Worships the Lord in the congregation
Education between Monday and Friday (though important) is not the focal point of the week. Rather, the Lord’s Day should be considered as such. The emphasis during the school week is not only to train children in God’s truth but to look forward and prepare ourselves for the following Sunday at our respective churches. By faith we offer up to Him all that we’ve put our hands to during the week, and we do so knowing that He will be pleased with the works of our hands and bless it further as we offer it in faith with fellow members of the body (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Assumes responsibility for their child’s development
Agape Christi Academy exists as an extension of Christian families in the biblical command to raise children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We recognize and respect the fact that parents, not the school, ultimately have the biblically-mandated responsibility for the education of their children (Ephesians 6:4). We require parents to be active supporters of the educational process. Think about how to employ Deuteronomy 6:6 in the training of your children: when you drive along the road, when you sit down to dinner, as you send them to bed, and when you greet them for breakfast.
Assumes responsibility for personal development
Jesus said a student will be like his teacher. If parents assume the role of their child’s primary teacher and yet neglect their own education and maturity in Christ, this will send the message to the child that learning is something to graduate from. We do not think of the final year at Agape Christi as a graduation from learning, rather a commencement to experiencing greater knowledge and wisdom in Christ himself and his creation. While the form and content of your education will change with seasons of life, the idea is to “press on” in Christian maturity (Philippians 3:14) and to set our minds on what is true, noble, and lovely.
Has an appreciation for classic works
We live in progressive times where the prevailing sentiment is out with the old, in with the new. The latest super hero flick is valued over a dramatic classic film. Take-out pizza wins over home-cooked meals. Fortnite is played more than chess. Closets are filled with only trendy clothes. Instead of automatically consuming the easiest, quickest, fastest, shiniest, most popular thing, a classics lover looks for what will nourish the soul and provide food for thought. Classicists have a passion for the preservation of the good, old things.
Commits to Biblical methods of child-rearing
Assuming responsibility before God for their child’s development does not mean parents have the freedom to utilize any parenting methods the world has to offer. Rather, our loving Father gives instructions to parents on how to raise the children He entrusts to them. Some of these methods may not be in line with how you were raised; nevertheless, parents are called to be conduits of God’s discipline and grace. For more information on biblical child-rearing, we recommend reading Douglas Wilson’s Standing on the Promises, Ted Tripp’s Shepherding a Child’s Heart, or Lou Priolo’s Teach Them Diligently.
Incorporates habit-training at home
Children thrive on routine. Parents can greatly bless their children by establishing good habits at home. Particularly, having a morning and afternoon routine in place before the first day of school will keep your home running smoothly and minimize your family stress level during the first few weeks transitioning to school. Some specific habits for children to work on at home are: getting plenty of sleep, leaving an area better than you found it; listening with eyes, ears, heart; obeying right away, all the way, cheerfully; being quick to forgive and seek forgiveness; and completing homework diligently. For more ideas on creating healthy habits in your home, we recommend reading Habits: The Mother’s Secret of Success by Charlotte Mason.
Enjoys being together
The family unit is designed as a model of Trinitarian unity. This means that how husband and wife interact with each other and their children will speak either truthfully or falsely about who God is. For a family to model the mutual love and affection of the triune God, particularly in this age, is to be salt and light to the world. We cannot let the rigor of academics or the fun of after-school activities usurp the family unit. Read with your children (of all ages), play chess, have tea parties, play soccer, make meals, visit the elderly, do yardwork, sing together, have a family laundry-folding party, join your child for lunch or recess…the list of things to do together is endless!
Develop relationships with teachers and parents
The best learning doesn’t take place in a sterile environment, but in a thriving community of people who know how to love each other from the heart. Ways to build community include maintaining regular communication (in a Biblical fashion) with teachers and staff, attending morning assemblies, opening your home to other families and teachers for fellowship, gathering to pray for one another, discussing books with other parents, volunteering in the classroom, helping with school events, and carpooling children.