How God used these Minnesota educators to extend His impact beyond their classrooms

The year leading up to my Daniel weekend was filled a renewed calling in my life as a teacher. After three years of ignoring God’s prompting, I had started a prayer group in my building. God used this group in powerful ways, and I had already begun to dream about what it could look like to have a prayer group in each of our buildings across the entire district. What I had considered impossible, God showed me at the Daniel weekend that it was possible! He brought a group of us together and over the course of a weekend gave us a common vision of Christian community across our district.

That Daniel Weekend was five years ago, and now Tonka Staff for Christ of Minnetonka, Minnesota just celebrated its 4th anniversary in April!  What started as a prayer group in one building and a small Bible study in another has branched into a district wide network of 170+ members including teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and support staff.  

In many ways, Minnetonka Public Schools is your typical school district—teachers and staff working hard to meet the needs of students. Even though staff is surrounded by people all day, meaningful relationships were hard to come by.  There is barely time to make it to the restroom, let alone have a meaningful conversation with an adult. For Christian staff members, there was also a feeling of fear and isolation. Many felt that they couldn’t live out their faith and felt that they were not impacting students for Christ. When asked about how staff felt about their jobs prior to the Staff for Christ community was started, three staff members shared that they were on the verge of leaving the profession to find another mission field.  

Tonka Staff for Christ’s (TSFC) mission centers around connecting, encouraging, informing, and supporting staff.  The goal was to establish Christian community in each of the buildings so that staff could encourage each other as they worked with students.  Currently, there are Christian communities put in place in the majority of district buildings and the feedback has been incredible.

Tonka Staff for Christ fulfills its mission in a number of ways.  In both fall and spring we offer a district-wide gathering. In the fall, we commission educators into their mission field and remind them of the importance of affirmation. In the spring, they are inspired to finish strong and given information on how to follow the law as a Christian educator in public schools.

During the school year there are different opportunities shared with the group, including a book club, educators’ breakfast, different Bible studies, a Feed My Starving Children service project, social events, and a National Day of Prayer gathering. Alos,  a number of staff have had the opportunity to attend a Daniel Weekend or teachers’ retreat sponsored by a local church ministry called Compass.

Since year one the community has grown and continues to connect at both the building and district level.  Strong relationships have formed among staff. There have also been connections made in the community. For example, now every elementary school has an after school Bible club, with 200 – 300 students attending each week. Student ministries and staff at the high school put on an outreach each year for the purpose of sharing the Gospel.

The staff are also sharing stories of how they are able to live out their faith legally in the classrooms. This has really impacted the way that Christian educators view their jobs in the schools.  Data from a survey given at the end of the year showed the impact that TSFC had made. A strong majority of responders said that they had closer relationships with staff members at work and felt encouraged and inspired in their building roles. Many shared that this group had strengthened their faith. When asked how being a part of the Tonka Staff for Christ group impacted them in their work, we were so encouraged by the responses we received:

• I feel uplifted, supported, joy and I am spiritually fed at school.

• It has developed unity between teachers, specialists, paraprofessionals, and other building staff.

• It has changed the way I live.  I find I am praying more—talking to God throughout the day.  I am learning from others in the group.

• I have chosen to love the unlovable, be kind to the unkind, be patient to the impatient, and forgive the unforgivable.  None of these actions can be done without a heart and mind centered on Christ. The group helps me stay centered and focus on these traits towards my students and colleagues.

• Prayer reminds me of how to present God is in the workplace and how working with Him on the job will bless myself and others.  It is a privilege to be entrusted with praying to and praising God at school?

The leaders of TSFC have felt very blessed to be a part of God’s work in their district. They also know that what God has done in Minnetonka is his heart for the entire public school mission field.  It starts with a Christian community in one building and then obedience in what God asks his people to do next. God has done more than anyone could have dreamed of in Minnetonka and He would like to do it in your district too!