Litchfield Christian School: FBCL's Great Commisson Opportunity to Meet a Genuine Need, Spread the Gospel, and Glorify God (Phil 4:10-20).

The Glory of Bristol Orphanage

I was first introduced the George Mueller at a pastors conference by Desiring God. John Piper spoke on Mueller’s life. I read George Mueller’s biography in seminary. Mueller captivates me by his faith in God to do massive and glorious Kingdom minded things for those who trust him. Piper describes Mueller’s life,

“George Mueller was a native German (a Prussian). He was born in Kroppenstaedt on September 27, 1805 and lived almost the entire nineteenth century. He died March 10, 1898 at the age of 92. He saw the great awakening of 1859 which he said “led to the conversion of hundreds of thousands.”1 He did follow up work for D. L. Moody,2 preached for Charles Spurgeon, and inspired the missionary faith of Hudson Taylor.

In 1834 (when he was 28) he founded The Scripture Knowledge Institute for Home and Abroad,12 because he was disillusioned with the post-millennialism, the liberalism, and the worldly strategies (like going into debt13) of existing mission organizations. Five branches of this Institute developed: 1) Schools for children and adults to teach Bible knowledge, 2) Bible distribution, 3) missionary support, 4) tract and book distribution, and 5) “to board, clothe and Scripturally educate destitute children who have lost both parents by death.”

The accomplishments of all five branches were significant,16 but the one he was known for around the world in his own lifetime, and still today, was the orphan ministry. He built five large orphan houses and cared for 10,024 orphans in his life. When he started in 1834 there were accommodations for 3,600 orphans in all of England and twice that many children under eight were in prison. One of the great effects of Mueller's ministry was to inspire others so that “fifty years after Mr. Mueller began his work, at least one hundred thousand orphans were cared for in England alone.”

Pertaining to the orphan ministry, Mueller began that ministry because he saw his community had a dire problem. Children of all ages were orphaned, mostly because of poverty and sickness. He had seen the darkness of his community and was drawn to do something about it, and he trusted that God wanted him to do something about it.

In 1834, after six weeks of praying, Mueller approached his church of a hundred or so about starting an orphanage. He gave three reasons why they should starting the orphanage. In his own words,

“The three chief reasons for establishing an Orphan-House are: 1. That God may be glorified, should He be pleased to furnish me with the means, in its being seen that it is not a vain thing to trust in Him; and that thus the faith of His children may be strengthened. 2. The spiritual welfare of fatherless and motherless children. 3. Their temporal welfare.”

For George Muller, the orphan houses exist to display that God can be trusted and to encourage believers to take him at his word. Piper noted that “taking God at his word,” was a deep sense of calling with Mueller. He said that God had given him the mercy in “being able to take God by His word and to rely upon it.” Mueller grieved that so many believers would not take God at his word and trust that God can start, sustain, and finish kingdom advancing ministry for his glory and our joy.

What I get from George Mueller is that he had resolute confidence in God’s sovereign goodness. His confidence in God’s sovereign goodness stirred his heart to live a life and lead a ministry in a way that proves God is real, God is trustworthy, God answers prayer. And when it came to trusting that God would provide for the orphans needs and welfare, he believed God is almighty, the hearts of all men are in his hands, and when God chooses to influence their hearts they will give.

Muller developed his trust in the sovereign goodness of God by reading texts like Philippians 4:10-20. Paul speaks to the sovereign goodness of God when he says things like

Philippians 4:11–13 ESV

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

He speaks of how God uses the Philippians to share in his need by partnering with Him, and how they supplied his needs, and yet knowing all along it was God who supplied his needs,

Philippians 4:19 ESV

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

We must trust God’s sovereign goodness to start and sustain Litchfield Christian School because it meets a genuine need, spreads the gospel, and glorifies God.

We must trust God’s sovereign goodness to use FBCL’s resources to meet the genuine need for a Christian School in Litchfield (vv. 10, 14, 18a).

Philippians 4:10 CSB

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it.

Philippians 4:14 CSB

14 Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.

