How to Make Practical Use of a Biblical-Theme
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I’ve made a practice of selecting a biblical theme for each school year. The theme is a biblical truth, principle, or value accompanied by corresponding Bible verses. For example, over the last several years, I have selected the following themes and Bible verses.
The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22)
Unity (1 Peter 3:8-9; 1 Cor. 13:4ff; Psalm 133; Philippians 2:3-8)
Reaching Higher (Matthew 5:14–16; Colossians 1:9–12)
This became what I call a "Meta-Theme”, that is, every theme begins with “Reaching Higher” followed by the specific theme for that year.
Reaching Higher: Love your Neighbor (Matthew 22:36–40; Matthew 7:12)
Reaching Higher: Gratitude (Isaiah 6:3; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:1-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 3 John 1:11)
Reaching Higher: Holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:1-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 3 John 1:11)
Practical Ways to Use a Biblical Theme
The purpose of the theme is to focus attention on a specific biblical truth to be used by the Lord to transform lives and for the nurturing of a Christ-honoring school culture. To be effective the theme needs to bevisible and thoughtfully integrated into the school’s programs and conversations. Here are a few practical ways this can be done.
Use the theme to provide a biblical focus for staff and student devotionals and chapels. For example, I share a monthly devotional with school staff. For the theme of holiness, I planned the following topics:
August: Why is Holiness Important?
September: Holiness and Sin Defined
October: Compassion without Compromise
December: God’s Provision for Sin and Salvation
January: Holiness, a Joint Venture between God and Man
February: Holiness in Mind, Spirit, and Body
March: Holiness in Relationships and Speech
April: The Pursuit and Practice of Holiness
Use the theme in school presentations and communications. Each August I send a welcome letter to the school community introducing that year’s theme. This is the communication I sent for the theme of gratitude:
Welcome to a New School Year!
Dear Parents,
Welcome back to school — we look forward to having everyone back on campus! A warm welcome to our new parents and students — we are delighted to have you joining our Westminster family.
THEME FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR: Reaching Higher: Gratitude
Each year I develop a school theme and select corresponding Bible verses to guide our spiritual focus for the year, including our chapel services, staff devotionals, and various Bible studies. The school theme also provides biblical principles for how we treat each other in Christian community.
This year’s school theme is Reaching Higher: Gratitude. I have chosen this theme because sadly, one of the hallmarks increasingly evident in our society is a sense of entitlement and along with it a complaining, critical spirit.
But as believers, Christ calls us to be in the world but not of the world. One way we reflect our distinctiveness in Christ is through a spirit of gratitude that manifests itself in graciousness and gratefulness in thought, word, and deed.
Gratitude is a biblical virtue that does not come naturally; rather, it is a reflection of God’s work in our hearts and the fruit of intentionally practicing gratefulness. As one writer put it:
While basic gratitude is passively evoked by external events, of the exclusively positive variety, the spiritual discipline of gratitude is intentionally chosen, deliberately trained, and exercised in all circumstances. It is not dependent on changing conditions, but on mindset. It is not waited for, but pursued. While basic gratitude is a set of fleeting and fluctuating feelings, the spiritual discipline of gratitude is an action. It is not just experienced, but expressed … The discipline of gratitude is in fact not a feeling at all, but a moral virtue. — Brett & Kate McKay
To foster a spirit of gratitude throughout our school community, we will focus on the following verses:
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6–7)
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful … And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15, 17)
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” (Psalm 50:23)
As we enter a new school year, which will have its blessings and challenges, may God grant us the grace to cultivate and practice a spirit of gratefulness to God and to each other.
Our H.O.U.S.E.
We are excited to introduce a meaningful and fun acronym that synthesizes our existing school culture — H.O.U.S.E. As you return to campus this fall, you will see this new way to summarize who we are, what we stand for, and how we behave as members of our community that reaches far beyond our walls. We can't wait to welcome you to Our H.O.U.S.E. Our H.O.U.S.E. represents the following five principles:
Honor Christ: Christ is the foundation of our H.O.U.S.E. We honor Him by using the gifts He has given us and following His example of servant leadership.Own the Outcome: What you do affects those around you — we’re in this together.Unite in Gratitude: We focus on the blessings God has given us every day.Set the Example: You are powerful and your actions matter. Honor the Lord by loving yourself, this building, this campus, and this community.Empower Each Other: Respect and honor those around you. Lift up yourself and your peers through your manners and your actions.
Ask the commencement speaker to include the theme in his or her remarks.
Create banners and or posters throughout the campus showing the school theme. Over the summer we design banners depicting elements of that year’s theme and hang them in our Grand Entry.
Love Your Neighbor Theme
Gratitude Theme
Holiness Theme
Plan Your Theme Over the Summer
Summer is when I plan the school theme and begin to prepare my staff devotionals, a chapel presentation, and the Welcome Back to School communication. As you plan your summer, take time to prayerfully consider a biblical theme for this coming year. Keep a record of each year’s theme and corresponding verses. Doing so will nurture your soul as you prepare for the new school year and will help your school community focus on God’s word with the promise that:
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11, ESV).