Bridges

Has Education Changed in the last 10 years?

DISTORTED THINKING ABOUT RIGHTS

What is a bridge? Where you want to be Where you are Something you want to avoid

What is a bridge made of? Steel Wood Branches Tree Words Love Service

Prisoner of War Bobby What would you desire? A future Hope!

Hope Jesus is the bridge from where we are to where we need to be Hope is missing Hope and wholeness Parents – consumers – hope for the wrong thing Secular education provides a different kind of hope

How does this relate to Adventist education

Dan Jackson financial commitment demographics NAD Hope and Wholeness Fuchido Billy a future

Does Adventist Education even have a chance?

Largest private system in North America 100% full-time teachers Adventist 30% of our children in Adventist Education – Good or bad Only private system that has 100% of it’s schools accredited One of only a few that has denominational teacher certification system Only system that creates its own curriculum and is able to push to local level Preservice teachers connected to teaching situations

No one has ever been cured by an autopsy!

What is the problem?

The Great Controversy at play in the classroom . . The Great Controversy at play in the classroom

Erroneous Learning Purpose Conflict/ Confusion Hopelessness Worldly Philosophy Wrong Ed. Systems Erroneous Learning Purpose Conflict/ Confusion Hopelessness Naturalism Relativism Egotism Who Is Right? Criminality/ Calamity Creation Divine Truth Altruism God Is Right Hope & Love Christian Philosophy Bible-based Systems Christ-centered Purpose Bible—the lamp onto our feet Realities of Eternity

Why spend the money?

What does all of this have to do with bridges?

Where you want to be Where you are Something you want to avoid

What is a bridge made of? Jesus Teachers Pastors Parents Words Love

1 Samuel 13:1-23 Saul attacks Philistine camp Philistines – 3 companies of chariots (3000), v 5 6 companies of cavalry (6.000), Men – looked like the sands on the seashore Saul – 3,000 men Scared - abandoned him v 6-7 Saul waited 7 days for Samuel v 8 Burnt offering v 9-10 Foolish thing to do v 13 -14 600 men left v 15 No blacksmiths left in Israel – no weapons Sending our young people to sharpen their swords with the enemy? What will they have when the great controversy (war) breaks out?

1 Samuel 14:1-15 Jonathan armed Verse 6 “Jonathan said to his armor bearer. ‘come let us go across to these uncircumcised pagans. Maybe God will work for us. There is no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when He sets His mind to it.” MSG V 8-10 go across and let them see us Come on up and we will know God will deliver them Charged up the hill and killed 20 men. Set the stage for David and Goliath in chapter 17

God has built a bridge, it is Adventist education God has built a bridge, it is Adventist education! From where we are to where He wants us and our children to be, with Him. Theme of the Bible Fishing The bridge is made of you and me, we cannot be twigs, we must have some substance!

Can we say as Jonathan did that day, “God will work for us. There is no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when He sets His mind to it.” MSG

To have His children home! Yes there are challenges, but God IS in charge! The Philistines are surrounding the camp, but God has built a bridge to the other side. Jesus, with the blood of His own Son he built that bridge for you and I, for the homeschooled child, the disruptive child in the back of the classroom, the angry parent, and the lonely single mother. A bridge that is accessible to all and leading to God’s eternal HOPE… To have His children home!