true Christian school, nothing is taught that offends Christ or is contrary to biblical principles. The faculty and staff are committed Christians and are fully committed to the school’s mission of inspiring students to become followers of Jesus Christ. It may sound strange to say it, but the Bible is not “on trial” in a Christian school! The Bible is respected and regarded as the infallible point of reference for all academic subjects and as the only reliable guide for Christian living. The noble objective of education is to impart truth to the next generation. There is no higher truth than biblical truth. When Jesus was praying to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane He said, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Staying true to the truth is “the main thing” in Christian school education.

It is amazing to me how many non-Christian colleges and schools quote John 8:32, “… the truth shall make you free,” in their logo or school crest. The only truth which that scriptural passage refers to is biblical truth. Sadly, the educators in those secular educational institutions think the word truth in their logo means man-made truth, or truth produced by human intellect. What an unfortunate distortion of the real truth.

I pray the day will never come when Christian school educators and the parents who support them will be so illiterate of the Bible that they will not understand the Bible verses long associated with their school. That need not happen if they will keep Christ in clear focus and keep the Word of God at the center of every subject area and school activity.

What applies to the Christian school also applies to the families our schools serve. Keeping “the main thing the main thing” is an everyday challenge at home as well. It is very difficult for a Christian school to inspire students to become mature followers of Christ if their home environment is not Christ-centered. Three institutions— home, school, and church—are major influences in the life of a child or young person. Unfortunately, a child will often gravitate to the institution with the lowest standards. If Christ and the Bible are not preeminent in the home, Christ and the Bible will not be the main thing in the life of a child. In this busy world of ours, it is easy for parents to get so caught up in their work, their friends, and their personal interests that they lose sight of the “main thing” of raising their children to bring honor to Christ.

Former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong of Colorado said, “What is the profit to America if we have endless economic prosperity, computers and a hundred channels of television in every home … if our families are shattered, our children corrupted?” Psychologist David Meyers talks about how easy it is for parents to get caught up in America’s “long-term social recession” resulting from our “self-indulgent tendencies”: do your own thing; greed is good. The only thing in this life we will take with us to heaven is our children, provided they have become believers in Christ. Heaven help us, as parents, if we live out our lives in such a way that our children, following our example, don’t make it to heaven….

Keeping “the main thing the main thing” is the major mission of Christian homes and Christian schools. It is difficult for some people to accept the words of Jesus when He said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scattereth abroad”  (Matthew 12:30). In other words, there is no middle ground regarding Christ. Either you are for Christ or you are, on purpose or by default, against Him. I urge you to be wholeheartedly for Christ. Literally allow Him to become preeminent in your life and in your family. Allow the teachings of Christ as revealed in the Bible to become the centerpiece of your home. You won’t regret it! I’m praying for you!

The message is timeless—and as urgent today as it was then.

Brian S. Simmons, President
Association of Christian Schools International

Central Maine Christian Academy is committed to Christian education. All of the staff at the Academy are dedicated Christians and desire to assist parents in teaching their children and believe each child to be a gift from God, nurtured for Him.

The Christian Academy is located in Lewiston, Maine and enrolls children from Preschool to High School. Central Maine Christian Academy offers a daycare and after school care program to the Lewiston / Auburn community and it’s surrounding areas.

Please call 207.777.0007 for more information regarding a private, non-denominational Christian school education.