A Tapestry of Truth & Love

SPIRITUAL LIFE AT LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

By Heather Bennett, Communications Specialist

WWhat do you think of when you hear the phrase spiritual life at LRCA? Mission trips, service projects, chapel and prayer, BWV classes, something else? Spiritual life in Warriorville includes all of these things and so much more! Perhaps Lower School Head Ann Chami captures the essence of it when she conveys, “The joy of the Lord is woven through our teachers and how they communicate with students guided by scriptural principles and throughout every school day. It’s like a tapestry where the bottom side can look rough sometimes…where the work is being done. You turn it over and it’s just beautiful. Sometimes we don’t always see the beauty of it until a child is older, but it’s there. God’s work is being done.”

Mrs. Chami paraphrases one of her favorite quotes by author and child advocate, Wes Stafford, “Every child you encounter is a divine appointment.”

Elementary begins and ends every day with prayer, recognizing the Lord’s presence in the school and how it's needed for the day. A recurring phrase in her prayers over the intercom is “Father, help us to consider others more important than ourselves.” The Bible is infused in “everything we do”, according to Mrs. Chami.

Biblical foundations are taught in Elementary. Students progress out of the House of Love to Middle School having gone through the Bible roughly three times and learning about how Jesus fits into the story from the very beginning. Chapel topics for the year are related to the annual overarching school theme and how it relates to what Mrs. Chami and her team feel their students need to hear and see.

As in the Elementary, the Middle School gears chapel topics to the school theme. Weekly memory verses are planned and memorized across the student body as well as the faculty and staff. On daily morning announcements, the entire school says the memory verse together. Practical applications, historical contexts, and challenges are discussed.

Transformation Day themes have intentional built-in opportunities for spiritual as well as educational transformation. There are gender specific Bible studies on Tuesdays conducted by Mike Risher, Will Edmondson, and parent volunteers. These are more intensive opportunities to break down topics and issues students are facing. Compass times also provide perfect scenarios to check in with students.

“We try to build it into everything we do with intentionality. Our teachers do an excellent job integrating authentic Biblical Worldview into the classroom. Scripture is used in behavior situations, so students can think through how to make things right and walk through repairing and building relationships biblically. We also call students into the office consistently just

to see how we may pray for them and let them know our doors are open and we care for them. At the end of our lives, we want to be wealthy because of Christ and not spiritually bankrupt,” shares Middle School Assistant Principal LeAnn Murry.

Junior High is a time of exponential growth socially and emotionally. “There’s a lot of messiness in this age group, but I love it. There are so many tangible moments to share the gospel. We have to meet them where they are. A phrase we use all the time is ‘Own the opportunity.’ The O in R.O.L.E. changes from Obey to Ownership in Junior High,” Assistant Principal Tyler Eatherton explains.

Mr. Eatherton references Dr. Eric Jensen’s book, Teaching with the Brain in Mind, where he conveys that the average nine year old has better decision making skills than an adolescent, due to hormonal changes and other factors.

“Students at this age have a tendency to want to throw others under the bus or make excuses. We can’t allow them to become high school students who continue to make excuses. Spiritual life is part of everything we do. It organically occurs in how we discipline our students. I’m a firm believer in second chances and giving students the time and opportunity to change. Their brains are literally transforming in front of them. Our teachers handle this beautifully,” Mr. Eatherton says.

Junior High students are encouraged to have more ownership in their faith whether that be through Biblical Worldview classes, Harkness discussions, House competitions and events, leading or participating in chapel, or learning through hard situations and everyday life. The “pruning and refinement” that occur in the House of Enthusiasm are framed by the faculty and staff’s sincere love for Christ and their students. “Teachers are walking what they’re teaching. It’s not just words. It’s woven into every classroom and everything we do,” conveys High School Spiritual Life Director Sarah Jones. She goes on to say, “Students have been building up to this through earlier grades. Now it is time for them to pour out in High School with an emphasis on leadership. They hunger for finding God in real and authentic ways.”

As in the other buildings across campus, the annual school theme scripture plays a vital role in everyday spiritual life in the House of Warriors. Chapels are orchestrated in ways to help students and faculty remember who God is and the idea of One Anothering. Teachers show Jesus in their classroom and subject areas. The faculty is continually learning and growing.

“I can’t believe I get to do this,” Sarah shares about her work in the High School. “I see Jesus in our kids every day. Even the kids who don’t know Him yet. You get to take their hand and help them walk to get there. God created us to One Another and reflect him. He restores and heals. Our spiritual formation isn’t just for us. It’s for the sake of others too. I wish everyone could experience Little Rock Christian.”

Some of the ongoing student inspired/led efforts include daily intercom prayers, multiple grade level Bible studies, upperclassmen mentoring 5th through 8th grade boys, Refuge student worship nights where Warriors and also students from other community schools gather in the HS Commons, once a month Meet Me at the Cross gatherings, Kindness Club and Advisory group service activities, and much more.

Spiritual life at LRCA certainly is a tapestry of Truth and love and goes way beyond BWV classes. It includes a campus wide effort for students, faculty, and staff to walk alongside one another while authentically growing in their relationship with Christ.