We first landed in Bakersfield in July of 2006, on the hottest day on record for that particular day in July. It was 113 degrees, but it was a dry heat, so it only felt like... 113 degrees. In those days, we were a young family buying our first real home on Stonington St. I had a new job at Bakersfield Christian High School and my wife was a stay at home mom to our 2 year old daughter, Trinity. Everything was so new and exciting and terrifying.
Dan Cole, the president of BCHS at the time, gave me my first truly difficult assignment. I was to speak on the final night of the Hume Lake retreat, as a new Bible teacher, on the 3rd week of school, with virtually no sleep, because I was a counselor for a group of high school boys. Then as the week unfolded, what I didn't realize is that I would have to follow the likes of our other excellent Bible teachers, Jeff Ward, Dustin Adams and Randy Martin. In the end, things went well and, by God's grace, I fell into a nice early rhythm in my career at BCHS.
As I finish my race here, and I now look back, I am shocked into speechless moments of overwhelming emotion. I try to honor the memories, to honor the unmerited blessing of speaking truth into the lives of so many students, but the truth is that I don't know what to do with it all, or how to process the loss of something so precious to me. To teach at BCHS has been an excessive demonstration of God's grace to a man who simply does not deserve it.
I know it would be impossible, and even boring, to recount detailed memories from my journey at BCHS, so I will merely list a few big and small things that stand out from these special years, and hope that it will be a blessing to more people than just me:
1. I will always cherish the memories of our Bible department meetings, and of the deep bond of Christian unity that existed in our department. Words fail me to adequately express my gratitude for these people. Amy Pitcher, Jeff Ward, Dustin Adams, Matt Whisnant and Randy Martin are not mere educators; they are sculptors of people. They are authors of living epistles written on human hearts. I've seen it up close. I will cherish the years we were a team, the laughter, the difficult times, the prayers, the shared sense of glorious purpose beyond our adequacy. Perhaps one day there will be a great reunion in the heavenly realm, where we will embrace the multitude of students whose lives and families and friends were shaped by God's gracious work in and through our little Bible department in Bakersfield, California. I can assure you that I leave BCHS with grooves and marks graven by the lasting, life shaping work of these good people in my life. I am a better teacher and a better man because of these remarkable people!
2. This year as Greg Root handed me my student evaluations, I couldn't contain the emotion. I am not an emotional person, but it was just too much. In the past two years, much has changed for me, as I have gone through a painful divorce, the loss of my home, and now the loss of BCHS. I mention this only because the constant for me over these years has been God's singular mission for me among young men and women on the verge of adulthood.
The encounter in my classes, from year one to now, has been a series of holy encounters. It is haunting to be a steward of God's eternal truths, and to be tasked with explaining the weighty things of God to the searching minds of 16, 17 and 18 year olds. It literally made me lose sleep at times, and made me fearful each morning that I might mangle what God wanted these students to hear. I treated this responsibility with the utmost reverence.
God has been so good in my classroom! I don't know how else to say it. It wasn't me or my skill as a teacher. In fact, I know that at times I was only Balaam's ass (that is a Biblical joke, not frivolous swearing), but God ensured that despite my inadequacies, His truth resounded strong and true from room 107. That place is holy ground because of what God accomplished there.
Special encounters with students come flooding back, from my early days with the likes of Zack Clark, whose passion for the pursuit of God's truth is inspiring, and who now teaches alongside me at BCHS. Then there are students that have become like my own children, like Emily Dawson, salutatorian of the class of '09, and fellow graduate of Fuller Seminary. Emily adopted our family and is a constant source of encouragement to me and to my daughters. Then there is my dear friend Taylor Roche, who has, like many of my students, leapt beyond his teacher in the noble service of God.
I remember the laughter in my classes, and the odd moments. For example, one day during quiz prep I was doing some strange routine using one of my voices, and, as I recall, Cici Pandol looked at me with a quizzical look and said, in all seriousness, "You are so weird!" I couldn't tell if it was a compliment or a complaint.
Another time I sang a chipmunks song with the talented Lindsey Book using authentic chipmunks voices. I think there is even video evidence of that one somewhere.
In my cabins at Hume Lake, I would wait until students were nearly asleep and then wake them up with my demented Elmo voice.
There are times when there was full unguarded laughter, even snort-laughter, in my classes at some goofy exchange between me and my students. It happened a lot when Zack Reeves and Grace George were in my class.
I have deeply loved the ones who say nothing in a class, like Alec Hickernell or Marcus Schmidt or Angie Gruggett, people who run deep and quiet, like some strong current moving beneath still waters.
And I have loved the ones whose personality fills a classroom, like Bella Bouma or Brice Ezell or Sarah Lanuza.
More recent students, particularly my current senior class, have been uniquely special to me as well. To venture into daily discussions with the likes of Caleb Pollema and Wylie Espinoza and Lexi Scanlon and Emma Koehler and Kate Higdon and Margaux Hein and Juliana Morton and Breanna Duncan and so many others is to have one's hope energized. One day these young people will lead, and no doubt they will exceed my generation in wisdom and courage.
The sweetest moments, and there have been so many, have been those moments when I saw it in the eyes of a student that something profound had penetrated, and I knew in that moment that God was rearranging things in the minds and hearts of those students. In fact, I was witness to many encounters between the living God and young men and women occupied with the search of the ages.
3. My own little girls started to think I was "Bakersfield Famous"--that is the phrase they used--because towards the end we literally could not go anywhere in Bakersfield without seeing a former student or parent of a student. I had to assure them that many probably saw me and went the other way.
4. I'll remember the times I was asked to speak in chapels and at commencement. It was a high privilege to present God's word to students in those forums. As I look back, I'm surprised that students received the many hard things I had to say to them. I think they knew that I loved them enough to speak the truth.
5. I will always remember the snappy exchanges with colleagues also gifted with the spiritual gift of sarcasm, such as Frank Theissen, Jessica Ricker, and, her royal highness, Amy Pitcher. (Ask Amy about the illustration project she mistakingly assigned for 1 Samuel 18:27.)
2. This year as Greg Root handed me my student evaluations, I couldn't contain the emotion. I am not an emotional person, but it was just too much. In the past two years, much has changed for me, as I have gone through a painful divorce, the loss of my home, and now the loss of BCHS. I mention this only because the constant for me over these years has been God's singular mission for me among young men and women on the verge of adulthood.
The encounter in my classes, from year one to now, has been a series of holy encounters. It is haunting to be a steward of God's eternal truths, and to be tasked with explaining the weighty things of God to the searching minds of 16, 17 and 18 year olds. It literally made me lose sleep at times, and made me fearful each morning that I might mangle what God wanted these students to hear. I treated this responsibility with the utmost reverence.
God has been so good in my classroom! I don't know how else to say it. It wasn't me or my skill as a teacher. In fact, I know that at times I was only Balaam's ass (that is a Biblical joke, not frivolous swearing), but God ensured that despite my inadequacies, His truth resounded strong and true from room 107. That place is holy ground because of what God accomplished there.
Special encounters with students come flooding back, from my early days with the likes of Zack Clark, whose passion for the pursuit of God's truth is inspiring, and who now teaches alongside me at BCHS. Then there are students that have become like my own children, like Emily Dawson, salutatorian of the class of '09, and fellow graduate of Fuller Seminary. Emily adopted our family and is a constant source of encouragement to me and to my daughters. Then there is my dear friend Taylor Roche, who has, like many of my students, leapt beyond his teacher in the noble service of God.
I remember the laughter in my classes, and the odd moments. For example, one day during quiz prep I was doing some strange routine using one of my voices, and, as I recall, Cici Pandol looked at me with a quizzical look and said, in all seriousness, "You are so weird!" I couldn't tell if it was a compliment or a complaint.
Another time I sang a chipmunks song with the talented Lindsey Book using authentic chipmunks voices. I think there is even video evidence of that one somewhere.
In my cabins at Hume Lake, I would wait until students were nearly asleep and then wake them up with my demented Elmo voice.
There are times when there was full unguarded laughter, even snort-laughter, in my classes at some goofy exchange between me and my students. It happened a lot when Zack Reeves and Grace George were in my class.
I have deeply loved the ones who say nothing in a class, like Alec Hickernell or Marcus Schmidt or Angie Gruggett, people who run deep and quiet, like some strong current moving beneath still waters.
And I have loved the ones whose personality fills a classroom, like Bella Bouma or Brice Ezell or Sarah Lanuza.
More recent students, particularly my current senior class, have been uniquely special to me as well. To venture into daily discussions with the likes of Caleb Pollema and Wylie Espinoza and Lexi Scanlon and Emma Koehler and Kate Higdon and Margaux Hein and Juliana Morton and Breanna Duncan and so many others is to have one's hope energized. One day these young people will lead, and no doubt they will exceed my generation in wisdom and courage.
The sweetest moments, and there have been so many, have been those moments when I saw it in the eyes of a student that something profound had penetrated, and I knew in that moment that God was rearranging things in the minds and hearts of those students. In fact, I was witness to many encounters between the living God and young men and women occupied with the search of the ages.
3. My own little girls started to think I was "Bakersfield Famous"--that is the phrase they used--because towards the end we literally could not go anywhere in Bakersfield without seeing a former student or parent of a student. I had to assure them that many probably saw me and went the other way.
4. I'll remember the times I was asked to speak in chapels and at commencement. It was a high privilege to present God's word to students in those forums. As I look back, I'm surprised that students received the many hard things I had to say to them. I think they knew that I loved them enough to speak the truth.
5. I will always remember the snappy exchanges with colleagues also gifted with the spiritual gift of sarcasm, such as Frank Theissen, Jessica Ricker, and, her royal highness, Amy Pitcher. (Ask Amy about the illustration project she mistakingly assigned for 1 Samuel 18:27.)
6. There have been many conversations with John Yarian about his kids, two of our finest Eagles, Kevin representing us in seminary and Kayla as a nurse.
7. I've been here long enough to have many siblings come through my classes, which always made me feel that I was somehow a part of those families. There are so many that it would be impossible to recount, but certain families have been incredibly special to me, like the Roche family. I taught Taylor, Bretley, Sullivan and Delaney, all of whom are brilliant representatives of our school.
8. More than all, I cherish the memories of students who came to faith in Jesus during their time at BCHS. I'll never forget attending Jay Park's baptism at St John's. I was so proud to be a small part of the Christian community that pointed Jay to Jesus, which was led by the Bruick family. I remember Roy Jin's thoughtful questions on his journey to faith in Christ. And this year, the prayers of Mika Togo's faithful Christian parents led to her new love for the Savior. Think of it; a kid, "by chance" enters this little Christian school in Bakersfield, California, and in the end finds himself or herself ushered into the Kingdom of Heaven, where awaits the ceaseless extravagances of The Eternal King. They come from wholly different cultural worlds, and end up brothers and sisters through the grace of the The Lord Jesus Christ, co-laborers in the eternal mission to which we believers are called together.
To bring this long post to a close, I need to simply say that I am so grateful. This feeling of gratitude pours out of me in these final days so voluminously that I needed to capture some of it, and this pathetic instrument is my way of doing so.
I'm grateful to Dan Cole for his belief in me. I'm grateful for the mentor and friend he has become. I'm grateful to Randy Martin for the same. These two men did more for me than it is possible for me to quantify. I am the educator I am today because of their encouragement, challenge and support. They trusted me and defended me when I pushed my kids to the point of making my class as demanding as any other academic subject, which was not always a popular position.
I'm grateful to the entire faculty and staff of BCHS for embracing me as part of the family for all of these years. I'll never forget the love and support this community showed us when our twin girls were born 13 weeks prematurely in 2008. We were enclosed in the bonds of Christian love. I was told to take whatever time I needed to be with my wife, first-born and newborn babies. It breaks my heart that my kids will not get to be Eagles, but I trust God's sovereign work.
I'm grateful to the board of BCHS for their quiet work behind the scenes to fund our school and advance its mission. I know it can be thankless work, but I am keenly aware that my salary was largely provided by gracious, self-sacrificing philanthropists in this community, who believe deeply in excellent Christian education. I'm particularly aware of those names whose children also came through my classes, names like Spalinger and Wind and Bos and Touchstone and Higdon and Roodzant and Huckaby and the list goes on. I forged a special connection with Bev Allen, whose love for Christian education might surpass my own. Thank you to the whole board, past and present, for inviting me to participate with you in the important work God has called you to do here.
