By Rusty Russell
My high school alma mater, Christian Academy of Louisville, recently was attacked by the local media and even received national attention after a parent complained about an assignment given to middle school students in an elective Christian Worldview class.
The CAL teacher asked students to write an essay imagining how they would dialogue with a fellow student who was wrestling with same-sex attraction. The brilliantly written assignment encouraged students to consider how to “lovingly and compassionately speak truth . . . without approving of any sin” and to “try to persuade them of the goodness of God’s design for them.”
The school has been viciously attacked for—ironically—being so vicious. A liberal minister wrote an editorial to the local newspaper blasting not only CAL but any Christian who takes a stance that homosexual behavior is a sin. His hermeneutics were laughable but not surprising. I was, however, caught a little off guard that, with no historical evidence, the editorial claimed the school was started in the 1970s as a protest against desegregation. It was an emotional ploy to destroy the credibility of the school.
It’s not true. I was there.
I became a student the first day CAL opened in the mid-1970s. I stayed through high school graduation. My father was a significant supporter of the school as the preacher of one of the founding churches (Southeast Christian Church).
CAL was begun as a joint venture of seven independent Christian churches in Louisville. Each church assigned two board members to create the CAL board of directors. The mission of the school from the beginning was to provide young people with a Christian education. Children of every racial background are welcomed and have been a part of the school from the first year.
I’m privileged to say I was not only a student at CAL but later a teacher and administrator for the school for several years. I returned to CAL as a Bible teacher and director of development in 1992.
One of my favorite CAL teachers, Susan Toadvine, was by that time a parent of two CAL high school students. She suggested I consider a new curriculum for the juniors and seniors called “Understanding the Times.” I perused the curriculum and couldn’t have been more impressed. Every major ethical and philosophical issue facing our time was tackled from a biblical perspective. I taught the curriculum for the next two years. We covered what the Bible teaches about human sexuality, evolution vs. creation, New Age philosophy, politics, even economics. I learned more than the students did!
In the next few years, I transitioned to teaching in the local church instead of in a Christian school. But for the last 30 years I’ve had a passion for teaching young and old alike what it means to see the world through a biblical lens.
I’ve often worried that CAL would go the way of so many Christian institutions . . . that it would not continue to teach students how to “understand the times.” You can imagine how encouraged I was when I learned that a teacher was still teaching a biblical worldview class and that such an assignment was part of the class. While the world scoffed, I cheered.
I’m not surprised that the assignment created such a stir in the secular world. I’m not surprised that a liberal minister would write an editorial for the local paper and butcher the Scriptures and blast the school. I’m not even too surprised that a CAL parent got upset about the assignment. However, is it not comical that a parent would complain that the child they enrolled in a Christian school is being taught Christian doctrine?
Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville and a longtime supporter of CAL, wrote for World magazine’s website:
This would be a parent who enrolled the student in an elective Christian worldview class at a Christian school and had been shown and had acknowledged both the doctrinal statement of the school and the behavioral standards expected of students and parents. That same parent is then shocked—shocked—that the school actually functioned as a Christian school and was “visibly and understandably upset” at the assignment.
What surprised me the most in all this was that a CAL teacher had the wisdom and courage to craft such an assignment in today’s environment. That teacher had to know he was opening himself up to potential criticism. He wrote the assignment anyway. Good for him! While others are shaming him (even a few of my fellow alumni!), I am thanking God for him. I don’t know him. I hope someone will let him know how proud I am to be an alumnus of Christian Academy of Louisville because of him. What a breath of fresh air.
Many Christian Standard readers are peers and friends of mine in the ministry. I respect and love each of you. As preachers of the gospel, let’s not miss an obvious lesson from this situation.
We have been told that the world will accept our message if we’re just loving enough, and that the only reason the world criticizes us is our sour attitude.
The CAL teacher was loving. He instructed his students to be loving. Attitude was not the problem. Truth was the problem. The hard truth inherent in the teacher’s assignment is that the Word of God puts boundaries on our sexual expression. It is that very truth which is a stench in the nostrils of those who want to do their own thing.
Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). Jesus and his teachings are a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.
We are to be as loving as possible. We are to give no occasion to the enemies of our Lord to blaspheme. But don’t forget, Jesus wasn’t arrested because he was unloving. He was arrested because he told the truth. And he promised we too would be persecuted.
