A magazine for parents, teachers, and kids
Back from the brink of
death Palmerston Christian School
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WHAT IS A PARENT GOVERNED SCHOOL?
p10
6 ways to bring bible stories to life p8
Peace in the
territory Strathalbyn Christian College
clash of clans p14
Christian Worldview So what is it really? p12
p20
treasure hunting with geocaching p11
KIDS’ ZONE
Parenting and Christian Schools June 2015
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nurture June 2015 1
, SUPER THAT S CHANGING THE WORLD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. JOIN ONLINE IN JUST 5 MINUTES! www.christiansuper.com.au
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editorial
by Anne Blair-Hickman
My children were never destined for a Christian education. That may sound odd, considering all my children attend a Christian school and I’m more passionate than ever about Christian education and parents-in-partnership! Obviously God had other plans for them— and me. You see, when my children were toddlers, I attended church, I was part of a women’s bible study group, I loved the church playgroup ‘Mothers of Pre-schoolers’ (MOPS) and I had the most beautiful Christian friends. My little family were surrounded by positive Christian influences—it just seemed unnecessary for them to also go to a Christian school. A couple of years before my girls started school, the local public institution took a turn for the worse. I began looking at other options—and was led to Nepean Christian School. I still remember turning up to the open day one weekend. I was greeted by a board member—who was a dad of some of the kids at the school. All that he said made sense—our kids need to learn about every aspect of the world in the context of the Bible, not as the world thinks they need to know it. He simply explained that the curriculum the kids learn at school is layered with a biblical worldview. What’s more, he said that parents were encouraged to partner with the school. It was so refreshing. I remember my own school experience in the 70s where there was a ‘drop (the kids at the gate) and run’ mentality. I couldn’t imagine doing that to my kids. This edition of Nurture is packed with lots of goodies to help you understand the wonderful journey your kids are on. Have you ever wondered what stories have shaped your own life? Have you ever
stopped to consider what stories are shaping your children? If so, read part two of Chris Parker’s article (p. 12) which unpacks what Christian worldview really means and challenges us to ask “Which story am I being shaped by?” Or you can learn techniques on how to bring Bible stories to life as you share them with your own children (p. 8). You’ll also find an article about the wonderful Young Peacemaker Program (p. 20) running in many schools in the Northern Territory. These kinds of programs are what help to shape the hearts and minds of our children. School is so much more than just learning about your ABCs and 123s! Other articles include the popular ‘Clash of Clans’ game (p. 14) which many of our children are immersing themselves in. There are also some ideas for family fun time. Have you heard of geocaching? If not, turn to page 6, grab your smart phone, download the app and start your very first treasure hunt with the family! I hope this edition of Nurture encourages you to get excited about your child’s education. It’s a privilege to be able to join our schools, to build community, to serve God, to honour Him in fulfilling our responsibility to raise our children as He asks of us. God bless you and your families.
Anne Do you want to contribute? Email: editor@cen.edu.au
nurture photo competition beauty, brokenness, building-up Open to all students, parents and staff ENTRIES CLOSE 31 OCTOBER 2015 Visit www.cen.edu.au to find out more details on the competition
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nurture June 2015 3
Vitamin “N” Are our children deficient in hearing “no” or are they deficient in experiencing “nurture”?
I
n a recent interview, one of Australia’s most prominent child and adolescent psychologists stated that “Australian parents are doing a crappy job” in their parenting. He says we are too soft, too indulgent, and that a “Vitamin ‘N’ deficiency in Australian parenting” exists—that is, not enough parents give their children a clear “No!” He described an incident he had witnessed on a train where a young boy was asked by his father to leave his seat and allow an adult to take his place. They boy refused. The psychologist described the need for the boy to be taught some manners and respect. He then suggested that the boy needed to be taken into the backyard and “shot with hot goat poo”. Aside from the obvious questions about where the goat poo might come from (and how to shoot it), is it right that children these days are walking rough-shod over their parents, who are too wimpy to say “no”? The psychologist who said these things is an intelligent professional who cares deeply for families. I suspect his assertions may well be accurate for the clients he sees, but they are not valid for the overall population.
by Justin Coulson 4 nurture June 2015
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deficiency While media promotes the myth that this generation of children feels entitled, narcissistic, and spoiled by permissive, indulgent, helicopter parents, there is zero empirical support for these claims. Consider how regularly you say “no” to your children compared to how often you say “yes”. Studies indicate young children are prevented from doing something they want to do every few minutes. While this may be understandable for safety reasons, the most common reasons we say “no” relate to what is convenient for us, as parents, rather than our children’s protection. It is true that our children need to be told “no” from time to time for their own safety and wellbeing. Limits and boundaries show we care about them, and are invested in guiding them successfully. But when “no” is required, the way we say it matters as much as the fact that we say it at all. I respectfully suggest that “No!” accompanied by hot goat excrement flung at a child fails the ‘good parenting’ test on every level.
The Trouble with Too Much Vitamin N (No) When we place limits ahead of love we run the risk of creating more problems. Researchers have found a pervasive “no” culture leaves children feeling they are neither cared for nor understood. Such a “no” is painful, dismissive, and often signals disapproval. When repeated too often, “no” undermines self-worth and promotes a sense of despair and helplessness.
An Alternative Vitamin N (Nurture) Vitamins should promote good health. “No” often fails this test. The best vitamin “N” needs to be “Nurture”. It is nurture, rather than “no” that leads to resilient, happy children. Researchers have found a pervasive “nurture” culture is one of thoughtful involvement between parent and child. www.cen.edu.au
When children ask a question they are not dismissed with a shrug and a “no”. Instead, parents see requests as an opportunity for connecting and teaching. This nurturing response fosters responsibility, accountability, and ownership. The apostle Paul taught “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4 NIV). I believe that nurture and admonition are essential in God’s method of raising children. But let’s look at their definitions: To nurture a child means to protect, support, and encourage. It requires that we give time, interest, and affection. Sometimes nurture means we must say “no”, but saying no with nurture is much different to saying no with nastiness or out of self-interest. What does it mean to give admonition? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary says “gentle or friendly reproof”. It adds as a second definition, “counsel or warning against fault or oversight”. So when Paul speaks of admonition I think he means to counsel, guide, advise, and caution our children. It’s our job as parents to help our children be aware of dangers along the mortal journey. It is also our job to help our children be equipped with faith, hope, and love for the journey.
