Fabric of Faithfulness

by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

This past month, Crosshill Christian High School hosted a team from AdvancEd as part of its regular accreditation cycle. AdvancEd provides accreditation to schools and colleges across the nation to ensure the quality of its diplomas. The experience provided opportunity to celebrate the good things God is doing, while highlighting areas identified for continued areas of improvement. CCHS retains its accreditation and the visitation team had many positive things to say about the parents, staff, and students. 

While certainly profitable, the process was uncomfortable at times. It is often much easier to evaluate others than to examine your own life. The apostle Paul instructed the church in Corinth to “examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2 Cor. 13:5) Each week teachers give tests in their classrooms to motivate and measure learning. Without a doubt, the most important test that can be given in a school (or a home) is the test of faith. The test of faith cannot be taken on a piece of paper. Just because a student aces their multiplication table, that doesn’t make them a mathematician. When a student memorizes a sonnet, it does not make them a poet.  

In the same way, authentic faith cannot be judged by answers to simple questions. Most students at Crosshill Christian are blessed to be in a home of faith, a church of faith and a school of faith. Some day these students will move on from their current home, church and school. If their faith has not become integrated into their lives, their faith will be left behind. The first priority of discipleship training is guiding students to develop an authentic faith that they own and travels with them beyond their childhood circumstances. 

There are six strands of faith that can contribute to the formation of a student’s authentic faith (adapted from Steven Garber’s book “Fabric of Faithfulness”):

1. Reasonable Faith (Believe it)

• A faith that accepts God’s power and understands creation, fall, redemption, and restoration

 
2. Integrated Faith (Absorb it) 

• A faith that accepts God’s power and understands creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.

3. Embodied Faith (Live it)

• A faith that is both inward and outward, doing not just knowing.  

4. Willing Faith (Own it)

• A faith driven and developed by personal initiative, not indoctrination.

5. Community Faith (Share it)

• A faith experienced with others.

​6. Consuming Faith (A true disciple)

• A faith that founded upon on eternal beliefs that drive unchanging values               that becomes evident in consistent behaviors.

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– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent