It's no secret that I love books and the transformative effect they have on people, especially students who are navigating times of tremendous growth. We want to cultivate an environment here at OCS where students understand God's design for human flourishing, and this requires us to continually bring our own thinking into line with the Word of God. So once a month on Tuesday mornings, the faculty and staff meet for a book discussion.
Last fall, we went through Show Them Jesus as a way to reframe the way we teach the Bible. Author Jack Klumpenhower points to example after example of Bible stories that are not moralistic lessons but rather harbingers of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work on the cross. This, after all, is the culmination of the Scriptures; it is not by being moral that one is saved.
"For by grace you have been saved, through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This book would make a great study for parents as they seek to talk to their kids about how to read the Bible with the right lenses—ones that are attuned to see Jesus.
We are currently reading Rediscover Church by Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman and wrestling with why it is imperative that Christians be purposefully committed to a local body of believers. As our faculty explore the doctrine of the church, it increases their confidence to communicate with students the importance of church. Christianity is not an individual sport, nor is it a good hobby. Active church involvement is essential to spiritual vitality.
There are two books in the Mama Bear Apologetics series and both are powerful resources for understanding current culture and helpful for separating truth from falsehoods. Author Hillary Ferrer constantly reiterates the idea that we should “demolish ideas, not people.” This means seeing people as captives who need to be freed from bad arguments, not enemies who need to be eliminated (see 2 Cor. 10:5; Col 2:8). The first book, Mama Bear Apologetics, offers insight into broader ideologies. Mama Bear Apologetics: Guide to Sexuality dives into the world of identity that has many in our culture confused and questioning.
Fathers may be tempted to skip past this one because of the title and the specific, repeated charge to mothers, but the content is not simply another “mommy blogger” who writes from personal experience. Ferrer holds a master’s degree in biology from Clemson and she expertly lays out facts in a logical/rational manner. This is one that parents will return to over and over.
It is my hope that you pick up a copy of these books to be encouraged and equipped to disciple your students.
Penny Hayes, M.Ed.
Head of School
