by Adam Kronberger / Head of School

This past month over 100 students from prospective families visited our 2 campuses during Open Houses and campus tours. It is so much fun to host interested families and introduce them to the Crosshill community! But for our staff to truly tell our story well, they must be excellent at bragging. But not bragging as the world defines bragging. The prophet Isaiah instructs us to not boast in our perceived wisdom, or in our perceived strength and power, or in our perceived riches. But rather we should “boast in this, that he understands and knows me (God), that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Every good thing that happens on our campuses is a direct result of the leading of the Lord, and that is something to brag about!

You might be wondering how I prepare our humble staff to boldly boast in the Lord. The training I provide is actually quite easy. I simply tell them to talk to you, our Crosshill families. You are the source of so much encouragement and constant testimonies of God at work. In fact, most of the families interested in our community are first sold on our school through conversations with you. With well over 90% retention from year to year, our families’ committed devotion to God in the Crosshill community is very attractive.
  
We rejoice that God continues to clearly provide instructions to our community of parents, leaders, and teachers about His will. Our mission is to train disciples. Our message is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our method is thousands of hours of life-on-life relationships through schooling, partnerships, and amazing activities. Yet at times, we can all fall short of God’s plans. But Jesus himself declares to us that His power is made perfect in our weakness, and so we should continue to brag even in our weaknesses (2 Cor. 12:9)! 

As prospective families spoke with me this month, they specifically stated a desire for their children to experience discipleship training on a daily basis. They were excited about a school that not only emphasizes salvation for their children, but a compassion and passion for the Good News to reach the lost. They are looking for a support system to partner with, led by the Lord. Pray with us that we continue to grow into the community that God desires!

by Adam Kronberger / Head of School

In our house we have a standing appointment each night at the dinner table for homework help. Quality time, practical tutoring, and plenty of unhealthy snacks are par for the course. For our family and probably many other families, much of the homework help surrounds the subject of math. For even the best of students, there is always a challenging problem that can stump a student...and a parent. As a math teacher I often experience a frustrating habit among students asking for help in my class. It often goes like this…

Student “Can you help me with #32?”

Teacher “Sure, what is the problem asking?”

Student “I don’t know.”

Teacher “Did you write the problem down? Did you draw a picture? Did you read the question more than once?”

Student “No, no, and no.”

A good math teacher will tell the passive student to spend more time investigating the math problem before asking for help. While it may seem a bit harsh, the teacher knows that teaching can only go so far without the student personally engaged in the learning. And the teacher is not leaving the student hung out to dry, for the teacher understands what the student knows and doesn’t know, and will fill in the blanks as needed.

Sometimes in life it is easy to give up on a challenge without putting any serious effort into it. There is no greater challenge that we face in life than the constant sin that plagues us. If you think quadratic equations are tough, try being perfect!  And God does not give us a pass either, as Paul reminds us to “continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). 

Just like the math teacher, God wants us to do are part. But how can that accomplish anything? Paul describes this in the next verse (Philippians 2:13) “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Just as the math teacher has the knowledge, God has all the power. And just as the student must practice the knowledge that is taught, the believer must work God’s transforming power into their own lives.

There is an exciting phenomenon that often happens in a math classroom as the year proceeds. A student leaves their desk to ask the teacher for help, and just as they approach the teacher’s desk the light bulb goes off in their head on how to answer the problem and they return to their seat satisfied without even asking a question! The teaching and training of the teacher has taken its full effect in the active learning of the student. Even when they think they need help, they just need some time to reflect and synthesize what they have been taught. In the same way, as each of us actively approaches God with all of life’s troubles, the answers can arrive just on time through His Spirit having its full effect in our lives. At the core of working out one’s one salvation is a daily standing appointment with God...unhealthy snacks allowed.

by Adam Kronberger / Head of School

My family was recently blessed with our first quick trip to Hawaii.  As we exited the plane on the Kona airport tarmac, we immediately experienced a degree of Hawaiian culture shock.  Beads of sweat quickly formed on our brows at the open-air airport as warm sunshine was to be found everywhere. Within hours we realized that many items would remain in our suitcase (socks, shoes, sweatshirts) until we returned to PDX.  Our natural daily rhythm had to adjust quickly to the time delay.  We were required to quickly decipher street signs with multiple vowels and limited consonants.  Cost of goods, high surf warnings, and local traffic patterns became important details.

Can you imagine trying to reject Hawaiian culture and not embrace it upon arriving on the island? Perhaps by someone wanting to bring their Pacific Northwest culture to the middle of the Pacific? They might continue wearing their layered rain jacket, knitted beanie, and rainproof  pants with wool socks, hiking boots, and no sunglasses (or sunscreen).  They might not adjust to island time, but continue operating on their own unique Pacific time zone. Perhaps they might choose to boycott any groceries disagreeable to Winco prices (and probably starve).  But who would be that silly to reject Hawaiian culture after receiving the blessing to visit the island?

The writer of Hebrews insists, “Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (12:28-29). As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we should not participate in the more serious silliness of rejecting His Kingdom culture by staying satisfied with the culture of this world.  We must remember the enemy’s limited dominion over this world is to destroy us, while Christ came to give us life abundantly. This requires daily attention and focus to choose which culture to embrace.  His consuming fire will refine us through teamwork, or burn us through rebellion. 

The first couple of days in Hawaii we were constantly looking for air conditioned spaces while we experienced some painful sunburns.  But in less than a week, our bodies became accustomed to the heat as our skin adjusted and welcomed the Vitamin D. We gladly  let go of our Salem January habits as we naturally began to embrace the Hawaiian culture. Walking as a citizen in the kingdom of God also becomes natural when we deliberately make His Kingship a priority in our lives.

Like wearing a hooded sweatshirt to the Hawaiian beach would be miserable, attempting to fit in with this world and the Kingdom of God can also be miserable. In each of our lives and the lives of our children, there are old habits of this world that do not belong in the Kingdom of God. I have a great t-shirt that proves that I have been to Hawaii.  But I am obviously still an Oregonian through and through.  May we not be T-shirt Christians only, living a life that only vacations in God’s Kingdom. But may we gladly throw off the insulation of this world which keeps us at a distance from God, and may we walk in the Kingdom of God daily under bright skies from the Son.