So, preachers, let’s remember: We are to speak the truth in love . . . no matter the consequences. And there will be consequences.
Even if we approach things perfectly, the world will scoff. We make matters worse whenever we speak the truth without love or love without truth. But even when we speak the truth in love, we will be persecuted.
Dear CAL teacher, I applaud you! The church has your back! Keep speaking the truth in love and training our young people to do the same.
Rusty Russell serves as lead pastor of New Day Christian Church in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Good words and a good reminder of the challenges we face as we seek to show love while walking in truth. As the old saying goes, “Truth without love is not biblical truth and love without truth is not biblical love.”
Great article!!!
Thanks for the article. It spurs me on to advocate that churches, not merely their schools, consider offering similar classes and assignments within their classes and youth groups to address the challenges facing teens and adults, young and old.
Rusty – What a great piece! Thank you for writing from your unique insider perspective as a graduate of CAL. The perfect balance of grace and TRUTH. It should prompt repentance among some in the Christian community.
Thrilled to see this clear and excellent application of the truth to young students, involving them in effective discourse.
Remember the five stages of moral decay. At the final stage, not only do people call good evil and evil good, but they persecute those who refuse to accept evil and call it good. And under the current culture and political climate (like 1984) those “defective” individuals are likely to be sent away for reprogramming and/or termination. Another example an ice cream company–Ben and Jerry’s can call out for stricter gun control, but Hobby Lobby or Chick-FIl-A is strongly criticized (refused building permits etc) for supporting Christian values.
Great article, and I am so thankful for teachers who have the courage to stand up against the culture.
Excellent article, Rusty. We need more ministers to stand boldly and uphold the truth of God’s Word and speak openly and in love. Very proud of you and the instructor.
As a Christian who taught in public schools for 42 years, I applaud the courage, conviction and love of this teacher. He was encouraging his students to think deeply and deliberately about what is true with an attitude of love so that they could share with their peers who face a world that is rife with sin and aims to camouflage what is True. Hate the sin, love the sinner. This teacher aptly hit his goal.
Thank you, Rusty
Preach the gospel, brother, preach it!!
Put it high where men can teach it.
Put it low where men can reach it.
But preach the gospel, brother, preach it!!
Thanks Rusty! Fantastic Article
What a wonderful article, Rusty, that really paints the true picture of this story. As a resident of Louisville, I have seen firsthand the amazing positive affect that CAL is having on our young people. And I am aware of the criticism heaped on CAL by those who disagree with biblical truth. Thanks for having the courage to speak out.
Great article, Rusty!
Rusty, I was in the first Understanding the Times course and even kept the book. This course made it crystal clear how hard it is to hold fast to your faith in challenging times. You were a mentor, coach and I stand side by side with you as a “lifer” and alumnus from CAL. This article was well-written and convicting. Thank you.
Rusty, thank you for holding the banner of truth high for all to see.
Rusty, you make some fair points – especially in how CAL was formed. However, as a restoration movement, seminary trained preacher and senior pastor, I continue to find it extremely confusing that words that were never intended to be adjectives and aren’t used that way in the Scriptures, like “Christian” and “Biblical,” are continually used to make the argument that there is only one way to interpret the Scriptures, one way to interpret ‘love your neighbor as yourself,’ one way to have a worldview as a follower of Christ. This just simply does not hold up historically within the 2000 year history of the Church. In this case, there have been conservative, high profile ministries that have repented and declared that their efforts to try to persuade someone to change their sexual orientation are fruitless and damaging. There’s plenty of data that supports that. I do agree though that a parent at CAL shouldn’t be shocked or surprised by this assignment when they signed on for their kid to attend and be shaped by CAL. CAL isn’t hiding their views. And so, in that way, CAL was very much unfairly attacked. However, I very much disagree that your viewpoint is the only correct viewpoint of “the Church” and that “the Church” has their back. I’m a part of the Church. I’m a Christian. As are many gay siblings that I personally know. And I respectfully disagree with CAL’s position and don’t believe it reflects the heart of Jesus and what Jesus says is most important.
Preach the Word. Thank you for the encouragement.