Philippians 4:18 CSB

18 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

We are not aware of how much time elapsed between the first gift they sent Paul (2 Cor 8) and Epaphroditus arriving in Rome to meet Paul from Philippi (Phil 2:25-30). During that time, Paul’s needs were taken care of and the Philippian church lacked opportunity to give to Him. Paul was overjoyed at their thoughtfulness and generosity. His joy was in the Lord first. Jesus is always the source of Paul’s joy. In verses 11-12, Paul says he has learned to be content in every circumstance because of Jesus. No matter Paul’s circumstances in his ministry, whether he was being stoned outside or Lystra, floating in the sea from being shipwrecked, to being in a Roman prison, Jesus was always Paul’s all in all. So, Paul can say,

Philippians 4:13 ESV

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

What he means is, Jesus empowers every believer to live and even thrive in whatever life circumstance God puts you in to live. Christ strengthens you to live by faith in God’s will for your life, when life is full of plenty or when you are robbing Peter to pay Paul. Jesus strengthens you to do all things. The Philippian church understood this about the Christian faith because it explains why they gave in the manner they gave to Paul.

Notice what sprang Paul’s joy in the Lord. It was the how the Philippians gave themselves to the Lord in their sacrificial giving to Paul. They were eager to support Paul’s mission to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus. They partnered (koinonia) with Paul during his hardship, that is they shared in his difficulties. As verse 18 shows, the Philippian church financially gave out of their poverty to support Paul’s missionary efforts. Paul saw it as a fragrant offering that was acceptable and pleasing to God because is was done out of faith and a generous heart, a heart like God’s own heart.

Notice the connection between their meeting Paul’s need and Paul revival of sorts. He says “ I am full supplied,” or “revived. The Greek word translated “revived” is a rare word that means “blossom again” like perennials in the spring. When gift-bearing Epaphroditus appeared in his cell, it was for the apostle like spring flowers suddenly bursting into bloom (Hughes, R. Kent. 2007. Philippians: The Fellowship of the Gospel. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books). Think about it. Paul was in prison. He was lonely at times. He was hungry. He had to listened to people telling him about others causing division or preaching Christ out of contentment toward him, and worrying about the church in general. Then comes Epaphroditus and his joy in the Lord blossomed like perennial flowers in the spring. The Lord strengthen Paul through the Philippian. They brought joy to Paul and when they met his genuine need. WE have an opportunity to bring the joy of the Lord to Litchfield by modeling the Philippian churches desire, eagerness, and commitment to meet the genuine needs of Paul’s missionary ministry, even at great cost to themselves.

The children of Litchfield have a genuine need. Right now, according to the current numbers for Illinois Report Card, generously speaking, students K-12 are at anywhere between an 11 percent and a 22 percent proficiency of math (That means 78% of our children cannot do grade level math). Only 18% of 8th graders are passing algebra. At the High School, 22% of the students are at proficiency in reading and math, and 54% are proficient in science. Twenty percent of our children have Individual Educational Plans, meaning 260 students are designated special needs students. Nineteen percent of our students are truant and nine percent are homeless.

The Public Educational system is not working for our children. I speaking to the system itself, not all the teachers. There are some wonderful teachers and administrators who get up everyday to help these children be successful. Moreover, the schools in our district may not suffer from everything I say, but they will eventually because the system works against them in the three ways.

Philosophically flawed

First, the progressive educational theory they employ is what opened the door for all the political nonsense we see today. Progressivism is rooted in Post Modernism. The bedrock of any postmodern educational philosophy includes the following concepts:

• it is impossible to determine objective truth (There is no absolute truth. God and his word is a social construct.)

• language does not put us in contact with reality (Language is fluid and can mean whatever I want it to mean.)

• language and meaning are socially constructed

• metanarratives (religion) are social constructions developed by dominant groups to legitimize their position and privileges,

• knowledge is power, and

• schools have traditionally functioned as agents of that power for social control via the manipulation of knowledge

Knight, George R. 2006. Philosophy & Education: An Introduction in Christian Perspective. Fourth Edition. Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press.

This is the foundation of public education. Upon this house they build cultural marxism. This is why you hear of school advocating and pushing for the LGBTQ agenda, or social justice activism. It is because in progressive theory, schools are the agents of power that control social change.

Methodologically flawed

Secondly, the principles of methodology do not work well with educating children. To begin with, they make the child the center of the classroom. They then develop a curriculum and teaching method that grows out of students’ needs, interests, and initiatives, not what is proven and true. And because they believe children have a natural desire to learn, they made teachers facilitators rather than wise authoritative guides. Teachers have no real authority in the classroom and do not feel supported by the administration or the parents, which explains why there is 32% shortage of teachers in Illinois.

Culturally Flawed

Finally, the culture inside the school system has created an unsafe environment for children to learn. Teacher sexual misconduct is on the rise. Bullying in the school and on social media is the main topic of discussion. More and more children are struggling mentally and socially by the lack of boundaries and structure.

In our district, we spend over $14,000 dollars per student to educate them. Yet, our children are under performing at every level. Teachers are leaving the school system in droves. The system is not working for our children. They need a healthier holistic alternative education.

Litchfield Christian School can restore the joy and meet the needs of these children and their families in our community.

Mission:

Being empowered by the Spirit, guided by His word, and in fellowship with the church, we desire to unite families in Christ and partner with parents to strive to provide students with an education, so that they may grow in knowledge, wisdom of our Lord, and use their gifts to love their neighbor, and make much of Jesus in the church, community, and home.

We must trust God’s soverign goodness to use FBCL’s resources to further the spread of the gospel with the platform of Litchfield Christian School (vv. 15–16).

Philippians 4:15–16 ESV

15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.

The Philippian church partnered with Paul to spread the gospel. The Philippian church was a Great Commission minded church. Once again, Paul highlights there generosity, and it was a two way street. Others would only receive from Paul a gift. The Philippian church was eager to give to Paul’s mission, which was to spread the gospel in Europe. When Paul left Philippi and traveled ninety-five miles down the Egnatian Way to Thessalonica, notes Kent Hughes, the poverty-stricken Philippians repeatedly sent representatives to Thessalonica with gifts to meet his needs. And when Paul left Macedonia, they remained the only church to support him. Even when Paul went to wealthy Corinth (from whose proud people Paul would accept no money), it was the Philippians of Macedonia who helped him, as Paul explained to the Corinthians: “And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need” (2 Corinthians 11:9).*Hughes, R. Kent. 2007. Philippians: The Fellowship of the Gospel. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.)

Something the Philippian church teaches us is mission mind churches are eager to give generously to advancing the gospel. We are to be a generous people. The example of the Philippians must always set our eyes to do the same for the kingdom:

For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. (2 Corinthians 8:3–5)

A missions-minded church that is focused on spreading the gospel will give sacrificially to fulfill the Great Commission in their community. Why? Its not because education by itself will regenerate these children, removing the heart of stone and putting in a heart of flesh that obeys God’s commands. No, its because we believe education is a platform to bring these families and their children the gospel, the good news of Jesus, which is able to make them born again (John 3:1-6).

Litchfield Christian School will be a means of grace to every child and their family by exposing them to the gospel through the outreach ministry of education. Our vision is to see theses families experience the goodness of the Lord in Christ. many of you are concerned that the church is not growing as it should. There are many reasons for that, but one of them is that the gospel is not being shared outside of these walls. Litchfield Christian School creates the opportunity invite the lost to hear the gospel five days a week, and an opportunity to experience the gospel as they fellowship with the church through the platform of education.

TTV proved to us to be a perfect platform to share Jesus with lost children. We taught them scripture. We read Bible stories and sang songs that planted seeds of faith into their hearts. We ministered to their families at Christmas time by providing gifts. We prayed with mothers and grandmothers over their children and grandchildren. The more we worked with them, the more we realized how much more time we need with them. The afterschool program was limited in its scope and reach of parents. A school gives us a lot more opportunity to spread the gospel deep into the home.

We must trust God’s soverign goodness to supply our every need according to His riches in glory Christ Jesus (18-19).

Philippians 4:18–19 ESV

18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Verse 19 is my storehouse of grace for starting Litchfield Christian School. What does Paul mean by verse 19? What are the needs God will supply? They are the needs of verse 16, the monetary gift Paul needed for his mission trip and to support poorer churches. Paul is not shifting form material to spiritual, as some think he is dong. No, he is saying that God will supply whatever material resources Paul needs to complete his mission. The supply will come from Jesus. What does he mean in glory? Is he speaking of glory as a future time, like God will meet your needs in the future glory? No, that doe not make sense int he immediate context. Paul needs material resources as much a the Philippians do. They are poor? How can they keep giving to Paul’s ministry out of their poverty. They will continue to do so because God will supply every need according to his riches gloriously. In a glorious manner, God will provide their resources. The way God will provide and in the proportion God will provide will cause your heart to marvel at his glory. Glory is what every one of us wants to see!

Glory is what compels our hearts to hear Mueller’s story the way we hear it. The man so trusted God that he depended on the Lord to provide for over 10,000 children daily. The world looks at that and say that man was crazy. We look at him and say there is a God who is soverign and good. There is a God who sees us and provides our every need according to his riches that come to us in glorious ways.

The Glory of Litchfield Christian School

The mission of Litchfield Christian School is:

Empowered by the Spirit, guided by the word, and in fellowship with the church, we unite families to God’s goodness in Christ by partnering with parents to strive to provide students with an education, so that they may grow in knowledge and wisdom of our Lord, use their gifts to love their neighbor, and make much of Jesus in the church, community, and home.

We have six core values

Faith: Humans are spiritual beings made in the image of God. Purpose Statement: Because you are a spiritual being made in the image of God, I will instruct your heart and mind to worship God in spirit and truth (Genesis 1:26-27; Proverbs 1:7; John 4:12).

Reason: God has endowed man with reason; therefore, to flourish we must develop it to exercise it.

Purpose Statement: Because you are a spiritual being made in God’s image, I will teach you to exercise discernment and to walk in knowledge (Proverbs 4:7-9; Psalm 32:9).

Wisdom: God has sovereignly set consistent patterns of creational order in place; therefore, education must teach certain basic subject matters that reveal those patterns to all people. Purpose Statement: Because you are a spiritual being made in God’s image, I will instruct your heart and mind in moral and practical wisdom that helps you flourish (Genesis 2;Psalm 19; Matthew 5-7).

Truth: God’s truth is the center of all instruction; therefore, the instruction of truth must be the priority in the learning environment. Purpose Statement: Because you are a spiritual being made in God’s image, I will teach you eternal and creational truths and ways to practice them that help you flourish (Psalm 19:1-7; 119: 142; John 14:6.)

Tradition: God’s eternal and earthly wisdom has been passed down throughout the ages; therefore, what has been proven over time must be taught. Purpose Statement: Because you are a spiritual being made in the image of God, I will instruct your mind and heart with earthly and eternal wisdom that has been proven over time (Job 12:12; 32:7).

Maturity: God commands children to be discipled into adulthood; therefore, education must prepare the child to walk wisely in the ways of the Lord. Purpose Statement: Because you are a spiritual being made in the image of God, I will use the learning environment to teach you to walk wisely with the Lord as you grow into adulthood (Deuteronomy 6:1-6; Proverbs 7:1-3; Ephesians 5:15-21).

It’s a Great Day to be a Lancer!

Last year, around this time, I was praying hard for FBCL. I desperately want to she this church joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus. God imparted on me a sense that to do that, Jason, you need to trust my sovereign goodness, step out on faith, and watch me work. He gave me s promise

Psalm 27:13–14 ESV

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

I have waited for the Lord. I am trusting in his sovereign goodness. FBCL is in a position to step out on faith to start LCS. We live a life and lead this ministry of education in a way that proves to Litchfield and the world that God is real, God is trustworthy, God answers prayer. And when it came to trusting that God would provide for our students needs and welfare, we believe God is almighty, the hearts of all men are in his hands, and when God chooses to influence their hearts they will give. He will be glorified and we will see the sovereign goodness of our Lord in the land of the living.