Christian school communities must be defined by service hearts, reflective of Jesus. So, how do we develop servant hearts and lives so this permeates our whole school curriculum and culture?
One of the first things we need to recognise is the counter cultures that exist alongside the Christ-centred culture. How do we deal with the “push-back” from these surrounding cultures which promote a focus upon self-interest?
Servanthood is not simply performing tasks for needy people. Servanthood commits to look outwards and to do good. This means that:
- We encourage a celebration of goodness and righteousness with joy.
- We develop the ability to critique and confront situations with grace.
- We learn to cry over the hurts of the world and try to heal what is broken.
- We identify injustice and try to bring mercy.
- We discern chaos and try to bring order.
- We lament violence and try to bring peace.
Creating a servant culture is not an “add-on” to our school curriculum. It is essential part of the way we commune together.
We develop a servant heart in every classroom as we become aware of one another and serve one another.
As our young people mature and become responsible, they bring their servant hearts to bear upon the whole school community. This will widen out to the locality within which the school is situated; then to the wider region, then to the nation, then to the world.
Mission and service programs are not separate programs from the rest of the curriculum; they are part of the curriculum. We equip our students for the work of ministry [1] (remember that a minister is a servant).
We change the paradigm from looking to benefit ourselves, to looking out for the needs of others.
[1] Ephesians 4:12