Baptist schools share insights at meeting

LEAGUE CITY?Administrators and teachers from Baptist-related Christian Schools across Texas gathered for two days at Bay Area Christian School to develop leadership skills and discover strategies aimed at improving the education their students are receiving.

Freddie Cullins, administrator of the host school, chaired this year’s convention, which attracted 320 Texas educators who selected from over 75 seminars.

“Our challenge is to lead students to both hear and obey God’s Word,” Cullins told convention participants as he described the theme of “Building on the Rock” taken from Matthew 7:24-27.

He outlined the process of teaching God’s truths, serving as an example of obedience, and providing opportunities to serve God and others as teachers and administrators demonstrate that their faith is real.

Now in its 52nd year, the Texas Association of Baptist Schools has 50 member schools, most of them affiliated with Southern Baptist churches. They range in size from the five students of Alpha Omega Christian School in Leonard to Prestonwood Christian Academy’s 1,457 students in Plano. Prestonwood’s Larry Taylor served as the keynote speaker.

The importance of a Christian worldview was underscored in many of the seminars through an explanation that ideas have consequences, the problems of religious pluralism, and the effect of a postmodern society. Teachers also gained understanding of students and families from Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Mormon and Jewish backgrounds.

A discussion of Christian art contrasted self-expression and self-realization while another seminar addressed the need for competitive athletic programs to be Christ-centered. Techniques were explored in areas of reading, writing, language arts, learning centers, study skills, time management and memorization. Other seminars dealt with management software, retirement plans, and accreditation.

Ed Gamble, Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools executive director, encouraged teachers to make allies of students’ parents as they help them train “virtuous warriors” through the biblical goals God outlines in Scripture. Gamble, speaking on biblically integrated teaching, explained that superficial Christian schooling has little impact on a student’s worldview.

The Texas Association of Baptist Schools meets annually to provide inspiration, information, and encouragement to persons teaching in the member schools. Current officers include President Sandra Phelps of Hyde Park Baptist Schools in Austin, Vice President Jake Walters of First Baptist Academy in Dallas, and Secretary Jill Roberts of Levelland Christian School.

The Accreditation Commission of the Texas Association of Baptist Schools was formed in 1985 to provide for the accreditation of non-public schools. For more information, contact Executive Director/Treasurer Randy Wood at 254-710-4944. Information about SBACS is available at sbacs.org or by calling 407-808-9100.