Last Thursday, before our fall break began, our faculty and staff spent time in professional community praying, learning, and growing. We spent part of the day diving deeper into Teaching for Transformation, the method we use to integrate God’s story and God’s world into our curriculum. That work begins with a deep hope, a picture we each hold as educators of what we desire for those we shepherd. These hopes are powerful and hang outside all our doors, reflecting why we are here: to see and love students, to create curious cultural learners, to see God at work, to form students to engage a hurting world, to help students to seek the good of their neighborhoods, and many other hopes.
As you partner with DC at home and at church, consider your deep hope for your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or another child you influence.
What do you want to be true of them as they grow? What does a successful 35-year-old version of them look like? What are you praying for in this student’s life? If you haven’t considered this, write down the first thing that comes to mind when you answer this question: “What do you most hope for your child?” After you write your answer, read it aloud and ask yourself, “Why do I want this, and why does this matter to me?” Write that answer down. Repeat the process three more times, each time asking, “Why does that matter to me?” As you review your answers, you’ll get closer to your deep hope for your child.
If your response sounds like something God has already been saying to you, or something you have been saying to your student, that is not surprising. A deep hope is meant to be spoken, in ordinary moments, to students who are known and loved. And a deep hope has a direction. Scripture tells one story: God made a good world, sin broke it, Christ is making all things new, and God will dwell with his people for eternity. Our children are not only being prepared for their own futures. They are being formed to help bring flourishing and renewal to God’s world.
This week, share your deep hope with your child at dinner, in the car, or at bedtime. Then ask them what they hope for themselves. Where do your hopes align? Where are they different? Both are worth talking about. That is our shared work: praying, hoping, and forming the next generation together at home, church, and school, equipping them to engage the world with Christ’s transforming power and love.