How to Foster Peace and Respect in Our Schools After the Election

How to Foster Peace and Respect in Our Schools After the Election

At the time of this writing, I do not know who will win the election. But, I am sure some will celebrate the results, while others will be disappointed, even despairing. Regardless of the outcome or whom we voted for, I am writing to encourage us to respond with hearts and minds at peace, trusting God, who ‘removes kings and sets up kings.’ I’m also writing to encourage us to show respect for all, neither gloating over nor demeaning the ‘other side.’

Elections and the Providence of God

In Ephesians 4:14, Paul warns us against being tossed back and forth by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine. While this verse explicitly addresses doctrinal stability, we can apply it to all life’s circumstances, including the outcome of an election. Though the world is frequently in turmoil with political strife, God calls his people to remain firmly anchored in an unwavering trust in His good and wise providence.

Providence is a word seldom used by contemporary Christians. That is unfortunate because understanding the doctrine of providence can bring peace to anxious hearts and minds.

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Student Discipline: A Biscuit Has Two Sides

Student Discipline: A Biscuit Has Two Sides

“Dr. Mosbacker, how many sides does a biscuit have?” I was perplexed and amused by the question. “Two,” I replied with a puzzled grin. “Right, and so does nearly every student disciplinary case.”

This seasoned, southern administrator was reminding me to investigate thoroughly the facts before making important student disciplinary decisions.

Over the years, I’ve learned how wise and valuable that advice is! Things are not always as they seem at first hearing.

We are prone to jumping to conclusions upon hearing about a student's alleged inappropriate conduct. Doing so is dangerous. Two verses in Proverbs speak of the folly of premature assumptions: “_If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame\_” (Proverbs 18:13), and “_The one who states his case first seems right until the other comes and examines him” (Proverbs 18:17). James gives similar advice, “_Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak_” (James 1:19).

Practical Advice for Examining Both Sides of the Biscuit

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The Heart of the Christian in the Heat of an Election

The Heart of the Christian in the Heat of an Election

 We live in an intense period of division and conflict in American society. Americans are increasingly segregated into blue and red camps, each loathing the other and convinced that the “other side” is evil and out to destroy the country. Many people do not put political stickers on their cars or political signs in their yards for fear of reprisal. Most would not wear a MAGA hat in a New York subway or a “Vote for Biden” t-shirt in the heart of Texas.

As our attention turns to the election of a President, the rhetoric and slander will heat up. Pundits will pour contempt on the “other side,” and social media will be a cesspool of conspiracy theories, mutual loathing, and AI-generated fake stories and videos. The media will focus on the political horse race instead of reasoned discussion around the critical issues facing Americans and our nation.

As the election approaches, we must step back from the alarmist agitation of 24-hour cable news, the anxiety of social media, and the hysterical hyperbole that dominates an election season. Let's pause and consider how we should conduct ourselves as responsible, engaged, and respectful Christian citizens.

The foundational principle upon which our Christian schools are built is teaching students to think biblically about everything. This begins with us. As Jesus said: “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:39ff). We are all, in various ways, teachers for our children and our students. What we say and how we behave influences their thinking and behavior.

As we navigate this election year, I want to share a few biblical principles to guide our conduct as Christians. By following these principles, we can engage passionately and faithfully in the political process in a way that honors Christ, upholds the witness of the gospel, and is a godly example for our children and students. 

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Have you Read Them Lately?

Have you Read Them Lately?

While on vacation, my wife and I attended an Independence Day Celebration held in a replicated colonial village constructed of original log cabins, a Continental Army Encampment, and other structures. The event also included a Patriot vs Loyalist debate and a public reading of the Declaration of Independence.

The reading inspired me to reread the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Familiarity with our Founding Documents is essential for inoculating us against political and media manipulation and propaganda.

For your convenience, I am providing a transcription of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

Taking time to reread these documents of freedom is a small price to pay for being a well-informed citizen prepared to defend our hard-won liberties against those who would undermine them.

When was the last time your students read these documents rather than reading about them?

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The Shepherding Leader: Lead in the Power of our Good Shepherd

The Shepherding Leader: Lead in the Power of our Good Shepherd

In the winter of 2023, I began interviewing candidates for our Elementary Principal opening.   Wanting to cast a wide net, I had many initial Zoom conversations with applicants.  During those virtual meetings, I found myself drawn to several candidates who specifically referred to the concept of “shepherd" as they spoke of their administrative experience as well as their desired future.  That may be because I am a ruling elder in the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) where the call to shepherd God's people is a continuous refrain.  It may be because I desire so strongly to be a shepherd-leader in my school (in all of life really).  Or it may be that I so often feel inadequate as a shepherd and long to see others for others around me to show me the way.  Truth be told, it is likely the combination of all the above.

As I have pondered the concept of "leader as shepherd," my mind quickly goes to a few folks who have shepherded me well.

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6 Simple, Free Ways to Go from Ragged and Rundown to Rested and Renewed

6 Simple, Free Ways to Go from Ragged and Rundown to Rested and Renewed

The demands of leading a school can be relentless. Long days are filled with presentations to prepare and deliver, conferences to attend, parent and staff meetings, conflict management, board and donor meetings, writing reports, project planning, strategic planning and new program development, managing school finances, conducting interviews, and attending school events Then there are the phone calls, never-ending emails, and text messages.