Thank you for the clarity of your article and answer as an alumnus. Paul spoke clearly to Timothy when he said, “Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you” (2 Timothy 1:13-14).
We must be ready in this generation to answer the challenges and we must prepare the next generation to recognize the new challenges which will need clear teaching.
Except the premise of assignment suggests they aren’t friends anymore. Which dismisses the right of the Christian from speaking ‘truth’ into this person. A better choice in assignment would have been for families to discuss this topic. Bad forum. Terrible understanding of context. And awful witness.
Great article! The key is always IN LOVE. Judgment is not in our power.
Many believers are afraid to even broach the subjects of homosexuality and gender. Thank you, CAL, for bowing to Christ, not popular culture.
It’s pretty true that this is vile and dangerous. Do you know how many kids were forced to go to conversion therapy from being gay at Cal? Conversion therapy directly correlates to suicide in these kids. They need to be accepted and affirmed, not told they are blasphemous for existing. Maybe do some research into what the Bible actually says (or doesn’t) about homosexuality.
Rusty – great article, and I would have expected nothing less. I had some of the same thoughts about the parents and society as you. I did miss the editorial you mentioned, and that a minister of the gospel would write such a thing is so unfortunate. I previously had listened to the podcast by Dr Mohler and appreciated his comments. I also liked hearing a bit more about the early history of CAL. Thank you for writing this. I pray it might strengthen at least one pastor to preach the truth.
Thank you, Rusty. Great insight, spoken from your heart. Christianity isn’t rocket science.”In the beginning, God” … believe that, and the rest will follow. We can’t pick and choose the parts of God’s Word that suit us. He’s very clear as to how His ‘children’ should live.
Rusty, Great work on this article! Thank you to CAL and the teacher for proclaiming truth! What a contrast from the depraved assignments being presented in many of our classrooms. The spiritual battle is visually intensifying.
What was “laughable” about the hermeneutics? Go ahead and engage the person you’re criticizing instead of dismissing with labels. Otherwise it kind of makes it seem like you can’t actually refute what you claim to disagree with.
Thanks, Rusty! Great article. I appreciate the legacy of your family.
Truth tellers.
“Liberal minister” . . . “his hermeneutics were laughable” . . . “butcher the Scriptures.”
Christians of any type should be better than resorting to this sort of dismissive derision, even (especially?) when referring to those with whom they disagree. That is especially true of those who are in some form of leadership.
If you cannot reflect Paul’s fruit of the Spirit while communicating your disagreement, you need to rethink how you are communicating. It might just mean that your own understanding of the Scriptures is not quite as foolproof as you think it is.
This requires some humility, of course — humility that is not evidenced when we refer to our own interpretation of a texts written 2,000 years ago as the “biblical worldview” while anyone who disagrees with us is “butchering the Scriptures.”
I also find it quite disappointing that Rusty seems to have little concern for the impact of such an assignment on students who might be dealing with their own struggles with understanding their sexual orientation and/or identity. This was a central concern of the op-ed he dismisses so easily, yet does not even rate a mention here. As Christians, we can and must do better.
Well said. It saddens me how many parents, ministers, youth ministers, people in seminary refuse to tell people the truth or refuse to do it lovingly. Truth matters and so does how we share it.
Rusty, Bob would be SO proud. I am too. Blessings to you and thx for giving my 1st start at CAL way back in 93 as a MS soccer Coach. I went on to teach there for nearly 10 years and loved my time there 99 -08. Best wishes to you bro, and may God bless you and Phil both.
My thanks both to the CAL teacher and to Rusty Russell for defending so strongly the very idea of truth, and especially the truth of the Christian world view!
Thank you Rusty for bringing this to our attention. Thank you Cal and the Cal teacher for standing up for sound and not “wishwashy” Christian values!
May the Lord bless you all!
Thank you Rusty! I’m glad to see you carrying the torch and standing for truth as your dad [has] for so many years. Great article!
Rusty, thank you Sir! You have a wonderful way with words. I am a Portland Christian High alum and grew up at South Louisville Christian Church.
What an exceptional response to a clear agenda against CAL. Despite the wonderful encouragers in this comment section, as you beautifully pointed out in your piece, Rusty, there will always be persecutors. Thank you for standing up for the Word of God and not the word of man.