Insights

For the last couple weeks you have read about what we have started calling the “Golden Partnership”. This is the partnership between Family, Church, and School that is essential to the University Model School system. This week we are going to look at the Church partnership.

I grew up in the church, but not in the church. Let me explain. I went to Sunday services every once in a while: “Big church”, but not Sunday school. I knew a few of the stories of the Bible, but had no clue what they all meant. When I came to know Jesus my junior year of high school I immediately got more involved in the life of the church. While doing so I met many men who I count as foundational to my growth as a Christian. A few of them have gone to be with the Lord, but I keep in touch with many of them to this day.

These extra layers of influence helped build the foundation of the faith that I have today. My belief and faith in Christ would not be what it is without the local body of believers that was part of my life in the early 2000s.

The Barna Group did a study around 2019-2020 where they interviewed a large group of 19-29 year olds who stayed involved in the life of a church after high school. This study showed that, without a doubt, ACTIVE involvement in a local church was essential to the foundational growth of the faith for the members of the focus group. As one who has worked with students for the last 20 years I can tell you that ALL of these things are worth paying attention to. These things matter when it comes to students understanding the importance of the local church.

The local church provides a place where ALL OF US, students and adults, can be poured into and a place where we can be refined more into Christ’s likeness. This is why it is part of the golden partnership.

As you go through the next week, I’d encourage you to ask yourself these questions.
Am I actively sitting under Biblical teaching?
Who is someone in my local church that is pouring into me?
Who is someone in my local church that I am pouring into?
Am I becoming more like Christ through my involvement in my local church?
How can I become more involved in the life of my local church?

Joel Gutowsky
Director of Student Life
Logos Preparatory Academy