by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
One of my favorite episodes of "The Chosen" is Jesus' healing of the paralytic described in 3 of the 4 gospels. Apparently, the friends of the paralytic believed Jesus was more than a preacher and thought He had a divine nature. Unfortunately, the path to Him was blocked by crowds surrounding the house He was teaching from. Despite this unforeseen challenge, they knew this was their one opportunity to help their friend. After climbing on the roof, they made a hole and lowered him down into the presence of Jesus. The result was a miraculous healing, the forgiveness of sins, and another revelation of Jesus' deity. The people rejoiced with gratefulness as God was glorified in the midst of their circumstances. It is no secret that our current season is filled with many challenges, frustrations, and disappointments. Recently, the CCS staff gathered together for planning, prayer, and fellowship.The mood was one of gratefulness and opportunity. Throughout the spring, families welcomed us into their homes (virtually) and their driveways (literally) to continue the mission of our school. We are grateful for the partnership and sacrifice of our families, and the ongoing generosity and provision God has and continues to provide. We also look forward to the new opportunities God has prepared for us. We believe the 20-21 school year will be full of growth and blessing in the lives of our students and families. While we may find the typical path blocked at times, what we are striving for is the daily divine appointment with Jesus. He is our Savior and the Savior of the world. God is sovereign and we can place our trust in Him. As of July 3rd, our plans for the fall continue to include:
As we plan for the fall, let us all be prepared to show charity to one another. As with the mission of the school, our community chooses unity in the essentials and charity to one another over any disagreement of the non-essentials. In the same way, there may be disagreement over the strictness or looseness of particular policies. We choose to demonstrate charity in those areas with the knowledge that we agree on the essential mission of the school and the welfare of its students. If you have any specific questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at [email protected]. On a final note, I want to express my gratitude to the team of CCS teachers who tirelessly went above and beyond this past spring to learn and teach under challenging circumstances. I want to express my amazement and awe of Crosshill parents who in a new way partnered with the school as "teachers" in their own home. Looking forward, may an attitude of gratefulness and opportunity drive us into the presence of Jesus each day. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
I suppose many Oregonians have begun to consider what outdoor plans they may be able to execute this summer. Living in such a seasonal climate, there is a limited window to enjoy activities in nature. My son and I are looking forward to hikes to the summits of South Sister and Mt. St. Helens. The experience of completing these fairly grueling hikes can be quite rewarding. At the end of each of our previous hikes, there is a satisfaction that comes from enduring the task. Oftentimes we remark, “The amount of water we took was just right!” or “Our new hiking poles really helped out!” or “I need to get into better shape!” Regardless of the degree of success, the bond of going through the challenging experience together deepens the bond of friendship and character in both of us. As we near the end of the 2019-2020 school year with this season of distance learning, there is a similar sense of accomplishment. While none of us signed up for this mountainous schooling adventure, the forced experience is coming to completion. I’m sure there are plenty of comments being made in each of our households, “I’m so glad that it’s over!” or “I can’t believe what I”m saying, but I really miss school!” or “I never want to look at a screen again!” But on a more positive note, take the time to consider what has been gained through this experience. What new family routines were developed that deepened bonds of friendship? What innovation was developed that can be applied to other situations? What spiritual or character muscles were exposed to be out of shape? There are many historical illustrations in Scripture that parallel our current circumstances. In most cases, words of encouragement and/or clear warnings were provided to simply not forget. Don’t forget what the Lord brought you through. Don’t forget what you have learned. Don’t forget that circumstances should not drive your character. Don’t forget that God is sovereign. Still, I admit that a big part of me is eager to forget much of this season and move on. So I gladly accept the words of Paul who wrote, “one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). How exciting! What does the next season look like for each one of us as we fully engage in this upward call to walk with God? Each time that I hike with my son, I always surprise him with some specially packed treats to enjoy when we reach the summit. To a much more significant extent, God always has a prize for us as we walk out the plans that He has for us. We will continue to communicate regularly with our CCS community as we make plans for the fall and the Lord establishes our steps. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
I began my humble painting career on the bottom rung of the ladder...literally. As a young green college student, I was entrusted with the most simple and menial tasks on our painting projects. Scraping paint, carrying ladders, and cleaning brushes was the extent of my abilities. Perhaps my least favorite chore was cleaning the airless sprayer at the end of each day. While the rest of the crew was heading home for dinner, I was stuck with the messy laborious job of cleaning the sprayer pump and feet of hose that had funneled paint onto the house during the day. Eventually, I transitioned from being a painting apprentice with low wages to a small businessman with reliable extra income. But as my startup resources were limited, my jobs were completed by brush and roller as I could not afford an airless sprayer. Oh had I changed my tune! Instead of complaining about the messy cleanup of an airless sprayer, I was complaining about the lack of productivity that such a machine would have provided. On those early jobs, I would have gladly taken responsibility for the daily cleaning of the airless sprayer if I could have only utilized its benefits. In chapel this week, we considered the Proverb “Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest” (14:4). For those of you with pets or especially livestock, you understand that a degree of “mess” accompanies animals. But to say goodbye to the routine mess, you must also say goodbye to the joy or usefulness that the animal provides. The mess that is created is a minor inconvenience compared to the welcome presence of a friend. During this season of quarantine, I assume that many of our homes have become much messier! With the kids home from school, the stable is no longer empty. Their presence has required more supervision, more support, more food, and more cleanup. But just as crops cannot be sowed and harvested without an ox, strong relationships cannot be built in isolation. And while relationships between teachers and students have taken a virtual context for a season, relationships among families have never been more available. While some things will never be the same, other things will never change. At some point, your children will once again spend hundreds of hours a year out of your house and in the presence of others. While your stable may become a bit cleaner, you will miss the strength that this current situation provides to your family relationships. When I started my own painting business, I looked fondly on the past experience I had with the airless sprayer and longed for those days. May each of us not make the same mistake in our current circumstance. In spite of the minor messes, may we embrace, cherish, and celebrate any opportunities we have right now in our own stables for a large harvest of family discipleship. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
It was my senior year and I had big dreams. It was my time to shine, especially on the basketball floor. But God had other ideas. During the 2nd game of the season, I drove in hard to the basket. As I elevated to the hoop, a defender unintentionally undercut me and I found myself several feet above the ground but with my feet above my head. I came down hard on the hardwood, trying to catch myself to limit the impact. The rest of the game was equally disappointing as our team lost and I distinctly remember going 1 for 11 from the field. A week later my left wrist was in a cast and the majority of my senior season of basketball was over. What a disappointment. Years of training seemed to go down the drain. Little did I know that God had more valuable training in store for me. I was now called upon to become our team’s #1 cheerleader during practices. Even more humiliating, I was charged with the responsibility of being our team’s official bookkeeper. I didn’t even get to sit on our team bench anymore! I was shaken to my core. I was faced with so many tough questions. Where did basketball rank in the priorities of my life? Did I truly understand what being part of a team meant? Was my value based upon performance? Was pride a very real character flaw in my life? Over the course of the next few months, I wrestled with these questions and many more. I became aware of some things about myself that I did not like. I made a commitment to begin to change them. I also became much more aware of life outside of trying to be a star on the court. I was exposed to so many other coaches and administrators from other schools. I slowly improved my social skills and began to take my new responsibilities very seriously. During my time as a player-coach, I realized an entirely new side of the game that was previously unknown to me. Years later I can look back and understand how a common but untimely injury was actually part of God’s plan in preparing me for years of coaching and leadership. But in that moment, it was excruciatingly painful and confusing. I can only imagine what students of our senior class must be going through this spring. Many of the special experiences they have looked forward to for years have mostly disappeared just as they near the finish line of their high school career. As disappointing as it must be, God is certainly at work. The apostle Paul had a life full of painful surprises and disappointments. Yet he boldly declared that “God works all things for His good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). I think that is a good word for all of us right now. What is God up to in your life in these circumstances? What character growth is possible? What new opportunities are suddenly being revealed? How does God compare to other priorities in your life? How can learning itself carry value as opposed to performance or results? Instead of dwelling on what is lost in the past or being anxious about an uncertain future, focus on the moments of today. The training from the master discipler has never been more present! by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
Last week I was taking a quick break on my front porch in the sunshine with family members. I was eager to go back inside and get back to work, but it was my birthday after all. A few more minutes under blue skies were certainly warranted. Suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by the sound of honking car horns. A dozen cars driven by quarantine-crazed seniors blessed my day with a birthday parade I have never experienced before. Balloons, streamers, and decorated windows accompanied the noisy procession. Nearby neighbors came out to gawk at the disturbance, not quite understanding the ruckus. Crosshill students had come from as far as Silverton and Monmouth to join the parade and be seen out in public. With the current price of gas, who could blame them! I certainly was honored by their expression of affection for their fearless leader and math teacher. The fact that one of their classmates also had a birthday procession minutes before did nothing to temper my gratitude. The fact that students had been holed up in their houses for weeks and might have performed a parade for just about any reason also did not cross my mind. It was my birthday. A day to feel special. Sometimes on our birthdays, we might feel like we are entitled to our special day and the fanfare of gifts and cakes and parties that often go along with them. Some people even require their family to celebrate their "birthday week" or "birthday month". I get a kick out of that and enjoy helping others feel special. But at the end of the day, birthdays are just a mundane reminder that the earth has traveled around the sun once again. I am reminded of the truth that is far from mundane or routine. "But God shows his own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Nothing is more powerful or special than God's love for us. And there is nothing that we could ever do to earn it. In fact, the very essence of our sinful flesh requires the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The gift of salvation is obviously better than any gift one could receive in their natural lifetime. The next time your receive or give a gift, be reminded of the ultimate gift that gives each of us new birth in Christ. Now that is a "birthday lifetime". by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
While my hours on our campuses has certainly decreased, I still often make quick trips to open the building for a teacher or retrieve a textbook for a student. On one of these trips, I was walking down our High School hallway, breathing in that new school smell. Suddenly, my sensitive nose was assaulted with the stench of rotten bananas. I knew what I had to do. I must find those rotten bananas, and make some really sweet banana bread. I turned to my left and identified my targets: 75 student lockers. I turned to my right and identified another 75 student lockers. With precision only a seasoned principal can produce, I efficiently explored every single locker, rejoicing each time I opened a locker that they had no locks on them. I found the rotten bananas as well as many other unplanned science experiments and filled up an entire garbage bag with forgotten food leftovers. As I thoroughly scrubbed in the restroom like a doctor finishing surgery, it dawned on me that another 150 student lockers still need to be searched upstairs! Precision turned into perfection as I repeated my efforts through the upstairs hallway, filling another garbage bag to the brim. Any appetite I had when I entered the building was now long gone. As I made the long journey to the dumpster another time, I once again realized an oversight. There were still another 120 lockers in the Team Rooms! What had started out as a quick errand to retrieve a Life Science book had now become one of the greatest rotten food crises in the history of the new high school building! May I paraphrase the apostle Paul (Galatians 6), and encourage you to not grow weary in doing good. God is the author of the harvest. He has promised us a time of reaping according to his timetable. Do not give up. Continue to do good as you have opportunity to your family and those God leads to you. As we all eagerly look for the next season, let us not forget to flourish in this season. You may not have 420 lockers to clean, but there may be 420 dishes to wash (every day)! But while my duty was completed in complete isolation, our daily duties with family are simply isolated from many outside distractions.Take what you have and make it good, like really sweet banana bread. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
As parents, we all experience the joy of watching our children grow and develop as they learn more about themselves and the world around them. Oftentimes, we have a direct hand in that learning as they welcome us into their lives to model and teach knowledge and wisdom. Other times, not so much... How many of us are familiar with the following responses: "I don't need your help." "Let me do it." "I can do it on my own." These responses highlight the independent and often selfish and proud nature of the flesh. In the lives of our children, such an attitude can clearly stunt development and can even be dangerous. Despite the best modeling and mentoring, this fleshly flaw can easily be exercised into adulthood. During these unprecedented times surrounding health and its impacts on other aspects of culture, many of us feel like our worlds have been turned upside down. Routines we daily count on simply no longer exist. Preparing and planning for the future is a very uncertain matter. Many core foundations of our personal lives have been shaken. "God's promises are only as good as the extent of his sovereignty. He can deliver what you need only in the places where he rules." -Paul Tripp It can be tempting to revert to childish ways of thinking, rejecting the help of our good Father and trying to manage on our own. Rather, this is a new day to eagerly and actively surrender every domain of our lives under God's control. During one of Israel's low moments of history, God declared to His people "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27). While the enemy is clearly at work to destroy all that we hold dear, God has always been at work to help us correctly define what we should hold dear. These past 2 weeks have been an exercise for school leaders and staff to understand how to navigate the current reality. We have chosen to take what the enemy meant for evil and allow God to use it for good. Through much prayer and effort, we gladly continue to lead and grow our community. We surrender the school programs, curriculum, finances, students, staff, and parents to the sovereignty and rule of God. Thank you for your prayers and support, and know that we are praying for your family as well. As we prepare to continue to serve your family's education needs, the mission of daily discipleship remains front and center. When you face a trial today, remember the voice of the Lord: "Is anything too hard for me?" by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
The gym was packed and the fans for both teams were cheering with equal enthusiasm. I was intently focused on the game, not wanting to miss a single play. Then suddenly, an opposing player scooped up a loose ball and exploded down the court on a fast break. My seat on the baseline gave me a perfect view as the feet of the ball-handler clearly stepped out of bounds for 2 or 3 steps... What! No call? I was immediately enraged as my hands shot up in protest and my mouth began to open in disbelief. Fortunately, I quickly lowered my hands and closed my mouth before I embarrassed myself. After all, it was only an elementary Upward basketball game and the score was already lopsided and the volunteer officials were probably trying to give the defeated team a morale boost. Even in one of the more easygoing settings, competition is often a catalyst for our pride to object to even mild blunders. And when the stakes are higher and the score is closer, the emotional outcry can be even more persistent. As an official administrator at our home OSAA varsity basketball contests, part of my responsibility is to encourage and maintain appropriate sportsmanship. Yet I still find it to be one of the most challenging personal exercises of self-control to practice what I am paid to preach. Often upon reflection the following day I must admit much of my (hopefully) hidden outrage was entirely misguided due to my team bias. And as a former official, I know how impossible it is to officiate a perfect game. From the players to the coaches to the fans, God often reminds me how we are all imperfect. My primary role is to simply first identify my own shortcomings and take responsibility for them. Becoming a mature spectator honors God in so many ways. One main reason the Crosshill Christian community exists is to be a light and blessing to others. To that end, I have attempted to be more deliberate with the convenient annual interactions our community has with our public school competitors. I have been able to befriend one particular scorebook keeper from another public school over the years. I both mentally and literally take notes of our conversations so that I can commit them to prayer. Recently, her brother has been diagnosed with cancer and I have been able to encourage her and share the eternal truth of Jesus Christ with her. I pray that my actions as a fan only support the witness of my words. As you read this, a large part of our Crosshill community will be in Baker City at the OSAA State Championships supporting the Varsity Eagles Boys Basketball team. Please pray that our light will continue to shine even on a different hill (Matt. 5:14)! by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
This past month over 100 students from prospective families visited our 2 campuses during Open Houses and campus tours. It is so much fun to host interested families and introduce them to the Crosshill community! But for our staff to truly tell our story well, they must be excellent at bragging. But not bragging as the world defines bragging. The prophet Isaiah instructs us to not boast in our perceived wisdom, or in our perceived strength and power, or in our perceived riches. But rather we should “boast in this, that he understands and knows me (God), that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Every good thing that happens on our campuses is a direct result of the leading of the Lord, and that is something to brag about! You might be wondering how I prepare our humble staff to boldly boast in the Lord. The training I provide is actually quite easy. I simply tell them to talk to you, our Crosshill families. You are the source of so much encouragement and constant testimonies of God at work. In fact, most of the families interested in our community are first sold on our school through conversations with you. With well over 90% retention from year to year, our families’ committed devotion to God in the Crosshill community is very attractive. We rejoice that God continues to clearly provide instructions to our community of parents, leaders, and teachers about His will. Our mission is to train disciples. Our message is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our method is thousands of hours of life-on-life relationships through schooling, partnerships, and amazing activities. Yet at times, we can all fall short of God’s plans. But Jesus himself declares to us that His power is made perfect in our weakness, and so we should continue to brag even in our weaknesses (2 Cor. 12:9)! As prospective families spoke with me this month, they specifically stated a desire for their children to experience discipleship training on a daily basis. They were excited about a school that not only emphasizes salvation for their children, but a compassion and passion for the Good News to reach the lost. They are looking for a support system to partner with, led by the Lord. Pray with us that we continue to grow into the community that God desires! by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
In our house we have a standing appointment each night at the dinner table for homework help. Quality time, practical tutoring, and plenty of unhealthy snacks are par for the course. For our family and probably many other families, much of the homework help surrounds the subject of math. For even the best of students, there is always a challenging problem that can stump a student...and a parent. As a math teacher I often experience a frustrating habit among students asking for help in my class. It often goes like this… Student “Can you help me with #32?” Teacher “Sure, what is the problem asking?” Student “I don’t know.” Teacher “Did you write the problem down? Did you draw a picture? Did you read the question more than once?” Student “No, no, and no.” A good math teacher will tell the passive student to spend more time investigating the math problem before asking for help. While it may seem a bit harsh, the teacher knows that teaching can only go so far without the student personally engaged in the learning. And the teacher is not leaving the student hung out to dry, for the teacher understands what the student knows and doesn’t know, and will fill in the blanks as needed. Sometimes in life it is easy to give up on a challenge without putting any serious effort into it. There is no greater challenge that we face in life than the constant sin that plagues us. If you think quadratic equations are tough, try being perfect! And God does not give us a pass either, as Paul reminds us to “continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Just like the math teacher, God wants us to do are part. But how can that accomplish anything? Paul describes this in the next verse (Philippians 2:13) “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Just as the math teacher has the knowledge, God has all the power. And just as the student must practice the knowledge that is taught, the believer must work God’s transforming power into their own lives. There is an exciting phenomenon that often happens in a math classroom as the year proceeds. A student leaves their desk to ask the teacher for help, and just as they approach the teacher’s desk the light bulb goes off in their head on how to answer the problem and they return to their seat satisfied without even asking a question! The teaching and training of the teacher has taken its full effect in the active learning of the student. Even when they think they need help, they just need some time to reflect and synthesize what they have been taught. In the same way, as each of us actively approaches God with all of life’s troubles, the answers can arrive just on time through His Spirit having its full effect in our lives. At the core of working out one’s one salvation is a daily standing appointment with God...unhealthy snacks allowed. |
Adam Kronberger
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