all of the below was written by
Rev. Gareth Kok
(CRC Pastor)
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BELLFLOWER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
CALLED BY GOD TO BELLFLOWER
I think it was in January 1935 that I received a telegram in Hills, Minnesota, stating "You are called" from First Christian Reformed Church of Bellflower. I immediately replied by letter "Due to family circumstances we would not be able to move at this time and therefore I suggest that you make a new nomination and excuse me." Then came a letter stating "We are not in a hurry and request that you consider our call. Take your time; we can wait."
This letter was followed by several others from members of the church. Those letters had one thing in common: they all urged us to come for the purpose of beginning a Christian school which they considered to be the main need for the community. My wife and I were both deeply interested in Christian education and became convinced that God was calling us to Bellflower to help promote the establishment of a Christian school.
In my letter of acceptance, I stated that our first goal would be to help start a Christian school and to show my sincerity I pledged a generous share of my annual salary for the building of a school.
Upon settling in Bellflower, at once a series of meetings was held for the promotion of a Christian school. They were held in the Reformed churches of Hynes and Artesia and in the Christian Reformed church of Bellflower and one special mass meeting was held at the Bellflower Presbyterian Church. I presented two reasons for wanting a Christian school: The first was the mandate given us by our Lord Jesus Christ who said "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" and the words of Paul "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." Our children need an education that will encourage them to strive for that goal. Their primary aim in life must be to honor and glorify God.
The second reason was the public schools were dominated by the philosophy of John Dewey, the father of progressive education. He said "There is no God, there is no soul, there is no fixed moral law and nobody has the right to say to a child 'You shall' or 'You shall not'." It was really godless education and such education will not help our children seek the glory of God. The Christian school is our only hope.
God blessed our efforts and in the fall of 1935 the first unit of four classrooms was dedicated. At the dedication service I observed, when God by His mighty power led Israel out of Egypt, they soon encountered difficulties: the Red Sea blocked their way and the Egyptian armies were rushing up from behind. Moses cried to God, who said "Tell the people of Israel to go forward!" God is telling us today "Go forward." It won't be easy; it will take much effort and it will cost us loads of money every year, but you must keep going.
Ten years later we celebrated our 10th anniversary. By that time we had completed the high school. At that celebration Mr. George Te Velde observed, "at the dedication of our
first unit 10 years ago, Rev. Kok told us we had started something that would cost us lots of money to keep it going, we would have to pour in money." Well we have been pouring money every year, but every one of us here today is better off financially today than we were 10 years ago; in other words, God poured out His blessings faster than we did." And God has continued to pour it out to us. Today our school is one of the best private high schools in our country, and today we celebrate 50 years of progress to the praise of our God who led us all the way and to whom all thanks and praise is due.
Matthew 6:28-34 - "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor nor spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not sorry saying 'What shall we eat?' Or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For pagans run after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
I Corinthians 10:31 - "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
"There is no God and there is no soul. There is no room for fixed natural law or moral absolutes." - John Dewey
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END GARETH KOK
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JESUS SAVES !!