If any have read this far, may I be so bold as to offer a parting Bible teacher's piece of advice as a final word?
Please, I beg of you, do not let the pursuit of excellence become an idol. If there is a year in which we produce a class of graduates capable of seeing and articulating Christian truth in all areas (even if they don't believe it), but they are below Stockdale High in SAT scores, we will still have succeeded. If there is a year in which we produce graduates who outscore Stockdale in SAT scores, but on balance are incapable of seeing and articulating Christian truth in all areas, then we will have failed; no matter how pleased the paying constituency may be. Lewis warned that excellent education can produce "clever devils." Let us maintain our commitment to the production of clever saints, or at least to making it our highest ambition. Just as the Christian in doing his work must be continually reminded that the proper context for works is The Gospel, so too the Christian parent and Christian educator must be continually reminded that the proper context for excellence in the Christian school is a deep understanding of Christian truth.
In every generation, there must be those who will not merely pursue excellence, but will actively guard the context within which this excellence is to be understood and sought. Sadly, Christian history teaches us of our propensity to drift into idolatry. At every slightest point of drift, there must be those who will call us back to first principles. The Christian school needs excellent instructors, but it also needs prophets; and in the ideal they would be one and the same.
Finally, I say farewell, and repeat my unwavering trust in the Sovereign Lord and His designs for my family and for BCHS's family. Scripture makes it clear that even though the particulars of the future are uncertain, the victory is already won. We now only await the details of God's purposes for us as we participate in His unfolding victory. So I say one last time to my friends and family in Christ, Tetelestai!
I'm grateful to the entire faculty and staff of BCHS for embracing me as part of the family for all of these years. I'll never forget the love and support this community showed us when our twin girls were born 13 weeks prematurely in 2008. We were enclosed in the bonds of Christian love. I was told to take whatever time I needed to be with my wife, first-born and newborn babies. It breaks my heart that my kids will not get to be Eagles, but I trust God's sovereign work.
I'm grateful to the board of BCHS for their quiet work behind the scenes to fund our school and advance its mission. I know it can be thankless work, but I am keenly aware that my salary was largely provided by gracious, self-sacrificing philanthropists in this community, who believe deeply in excellent Christian education. I'm particularly aware of those names whose children also came through my classes, names like Spalinger and Wind and Bos and Touchstone and Higdon and Roodzant and Huckaby and the list goes on. I forged a special connection with Bev Allen, whose love for Christian education might surpass my own. Thank you to the whole board, past and present, for inviting me to participate with you in the important work God has called you to do here.
If any have read this far, may I be so bold as to offer a parting Bible teacher's piece of advice as a final word?
Please, I beg of you, do not let the pursuit of excellence become an idol. If there is a year in which we produce a class of graduates capable of seeing and articulating Christian truth in all areas (even if they don't believe it), but they are below Stockdale High in SAT scores, we will still have succeeded. If there is a year in which we produce graduates who outscore Stockdale in SAT scores, but on balance are incapable of seeing and articulating Christian truth in all areas, then we will have failed; no matter how pleased the paying constituency may be. Lewis warned that excellent education can produce "clever devils." Let us maintain our commitment to the production of clever saints, or at least to making it our highest ambition. Just as the Christian in doing his work must be continually reminded that the proper context for works is The Gospel, so too the Christian parent and Christian educator must be continually reminded that the proper context for excellence in the Christian school is a deep understanding of Christian truth.
In every generation, there must be those who will not merely pursue excellence, but will actively guard the context within which this excellence is to be understood and sought. Sadly, Christian history teaches us of our propensity to drift into idolatry. At every slightest point of drift, there must be those who will call us back to first principles. The Christian school needs excellent instructors, but it also needs prophets; and in the ideal they would be one and the same.
Finally, I say farewell, and repeat my unwavering trust in the Sovereign Lord and His designs for my family and for BCHS's family. Scripture makes it clear that even though the particulars of the future are uncertain, the victory is already won. We now only await the details of God's purposes for us as we participate in His unfolding victory. So I say one last time to my friends and family in Christ, Tetelestai!
