Will my child be spiritually prepared? This is the question we hope to answer (at least in part) this week through our various communications. I believe this is the question that drives most parents to The River Academy in the first place. Said another way, John says: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4) I think all of us as parents would agree - there is no greater joy than to know that our children are walking with the Lord. The converse is also true, that we have no greater heartbreak when they are not. And so it is to this end that many of us seek out a Christian education for our children. We want to do everything in our power to help our children know and love their creator.
But does it work? Does a Christian education help students grow up in their faith? Before I answer that, let me first confess my bias. I have given most of my adult life to serve in Christian education. I am a HUGE believer. But even with this inherent bias, I think I can make a solid case that Christian education is one of the most powerful tools a parent can utilize to help their child grow in their faith. With this said, I need to note that not all Christian education is equal, so I will be speaking specifically to the Christian education provided by The River Academy, but also to any Christian school which takes the calling seriously. Now for the proof . . .
““We are so thankful for a school that helps us raise our child to love the Lord and be critical thinkers. Seeing her blossom spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and socially is
wonderful to watch and I know she wouldn’t be where she is in each of these areas without TRA!”
-Current TRA Parent”
First, it is working at The River Academy! Approximately 75% of our graduates end up walking with the Lord upon graduation and on into adult life. According to one (George Barna) study conducted in 2019, 64% of teens LEAVE the church upon graduation. I have seen other studies which suggest the number is even higher - upwards of 80% who end up dropping out of the Christian faith into adulthood. These statistics are staggeringly high and should be sobering for any faithful parent. And yet, it doesn’t have to be this way. While I wish our number was closer to 100% of our students walking with the Lord upon graduation, the fact that we are basically flipping the national trend on its head is encouraging to me. And, it shows the power of the Christian education at work in the hearts and minds of your students. This is a big deal. One question you might be asking is how? How are we bucking this national trend so effectively? I could talk for hours on this, but for brevity’s sake I will mention two things:
Immersion in Biblical instruction every day. The Apostle Paul says: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (II Timothy 3:16-17) We cannot underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit working through the teachers regularly speaking the Word of God into the hearts and minds of our children. This daily immersion, coupled with a very intentional Bible class schedule aimed at truly equipping our students for “every good work” is a powerful tool toward a lifetime of faithfulness.
Godly teachers mentoring your child day in and day out. A study by Lifeway Research recently concluded that adult mentors from church play a critical role in teens staying faithful upon graduation. While we are not a church, I think the same can be said regarding the mentoring relationships our teachers form with students over the course of their time at TRA. Time and again, our graduates highlight the relationships they have with their teachers as being formative for their faith. I do not believe it is a coincidence that we have such a high rate of graduates walking with the Lord and the fact that we have such a relationally motivated teaching staff who pours themselves into their students in ways that shape them for future faithfulness.
Second, its not just at TRA where this is playing itself out. A recent study conducted by the University of Notre Dame on the faithfulness of alumni (ages 24-42) from a variety of institutions - including public, private, and classical Christian, found a striking contrast between students who graduated from ACCS schools compared to those who graduated from other institutions. In short, the study found that students who graduated from classical Christian schools were much more likely to exhibit characteristics of faithfulness to their Christian roots in adulthood when compared with other k-12 alumni. One example of this is that nearly 90% of classical Christian school graduates regularly attended religious services. Contrast this with 35% of students who attended public school answering similarly. I would highly recommend perusing this study. I think you will be encouraged by the education your children are receiving - in more ways than just the Christian component.
Third - our parents are seeing fruit in their graduates: Don’t just take my word for all of this! Later this week, and then again the week after Mid-Winter break you will see articles from parents who are seeing fruit in their TRA graduates. This may be the most powerful testimony of all. And one that speaks to the way in which TRA prepares students spiritually for the road ahead - a road which is becoming more complex by the day, and a road in which faithfulness to our Lord and Savior has never been more critical!
Have a great week!
Eric DeVries
Head of School
