Church Resources

In some areas of the country, schools will be wary of churches bringing volunteers into schools. In other places, schools will fear that outsiders will not keep their promises or will create an administrative headache. 

Here are some pitfalls to avoid when partnering with a local school. (Note: It is essential to know that of the hundreds, if not thousands, of churches that we support, we rarely hear stories of soured relationships with schools because most churches know how to serve with wisdom, humility, and compassion.)

Pushing the pace faster than your church is ready for

Run at the pace that your church can handle. Pastor Roy Chang says, “There’s that old adage that if you get too far ahead of your people, you'll look like the enemy. So you want to know what people's temperature is for school/church partnerships? As you're catching the vision, make sure that you bring people with you so that they can also catch the vision.”
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We often forget that Jesus is the savior of the world, not us

Pastor Roy says, “All of us who are trying to start church/school partnerships, we're probably a little bit late to the game. Jesus is already working in people's lives and through different organizations, through the leaders and teachers at the school. Jesus is already here. He was never kicked out of the school. So we need to be really humble.”
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Don't start a culture war in your public school

Pastor Roy says, “Keep the focus on a child's ability to read and write at grade level. You might see a book that you think is inappropriate. Or you might hear a teacher teaching a lesson that you think sounds political. The church can so easily get sidetracked into culture wars when what we really need to do is bless children and help them read and write at grade level. That's going to change their lives, not get embroiled in culture wars.”
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Avoid overpromising and under-delivering

The reality is that schools are lied to all the time. It is imperative that every community of faith fulfills its commitments, not 80%, not 90%, but 100% fulfilled. The children need to see adults keep their promises. The school needs to believe that their community cares. Churches need a reputation that is consistent with the character of Christ.

Gratitude to Pastor Roy Chang of School Connect Washington