by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy? This rhetorical question is the foundation of Gary Thomas’ book “Sacred Marriage”. After 18 years of marriage, I can certainly validate uncountable moments of happiness. But to Gary Thomas’ point, the fruit of marriage is costly and requires teamwork, sacrifice, and growth in holiness from both individuals and it is certainly worth it. Though if had I been the author of marriage, I would have made the experience require much less change from each individual, especially me. But fortunately I am not God, and his plan for marriage has infinite opportunity for transformation in each other’s lives.

Another marriage has existed between Church on the Hill and Crosshill Christian School for the past 25 years. This relationship has also experienced many moments of happiness, and has required constant teamwork, sacrifice, and growth. At times, it might have seemed easier for the two ministries to no longer work together but focus on their missions individually. Yet, what if God designed Church on the Hill and Crosshill Christian School to function together on two campuses to make disciples together?

This question is hardly rhetorical. Twenty-five years of discipleship training combined as we continually seek God’s will continues to confirm God’s amazing plan for Christian schooling on our campuses. What might appear on the surface to many as crazy, God has developed to be strategic. And just like marriage, in order to successfully bring two different identities together, transformation must constantly happen. In short, the church body is better for having a school, and the school community is better for being supported by a church. It seems each week we rejoice in the good work God is doing through the communities of both church and school. And with over 65 churches represented in the CCS student body, the team and transformation is diverse and strong.

God invented education when in Genesis 1:28 he instructed mankind to subdue the earth and have dominion over it. For centuries, the church was at the center of passing down the truth of God’s creation from one generation to another through education. The partnership of Church on the Hill and Crosshill Christian School continues this rich   tradition to guide disciples to no longer be conformed to the patterns of this world but but be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2).  

Both Church on the Hill and Crosshill Christian School continue to update facilities on both campuses, and currently are in the middle of expanding the south campus. The motivation behind these decisions come from fulfilling our responsibility to build God’s Kingdom, to this generation and generations behind us. Lead Pastor Bruce Stefanik, Executive Pastor Jason Treadwell, and I spoke at a recent church service detailing the history of the church and school and the current vision for the future. This presentation can be found online at: tinyURL.com/CCSDeepandWide
 
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– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

During my college years, I spent much of my free time at the Dixon Recreation Center on campus playing basketball, lifting weights, and sitting in the hot tub. One evening, the boys on my floor headed over to the the rec center and saw a new room outfitted with ping pong tables. We all decided to do a short competitive tournament. Looking back now, I realize that most of us were terrible ping pong players, but we each thought we were pretty hot stuff, especially me. After making it through the first couple of rounds, I faced up against a fellow floormate Sasa Petrovic, who was on the Beaver basketball team and happened to be 6’8”. I had not seen him play yet and prepared myself for another victory. I will never forget what Sasa said after a minute of volleying: “Are you for real?” I realized in short order his remark was not a compliment, but sheer surprise out how bad I was at ping pong. I don’t think I scored a point against him.

Humbling experiences like that are necessary training for growth and maturity. I realized I was terrible at ping pong. But how? It wasn’t for a lack of trying. When the opportunities to play had been made available, I was not flippant or lazy, but entirely focused. I reflected on other areas of my life that I had experienced success and failure and the answer became obvious. There is a clear difference between trying and training.  While a few things might have come easy to me based upon my makeup, true success had been the result of a strategic investment of time and energy into a plan that was designed to produce success.

Training is a habit that has spiritual application to all areas of our lives. The apostle Paul instructs “As you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). The call for obedience implies that there are commands, or a plan, to follow. God’s Word provides the knowledge and wisdom to allow the forgiveness of our salvation to produce good fruit in our lives. This training can absolutely take place in community with others, but of much more importance is the training that takes place in the home and in the heart. The fear and trembling Paul references speaks to the immeasurable honor and value it is to respond to the gift of grace with active training in obedience.

While my ping pong play is still below average, time invested in training by studying the game and competing against “experts” has elevated my game. Still sometimes I wish I could have a professional be my constant guide and tutor. Paul continues, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (v. 13). As we strive to follow God’s instructions, He does not just throw us in the water letting us learn to swim or die. His very presence lives inside of us. When life’s opportunities and challenges come our way, God is with us, and much more when we train daily with Him. Listen to Paul and continue to daily receive God’s training from the inside out and experience “His good pleasure.”
 
