Transparent Communication: A Goal for our Students

It is always a difficult thing to send our students back home for two weeks for Christmas break. We know that, in many ways, they simply are not yet ready to submit to the authority of the parents. If they were, there would be no need for them to return for the spring semester.

​Although the students may not be ready to return to their normal life at Christmas, we do desire to see growth in key areas of their life. One of these goals is to see a change in their communication. Each student has a unique personality, so this change will be different in every case. We encourage the parents to evaluate transparency, honesty, and respect in their son’s communication. Although manifested in various ways, these are spiritual fruit that should be evident in the life of every growing Christian. However, not all of our students are professing believers; our approach with these students is to always go back to the gospel. Unsaved individuals can pragmatically find ways to co-exist with conflict for selfish reasons, but they will ultimately fail. True heart change only happens through the power of Christ.
It is encouraging to hear reports from the parents during break. Not all of these reports are positive, but they reveal the parent’s heart. We are broken people working to encourage broken people. These parents make mistakes and watch the relational consequences happen in real-time. They have their moments of pure ecstasy, as they watch their children walk in truth. Such is the roller-coaster of family life! By the grace of God, these families are seeing change. They are having open conversations about life, theology, the gospel, and family. In many ways, the battle for their son's heart is just beginning. Once a Christian starts to show an interest in the things of God and works to remedy broken relationships, Satan gets busy. Be in prayer for these families, as they continue to seek growth and change to the glory of God!