Below is the text of the interview with Pastor Smith when Doug Reiter from The Bloomsburg News recently met with him.
TBN editorial staff-?
There are many schools that serve the student?population of Bloomsburg and surrounding areas. ?There are traditional Public Schools, Parochial Schools?and Christian Schools. I had the privilege of visiting?one of our Christian Schools, Bloomsburg Christian?School. As with any school in our district, they all have?their own set of rules for conduct of the student body,?and what they may wear or not wear varies from?school to school. The education guidelines remain the?same, state standards that are set, and must be met?by any school in the district. The difference between?them all depends on the environment in which that learning takes place and the values that are instilled in?the students. Bloomsburg Christian School principal?and lead pastor, Tim Smith believes that his students?are prepared not only academically but spiritual as well?to face the world after graduation. I sat down with?Pastor Tim Smith and let him tell me what he believes?are the reasons that someone looking to put their?children in a local school should choose BCS.
TBN ? How long have you been here?
SMITH? I came in 1996 and I was an assistant at that?point, I did that for 3 years. In 1999 I became the?Senior Pastor for the church and have also overseen?the school since 1999.
TBN ? So you’re pretty busy?
SMITH – ?I’m never bored. It’s great though, our staff is?great to work with. They all have great attitudes, they?want to be here. They want to help the students. I?have to do very little to motivate them to do their?best, sometimes I have to say, your working too hard.?That’s a great position to be in. ?Then, the students,?they are delightful. I think all kids are. When you get?to know them, you get to hear their dreams and their?hurts. We go through a lot, but I love being involved?with the day-to-day operation.
Our students go through the same kind of issues that?many other kids go through, but they know how to?handle it. We are all seeking some kind of praise, we?love to be praised. But we know we are not always?worthy of that praise and sometimes we get?depressed. ? Those are spiritual questions.One of the things we have done is gone on mission?trips, to see how different people live. And see?how different their lives are compared to ours. A few?years a go I went to Cambodia and it was a very?poverty-stricken area, but there were kids out playing?in the street with smiles on they’re faces, having fun?with a stick and a ball and a dog. They don’t know any?better, this is what they had and in a materialistic?culture, people think they can’t be happy unless they?have the latest technology and spend a lot of time?trying to keep up with the Jones-es. ?It is all driven by?the companies that sell the item, telling people you?can’t live without the newest thing to hit the market. It?is something we have seen teenagers struggle with. ?They put too much emphasis on something that isn’t?going to last 6 months, let alone 6 years.
TBN ? I have heard some pastors say that Christianity?and depression do not go together.
SMITH ? Christianity is a religion of great hope. Some?people get depressed. We don’t see all that hope?come at once. Sometimes bad things happen to good?people. It’s difficult sometimes to see God working, but?you have to have faith. Many people say, I can’t see?my way through ?it, but I know God is going to get me?through it. That’s the great hope.
TBN ? If I was new to the area, and didn’t know?anything about this school, why would I want to sent?my kids to Bloomsburg Christian School and Calvary?Baptist Church?
SMITH ? If you have a conviction that spiritual things are?important, and that God is important. If you looking?for a conservative school, were not trying to be hip?and cool, we think those things are misleading. If you?want a character based education where God is at the?heart of it, and you believe God is important in every?area of life, and you want to work hard. Our students?work hard, the one problem with having good teachers?is they don’t let students slack, our students have to?do the work. They also have to pass the exams, so if?a parent is looking for that kind of environment for?their kids then it great. They get to play on our?basketball team or our soccer team.
We try to make sure that the school, church and?home are all getting the same thing. So you’re not?getting a strong youth culture saying do this, let’s go?there, then in church your saying something else and?at home your saying something else. People who have?a strong conviction about Christ being part of?everyday life have a foundation that guides them and?gives students answers. ?Not just common answers,?but to examine every aspect of an issue that many?take for granted, just because it has been taught by?someone for decades, regardless of the evidence. ?We?encourage our students to live a Christ centered life.
TBN- I have known Pastor Smith for a few years, I have?found him to live what he preaches, and the passion?he has for Gods work is second to none. He uses that?passion to teach young minds whats really important?in life. He equips them and what they?need to know to?be good people. In the end, it’s up to them what they?do with all that knowledge.