Research Supports Nurture Research of 16,000 youth conducted by Andrew Fuller, director of Resilient Youth Australia and author of Tricky Teens, showed that between 95 and 100 per cent of youth with high levels of resilience believed their parents cared for them. Less than 10 per cent of youth with low levels of resilience felt cared for and understood by their parents. Parents of highly resilient children are far more likely to rely on a “nurture” approach than a “no” formula.
The prominent psychologist who made such provocative comments is right— our parenting needs to improve. The parents I speak to every day of the week want nothing more than to be better parents. His suggestion that over-indulgence and permissiveness spoil children is also right. But the proposed remedy of a strict culture of “no” will alienate children, aggravate parents, and fracture families. It will create resistance and create more problems than it solves. It is consistent, loving, guiding nurture that will lead to superior outcomes—it is a sign of superior parenting.
Dr Justin Coulson is one of Australia’s most respected parenting speakers, authors, and researchers. He writes a weekly parenting advice column for Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, appears regularly on The Project and Studio 10, and is the parenting expert at kidspot.com.au —Australia’s #1 parenting website. He and his wife Kylie are the parents of six children and live on the South Coast of NSW.
Justin is available to speak in schools across Australia about positive psychology and parenting. For more information, visit: happyfamilies.com.au
nurture June 2015 5
More family fun with
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Grass seed heads
Nature scavenger hunt
Road trip bingo
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6 nurture June 2015
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DAVE SIMMONS
BY LEAGUE PLAYER PRO RUG
Rugby League competition for the Penrith Pan e National thers an h t n i s y d spent s pla . He lives in the lower Blue Mountains, NSW s k n r a o h S m a severa l l m i with his Cronu h t l i Dave S a c s o A w w m . d m l o i t t s i e r g d a f e C n e y h i 7 r i 1 a s y t n i n a a e l n e d p and wellfour d betw e g a years r e n s e r p d ected p nd oppor tunities God has prese ful chil ublic t the journey a nted thro beauti ited abou u c g x h e o s u i t d i t h v e a years. ,D figure
HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU STARTED PLAYING RUGBY LEAGUE?
IS IT DIFFICULT BEING A CHRISTIAN AND LIVING AS A PUBLIC FIGURE?
I grew up watching rugby league on TV, especially the State of Origin (NSW Vs Qld) matches. As a kid, we played footy in the backyard, and soccer on the weekends. At 14, I joined my first footy team.
I think I face most of the same challenges that all Christians face, which is to protect yourself from being passively dragged into the prevailing worldview of those around you. Playing footy presents great personal difficulties that come through injuries. Then there’s the pressure of thousands of people watching and commenting on your performance every week—moving with the highs and lows depending on the outcome of the game and your performance.
WHAT DID YOU LOVE ABOUT SCHOOL? Lunch time! I would scoff down my lunch and head for the soccer field, or cricket pitch, or footy field—depending on who brought what ball that day.
WHAT TEACHER INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST? Not surprisingly, sport co-ordinators or coaches. They brought the best out in me.
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It’s very easy to be influenced by this “footy world” and have your identity determined and shaped by how you play and what people think of you. I know who God wants me to be and how He wants me to live. He wants me to live a life according to the grace He has shown me in Jesus. It is challenging to think and live that way every day.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE BIBLE PASSAGE? Psalm 139:16 “All my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began.” Knowing Jesus has freed me up to love where I am and what I do. I’m excited about wherever He leads me and my family next. He’s always there.
nurture June 2015 7
six ways to bring Bible stories to life By Karina Shim
8 nurture June 2015
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From spewing fish to mumbling lions, how you tell the story can make all the difference... Telling Bible stories to our children is a wonderful opportunity to teach them of God’s love. Telling these stories with love and enthusiasm will ensure the children want to hear more. Because despite all the electronic gadgets available, children still love to be told a good story. And what better stories to be excited about than those from God’s Word. So let’s get our children enthused to listen and learn with the following six tips:
1. Imagine yourself in the story Step into the story so that you can feel what is going on. Every time I read or tell the story where Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, I get goosebumps. Hannah’s prayer for a child brings tears. I feel how alone Jesus was in Gethsemane, and amazed when he says “Mary” on that first Easter morning—how special that moment must have been for Mary, especially as she thought Jesus was dead. That one word “Mary” sends shivers down my spine.
2. Choose the level of language Understand the age and maturity of your audience and tell the story accordingly. Also, assess what facts are relevant for the age group. For example, younger children don’t need to know that Rahab was a prostitute (Joshua sending the two spies to Jericho). Nor would they necessarily understand that the big fish disgorged its stomach contents (Jonah) onto the beach. They may be familiar with ‘vomit’ but for most, ‘spewed’ would capture their imagination.
3. Choose the level of drama Many of the well-known Old and New Testament stories of giants, shipwrecks, and escapes from prison are wonderful to tell (be careful though—if it is a bedtime story, you don’t want the children having nightmares about being eaten by lions or chained up in a jail). To emphasise the drama, put the stones in David’s (imaginary) sling and make the circles with your arm faster and faster before letting go. Pretend to be a lion with its mouth closed and try to talk—that was how God kept Daniel safe all night. Whisper slowly the story as Peter escapes from prison. Look up and (pretend to) spit out and cough and brush off pieces of roof as the paralytic man’s friends break through the roof above you.
4. Involve your audience Ask the children to suggest what the boy might have said when he produced the five loaves and two fish. Ask what happens when you have something in your tummy which makes it really sore—you spew—that’s just what the big fish did with Jonah. How many lepers did Jesus make better? How many came back to say ‘thankyou’? What might that mean?
You do not need to preach at your children —what a turnoff—but during a story, point out how God was there for that person. www.cen.edu.au
5. Teach them about God’s character You do not need to preach at your children—what a turnoff—but during a story, point out how God was there for that person. For example, in the story of Joseph, did he really deserve to be sold as a slave? When all was going well, did he deserve to be thrown in prison and forgotten? God was with Joseph and in his case, there was a happy ending. That doesn’t always happen, but helping kids understand that God is with us always (even when things don’t work out how we anticipated) is a great promise to always remember. Jacob thought he was on his own once he left Canaan, but God told him otherwise. Just telling that part of the story in a positive way is enough to get the message across that God is always with us. Gideon was afraid to do something he had never done before—lead an army—but God was not angry with him when he asked for reassurance. Often, just the tone of voice and a smile can convey the message without the need for further explanation.
6. Tell stories as a serial This is a really fun way of making a Bible story exciting. Where possible, I finish a story with a question. For example, “What was going to happen to Joseph in Egypt?”, “Would Daniel be safe all night with the lions?”, “Would the paralysed man’s friends manage to get him to Jesus?”. I then follow the questions with, “I’ll tell you the answer next time”. Kids love it. I cannot underestimate the importance of teaching children the stories from the Bible. It gives them the grounding for knowing what God is really like, not what we want or imagine Him to be. In whatever situation our children find themselves, it’s great for them to know that God loves them and is with them throughout all the ups and downs of life. Printed with permission from Growing Faith. growingfaith.com.au/parenting/six-waysto-bring-bible-stories-to-life
nurture June 2015 9
TS AP REN IN
PART RSHIP NE
?
an be found in the Window->Swatches
A distinctive of Christian Education National (CEN) is how our schools are governed. We are parent-governed Christian schools. We believe schools ought to be firstly accountable to the parent community they serve, rather than the government, a church, or a denomination. It is to parents that God has given the responsibility of nurturing their children. As a response to this belief, parents are encouraged to share the vision of Christian education and set the direction for the school.
What is a
parent-governed school?
Who owns your school?
A local not-for-profit association of Christian parents, teachers and past parents owns and maintains each of our schools. This group of people are known as ‘The Association’. The Association elects board members who, acting on behalf of the Association, govern the school. The board determines policy and broad direction. The board appoint the principal and other key leaders and gives oversight to this executive team. The executive needs to achieve the aims and objectives of the Association for the school. Because the board is primarily a governing board it generally does not get involved in the day-to-day running of the school. It is the executive team who manage the school.
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Who can join the Association?
?
Each Association reflects their school history and culture. Some associations are open to all current families. Others are open to past and present parents, or even grandparents and interested members of the broader Christian community. To ensure schools remain true to their vision and mission, full Association membership—which includes voting rights—is limited to practising Christians. Talk to your school principal to better understand your particular school’s Association and membership criteria. Committed parents are essential in maintaining the vision for Christ-centred education and ensuring a healthy, vibrant Association.
Why such a strong emphasis on parents?
Children are precious gifts from God. The Scriptures clearly teach that the chief responsibility for the nurture and guidance of children belongs to their parents. Christian parents seek to bring up their children to know and love a loving God, His son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. When a partnership between home (parents/ grandparents/carers) and school is established, both academic and biblical worldview foundations in students are stronger and more effective.
How can CEN help support your Association & school? Your school is part of a community of over 60 schools across Australia who are members of CEN. CEN provides a range of services that promote the vision of Christcentred education. Support services include: • principal & executive staff • governance training & course manual appointments • policy documents exemplars • parent vision conferences • help desk for urgent enquiries & • teacher training assistance. • board members’ handbook
10 nurture June 2015
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A brief history
The first schools in Australia were Christian schools established by the Anglican Church (Church of England) in New South Wales in the late 1700s. Free ‘charity schools’ run by other denominations gradually came into existence in the following decades. In 1872, Victoria became the first Australian state to pass an Education Act providing for free, secular public education. Other states followed suit in the following two decades. Funding for non-government schools was stopped and most of them closed. It was almost 100 years later that funding of non-government schools was reintroduced. The number of schools and students has grown dramatically since. In 2014 just over 34% of all students in Australia were enrolled in non-government schools. Our parent governed school movement has been strongly influenced by Dutch migrants. Having fought in Holland for the rights of parents to choose who educates their children, they shared their passion and vision with other Christians in Australia. Pastor Jan Overduin of Arnhem Holland was one of the most vocal and influential fighters for Christian education. He believed Christian parents had a responsibility to teach their children from a biblical perspective. His courage in refusing to allow non-Christians to teach from a Nazi worldview in his school led to some board members being gaoled and himself spending years in a concentration camp. Members of his congregation were instrumental in starting Tyndale Christian School in Sydney. It is good for us to remember the sacrifice and commitment that the pioneers of our schools faced. They established our schools enabling Christian parents to choose who they partner with in educating their children.
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Family Fun
Treasure Hunting with Geocaching Looking for a family-based activity that’s free (almost), outdoors, social, playful, and involves problem solving and technology? Geocaching is a great family activity where you’ll get to discover new places and have fun with your children. For those of you who don’t know what geocaching is, it’s a kind of treasure hunt using GPS coordinates. Once you find the treasure, you get to take something, and in return, you leave something behind for the next person who finds the cache. Geocaching has become popular and there are caches to be found all over Australia—there might even be one at the end of your street. You don’t need an expensive handheld GPS. Most caches can be found using your smart phone. Your phone may not be as accurate as a GPS but maybe half the fun is finding the cache when you are almost where it should be?
Getting Started: 1. Download the Geocaching app (costs around $12) on your smartphone a. App name: Geocaching b. Developer: Groundspeak Inc 2. Create a login. 3. When you are logged in to the app, you will see a button that says “Find Nearby Geocaches”. Select that button and it will show you caches that are close to wherever you are at that moment. 4. Select the cache you want to find. 5. Tap the arrow for more information. Read the description and other information about the cache such as size and hints.
Etiquette: • If you take something from the Geocache, leave something of equal or greater value. • Always put the Geocache back exactly where you found it. • Never leave anything dangerous or inappropriate in a geocache.
What to Take with You Geocaching: • Smartphone with the Geocache app • Pen or pencil • Something to trade • First aid kit
6. Select “Navigate to Geocache” and you’re on your way.
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Geocaching reviewed on Commonsense Media: www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/geocaching
nurture June 2015 11
CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW
REFLECT ON YOUR CHILDREN FOR A MOMENT; WHAT ‘STORIES’ WOULD YOU SUGGEST HAVE BEEN SHAPING THEIR VIEW OF LIFE, WORLD, AND OTHERS AS THEY DEVELOP AND GROW IN UNDERSTANDING?
Jfanchin / Shutterstock.com
By God’s good creational design, humans are shaped by stories—cultural narratives. The question for us is not whether I am shaped by a story, but which story am I being shaped by? Cultural story-telling is powerful, as it forms our ‘worldview’. In Part 1 of this series we learnt that our worldview is like a lens in which we both see, and understand, life and the world around us (before we even think about it). This is why we often speak of worldview in the context of Christian education. We want to develop in our children a lens that enables them to see all of life as shaped by the Bible’s big story that centres on the cross— to see the world how God sees it. If our students are not shaped by this story, which story/stories will be shaping them? Advertising, music, social media technologies, political campaigns, literature, government mandated curriculum—and the list goes on—all tell a story about life, what a human is, where truth can be found (or if it can be found), where life began, what we can hope in, why we work, what is success, what brings happiness (and the importance of happiness) and whether there is any good news amidst all the yuck in the world. It would be easier to parent if there was one obvious alternative story; however, it seems that there is a mesh of powerful stories all woven together—some shouted some whispered—but all of them seductive. Some stories might read like this.
BUDDHIST STORY Everyone has had a previous life before this present one, and will be reincarnated into another one. The nature of the next life is dependent on how noble this life is lived. Happiness is found in denying all material things and human desires and this is more noble. Hope is found in one’s ability to follow the noble path through life.
THE NEW AGE STORY Life is spiritual and Oprah is a prophetic goddess! The purpose of life is to be happy above all else. We are free to keep trying ‘spiritual’ and lifestyle solutions until we find what works for us in our pursuit of happiness.
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THE VOICE STORY Fame and becoming a celebrity bring true happiness. You can be whoever you want to be—you just have to dig deep and find your inner ‘voice’. Trying harder and claiming what you want brings meaning and purpose. Without fame you are another nobody. See the recent Instagram post from a 21 year old ex-student of mine that sums this up well.
DIGITAL DISCIPLE STORY This is a world of mass information and unlimited connection. Relationship and social connection are important but digital technologies provide the means by which I control my interaction so that I do not need to commit more than what is comfortable. Truth and understanding are found by peering into everybody else’s lives.
THE MAD SCIENTIST STORY Only that which we can measure and experiment on is real—nothing else exists. Love, virtue, and meaning are simply made up and agreed upon by culture groups. Life and the world are only improved by further scientific and technological development.
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SO WH AT IS IT REALLY ? SERIES: PART 2
BY CHRIS PARKER
THE ECONOMIC GROWTH STORY The ultimate purpose in life is comfort, security, and material abundance. This is achieved through economic growth. Human value is at one end linked to being units of labour in the cogs of industry and at the other linked to your level of economic gain. Science, technology, and economics are gods to be worshipped as they will provide ultimate happiness and security. Are your children being subtly shaped by these stories? Can you recognise that you may have been shaped by these, and other, narratives from time to time? Christian education seeks to teach our students to be discerning of these alternative stories and to have them see the world through the beautiful true story of life and world found in the Bible. The next article in this series will unfold for us the richness of the biblical worldview.
THEREFORE, I URGE YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IN VIEW OF GOD’S MERCY, TO OFFER YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY AND PLEASING TO GOD—THIS IS YOUR TRUE AND PROPER WORSHIP. DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN (STORIES) OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. ROMANS 12:1-2A Chris is passionate about helping children to see the world through the gospel of the Lord Jesus. He is currently a lecturer and speaker with the National Institute for Christian Education and on the executive team of CEN. Chris and his wife, Coco, live in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. They have two children and a growing collection of ukuleles.
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news
By Michelle Dempsey May is a busy month for Christian schools as this is when our AGMs are held, including our national AGM and conference. This is a great time to get together and share news on what is happening nationally and to hear some stories of what is happening in schools across the country. This year at the AGM and CEN National Conference we will be hearing of the progress of Wellington Christian School which captured our hearts at the last AGM. It will be great to hear how things have gone over the past year. Also, we will be hearing from students who have experienced Christian education and how that has impacted their lives so far. I am particularly excited as we will be launching our new strategic plan for CEN which is entitled ‘Stronger Together’. Christian education in this country is regularly critiqued and questioned. We face challenges of being seen as discriminatory when all we want to do is maintain our freedom to employ Christian teachers who can openly embrace the vision and mission of our schools. By being ‘stronger together’, I believe we can imagine together a very positive and influential way forward for Christian education in this country without compromising that which we hold dear. I also believe that the best way to strengthen our schools is to strengthen the associations which govern our schools. Have you explored being an association member with your school? You may be aware that as part of CEN we have a teacher education arm which delivers all sorts of courses to staff across our schools. This includes masters courses in Christian education day long professional development courses like teaching maths from a Christian perspective, or inclusive education. Recently, the Board of Studies in NSW has given CEN accreditation to our existing board training course which means that all boards can access accredited board training as part of compliance, through CEN. This is something to celebrate! We were saddened recently to hear of the sudden death of a member of the Illawarra Christian School staff. Mr Graeme Best who was the coordinator of the school’s “Bike for Bibles” annual fundraiser, died whilst on the bike ride. Please continue to pray for Graeme’s family and for the school community who will miss him dearly. These things are tough for schools to go through, but we are so thankful for the comfort that the Lord brings, and for the way that communities grow together through these times. That’s all from me for now. Have a great week ahead!
Cheers, Michelle nurture June 2015 13
BY MIC DEMPSEY
Technology doesn’t stay the same for long. There is always something newer and better that we are supposed to want and have. Apps are a good example of this. My 8-year-old son may be like your child; fascinated by technology, sometimes a bit obsessive, quick to learn but equally quick to want the next ‘new thing’! Clash of Clans was one of those “new things”.
AGE-APPROPRIATENESS PURPOSE According to the app creator’s website, Clash
of Clans is “An Epic Combat Strategy Game”. But is it really? Strategy games can be great learning opportunities as well as fun. Or is it just a war game, promoting fighting, destruction, killing, or being killed?
One reviewer commenter called it a “strategy pretender” which I think may be apt. While you do spend part of the time building your village, armies, and defences, it seems that to progress successfully in the game, you need to prey on those players who are weaker or less experienced in order to improve your own position and resources. So what could you get out of it? Any learning? Perhaps. Enjoyment? Probably. What attitudes does it foster or inhibit? Is it harmless or dangerous? I am reminded here that nothing is neutral and this game has a particular worldview as well.
The developer is very clear that 13 is the minimum age to be playing this game. It says this very clearly when you install the app and when you run it the first time. While this would be to comply with privacy laws in the US (COPPA), I think it presents a moral dilemma when your 8 year-old wants to play. What do you do? Again, I encourage use of technology in shared spaces, not bedrooms.
CONSUMERISM This game follows a model of many successful games that are free to install but encourage users to buy some form of game currency to speed up progress or enable extra features. You really can’t get very far very quickly without spending real money. You are given a small amount of resources to start with and are guided through getting your village set up. Your ‘guide’ will encourage you to spend your gems to speed things up early in the game. But once you have spent most of your start-up ‘funds’ the waiting kicks in. To get over the repetition and boredom after the first weeks, you need to spend money on gems to be competitive. What is the game encouraging though when you can buy a “Chest of Gems” for $129.99? These in-app purchases are also a danger. I would recommend you turn off in-app purchases on your device to protect yourself and your children from this temptation. There are many guides on the internet about how to do this for your particular device. I would also suggest you don’t connect a credit card to your iTunes account but use gift vouchers so that you only have a limited amount available to spend at any one time. There are many sad stories about families suffering from huge debts through these types of games.
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CONTENT FOR LEARNING The fighting or violence aspect of the game was a concern for me. However, the depictions of death are not graphic; certainly no worse than some of the violence we would have been exposed to as children with cartoons. Some characters are a bit gruesome and it does include witches, wizards, goblins, and spells, which some parents may object to. The attacking is automatic—you don’t actually control characters. Attacks on your village happen invisibly and you can only ‘play back’ the attack after it has happened with the supposed ‘learning goal’ of seeing where you can improve your defences. This may be the only strategy part of the game but I would question the depth of strategic learning achieved. Perhaps chess is a much better choice if you want to learn strategy!
CONCLUSION I don’t know everything about Clash of Clans and there will be differing opinions about it. However, I am passionate about grappling with a biblical approach to technology and how to parent faithfully in this area. One challenge is that the Bible doesn’t say anything specific about gaming or technology so what could be a Christian/biblical approach to this? How do we know what God thinks of this? Perhaps these are some questions you could consider:
ADDICTION It’s addictive! I came across quite a few stories of kids as well as adults who are addicted to the game, spending far too much time and money. It is designed to make you come back regularly for short periods but very often. Your resources stop producing until you come back and tap on them so you need to visit often and upgrade your resource production.
• Does it promote the valuing of human life as made in God’s image? • Does it encourage loving our neighbour? • Does it encourage responsible stewardship? • Does it embrace life or death, forgiveness or revenge? • Does it aid participation in the restoration of the Kingdom?
CHAT The game offers two chat functions. Global chat should be a concern to parents. It is open to any user of the game, and is not moderated. You can choose not to engage in this but you can’t disable this and would need to supervise your child’s use so they don’t access it. I know that our children are generally very trustworthy but can you realistically put that much temptation in front of a teenager and expect them to leave it alone? Joining a clan means you can participate in clan wars where members team up to fight against other clans. If you join a clan, there is a private chat feature within the clan. If your child wants to join a clan, I would suggest it is only with other children or adults you know personally and that you have an adult participate to moderate the chat and game play.
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There is no ‘right’ answer—you know your kids and what values you want to instil in their lives to flourish and grow faith. Keep conversations open and sensible boundaries in place. May God give you wisdom in your technological parenting!
Mic Dempsey is married to Michelle and they have two children. He is passionate about Christian education and in particular, how we can approach technology from a biblical perspective. He is a teacher and ICT Coordinator at Mt Evelyn Christian School in Victoria.
nurture June 2015 15
Back from the
brink o By Anita Kirkbright
Strathalbyn Christian college The last thing Amanda Phillips told her son before he went diving on Saturday, 25 October 2014 was to eat his breakfast and tidy his room. The cheeky 17-year-old did neither but left for Geraldton’s Point Moore full of anticipation with his father Simon. Ben was looking forward to diving from their boat and bagging some crays before gathering with friends for his Year 12 graduation.
By the time the 22 Year 12 students gathered at Strathalbyn Christian College for their graduation ceremony that night, many had already been to the hospital to say tearful farewells to their non-responsive mate. Their graduation was a sombre event.
About 90 minutes later, while having coffee with her sister, Mrs Phillips had a devastating phone call from her husband.
“There were tears and tributes and a strong sense of hope that things would be OK,” college principal Paul Arundell said.
“He said, ‘You need to get to the hospital now . . . it’s Ben’,” Mrs Phillips said. “I remember thinking we are going to be late for the school graduation.”
As the night went on there was news that the prayers were being answered. So while it was a tough night, it was a real tribute to Ben of the love and care his fellow students had for him.
Ben was taken to Geraldton Hospital where scans revealed a massive brain haemorrhage and his parents were told he was unlikely to survive. “The doctors told us, ‘It’s very serious. Ben’s had a massive bleed on the brain, it doesn’t look good and we don’t think he’s going to make it. He probably won’t survive’,” Mrs Phillips said. “I thought, ‘He’s got his school ball in three weeks. I’d bought him a new suit, I just got the tie yesterday and now he’s going to be wearing the suit to his funeral’.”
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Mrs Phillips accompanied her son on a Royal Flying Doctor Service plane to Perth where he was rushed to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. The mercy dash was not expected to save the young surfer and musician but was for a final act of generosity, to donate his organs to save someone else. Consulting neurosurgeon Stephen Honeybul said Ben’s prospects were grim. “It’s fair to say we did not expect him to recover. He had a very large
haemorrhage and was obviously a long way from a neurosurgical facility when the bleed occurred.” Mr Honeybul said. Meanwhile, in Geraldton, the awful news that a local teenager was critically ill spread like wildfire through churches where the Phillips family were well known. Regular updates were shared within the tight community at Strathalbyn College where Ben’s father worked part-time in pastoral care. Friends, family, and strangers shared SMS and social media messages, urging contacts all around the world to pray for a miracle. Prayer meetings were held at Geraldton Baptist Church and at Ben’s school. The spiritual support was important to Ben’s family. “Everything about our faith in God was
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of death tested,” Mr Phillips said. “Is our faith true or not? Everything else was crazy but we felt peace.” Then, remarkably, Ben began to show small responses and instead of being prepped for organ donation, he underwent a risky operation to relieve the incredible pressure on his brain. The teenager’s condition did not
fishing from his father’s boat at the same beach where his dark ordeal began.
Please pray for Ben and his family as they continue on this journey of recovery
Still undergoing daily therapy to improve his speech, Ben has trouble
“He is very much aware that his life has been , spared, for a reason, and for a purpose. He s very grateful , for his life, and thankful to God,” said Simon s dad. improve and two days later he had another delicate operation to remove fluid from his brain.
articulating his thoughts, but his parents expect him to recover relatively unscathed.
Ben remained unresponsive in a coma, then nine days after the initial bleed—on November 2—the teenager responded to a nurse’s command to grip hands, tried to open his eyes, and shook his head in answer to a question.
Mr Phillips said Ben had told them he was grateful and very thankful for life.
His family was overjoyed that their prayers had been answered. Incredibly, Ben, now 18, not only survived but this week—three and a half months later—returned to the ocean off Geraldton, paddling on a board and
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“Ben’s got a tremendous capacity for coming through this tough time and still be able to smile,” he said. “He’s not angry. He has a tremendous attitude. When everyone else was saying Ben wouldn’t be able to walk, talk, or go to the bathroom by himself, it was all proved wrong. The faith we had in God was proved.”
Strathalbyn Christian college Established 1979 Approximately 520 students from Kindy to Year 12 1 campus in Geraldton, in the Midwest region of Western Australia www.scc.wa.edu.au/
nurture June 2015 17
PART2:
MANAGING YOUR MONEY... GOD’S WAY!
DEBT COMES IN MANY FORMS – HOME LOANS, CAR LOANS, CREDIT CARDS, PERSONAL LOANS AND MORE. NOT ALL DEBT IS BAD, BUT THE IDEA OF ‘BUY NOW; PAY LATER’ CAN REFLECT A DESIRE TO HAVE THINGS TODAY RATHER THAN SAVING UP FOR THEM. Debt can increase stress, contributing to mental, physical, emotional and even spiritual burdens. Many people raise their standard of living through debt, only to discover that the debt ends up controlling their lives, diminishing their quality of life and harming their ability to be faithful stewards. The book of Proverbs reminds us that the borrower is slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7). The more you owe, the more obligated you become. When you are in debt, you can lose the freedom to make your own decisions about your money—you are restricted because of your legal obligation to repay your debts. If you have gone into a reasonable level of debt to purchase a house, you may choose to sell the house and repay the debt. But if you are in debt for an item you have already consumed, you have no choice. You must repay.
If you are struggling with debt, it is wise to establish goals to eradicate your consumer debt as soon as possible. Here are four steps to get you started . . . 1. List all your debts from smallest to highest, along with their monthly repayments. 2. Pray and think of a way to completely pay off the smallest debt (garage/ebay sale, tax return, overtime, birthday money, forgoing a special purchase or activity). 3. Increase your repayment on the second smallest debt with the repayment amount you have saved by paying off your first debt. Add extra if you can. 4. When this is paid off repeat for the third smallest debt and so on, until you are debt free. It might take a long time, and it might be hard work, but ultimately the ability to live in financial freedom as a faithful steward is a priceless reward.
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It is encouraging to be reminded that our spiritual debt has already been repaid. “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men” (1 Corinthians 7:23). We are called to serve only one master (Matthew 6:24). So whilst being in debt is not necessarily sin, we are warned of its dangers and are called to avoid it so that we can serve God unencumbered. Before going into debt consider not only how you will repay the debt, but whether the debt could reduce your ability to live in financial freedom.
Tim Macready is a Christian who is passionate about financial stewardship, having completed a Masters of Divinity with a thesis on the topic of contentment. He is married with two children and is Chief Investment Officer at Christian Super.
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Health tip
Spotlight on
HPV Vaccine Vaccinating Against Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
As parents, we want to protect our children. We’re faced with the question “to immunise, or not to immunise” from the very first day of our babies’ lives. It wasn’t until my girls entered high school that I became aware of another immunisation program, the “HPV Vaccination Program”. I didn’t know anything about it. Was it safe? What were the vaccinations for? Did they really need them? This program is rolled out nation-wide by a team of qualified nurses who visit all schools.
WHAT IS HPV? HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus, a common virus that affects both males and females, passed from person to person through sexual contact. HPV can stay in the body, causing changes to cells that can lead to HPV-related cancers and genital warts in males and females.
WHO CAN BE VACCINATED? Eligible males and females aged 12-13 years can take part in the school-based National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program.
WHAT DOES IMMUNISATION GUARD AGAINST?
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO BE VACCINATED? Before sexual activity commences.
The vaccine given will prevent up to 70% of cervical cancers as well as some other less common genital cancers in women, including vaginal and vulval. The vaccine also helps protect men against penile cancer and anal cancer as well as genital warts in both men and women. It also guards against head and neck cancers in both men and women. It is for this reason that since 2013, Australia now vaccinates both girls and boys.
A national survey of high school students found: • 78 per cent of high school students have experienced some form of sexual activity • 25 per cent of Year 10 students have had sexual intercourse • 50 per cent of Year 12 students have had sexual intercourse
IS IT SAFE? If you have any concerns, talk to your family doctor. The National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance (NCIRS) states in their fact sheet “HPV vaccines are approved for use in over 100 countries, with more than 100 million doses distributed worldwide. Extensive clinical trial and post-marketing safety surveillance data indicate that both Gardasil® and Cervarix® are well tolerated and safe. The main side effect of the vaccines is local reactions at the injection site (pain, redness and swelling) which occur in about 80% of vaccine recipients.”
• 69 per cent of sexually active students used a condom when they last had sex • One third of all students reported having unwanted sex (38 per cent of young women, 19 per cent of young men) Evidence also suggests roughly 75 per cent of sexually transmitted infections occur in young people. For more information go to: hpv.health.gov.au/
www.ncirs.edu.au/immunisation/fact-sheets/ hpv-human-papillomavirus-fact-sheet.pdf
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nurture June 2015 19
By Dianne Jackson
In the Young Peacemaker Program, written by Corlette Sande, children learn skills for developing peace in relationships. Conflict is depicted as a ’slippery slope' we slide down in conflict. A range of engaging activities teach children to recognise when they are sliding into conflict, how to resolve problems, and restore relationships. The Young Peacemaker materials are used at other NT Christian schools campuses and some churches in the NT. Education is more than just learning your 1, 2, 3s and ABCs. At Palmerston Christian College, students enjoy a rich, multi-layered education which also shapes their hearts and minds. The Young Peacemaker Program started at the school about five years ago and helps students learn to handle conflict resolution with a Christ-like approach. One of our teachers, Annette Kent, says “I first started using the Young Peacemaker Program with a small group of Year 4 and 5 students who were having difficulty socially and were fighting amongst themselves. The rest of the cohort seemed fine, but these boys were struggling.” Within weeks, Annette noticed a difference and had parents coming and thanking her. The Young Peacemaker material had made a difference at school and there was a change in the behaviour of these boys at home.
Peacemaking at Home Since that time, the Young Peacemaker material has been taught in classes and in smaller groups across the school, particularly in Years 5 and 6, and up to Year 9. Last year a Peacemaker page was added to the school website so that students and their families could partner with us by having access to the key thoughts of peacemaking at home. One of the key features of the Young Peacemaker is a concept called ‘the Slippery Slope’. Children learn language that helps them identify when they are sliding toward conflict and skills to help them resolve conflict in ways that glorify God. This is a concept that children can use at home. One girl said “When my sister is annoying me, instead of pinching and punching as
I would have done in the past, I know this would send me down the ‘slippery slope’ then we would be angry at each other for the rest of the day.” Another child said she had explained ‘the slippery slope’ to her family and this has helped her at home too. Cameron, one of our Year 6 students, said “It was really great because it has helped me realise my anger can have a longer fuse. It makes it harder for me to get angry. It helped me with my friends because I used to have lots of fights with them, now I don’t. It helped me with my brother too. I remember ‘Friends forever, gossip never’ because I really want to work on being friends forever.”
Restoring Relationships Di Jackson, chaplain at Palmerston Christian School, loves working on peacemaking in the school. She talks with students who are experiencing conflict in their friendship group or family, helping them to find answers to their problems by using the language and tools in the Young Peacemaker. Some students, who participated in Di’s sessions last year, were able to say that they had not had any serious conflicts with their friends since participating in the program. There had previously been some serious upsets and their teacher had encouraged them to sit down and talk it out. They realised they had been blaming each other, or in the language of the Young Peacemaker, playing “the blame game”. Their teacher said, “It wasn’t until you walked them through the process of recognising blame and apologising for the bit that they started that they were able to work stuff out between themselves.
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Palmerston Christian School The same group are getting along great this year and deal with their conflicts fairly independently.”
Toolbox of Alternate Godly Choices
This group had also become aware, as they talked things out, that they had been trying to apologise but misunderstandings had continued to happen. Coaching this group about the four ‘promises of forgiveness’ was an important step in helping them resolve their problem and restore relationship.
One of the things our teacher, Annette, likes about the Young Peacemaker is that “it really deals with today’s issues—things that the kids face on a daily basis in their personal choices. It gives them a toolbox of alternatives, Godly choices that are different to what is being offered by the secular world. The Young Peacemaker doesn’t just give the ‘what’ to do but the ‘why’! Children learn peacemaking not because some adult or cultural norm says that we should do it. It is because God has instructed us!”
Forgiveness Wrapped-up One of the great things about the Young Peacemaker is that key ideas are presented in ways that are fun and easy to remember. For example, the ‘5 A’s of forgiveness’ are written as a rap . Di says, “One day it was very encouraging and amusing to see a Year 9 boy very quickly volunteer to perform this in front of his class!” AD-MIT I’m it. Broke the bond that’s tightly fit. A-POL-O-GIZE Tell no lies. I hurt you—I recognise. AC-CEPT Gladly kept. A consequence I won’t forget. ASK You ‘fore we’re through. Forgiveness— what I need from you. ALTER NOW This is how: “God, change my heart. Please do it now!”
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Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18 For information about the Young Peacemaker: www.peacemaker.net/ young-peacemaker/
For information about peacemaking training and resources in Australia, including purchase of the Young Peacemaker materials: www.peacewise.org.au
palmerston christian school Established 1988 There are 3 8 students in the Early Learning Centre. 12 students in Yr 10 attend NT Christian College on the Palmerston Christian School Campus. Approximately 20 kilometres from Darwin CBD
TWELVE KEY PRINCIPLES FOR YOUNG PEACEMAKERS 1. Conflict is a slippery slope. 2. Conflict starts in the heart. 3. Choices have consequences. 4. Wise-way choices are better than my-way choices. 5. The blame game makes conflict worse. 6. Conflict is an opportunity. 7. The five A’s can resolve conflict. 8. Forgiveness is a choice. 9. It is never too late to start doing what’s right. 10. Think before you speak. 11. Respectful communication is more likely to be heard. 12. A respectful appeal can prevent conflict.
Dianne is a chaplain at Palmerston Christian School and Sattler Christian College where she is keen to help young people know that love and forgiveness are real and powerful—and there are practical ways we can apply them to our lives and relationships. She has been married to Robert for 33 years and is a mother and grandmother.
nurture June 2015 21
MOVIE REVIEW BY MARK HADLEY
RELEASED: Jan 29, 2015 RATING: M
READING WORD & CULTURE
AVENGERS
AGE OF ULTRON
“HERE WE ALL ARE, WITH ONLY OUR WIT AND WILL TO SAVE THE WORLD—SO STAND AND FIGHT!”
Age of Ultron’s heroic storyline is built on humanity’s failure to find a solution to its many troubles. The protective organization S.H.I.E.L.D. has collapsed after becoming thoroughly riddled by agents from a criminal society. Captain America has retreated into a world of his own, convinced he’s become ‘part of the problem’. But Tony Stark, the scientist inside Iron Man, believes he can design a better solution. He engineers a peace keeping program called Ultron: a self aware, self teaching, artificial intelligence, that will be able to provide a new, more powerful, and ever-present team of guardians for the world. However a titanic struggle is ignited when Ultron concludes that humanity is the world’s biggest problem: “I know you’re good people. I know you mean well. But you just didn’t think it through. There’s only one path to peace—their extinction.” It doesn’t take a supercomputer to guess that the Avengers will stand up to Ultron. Beyond the promise of an explosive night out, Age Of Ultron reintroduces us to a defender we seem wired to appreciate. Not just the hero but the sacrificial hero. We celebrate all forms of champions, from the sporting to the intellectual, but we set aside our highest podiums for those who lay down their lives for others. We may not all be Christian but we accept Jesus’ conclusion: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 And this is the character of the Avengers. Each enters the movie with their own story of sacrifice for the sake of humanity and in this installment they will humbly accept Iron Man’s conclusion:
Ultron may be the on-screen target, but in the real world the Avengers put Christianity in the cross-hairs. The Bible makes no secret that rebellion against God is the reason why the world suffers. We are certainly capable of good, even heroic, actions because even now we, like so many shards of a broken mirror, still reflect the image of the God who made us. Yet without Jesus we’ll still be found wanting. For now, Age of Ultron will argue that it’s only a mad overlord who could conclude we’re worthy of destruction. The Avengers will eventually prove Ultron wrong—Marvel has announced two sequels The Infinity War parts 1 and 2. In the meantime, we’ll continue to buy the lie that little touches of good in our lives mean we’re good enough for eternity. Ironically, it’s Iron Man who delivers the film’s greatest truth: “This vulnerable world needs something more powerful than any one of us.”
“There’s no way we all get through this.” The competing spiritual paradigm is the suggestion that there might not be much worth saving. Ultron is a stand-in for any philosophy or all-powerful being who suggests humanity is a hopeless case. Putting aside their fantastic origins, the Avengers are distinctly human. When we see a little boy throw a defiant rock at Ultron we’re meant to learn that the Avengers are not our moral superiors, merely our bigger brothers. These superheroes, and so do we, have what it takes to ultimately set aside the judgement of this seemingly allknowing, all-powerful being.
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Mark Hadley has been reviewing films, television programs and children’s books for the past ten years for Australian papers and magazines. He has scripted and produced television series and documentaries for the Seven, Nine and Ten Networks—his latest productions include the award-winning ‘The Christ Files’ and ‘The Life of Jesus’. He is a children’s book author, married and a proud father of three young boys.
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Circulation 9,092 ISSN 0312-2778 Editor: Anne Blair-Hickman Address for correspondence: PO Box 1892 Penrith NSW 2751 Tel 02 4773 5800 Fax 02 4773 5801 Email: publications@cen.edu.au Website: www.cen.edu.au Advertising, circulation, and subscriptions: Anne Blair-Hickman, anne.blairhickman@cen.edu.au Printer: Signs Publishing
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BIBLE CHRIST COMMANDMENTS ELIJAH ENOCH EXODUS FACE FAITHFULNESS FORGIVENESS GENESIS GLOWED GOD GOODNESS HEAVEN HOPE JESUS JOY KINDNESS KINGS LOVE METHUSELAH MOSES PEACE RECONCILE SOLOMON THANKFULNESS VEIL
Copyright: All material appearing in Nurture is copyright. It may be reproduced in part for study or training purposes subject to an inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source and with permission of the publisher. Publications committee: Managing Editor: Chris Parker Editor: Anne Blair-Hickman Committee: Margaret Aitchison, Ruth Thompson, Neil Pierson, Amy Moore. Editorial policy: 1. To challenge Christian parents to a fuller and deeper responsibility towards the training and education of their children.
Bible Facts • After Moses was given the Ten Commandments, he wore a veil over his face because he glowed. Exodus 34:33-35 • There were two men in the Bible that never died! Their names were Enoch and Elijah and God took them to heaven. Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11 • The oldest person in the Bible was Methuselah. He died when he was 969 years old. • The bible is the bestselling book in the world, with the Guinness Book of Records estimating that over 5 billion copies have been sold! http://www.learningscriptures. info/bible-facts/bible-facts-forkids.htm
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