Does any of your ministries have christian schools? I am a certified teacher and I am interested in starting a school for my church, but there is another lady in my church who has a vision of starting her own school. She does not want to be affiliated with the church. I am in a dilemma, b/c I do not want to compete with her in this area. What should I do?
First I don't see what the dilemma would be. The other woman does not want to be affiliated with the church therefore she would not have access to your building or people or anything like that as far as her thing being promoted. Yours would be a church ministry, I assume? I don't think what she wants to do has any bearing on what you do. You are the leaders of that church and it's your vision, plain and simple.
I will tell you this - please be sure, sure, sure and then double sure that you want to start a school. It can be the biggest headache of your life. We will never do it again that is for sure. I can give you a list of about 50 reasons but I will just for now say that you need to be absolutely certain before you start it that it's what you want to do because once you do, you have created a situation that will be difficult to change. If you want insight on this, ask any pastor who has a school or had one. I have never heard anything otherwise from people on this. They all say that you better be sure because of the pressure you will have, and that it's very difficult. Nobody says, "oh yes, a school...piece of cake!" Everyone says, "oh wow.........that's quite an undertaking." And it is. First be prepared for your church to become a school FIRST, not the other way around. No matter how you slice it, the parents and teachers will always think the school and it's needs should come first. This means that your building will literally be OVERTAKEN by the school and I do mean overtaken. The Sunday School rooms will no longer primarily be for Christian Education, they will be school rooms that your SS just happen to use on the weekends, and they better be careful not to touch anything that is not SS related. When you have a school pretty much everything that goes on in the building has to revolve around the school and make concessions for it.
When Larry and I left a church that had a school (that we started), we said, "never again." We are pastors first. We are not primarily school educators, principals, etc. Our main ministry is not a school, it is to pastor people. And that becomes very difficult to do when you have a school, as the school is always pushing to have top billing with everything. And honestly when parents are plunking down a wad of cash for the kids to go there, they expect to get exactly what they want. It's not just like "another ministry" because of the money and everything else involved. Also, keep in mind, schools either break even or they operate in the red. The only difference is a daycare. Daycares can not only operate in the black, but they make churches a ton of money - that's why they are so popular. And you need less teachers with a daycare, you are paying them less, and there is no curriculum. With a school you have so many expenses. The schools that are part of a church rarely pay for themselves and expect the church to "subsidize" them. I have never encountered a school yet that is actually giving money back to the church rather than the other way around. Usually the school is staying afloat on the church's general fund money. This puts a tremendous pressure on the pastor and leadership of the church. I have also not seen many parents who end up being reached through a school, as far as salvation, etc. Generally people who are already Christians are are the ones who send their kids and they are already saved w/a church.
So I say all this to say - perhaps you are called to start a school. If so, none of these things will deter you and you will be willing to undergo the facilities issues, the monetary issues, the parental expectation issues, etc. etc. Those things won't bother you because the school will be your greatest passion. But if not these are some things you really better be careful of. Make sure you know what you are getting into.
Not to discourage you - but i am just sharing with you the pitfalls that we have found. Right now Larry and I have some friends who have just taken a pastorate of a church last year that has a substantial size school. The problem is, it is draining the dregs out of the church in every way I just described. They are trying to shut the school down to relieve all this pressure but the problem is, the parents are fighting like crazy. This has made for a lot of stress on our pastor-friends. Unfortunately it's a story I've heard one too many times.
I'll pray that God will give you clear direction and if this is truly your passion you will go forth with it and be able to handle the obstacles.
I emailed you also to ask this. I was wondering if you thought it may be easier if we started very small, such as only beginning with Pre K and K and then adding 1 grade per school year?
Oh yes definitely. Don't bite off more than you can chew.
And don't let people talk you into it. Part of the issue with our previous school was...parents who had older kids that we did not have grades for yet would say, "we just wish you had 9th grade..." etc. etc. and then due to pressure, school staff allowed those children in. BIG MISTAKE. (Created a grade before we were ready for it.)
Whenenever you do something based on pressure it will be a mistake. Take it slow and do it right.
I have to agree with the headache, the cost, and the church becoming a school. I taught Kindergarten in a shuch school years ago--also attended that church. There was constant conflict about classrooms, the library, the cafeteria, kids in the sanctuary, etc. But my children were educated there K through 8th grade and they have fond memories of the school. They did well on high school entry tests and did well in high school and college.
It takes a totally dedicated, totally committed church staff and congregation to deal with a church school.
Today, however, thinking of the political climate our children are being raised in, I'd sure like to KNOW the teachers my children sit under several hours of their day. I'm an old woman and very shocked at what goes on at school these days. Who knew that someday you could talk about Budda, Mohamed, but not Jesus? Who knew that someday you would have Winter break and Spring break, but not Christmas Holiday and Easter Holiday? Who knew our kids couldn't take a New Testament to school? What?
At a junior high near us kids had a "day of silence." Seventh and 8th graders wore tape on their mouths honoring the homosexual lifestyle. (There is more to it than that, but that's enough.) Only one 8th grader took a stand and refused to wear the tape and said, "I'm talking!" She talked all day. An 8th grader shouldn't have to be put in the position of going against his or her peers like that. This particular 8th grader is well liked, bold and courageous. I'm not sure I could have done what she did.
But, we're seeing more people pull their kids out of school to homeschool them. And more and more are seeking to educate their children in Christian schools rather than turn them over to government schools.
I applaud churches that start Christian schools, but agree that a lot of thought needs to go into it. Start small, make sure you have the commitment of the congregation and the backing of the board. Bathe the whole idea in prayer.
It is a ton of work, and it does not pay much - I was raised by a teacher/co-administrator of a Christian school, so I can personally attest to how much money it does not make, for the church or for the teachers. So if you're starting a Christian school with the idea that it will bring in extra income for your church, then let me just crush those dreams for you right now .
I grew up in Christian schools that were housed in churches - the majority of the time in my own church. It was small, and we didn't have the best technology, or a lot of money, but I did receive a fantastic education. In fact, when I transferred to public school, I was so bored, because most of what I was "learning" in 9th grade had already been covered for me in 5th and 6th grade.
I can give you story after story of kids whose lives were permanently changed going to the two Christian schools I attended, but I'll just give you mine. My entire freshman year of high school was miserable. I was one of the kids who the other kids decided they just plain didn't like - including my "nice" church friends - board members' kids, no less! As long as I had been attending private school, I was fine - but once I was on their "turf," they could no longer associate with me. Had I gone to school in this day and age (post-Columbine), I would probably have been suspended if anyone had read the stories about my classmates that I wrote in my notebook during class - they were pretty gruesome!
The summer after that horrible school year, my parents' divorce became official, and my grandmother passed away. Ironically (or maybe not so ironically!), that was also the summer when God first called me to the ministry...nevertheless, I was an emotional wreck, and was also flirting with an eating disorder.
The Christian school at our church at that time only went up to 6th grade. But the administrator (our PW, and a psychologist) took one look at me and said, "You need to be here." They officially opened their doors to grades 7 and up, and a bunch of us came pouring in. In the natural, they weren't "ready," but God was ready to start moving, and He made sure it would work out. I spent the year getting "me" back. Becoming the crazy, outspoken girl that my family and few friends remembered me to be - not the shell that I had become over the past year. As a 10th grade student, I did independent study most of the day, but I also assisted with the younger kids' classes - library time, etc. Which was the very beginning of preparing me to be a children's pastor.
That year opened the door for many more junior high and high school students over the years who went there to heal...to get closer to God. Some of us are in the ministry now. Not all are still serving God, but a good majority are.
I just thought I'd throw in my $.02 from the perspective of a former "Christian school kid." If God is seriously calling you to start a Christian school, it could be that there is someone in your church or community who needs one.
Deanna's right - if you are starting one in your church, make sure you have the backing and support of the congregation and leadership - otherwise it is a nearly impossible situation. Another suggestion I would make is to work with the other lady who wants to start one off site. It's better to pool your resources and work together than to be two separate entities "competing" with each other.
It IS hard work - most of the time thankless work. So...much like the ministry itself...make sure you're really called, because that's going to be only thing that keeps you going some days!
. 
