Serving God on the Christian School Board

by Roy W. Lowrie Jr., Roy L. Lowrie

This tried-and-true resource that has provided valuable information and inspiration to the Christian school movement has been thoroughly revised to provide direction and evnouragement for every school board member. The challenges, responsibilities, and blessings of serving on a Christian school board are presented in an easy-to-read format.

Genres: Nonfiction

81 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book contains some good points, but it also contains a lot of flippant statements, such as;


“Secular schools… truth is relative to the individual. Therefore, each person’s truth ends at the tip of his or her nose” This is a broad over generalization, and paints ALL pubic schools in a negative light. It’s no wonder Christians sometimes get a reputation for being uppity.

“ only education from the moral vantage point of the Bible can produce good fruit“ There are many people who are doing great things who are not Christians…we are saved by faith not works.

“ The board member has school-age children, they should be enrolled in the Christian school“ I could not disagree more. Our school has had fantastic members who give a unique perspective when their children do not attend. Also, what if it’s simply not the right fit for the child? For example, what if the child has a disability that the school can not service?

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am new to a Christain school board. This is a good start. Without being overly wordy, this book has given me a list of things to question and watch for. It better discribes what my role will be than the small thoughts given me by the other board members. I may suggest it as reading for all of them. Formost, this is a good reminder to pray daily for the school including other board members, administrator, teachers, staff, parents, and students.

[Mark Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

A well rounded perspective for Christian education leaders. A must in everyone's library especially if you are new to any leadership role.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, concise handbook for Christian School Boards.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent brief primer in how to be a good Christian school board member. Highly recommended.

[John Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

While obviously a book that will have quite limited appeal, this has been of great help to me in my capacity as President of the Board of Directors at Highland Rim Academy. First published in 1976 by Row Lowrie, Jr., the first president of the Association for Christian Schools International, this book has undergone two revisions by his son, with the most recent coming in 2004.

While the book includes many practical considerations (organizational structures of boards, running a timely and efficient meeting, selecting board members, etc), what I appreciated most was the emphasis on what makes a Christian school board distinct from other boards. The authors place a great deal of emphasis not only on the necessity of personal holiness for board members, but on the corporate reading of Scripture and prayer that takes place during meetings. This is something without which we can accomplish nothing of value!

I also enjoyed the final chapter, called “The Marks of a Quality Board”. This is a resource that essentially summarizes and reiterates what is said throughout the rest of the book, making it a handy quick reference guide. If you are affiliated with a Christian school in any way — but particularly if you are serving on a school board — I encourage you to purchase this book to learn more about how a well-governed Christian school operates.