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– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

by Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal

At the end of each day before I leave the school, I recount my top three positive moments. The majority of these moments involve students, so I leave each day wholeheartedly appreciative that God allows me to be a part of what He is doing in the lives of these precious children. Recently, I had the opportunity to teach Bible in one of our elementary classes, and became completely blessed by the unexpected level of pure joy and excitement brought about by studying God's word together. The enthusiasm was contagious as students clamored to share their understanding of the scriptures, and how the biblical principle applied to their lives. As I praised God for that wonderful experience I realized they are closer to becoming what Dr. Todd J. Williams describes as “integrated people”. 

Our driving ambition is to intentionally keep Christ and God's Word at the center of everything at Crosshill through the practice of Biblical Worldview Integration. Dr. Williams shares that “integration is much more than a concept or set of ideas we adhere to; it must be a characteristic and quality of our Christian schools, making integration so personal that we cannot help but become integrated people”. A key to God’s plan for developing integrated people is found in Deuteronomy 6:5-9, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”

At the heart of integration is the realization that “God has something to say about every part of our lives and in turn, every part of our lives will have something to say about God”. The power, affection, and sufficiency of God must permeate every area for our students, not simply to counteract the brokenness of the world, but to bring about a wholeness that God intends for everyone to experience. Our children are purposed to become influencers, reflecting Christ to the world; therefore praise, worship, service, and godly thinking must become more than what they do, it has to become a part of who they are.   

In the classroom that afternoon I observed little modern-day versions of Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus, and miniature versions of Paul, boldly preaching the Word. It was a glimpse into their lives that reflected a love and passion for God and His Word cultivated by a strongly committed community of integrated people. Contagious faith - it doesn’t get much better than this!

 
– Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal

by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

This week in chapel, the entire Crosshill Christian school community was honored with a trophy for winning the 2016-2017 Oregonian Cup, outscoring all other 77 schools in the 1A division.

According to the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA):
“The Oregonian Cup began in 1999 as a way to recognize overall excellence by schools in academics, activities and athletics. The award honors a school's students, teachers, coaches and the entire school community. Schools earn points based on their participation and finish in OSAA State Championships and for Top 10 finishes in the OSAA Academic All-State Program, sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Oregon. A sportsmanship component, whereby schools are awarded points each season for having no ejections, is included as well.”
 
Students participating in Volleyball, Cross Country, Soccer, Basketball, Track & Field, Choir, and Band all contributed toward this cumulative recognition. Not only was performance on the playing field a factor, but achievement in the classroom by these student-athletes counted. The sportsmanship of the coaching staff, and the overall support from fans and parents also made a difference, making this accolade applicable to the entire school community.
 
A handful of Christian leaders (Lauren Cunningham, Bill Bright, Francis Schaeffer) agreed that there exists seven spheres in which disciples can influence the world.  In other words, there are seven categories in which Christians can know God, make God known, and bring glory to God. Those categories include:  Family, Church, Education, Media, Celebration (Arts, Sports, etc.), Economy, and Government. In Genesis 1:28, God instructed all of mankind to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
 
As followers of Jesus, God gives each one of us general opportunities to engage in each of these seven categories, and often more specific opportunities in one or more of these categories. These opportunities may also develop and exist at  different seasons throughout our lifetime. As these student-athletes practice knowing God, making Him known, and bringing glory to Him through sports and academics, they are developing an important lifestyle that can and should be mirrored in other spheres of their lives. Ultimately, they are practicing having dominion over God’s creation as He designed.
 
It is certainly pleasing to be a part of a community receiving such excellent recognition. It is definitely thrilling to be in the stands cheering on young men and women successfully demonstrating skills they have developed over hours of training. And I can’t help but check out my reflection in the shiny Oregonian Cup trophy as it sits in our overflowing trophy case. But the trophy and all the distinctions that go along with it are not an end in itself. Rather, they are indicators of families of disciples choosing to know God, make God known, and bring Him glory in the spheres of family, education, and through celebrations. This Friday and Saturday we continue to choose to celebrate as the varsity volleyball team competes at the State Tournament in Redmond. Go Lady Eagles!​
 
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– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent