Pointing Our Kids To Christ -This Is Why We Are At Park Christian School

Pointing Our Kids To Christ -This Is Why We Are At Park Christian School

My wife and I have four children, all at Park Christian School. Our oldest son, Stuart, is now 13 and just started Junior High. This is a terrifying situation for parents to be in. For those of you who have been here before, you know what I’m talking about. Something happens to the mind of a 13-year-old. We are used to them being children, needing our guidance and help at every turn.  But now they are starting to have these…..ideas. They start thinking and acting independently, often irrationally, but independently none the less. So, it was with great trepidation that I agreed to be a chaperone for the Junior High Retreat to Inspiration Point. This trip would prove to not only test my olfactory willpower, but also proved to reinforce every reason that we love having our children at Park Christian School.

The recipe for the retreat is simple. Two days, no phones, no video games. Just two buses full of 7th and 8th grade students on a peninsula of land with only 1 road in or out and a goal of building relationships and community in an incredibly diverse group of kids. Easy, right?

We arrived at Inspiration Point Camp on Thursday morning. The programming for the event is pretty basic. A few teaching sessions, a couple of planned team-building exercises, plenty of free time, good food, and hopefully a little sleep. The kids made themselves at home quickly, and before long games of Octoball, 9-square, and volleyball were underway. I saw kids laughing, playing together, and solving problems cooperatively on the adventure-course activities. They were in fact, building a community. Park Christian School has orchestrated this event perfectly, and I’m glad to have been there to witness it.  

However, what impressed me the most was that, more than just relationship building, this trip is also about challenging these young people spiritually. They are at such a pivotal point in their lives when their faith is (hopefully) becoming their own, not their family’s faith, but theirs. PCS made sure to take full advantage of having this captive audience and to challenge and teach our kids. Mr. Levang presented an illustration of Barabbas and encouraged the kids to consider what an amazing sacrifice Jesus made for us when he took our place on the cross. Mr. Larson challenged our kids to have faith that is more than just going through the motions. For one session the boys and girls were separated for specific talks targeted to them as young men and women. Mr. Levang presented the boys with four qualities of what it takes to be a man of God. Kaitlyn Cornell talked with the girls about….girl stuff?

Yes, the odors in the gym after two hours of dodgeball were intense, but it was definitely worth it to be there for this experience.

I have to tell you that our students are in great hands at PCS. The teachers and administration are partnering with us, pointing our kids to Christ. This is why we are at Park Christian School.

Tony Nelson

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