Why would a public school principal speak at church?

​DTR.

Define The Relationship.

I am in my 40s so I really have no idea if DTR is still a relevant or hip cultural acronym.  But with two teenagers and two more who will become teens this next year, I can tell you a bulk of our parenting conversations center on DTR. 
Or waiting to DTR . . .

Or advising to wait to DTR . . . !

Why would a principal speak at church?  Why would a pastor speak at a school?

To define the relationship. 

One thing defines your church-school relationship.

• Do you wonder how to define the relationship of your church-school partnership?
• Do you have the one tool that can immediately impact your partnership?
• Do you know the one thing that will rally people around your church-school partnership?

It’s story.

Having a story.

Telling a story.

For churches, invite the principal or a school leader to share a story.

For schools, invite the pastor or church leader to share a story.

One partnership did this a couple weeks ago and the principal gave the Sunday morning message!  You can listen to Nancy’s story here of working as an educator and having a church partner support her and her school.

I admit this is a risky and daunting idea.  And you can certainly have successful church-school partnerships without the principal speaking in church or without the pastor speaking at a school staff meeting. 

But these opportunities to share stories with one another galvanize a church-school partnership. 

They solidify it. 

They demonstrate an incredible level of trust between the school and the church.  They remind one another of the partnership’s mission.  Why we’re working together.  The good things that are happening and the challenges being faced.

Define your partnership with story. 

And if you need some coaching with your story, reply to this email.  We’ll guide you so you can continue to impact your school and community. 
 
Until next week,

B