Winning Children’s Hearts and Minds

Saving Lives for Eternity was the theme for the 2010 annual School Ministries conference, and participants left the event inspired by the challenge of theme speaker and SMI Board member Dr. Glen Schultz that "Those who want children the most will win them!"

Dr. Schultz, who has worked in Christian education for over 40 years, currently serves as Associate Pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church and is Headmaster of the Sherwood Christian Academy. His presentation made it clear that we are in a desperate battle for the hearts and minds of today’s youth and that Release time programs have a vital part to play in winning that battle.

Program sessions included issues of key importance to both RTBE teachers and administrators. Topics ranged from legal and insurance issues to counseling students and curriculum development.

A special time each year is when affiliates report on how God is working through their programs followed by small group prayer. One evaluator wrote: "The reports were so diverse but so directed by God - We are all in the same boat and that is a comfort! The prayer time was so powerful. The Holy Spirit embraced the room."

Additional conference information is available from two sources: the keynote speech and the sessions on legal and insurance issues are available as webinars on Members’ Zone and from the reports at the end of the June 2010 newsletter.