Long hours with too much to do is typical for leaders. The Harvard Business Review reports that CEOs work an average of 9.7 hours on weekdays and 79% average 3.9 hours on weekend days. They also work on 70% of their vacation days, averaging 2.4 hours daily. Working 9-12 hours on weekdays and more on weekends, holidays, and vacations can be physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually tiring and lead to exhaustion.

Being Tired vs Being Exhausted

It is essential to distinguish between being tired and being exhausted. Tiredness results from working hard, caring for our families and homes, and serving others. This is a good tired that comes from doing good work. Solomon tells us, "Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much" (Ecclesiastes 5:12). The sleep of a laborer is sweet because it is earned through hard work. A good day's labor leads to a good night’s sleep. Leonardo da Vinci is attributed to having said, "As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death." The gospels record several instances in which the disciples kept falling asleep after a long, tiring day of ministry, “He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy (Matthew 26:43).

Fatigue, conversely, is a state of constant mental or physical exhaustion that negatively impacts our work, relationships, and cognitive, physical, and spiritual health. It is a state of depletion. Exhaustion often manifests itself in depression, lack of motivation, frustration, and cynicism.

How to Avoid Exhaustion or Recover from It

The aphorism “Too much of a good thing can be bad” is often attributed to William Shakespeare, who wrote something similar in As You Like It. In Act 4, Scene 1, the character Rosalind says, “Can one desire too much of a good thing?” This rhetorical question suggests that even positive things can become detrimental when taken to excess. This includes work. John Ruskin says, “For people to be happy in their work, these three things are needed: they must be fit for it; they must not do too much of it; and they must have a sense of success in it [emphasis added]."

Six ounces of prevention

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It’s Admission Season, Time to Unlock the Doors to the Good Life

It’s Admission Season, Time to Unlock the Doors to the Good Life

I vividly remember my sixteenth Christmas. Like most 16-year-olds of my generation, I couldn’t wait to drive and experience the independence and freedom that owning a car would bestow on me. Because my family was of modest means, I was not expecting a shiny new sports car. I was only wishing for a car, any car. 

When Christmas morning finally arrived, I bounded downstairs with eager anticipation, hoping to see a car in the driveway. 

Nothing. 

I was not utterly surprised, but I was profoundly disappointed. 

Once everyone was downstairs and my parents had retrieved their badly needed cup of coffee, a prerequisite to opening presents, we proceeded with the Christmas ritual. After opening our gifts, I found myself, like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, appreciative of the presents I’d received but feeling a twinge of guilty disappointment deep within. I knew getting a car for Christmas was a long shot, but, as Alexander Pope wrote in An Essay on Man, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.”1

While everyone inhaled warm, delightfully decadent cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven and excitedly examined their new treasures, my father called to me. He pointed to a small box obscured by the thick Christmas tree skirt. “Barrett, it looks like we missed one. Go get it and see whose it is.” Assuming it was a small gift for one of my younger siblings, I rose slowly and meandered to the tree to retrieve the box. To my surprise, it was for me. Having abandoned the hope that a car was in the offing for Christmas, I opened it with nonchalant appreciation.

Keys! 

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Five Essential Communication Skills for Calming Conflict

Five Essential Communication Skills for Calming Conflict

When facing a difficult conversation with an employee or parent, do you feel a nervous pit deep in your gut? I do, and I’ve been in the Christian school business for a long time! Facing a difficult conversation with a problematic person never gets easy, but it can get easier.

Over the years, I’ve learned to fine-tune the way I prepare for and enter into difficult conversations. I’ve also realized that how I communicate can be as important, and sometimes more so, than what I say.

Effective communication is a leader’s most important skill and responsibility. The ability to persuade, inspire, connect, calm, correct, and teach depends on communication skills. We are responsible for communicating our school’s mission and values persuasively. We share biblical truth and how it applies to people, programs, and policies. We communicate in groups and individually with parents, staff, and students. And we often find ourselves speaking into conflict and controversy. The ability to communicate is a wondrous gift and a powerful tool. James reminds us, “The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things (James 3:5). We are told in Proverbs, “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!” and “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver (15:23; 25:11).

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Lost Virtue Words Our Students Need to Rediscover

Lost Virtue Words Our Students Need to Rediscover

Words matter a lot. Words matter because they carry meaning and value and mold individual and cultural behavior. Words reflect and shape worldviews.

The clearest way to see through a culture is to attend to its tools for conversation … one must begin, I think, by pointing to the obvious fact that the written word … has a content … whenever language is the principal medium of communication—an idea, a fact, a claim is the inevitable result. The idea may be banal, the fact irrelevant, the claim false, but there is no escape from meaning when language is the instrument guiding one’s thought ... words have very little to recommend them except as carriers of meaning.⁠

When we change words, we change meaning. When we change meaning, we change thinking. When we change thinking, we change worldviews and values. And, when we change worldviews and values, we change cultures. This is why English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton  proclaimed, "The pen is mightier than the sword."⁠

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