Today we’d like to introduce you to Margaret “Ms. Peg” Nelson.
Margaret “Ms. Peg”, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began my teaching career in public education and instructing for a couple of technical colleges. I first became involved with Christian Education after my two children, my active duty Air Force husband, and I moved to Okinawa, Japan. During that tour, I worked as Protestant Religious Education Coordinator at Kadena AB, and the last year of the assignment in Okinawa, I taught at a missionary school, Okinawa Christian School. I loved being able to share my faith in the classroom and disciple students in their faith as well as help them progress academically. Many moves and several jobs later, my husband retired after twenty-five years of active duty service. We moved home to Sandy Run. I founded Foundation Christian School with myself as the only staff and a student body of eight. That was in 2008. Since that time, we have grown in staff and student body.
Our school is a mastery learning school. Simply put that means each student is diagnosed in each subject area and individually placed based on the diagnostic results. The students work individually at their own pace. Foundation Christian School was founded to mature and raise up godly men and women in the likeness of Jesus Christ, our Savior by equipping them to serve the Kingdom of God. We keep discipleship first and academics second believing that academic success will be an outgrowth of spiritual maturity.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been times when tuition coming in was not keeping up with expenses. I have always strived to make our school a place where all can afford a Christian education. We have been blessed to have churches in our community house us which allows us to forego the expense of a building. This has also allowed for growth. God has raised very generous congregations at those times when our space was becoming inadequate–particularly when covid hit and our student body grew. All my time is and has been volunteer time; this allows us to spend more on staff salaries. We have a wonderful staff that is ministry-minded. Their servant hearts make them very approachable to parents and students alike.
As a ministry, we are always subject to spiritual attack. At those times, I have gone into battle in prayer. Every major decision that is made is decided after discerning prayer time. Sometimes, I have failed to seek guidance; those are the times when we have failed. God is merciful and compensates. We have had times of higher and lower enrollment, times when I have wondered if we are supposed to go on, but faith has been the victory, and the Lord has never failed us.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At Foundation Christian School, we have our students in the Bible everyday and strive to develop Bible scholars. We foster an atmosphere built on God’s Word and grounded in prayer. I believe there is authority in prayer and want my students to know that prayer makes not only a spiritual difference in a believer’s life but accomplishes tangible outcomes.
Our school is known among the community for our prayer life. Many people have called us with urgent and even emergency needs. We stop what we are doing when we receive a request for prayer, the whole student body gathers to pray. While gathered in a large prayer circle, students and staff individually pray aloud as God’s Holy Spirit leads.
We put on four programs a year: Heroes (where American and Christian heroes are highlighted), Christmas, Easter, and our Rewards/Graduation Night. These productions are open to the public and used as outreach tools. Usually with standing room only, our students act, sing, and dance to an original production. Pastoral as well as lay counseling is available at the end of the program.
The goal of our staff is to love each student as Christ loves us. Our staff members pray for each child under their authority as well as the families everyday.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Love is the most important quality to whether we are sucessful or not at F.C.S. Every student should feel love even when disciplinary action is called for. Love should be what motivates our staff to come to work everyday. I do what I do not because of reciprocal love, but rather because God first loved me. God’s love compels my love for Him. My love for Him compels me to love others and to serve the Kingdom where He has called. My love for students does not depend on their reciprocal love. Oftentimes, as teachers, the students you pour out all you have on are the ones who resent your efforts the most. Usually, love wins out, and students that shunned the attention that love demands come around to crave the attention: a hug, a pat on the back, etc.
Our success is not monetary, or quantitative. It’s measured in changed lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.foundationchristianschoollions.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoundationChristianSchool/
