What does it mean to be “unwaveringly Christ-Centered”?

By Rev. Aaron Winkle, head of school

When I introduce someone to Living Stones I begin by stating we are “unwaveringly Christ-centered.” I start there, because above everything else, we are a Christian learning community. What does that mean exactly?

Well, it means some of the things you might expect: we worship together, we study scripture, we incorporate our faith in Jesus Christ into all of our subjects. But at Living Stones, our commitment to being Christ-centered goes further. It affects all aspects of our school life, even discipline. 

Our goal is to encourage our young believers to mature in their faith. Teaching children the habits of worship, prayer and Bible reading is one way to put them on that path. We see discipline, too, as a chance to form lifelong habits based on key biblical principles, such as honesty, confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. 

What does that look like exactly? A lot of times, it looks like me working with a student one-on-one who has said or done something to damage a relationship with a peer or teacher. We practice speaking the words, “I am sorry. Will you forgive me.” 

We also recruit volunteers who can mentor our students, pray for our students, and provide the support our students need to flourish as learners and as followers of Jesus Christ.

Why do we do all of these things?  Because at LSA,  we have been called to shape mature believers — to help them learn to love the things that God loves.  

You may also like

Safe and Courageous

Safe and Courageous

By Aaron Winkle, Head of School Thursday evening in the first week of school, a serious storm hit Grand Rapids. Tornado warnings were issued, and...

read more