“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
Occasionally, a current or prospective parent will ask me, “How big will Legacy be?” The question is often followed by the comment, “I hope we don’t get so big that we lose our sense of community.” That comment is understandable. One of Legacy’s core values that has endured throughout its history and has become an institutional distinctive is covenant relationships, which is defined as “building relationships that foster mutual support, respect, and a commitment to promote the welfare of others.” Our school community rests upon the foundation of this core value and will not waiver.
As we eagerly anticipate expanding our school by adding the new Early Learning Campus, I’d like to share a bit more as to how this decision was made and why we are stepping out in faith and accepting God’s abundant blessings. Just a few short years ago, our preschool enrollment was so small that we questioned whether it was worth continuing to provide educational services to this age group. So, we prayed specifically that God would reveal his will for our Early Ed division. Well, God answered our prayers by providing such an abundance of preschool applications that we now needed to consider expansion. How great is our God? Not only did He give in abundance with many of our preschool grades already with wait pools for next year, He delivered the perfect facility for our expansion.
You can imagine that I receive a lot of “listserv” and “spam” emails, many of which go unread. In November, I received one such email that caught my attention and I was moved to open it. This email was regarding the sale of the new campus we will soon acquire. The Holy Spirit prompted me, our Executive Leadership Team, and our Board of Trustees to give serious and expeditious consideration to this opportunity, recognizing that it might be an answered prayer. God has been in the details every step of the way and He is at work allowing us to serve more families with young children. Although this means our total enrollment numbers will grow, please be assured that the LCA you know and love is not changing. If anything, God is positioning us for a bright and exciting future.
In my 32-year career as a Christian school leader, I have led schools with student enrollments ranging from under 200 to over 1600. I have led three relatively young schools that experienced rapid growth during my tenure. I heard similar concerns expressed at all three of those schools. What I have concluded, however, is that a strong, healthy community is not a function of size; it is a function of shared values, common beliefs, and intentional programs and events that bring the members together. I have experienced a sense of community in both small and large schools alike, as I have with both small and large churches. I currently worship at Stonebriar Community Church, which qualifies as a mega-church due to its membership of several thousand. I feel equally as connected there as I did at a much smaller church. I think that’s because I sing in the choir, worship, and do life with a small group of men who sing in the bass section. Most large churches, like Stonebriar, foster a sense of community by forming small discipleship groups or special ministries where a family can connect with other families that are in a similar stage of life.
If you have ever attended a football game at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field, you witnessed how 100,000+ fans can come together for a common purpose on a Saturday afternoon and express that sense of community at one of the largest universities in the nation. On a smaller scale, I would describe Friday night football games at Legacy’s Comstock Field as a wholesome gathering of families and friends who share common values and a sense of community. Beyond Friday Night Lights, Legacy offers prayer walks, women’s and men’s Bible studies, PEP Talks, booster clubs, family worship nights, Homecoming parades, service projects such as Laps of Love, classroom parties, fine arts performances, PTF events, and many other group experiences that bring our community closer together. I recently asked our Upper School Theater Arts teacher, Ms. Amanda Smith, how many students were in the cast of Mary Poppins, our spring musical. She proudly proclaimed that there were 28 students involved, with grades 3-12 represented in the cast. This is another great example of how the Legacy comes together as one…
With LCA’s growth comes the benefit of greater resources available to invest in, expand, and improve ministries, programs, personnel, and facilities. Legacy’s growth has allowed us to add new academic and athletic programs, broaden our curriculum, create a new Student Services department, and renovate and repair aging facilities. Growth also enables economies of scale, which lowers the proportionate cost of these additions and improvements.
But, the greatest argument in favor of growth is what I call a “Kingdom mindset.” If we believe in our mission of “developing strong leaders with biblical convictions,” if we have a heart for other Christian families who desire that their children attend a Christ-centered school, and if we want to make a greater impact on our local community, then we see growth as an opportunity to expand God’s Kingdom. Shortly after we announced the pursuit of our new early education facility, I received a text from one of our long-tenured parents, whose relationship with Legacy spanned 20 years, that succinctly captured this outlook.
“Bill, just read your email on the new preschool facility. I think it is an outstanding decision to buy that facility. I think you’re getting a very good deal on it and will make LCA an even finer educational institution and expand the Kingdom to even more families in our area. Congratulations!”
We do not seek to grow for growth’s sake. We grow for the sake of the Kingdom. I encourage you to join tomorrow’s virtual Town Hall as we elaborate on how the acquisition of a new facility will positively impact our community.
Bill McGee is in his sixth year as Head of School at Legacy Christian Academy in Frisco, Texas. He is a veteran educator who has 40 years of experience serving in public and private schools, including 30 years serving as head of private schools in Texas, Tennessee, and Mississippi.Legacy Christian Academy is Frisco's preeminent Pre-K through 12 Christian school committed to educating students in a college preparatory environment balanced in academics, athletics, and fine arts–all within the context of a biblical worldview. For more information on Legacy, visit our admissions page.