Senior Leadership
I am inspired by the faith, courage, and reverence for God by Christian educators around the world! It reminds me of the story recounted in I Samuel 17 about David defeating Goliath. In verse 29, David’s response to the inaction of his
elder brothers and the Israelites especially encourages me. He boldly and nobly answers the call to action by asking, "Is there not a cause?”
I can think of no greater cause than to partner with you as you advance Kingdom education. We fully believe that authentic devotion to the Christian faith and academic excellence are mutually reinforcing. There are not two or three forms of excellence, but rather an ethos that is cultivated throughout every facet of our schools. Faith is not separated from learning but rather integrated intentionally, resulting in a distinctive Christian worldview.
Scholarship and learning become an integral component to the maturation process known as discipleship. Thus, becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ, the ultimate objective of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20), is the prize for which we strive; it is the highest form of excellence! It is certainly conceivable that we could produce students with the spiritual depth needed to enter our pluralistic society and not fall prey to empty philosophies. Rather, they would be equipped to saturate the marketplace to which God has called them with confidence, purpose, and an eternal perspective.
ACSI’s ongoing mission is to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. We want to serve you as you continue to cultivate and sustain a flourishing school. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you—thank you for your obedience to God’s call on your life—you are indeed making a difference.
Dr. Larry Taylor, President & CEO, ACSI
larry_taylor@acsi.org
719-867-0200
ACSI Senior Leadership
Dr. David Balik
Vice President of USA
Dr. Gavin Brettenny
Chief Strategy Officer
Kevin Buelke
Chief Finance Officer
Cindy Dodds
Chief of Flourishing Initiatives
Michael Epp
Senior Vice President of Global
Brett Henry, J.D.
Chief Executive Officer, Sevenstar
Vice President, Educational Resources
John Klingstedt
Chief Operating Officer
Christi Lynn
Vice President, Communications & Engagement
Chris Loncar
Vice President, Human Resources
Jerry Nelson
Chief Ministry Officer
Philip Scott, J.D.
Vice President for Legal Affairs
P. George Tryfiates
Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs
Susan Verheul
Vice President, Executive Initiatives
Dr. Cecil Swetland
Vice President for Development
News and Press Releases
ACSI Unites Educators Around the World in Annual Day of Prayer for Christian Schools
The ACSI Day of Prayer is one of ACSI’s most popular events focusing on advancing Christ-centered education through prayer. Schools can participate by submitting their prayer requests through the electronic form, which allows requests to be visible publicly on the ACSI website. They can also host an in-house Day of Prayer with their school communities.
ACSI President, Dr. Larry Taylor, anticipates the joining together of schools around the world in prayer. “There’s no doubt that this school year has been unique and often challenging, but God desires for His people to flourish despite the surrounding circumstances,” he said.
The theme for this year’s Day of Prayer is “Flourish,” inspired by the research validated ACSI Flourishing School Culture Model. Prayer times will be focused around the model’s five domains: Purpose, Relationships, Teaching & Learning, Expertise & Resources, and Well-Being.
Mike Epp, ACSI Senior Vice President of Global, believes this event marks a beautiful, renewed commitment to worshipping God and seeking Him wholeheartedly.
“It has also been remarkable to see the international connections taking place on this special day of prayer,” he said. “It reminds us of God’s worldwide work of redemption and how His message transcends all cultures, unifying us as brothers and sisters in Christ.”
According to submitted prayer requests, schools from more than 50 countries including China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt and more plan to participate.
As stated on the Day of Prayer website, one of the foundational verses for this initiative is James 3:4. Taylor said this verse serves as a reminder that even though a ship is large and driven by strong winds, it’s truly steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.
“At ACSI, we believe a biblically based philosophy of education is the rudder to disciple the hearts and minds of the next generation, and a foundational component to discipleship is the spiritual discipline of prayer,” he said.
ACSI is providing several Day of Prayer resources for schools, including a Prayer Guide packed with creative ideas on how they can make the day special.
The Master’s Academy, an ACSI member school that participated in 2020 Day of Prayer, thoroughly enjoyed the day with their school community. “It was a special start to our week as students and staff gathered for the ACSI Day of Prayer,” the school tweeted. “TMA is proud to be part of the group of #schoolsthatpray.”
To learn more about Day of Prayer, visit the website https://www.acsi.org/day-of-prayer or contact ACSI Care Team by calling (800)367-0798 or emailing careteam@acsi.org.
About ACSI:
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., ACSI exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. ACSI advances excellence in Christian schools by enhancing the professional and personal development of Christian educators and providing vital support functions for Christian schools through multiple services including teacher and administrator certification, school accreditation, legal/legislative assistance, and curriculum publishing. Serving more than 25,000 schools in 108 countries, ACSI helps more than 5.5 million students worldwide connect to Christian education.
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