Difference Making

At a recent gathering/meeting that I was a part of, the gentleman presenting for the night introduced himself as a proud citizen of Abbotsford, and graduate of Abbotsford Christian School. His presentation was engaging, and the group that he worked with was invigorated by his leadership skills. I was proud to be associated with ACS at that moment – and this is something that happens with regularity. Our school has graduated thousands of Abbotsford citizens that have contributed positively to the people and community around them. This is not only true of Abbotsford, but also of other places in the lower mainland, the province of BC, the country of Canada and around the world. We can be proud of the fact that ACS has alumni all over that are “making a difference” in the world as they follow God’s calling in their lives.

Research will bear this “difference making” out. The Cardus Foundation, along with Notre Dame University recently released some preliminary results from their 3 year study on 24-39 year olds and the impact of Christian education in North America. There is conclusive evidence to support that people who have graduated from Christian schools have made a positive impact on society. “Christian schools seem to be producing “salt of the earth” citizens who provide the backbone of communities, are the pillars of their churches, and are living lives of purpose and hope. Fears that religious schools are the incubators of social unrest, producing a generation of culture warriors, seem to be largely unfounded.” (Ray Pennings, Senior Fellow, Cardus Foundation). For a full picture of the research done go to: http://www.cardus.ca/. We of course have known this information for years, and have been talking about it for years, but it’s nice to have a reputable outside organization, with nothing to gain in its research, say the same thing.