8/12/2019 1991 Issue 4 - The Lordship Series: Westminster Christian Academy - Counsel of Chalcedon
1/4
Westminster Christian Academy
Go
therefore andmake
disciples
ofallthe
nations, baptizing
them in
the
name
o
he Fl1therand ojthe
Son
and of he Holy
Spirit, teaching themto obserVe all things thatl
have
commanded
you;
and /0, am with you always,
even to the
end of
the
age
(Matthew 28:19,20).
There
are
few
passages
ofScriPture more
familiar to Christians
than
these
words of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
recorded in the 28th
chlipter
of
Matthew. n our age,
in fact, they
are
perhaps
too
f3nillia't. They are
so
faniiliar that many who claim
to
follow
Cliristiiaveforgotten their
significance,
weakened
their impact,
andmuTOwedtheirscope.20theenlury
seeks,
by the grace
ofGod,
to obey thelaw ofChrist Jesus taught
that
the true test
of
love
for
Him was
obedience to
Ins
commandments (John 14:15,21). Defined this way, adisciple is
one who has
been
btoughtunder the discipline
of
God's law.
A
discipled
nation is thereforeone which
self-consciously seeks
to
follow
God
s
law
.
n the minds of most
Christians
in oiJrage, the thoughttliat
natious
will one day follow
Christ
is oIily
an
imposs:tble dream.
How
is
this
seemingly
impossible
task
ofbringingentirenatious
underthedisciplineofGod slaw
tobeaccomp1isl ed?
OurLOrd
Jesus has provided the answer
in
the text of the
Commission
itself. The
primary
tool in the
disciplingoffuenationsiseducation.
vangclicalism'
has lost sight of the
greatness of Christ s Great
Conuilission.
To most Christians of
the
1990 s,
the scope
of
the
Great
Commission
has reduced from
t ul
glorious task of
bringing
entire
natious into subjection to Jesus
Orrist
to
the
futile task
of
an
evangelical
mandlite doomed
to
failure.
Westminster Christian
cademy operates on
the
premise that
there can e
o
certainty n knowledge
The purpose of Westminster
ChristiauAcadetily's
existence
is
to
fulfill
Christ's Great
Cointnissiou.
The Academy's goal is
to
train up
the next generation of leaders to
think God s thoughis
after Ifim
and
equiptbem
t6applybiblicalsofurlOOs
to all the problems mali.
faces.
Westminster
Academy operates on
th
e
preruisethatthereisnoneutra ity
in
any discipline. Every
subject
is
tauglit
from a
biblically
informed
hemt task God gave
mankind
was
to exercise
a
godly doininion over
the
earth (Genesis 1:2(}:31). Although
mankind s Fall
into
sin made
this
mandate impossible for
man in his
outside
o
saving
relationship with Jesus
Christ. Universal
laws
o
logic, science, and morality
are
impossible outside
Christian
world
view.
fallen condition to complete, the transforming power of the
gospel
of
Jesus Christ
has made Christians new creatures in
christ(II
Cor. 5:17). As
new
creatures,men are enabled
through
tIie power of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit,
to
complete the original
Doruiuion
Mandate.
Christ's Great
ConuiIission to disciple (discipline) the
natious under
God
s aw
is therefore nothing
less tha i a post-fall
restatement of
God's
original
command to
subdue the earth
Although the20tJ:t
century(lrotch
has reduced Christ's
Great
CXJmn1ission
to
snatching afew
SouIsoutof
every nation, Christ
hail cOlIlllli.$sioned the ChurcII
to
aCcomplish much more.
He
hasCOlilma lded A disciple
ofChrist is afollow erofChrist. is one who
28 The CliiJnselofCbalcedon May
1991
paintofview,noisimply
as
war)ned
over
secular
education baptized with
Christian
teni1inology.
Instory, for
example,
is presented
as
the unfolding of God's
purposes in
time,
not as a serieS of random events. Biology,
likewise, cannot be understOod apart from the understanding
that the
complexity
of life is derived from a sovereign creator
who has a purpose foc every life-form. Even mathematics is
taught
from
a Christian
perspective
. Mathematics
can
be
reliable ouly
because our
God
is a logical God who has set the
universe on the foundation of
lls
IlIichanging law. Since Jesus
Christ
is buth incarnate (John 14:6), VleslininsterChristian
Academy (J{CA) operates on the
preruise
that there can be
no
certainty
in
knowledge outsideru a saving relationsl1ip with
Jesus
Christ.
Universal
laws
bflogic
,sCience, aild
morality
are
impossible outside a Christiaii
wotld
and
life
View.
8/12/2019 1991 Issue 4 - The Lordship Series: Westminster Christian Academy - Counsel of Chalcedon
2/4
Since God's law affects every academic discipline, the staff
andfacwtyofCWCA)understandthatneutra1ityisimpossible.
Academic neutrality is a myth. Every discipline will
be
taught
from a theistic
or
humanistic point
of
view. Jesus said,
no
servant can serve two masters
(Luke 16: 13).
It
is likewise
impossible to serve two intellectual masters. Either God nd
His
Law/Word will form the
foundation
of
human
understandingormanwill construct his ownillogica1standards
of truth, justice, and morali ty. TIlls is hardly a
new
concept.
Centuries ago, St. Anselm posited: "I believe in order to
understand." Anselm understood the nature
of
truth. He
understood that
in
order to understand the universe, one must
first know the God of the universe. Anselm's axiom was
opposed by thehumanisticpremise
of
he philosopher Descartes
who
mad
the statement:
I
think, therefore 1 am." Anselm and
Descartes have summarized the basic antithesis between
public education and Christian education.
WCA
is founded
upon the premise that the Bible has the answers to all the
problems
of
life and
man
must first know God before he can
adequately understand the universe.
Only
by
developing a biblically based Christian world and life
view in the next generat ion
of
Christians, will the Church
of
Jesus Christ be able to fulfill the Great Commission
of her
Lord. WCA is commitred to fulfilling our
Lord's
Great
Commission through educating the next generation to think
God's
thoughts after Him. Only when
men
and women
understand God,
God's
word, and God's universe will they
be
eqnippedto fulfill Christ's Commission. Therefore, anessential
part of the cunicwum
ofWCA
is Bible
and
theology. High
School students are challenged to be thinking Christians
through courses
such
as Christian
Ethics and
Biblical
Apologetics. n these courses, students obtain a
much
needed
epistemological foundation (i.e., knowing what and why they
believe) to their Christ ian faith as well
as
learn
how
to defend
Christianity against humanistic systems of thought.
They Said it
Cowdn't
Be Done
With men it
is
impossible, butnot with
God forwith God
all
things are possible. (Mark 10:27).
"Impossible," the 'exper ts' said. "Establish a Christian school
with a Reformed emphasis by a tiny Church
in an
area which
is 80% Roman Catholic and suffering severe economic
difficulties?
t
cannot
be
done ", the pundits chortled.
Ned and Valerie Rutland were not concerned with statistics
and demographics. They were willing to try something that
was doomed to failure unless
God's
hand was
in
it.
Ned
Rutland, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church from
1977 to 1989, had the vision to establish a ministry which
would serve
both
Christ and the community.
The
First
Presbyterian Church Preschool was founded in 1978 with 30
students. Since that time, the school not only has survived, it
has thrived From those humble beginnings 12
years
ago,
the
school has grown to 500 students from K -3 through 12th
grade.
The
success
which
God
has
blessed
the
Academy
has
translated into
blessing for
the
community
at
large
Christian
Education, with the strong
emphasis on
diligent work
habits and thrift has
already had great impact
on
the
community.
By establishing aquality program withhighacademicstandards
and tight discipline, (sorely lacking in most area public and
private schools),
WCA
also serves many
Roman
Catholic
students
WCA
strives for cooperation with others
in
the
BodyofChrist without compromising the distinctive Reformed
(biblical) world and life view
upon
which the Academy is
founded. The success which God has blessed the Academy
has translated into a blessing for the community at large.
Several local employers have observed superior
work
habits
and greater ability to assume responsibility from Westminster
students. Christian Education, with the strong emphasis
on
diligent work habits and thrift has already had a great impact
on
the community. TIlls is
just
one
of
many examplesof how
a Westminster education has improved students'lives as they
prepare to be productive citizens.
Westminster also seeks,
under
the blessing of
God's
grace, to
effect eternal changes
in her
students.
The
faculty and staff are
dedicated to shining forth Jesus Christ in he classroom. Since
her
inception, the spiritually rich education offered
at
Westminster has changed the lives of
her
students through the
teaching
of
the gospel and biblical morals to students who
would never have
been
exposed to the Scriptures had there not
been a WCA. Indeed, nothing is impossible with God.
May 1991 The Counsel of Cha\cedon
9
8/12/2019 1991 Issue 4 - The Lordship Series: Westminster Christian Academy - Counsel of Chalcedon
3/4
The Value of Wisdom
Receivemy instruction and not silver,
ana
know/edge rather
than choice
gold;jor'wisdomisbeiter
than
rUbies,
and
all
the
things One m y desire cannot
be
compared with
her...
.
Every day
over 300 families
in South Louisiana
demonstrate
that they value wisdom
for
their children over even "choice
gold"
by Sending
'
SOO
children to
WCA.Westminstet
was
establishedwlththe purpose of teaching
God s
wisdom to
ybungpeople in
the Acadiana
area of
South Louisiana
through
a h r i s t ~ c e n i e r e d
and
academically
superior
education.
The
key to success at Westminster is multifaceted. The
dediC atlOJl of Rev. Ned
Rutland
and
his wife
Valerie
(the
sChool's
first administrator), provided the
foundation for a
successfuiorgauization. T h e ~ a d e m y e n j o y s
almostunanimous
SUPP
8/12/2019 1991 Issue 4 - The Lordship Series: Westminster Christian Academy - Counsel of Chalcedon
4/4
Because the leaders of WCA believe Christian education is
vitaIforeverychild,plansareinthemakingtoestablishsatellite
campuses in surrounding towns
which will
function as
elementary feeder
schools inlD
the
main campus High School.
TheLafayettecampushas
already beenmentioned.
AOrristian
School
in
the nearby IDwn
of
Ville Platte has recently merged
Westtninster,
providedtheAcademy ssecondsatellitecampus.
Feasibility
studies are
currently being
considered
for
other
nearby localities.
WCA believes
in
attempting great things
for
the
Lord. The
staff,
faculty, administration,
Board
of
DirecIDrs,
and Church
session
nonetheless
understaod the
truth that unless the Lord
builds
the house, they labor in vain who build if (ps
.
127:1).
All who
areinvolvedwiththeministryofWestminster Orristian
Academy are careful 1
give
ll
the
praise 1 the Almighty .
They
also
understaod
that
nothing is impossible
with God
(Matt. 19:
26).
f
God,
in
His
graciOUS providence
continues 1 bless, the
accomplishments
of
an
Academy
committed first
andforemost
to be faithful to
God's
covenant will continue 1 grow. To
accomplish Orrist'sGreat Commissionto disciple
the
nations,
WCAhasmanylongrangeplans. SomeoftlwseplansincJude
Westminster
Publications, which
will develop and publish
ChristianSchool curricola withaBiblical
World
View emphasis.
Other
possible fu1Dre
plans include the establishment
of a
rninority
scholarship program 10help underprivileged children
in the areapay
for
aCbristianEducation,aboarding
school,
and
the
founding of
Westminster
Christian
College. Yes, these are
great
plans. t
must be remembered, however, that we serve
a
great
God , a
God who owns the
cattle on a thousand hills (ps .
50:10),
a
God
whose
resoun:es
never run
out God will
use
schools
like
Westminster 1 accomplish
thatgreat
prophecy
of
Isaiah. In a
small
way, GodisalreadyusingWCAaspartofHis
instrument to
fill
the earth with
His knowledge
as the waters
cover the sea . n
Join us in
the
Worship
of God
Chalcedon
Presbyterian
Church
7901 Roberts Rd.
Dunwoody,
a
Sunday
10:30AM 6PM
Fourie, The
Ninth Commandment,
contiued
We are
required by the ninth commandment to be r true
witness
concerning
God and
man
and
even our enemies
nd
Satan.
To ascribe 1
Satao
the
power
that belongs only to
od
is 1 witness
falsely.
To witness truly is to promote the well
being of our society
nd
a godly law-order in which nothing,
neither good nor evil, will be exaggerated or concealed.
Unless
truth
as defined by the
Bible
is
upheld and preserved,
our society
will perish in
a revolution of falsehood which
promises a uIDpia beyond
good
and evil.
Withholding Truth
We are under an
obligation
to tell the truth in
all
normal
circumstaoces. Thatis the duty implied inthis commandment
However, we learn from Scriptnre that in a fallen world there
are occasions when
truth-telling
will
actually bring injury or
death to the people of God. Such times would be in
the
face
ofswom
enemies
of
God
, who, given the truth, would use it
to
further their own evil purposes. In the real world, poetic
justice is a
fallacy and
it cannot beheld that
by
telling the truth
to an
enemy,
for example, by revealing the hiding place
of
he
Israelite spies in Jericho,
God will
bless the truth-telling and
intelVene to
prevent
any
hann. To expect this of God would
be to
test
Him and
it
is
forbidden
to
do that (Deuteronomy
6: 16). To give
the
truth to an enemy bent on the destruction
of
the
truth is to be a party 10 that evil action. In the case of
Rahab
it was a choice between being a party to the killing of
the Israelite spies ortellingalie to throw the menofJericho off
thescent Nowheredoesscriptnrecondemnheraction.
Infact
shebecameamotherinthegenealogica1lineofourLordJesns
Quist
(Matthew 1:5). Similarly, theEgyptianmidwives,who
lied
about the
reasons
for their failure
to
destroy the male
babies
of the
Hebrew
women because they feared God more
th n
Pharaoh,
are nowhere
condemned. Oearly, a raging
enemy
of God
is
not entitled to
the
truth. Furthermore, our
obligation
to
tell the truth in
DOrmal
circumstances does not
mean that private
matters,
which
are
of no concern to others,
must be divulged.
Falsehood and ''Freedom' '
We
are all
witnesses of a universe
of
God-created and God
ordered
facts.
InGod's crea ioneverything speaks
of
Him. A
true
witness
acknowledges
this but
afalse witness rebelliously
suppresses it
Insteadofsubmittingtotheinterpretationwhich
God
gives
to
everything, he
exaltshismind above God's word
to
a positionoffalse independence . Ifhis interpretation,
at
any
point, is
in hannony
with
the truth, he
does
not acknowledge
May 1991 The Counsel of Chalcedon 31
Top Related