Imago Dei: Created in the Image of God

Jesus equates "loving your neighbor as you love yourself" with the greatest commandment, to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind," in two different places in the New Testament.  One is in response to a theological test question asked of Jesus by Pharisees, after he had pointed out a theological error made by their counterparts.  The other, in response to a lawyer's question about how he could inherit eternal life.  The lawyer quoted the law, written in scripture, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and, love your neighbor as yourself." [Luke 10:27 NIV] 

Jesus indicated that this was the correct answer.  But for clarification, the lawyer asked Jesus to define the term "neighbor."  So, Jesus did so by using a parable that we know as the Parable of the Good Samaritan. 

From this, we get a very comprehensive answer to the question that leaves no room for doubt as to how this, the very core principle of the Christian gospel, is to be applied.  This is a core principle, by the way, that is at the forefront of our entire teaching and preaching ministry at MCA.  We teach our students that the foundation of a Christian testimony rests on how they treat others.  And that comes directly from Jesus' revealing this to us this way.  

The Implications of the Use of The Example of a Samaritan

The Samaritans were the object of ethnic hatred by the Jews.  They were the result of a racial mixing of the few Jewish people left behind after the Babylonian Captivity with the other semitic people who moved into the province in and around Jerusalem.  Their religious beliefs, and cultural practices, which set them apart from the Jewish population, along with political favor they had apparently enjoyed under some of the Babylonian kings, let to the prejudice and hatred they experienced from the Jewish people.  Once back in the province of Judah, and the city of Jerusalem, the Jews treated the Samaritans like pariahs and pagans.  

So the message that Jesus was sending, when he told this parable, was about more than just who lives next door or down the street.  He intentionally used this example to demonstrate the idea of Imago Dei, all human beings are created in the image of God, and therefore the definition of "neighbor," for the purpose of obedience to the greatest commandment, is any human without condition. I've heard, in some interpretations of this parable, that since the Samaritan was travelling between Jerusalem and Jericho, he might have been a proselyte, but Jesus didn't go there at all.  In fact, in this particular parable, Jesus uses two religious leaders as bad examples, in spite of their claimed belief.  In that, I believe he was saying that obedience to the first part of this commandment is pointless without the "love your neighbor" part.   

Noting that this is a parable, meaning that the characters display actions Jesus intended to use as a specific example, he creates the character of the Samaritan to deliberately do the right thing.  His experiences from his past, which all of those who heard this parable would be able to understand and put in context, were set aside to illustrate the full scope of exactly what Jesus intended to say, and that was that the evidence of our obedience to loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength is found in the way we treat other people without exception.   

Through all of those barriers, justifications for hatred, and actual experience, the Samaritan, as Jesus characterizes him, sees a fellow human being in need, and takes on the role of a servant.  In unselfishness that reveals Christlikeness, the focus of the moment becomes meeting the needs of a fellow human being created in the  image of God.  And Jesus has revealed, from God the Father, that this is an example which illustrates the first and greatest commandment, leading to eternal life. 

Why This is Important to Us 

As a Christian school that sees its mission and purpose of educating children and youth in an environment where the truth of the Christian gospel is integrated into their school experience as well as their curriculum objectives, we rest on these core principles of that gospel.  This includes recognizing that human beings are all created in the image of God, and that is the intrinsic value of our existence.  The Christian gospel rests on what Jesus said about the greatest commandment, linking the demonstration of our wholehearted love for God with the way we treat others.  

Our ministry is to support and undergird the Christian faith for our students in a way that supports what they are being taught at home and in their local church, alongside teaching basic skills that are an essential part of life in a free society.  We see the two things as being linked.  In order for this to be successful, we need the support of parents who have a clear understanding of where and how the greatest commandment defines our Christian faith.  

I spend a lot of time resolving student conflicts.  Jesus and the Apostles teach us, through the scripture, that humans are created in the image of God, but we are born with a sinful nature that requires redemption.  School aged children may have been exposed to the Christian gospel and its values, and some of them may have experienced the conviction and repentance that leads to redemption, but not all of them have, and even most of those who do are still in the process of figuring out how to listen to spiritual direction and shed their selfish nature.  School becomes a place where multiple experiences with a lot of other children their own age and time out from the direct supervision of their parents produces behavior that is self-centered.  When interests collide, conflict is the result.  

There is an expectation that parents who enroll their children in a Christian school would have an understanding of this direction that the ministry aspect of the school would take, and as a result of that, we would never have to deal with any kind of disruptive behavior or mediate conflicts.  I'm going to be honest here and relate observations that have been true of every Christian school where I have served.  Our students have more exposure to Biblical teaching than they would if they were in a public school, but Christian maturity is a lifelong process, and it starts with salvation.  It shouldn't surprise anyone that about 80% of our students have not experienced conviction, repentance and salvation at this point in their lives.  They may have an intellectual understanding of what is right and wrong behavior based on what they've learned from scripture, but overcoming the selfishness relate to sinful nature takes spiritual maturity.  

School Works With Home and Church

We're designed to support and undergird, and that requires parents being the ones who are primarily responsible for the spiritual development of their children.  And the other side of the equation involves our support for what our students learn and experience in their church.  What that means is that if parents want this to work, and expect this to work, they must be growing in their own spiritual maturity and leading their children, and they must engage them in the worship, fellowship, discipleship, evangelism and ministry of a local body of believers in Christ, as part of the Ecclesia, the gathered body of Christ.  

Our school has open enrollment, so about 20% of our families tell us, during the application process, that they are not active members of a local church.  We can discern, from what our students tell us, that another 20% are not regular in their worship attendance and are not engaged in ministry in their church.  We hope that our daily Bible study and weekly chapel worship helps students have this kind of experience, but there isn't a substitute for being engaged in the ministry of a local church, not just sitting in a pew on Sunday.

We can't guarantee that your child will become a believer in Christ, and be an active member of a local church just because they've been in Christian school.  But being here certainly increases the odds of that happening.  There is evidence to support the fact that school aged children and youth who are enrolled in a Christian school, and whose families are actively involved in local church ministry, beyond just weekly attendance, are much less likely to leave church behind in their 20's than their counterparts who aren't in Christian school, or whose families aren't committed to a local church.  

It may be hard to believe, but I've had parents at every Christian school where I've served complain that the emphasis we place on church involvement is "too much."  I'd suggest that an hour and a half a couple of times a month is not enough.  It seems that positive results come from two or three hours at church once a week, and five days a week at Christian school.

This Is All Connected

I earned my Master's degree in a theological seminary.  The major in Christian education also required that half of the hours required for graduation be taken in the school of theology.  There's no Bible study quite like that.  There is time to focus attention, for an entire semester, on single books, if you can imagine a class on Second Corinthians, or on First, Second and Third John, and Jude, taking an entire semester.  

The interpretive standard for the New Testament, and indeed for the whole Bible, is the revelation of the gospel given by Jesus, recorded in the four gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Jesus was God, and was able to reveal the full nature and character of God accurately, with both authority and a clarity of thought that makes the ominous sounding course in "systematic theology" flow with ease.  With relatively few words, Jesus gave us the gospel.  And our entire understanding of God's plan to redeem his human creation from sin rests in our interpretation of scripture through the lens of that gospel.  

So when Jesus says that the best demonstration of my Christian testimony is shown in the way that I treat my neighbor, translated into "all other people," I can be sure that's true.  When he says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God," then I need to become a peacemaker.  And when he says, "Go, make disciples, and teach them to observe all things," that becomes the way I conduct my ministry, through this Christian school.  So we start with showing our students how to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength by showing them how to love their neighbor as themselves, and all of our theme verses and chapel worship times are focused on this message. 

We want to reflect the image of God.  

MCA Sets the Example by Keeping Costs for Parents Low

One of the undeniable facts about education is that there is a cost associated with providing it that is fairly constant across the board.  Whether a student is in a private school, a charter school or a public school, or even home school or cyber education, the labor, materials and space required to provide education has a dollar figure attached to it.  

Based on a 9 month calendar, and taking into account that this figure is average, and includes all levels of spending that schools can provide, the average cost per pupil for one year in the state of Illinois is $20,120.00 per year.  That figure includes all costs associated with all schools providing an education, including transportation, infrastructure, materials, salaries for all personnel required to operate a school, everything, in fact that is spent to provide one year's worth of education.  

The biggest difference for most families, especially when it comes to choosing a school as opposed to attending the one assigned by the schoo district is who pays the bill.  The taxpayers cover the costs associated with public education.  Parents, of course, pay tuition or other expenses if they choose an alternative for their child.  

But even in religious-based private schools, including other Christian schools, where tuition is the primary means of financial support, the average tuition bill in Cook County and the City of Chicago is just under $12,000.  We have some families at MCA over the past few years who have an eighth grade student graduate, and immediately make note of the fact that the tuition for a Christian high school is double what they've been paying, and in some cases, more than that.  Even private schools where there is support and subsidy from a denomination or church fellowship, like the Catholic and Lutheran schools, tuition is much higher than at independent, non-denominational MCA.  

Why MCA Provides an Education at Well Below Average Cost

The average cost per student per year at MCA is right around $5,000.  That is less than the highest tuition figure, because it is the average of all tuition paid by families including the discounts for multiple siblings, and the scholarship amounts.  That is significantly lower than the $20,000 per year that is the average cost in Illinois.  It is, in fact, lower than tuition at any other nearby private, religious based school in our part of the city of Chicago and it comes in as one of the lowest annual tuition rates among all private schools in the metro area.  

So how does that happen? 

First of all, a big chunk of the expense of most private and public schools is facility and infrastructure.  MCA occupies a facility constructed specifically for the school's use, with some areas shared by the church's ministry, all debt free.  And while most Christian schools around us pay a lease or rental fee to the church that hosts them in their building, we do not.  We cover our share of the maintenance and utilities.  This in-kind contribution from Midwest Bible Church saves just a little over $2,000 per year, per student in what we would have to charge in tuition, if we had to pay a lease.  

Recognizing that this is a ministry, our teachers and staff make a personal sacrifice when it comes to payroll, in order to keep parent tuition costs low.  Raising our teacher salaries to just the minimum first year salary for a new teacher in the public school system would add another $2,000 to each student's tuition bill.  And adding those things would put our tuition and fees at just under $10,000 a year, which is still less than most of the other Christian schools, and private, religious-based schools in our area charge.  

Donations and gifts are also part of what keeps our costs low.  Over the past eight years, we have benefitted from over $500,000 in cash contributions from Midwest Bible Church.  That averages out to $2,500 per student.  The financial commitment of this church to its school ministry is high, compared to similar church-school relationships.  In most cases, scholarships for church members children are the only actual financial support that some sponsoring churches provide for their schools.  

Other private contributions and donations over the same period total $550,000, which includes the gift for renovating the gym, resurfacing the parking lot and replacing the windows.  The $200 fund raising fee, which each family pays, has generated about $70,000 in funds so far, which includes paying for the playground equipment, renovation of the art room, and of the band and music room.  That's four times more money than we would have raised from selling chocolate.  

Needs That Are Becoming More Pressing

Looking at the manner in which our school meets expected student outcomes, including its academic success and the spiritual life of our campus, we are being good stewards with our tuition dollars.  We have managed a balanced budget each of the past five years.  We cannot carry a lot of short term indebtedness, which means that we have to limit what we can extend to parents who are past due.  There is a cost to carrying overdue tuition accounts, which is why we look at this as a mutual commitment.  It takes away from what we can spend on our students when parents don't pay their bill on time.  

And we are behind the curve in providing our teachers with a fair salary for their education and their work.  Our staff is degreed, certified and several have, or are working toward, advanced degrees as  part of their committment to students.  Our faculty turnover rate over the past eight years has been very low, and we want to increase our ability to attract, and retain, qualified teachers.  We achieved full accreditation in 2020, a recognition of excellence from a commission that accredits for both  ACSI and Cognia, a distinction that we have in common with only about a third of the Christian and private, religious-based schools in our area.  Raising teacher pay is now a priority which will affect the bottom line of tuition.  

We take advantage of every opportunity we have to secure funds for scholarships.  Most of these are need-based, income qualified scholarships.  As other funds become available, including the anticipation of a federal tax credit starting in 2027-28, we try to stay on top of finding ways to access and make this available.  One of the things that we need to keep in mind is that in spite of whatever programs state, local or federal government come up with to promote "school choice," the bottom line is that our Christian schools are independent, autonomous, and unwilling to accept control or oversight which will  compromise our values, which is a requirement of many of the state-sponsored funding mechanisms.  These schools undergird and support the work of the local church, and we are worthy of a lot more financial help from those sources than we get.  

We are extremely grateful for the individuals who have contributed to Christian school education at MCA.  We have over 50 churches represented in our student body, all of whom benefit in some way from having families sacrificing to provide their child's education in a Christian atmosphere.  Perhaps there are individuals in those congregations who are able, and gifted, and led by the Lord to share out of their abundance to help the families in their congregation make this possible.  

Ultimately, our dependence on God's help, and the commitment of those who are part of this ministry, including the vision of Midwest Bible Church for Christian education in Chicago over the past 70 years, are responsible for the school's ministry having a future.  

  

The End of the School Year, ACSI Accreditation and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills

This has been a typical Chicago spring from my perspective.  A few days to tease us and let us think the weather is getting warmer, then rain, and a cool front, and we need the sweaters and jackets again.  

This is the time of year when we see a lot of families of potential new students touring the campus, investigating the possibility of enrolling their children here.  Several former students are in this group, along with many others who are following up on a recommendation from families of current students.  The top reason given by parents of new students for enrolling at Midwestern Christian Academy is the school's distinctively Christian identity, aligning with a foundation based on the Christian gospel and a commitment to instruction which integrates Biblical truth into every subject area.  

The other top reason given by parents looking to enroll their children here is the reputation the school has earned for academic excellence.  We hear this from prospective parents who show up to enroll their children, but we also hear it from administrators and admissions staff of the high schools which recruit the members of our eighth grade class, most of whom come to our campus personally to speak with our graduates and encourage their enrollment.  Our test scores help us see what our students achieve but it's nice to hear from prospective parents and peers, too.  

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills

At the end of every school year, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is our assessment of expected student outcomes when it comes to our academic program.  While most families seek enrollment for their children here because of the Christian emphasis and atmosphere, there is an expectation that our academic program will operate at a high standard, and that students will demonstrate a high level of proficiency in core subjects like English Language Arts and mathematics.  

There are some things that we can almost always predict when it comes to our test scores.  

The majority of our students, over two thirds of them, score in the top two quartiles in core subjects.  Our average scores fall between the 67th and 73rd percentile.  We have had some entire classes score right at the 90th percentile in one or two subject areas.  With the addition of Purposeful Design mathematics back in 2018, we saw our math scores improve each year.  

The longer a student is at MCA, the better they will score on the ITBS.  We spot check the scores every year, and this has been a reliable prediction over the past eight years.  

The reason for strong academic performance here is easy to discern.  We have a staff of well qualified teachers when it comes to instructional skills.  We use curriculum materials that have a proven track record of success.  And we have designed a curriculum that supports our ability to provide high school level coursework in Algebra 1, Physical Science and English/Language Arts for eighth graders to better prepare them for high school, and provide them with more options. 

Accreditation

"Accredited schools are excellent schools, and excellent schools seek accreditation."  

Accreditation is a mark of excellence.  It is the recognition that a school meets or exceeds a specific set of standards which measure the quality of a school's entire operation, from being faithful to its mission and purpose, to the standards and quality of its educational program, and in Christian schools, the level of commitment to its Christian identity.  

MCA is fully accredited by a commission established in the states of the North Central region of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).  ACSI accreditation is a recognized commission by all fifty state boards of education, and provides dual accreditation with several other recognized commissions, including Cognia, Middle States, and North Central-CASI.  

Our most recent accreditation has been extended through December of 2027.  

Not all private schools are accredited.  In fact, depending on the school's affiliation and relationship with a private school organization, or a religious denomination, only about a third of the private schools nationally are fully accredited.  We were very pleased by the accreditation team's evaluation of MCA which commended our school for its Christian emphasis and atmosphere, and its academic excellence.  

End of the School Year Activities

The Spring Concert, which will involve all students, is May 21.  

We have 24 eighth grade students who are graduating this spring.  They will be touring Washington, DC at the end of this month, which is always an exciting event.  In the fall, they will be scattering across the city to high schools like the academic academy at Lane Tech, Timothy Christian, Chicago Hope Academy, Walther Christian, Rickover Naval Academy, St. Patricks, DePaul Prep, Instrinsic, Schurz, Taft and I hope I didn't leave one out.  

There are several students who are in the running for Valedictorian and Salutatorian.  One of the unique aspects of eighth grade is that each student has to write a speech, as if they were going to be the valedictorian of the class.