Why PCC?

I'm sure many of you are wondering why we are pursuing this ministry? Why now?  I'm going to answer that, but first a quick ministry bio: 

My parents began Emmett Valley Christian School in 1980. They started EVCS because they were both in public education and they saw that something was very wrong with the system -- not with many of the wonderful people that work in the public system but the system itself was turning more and more against God and His ways. I was ten years old at the time and by the time I graduated swore to have nothing to do with Christian school ever again! I did go to Bible college for a year and a half before going to Operation Desert Storm with my Marine Corps unit. Upon our return to the United States, I started a business and left the church. I also doubled down on my promise to have nothing to do with Christian education, this time adding God Himself to the oath of separation.

What a horrible decade of rebellion that was! But the Lord is faithful! He graciously called me back to serve Him and I did, and you can guess where! My wife and I had moved back to Emmett and there I was volunteering at the little two-room school house of EVCS!

After serving as a coach and teacher at Emmett Valley Christian School for several years, in December of 2006 my mom passed away, and in May of 2007 I graduated from Boise Bible College with my Christian Education degree. My father asked me to take over the school and in the subsequent school year I began leading the ministry of Emmett Valley Christian School.

The heart -- the Kingdom heart -- God gave me for this ministry was simple: "partner with families to provide a high-quality, Christ-centered education."

The small facility naturally lent itself to a family environment. We interacted with parents constantly. We watched students who struggled with understanding their place in this world embrace their value as children of God. We walked alongside parents as they pointed their children to Christ. We loved those children like our own. It was truly a unique place and time.

But I wanted to serve more families. I strived and strived but could not see a way to do it on our own so I decided to merge with a local church: Calvary Chapel Emmett. And in 2013 Calvary Christian Academy was born.

The merging of ministries was incredible! Many more families were reached! Many more students heard about Jesus! Truly, God orchestrated this marriage of school and church! 

However, as I look back at my history with leading Emmett Valley Christian School and Calvary Christian Academy, I now realize in my focus on growing the school, I unintentionally lost the heart of partnering with families. 

Side note: In a full school culture, it's really not possible to partner with families in the way I am thinking. School culture is designed to exclude families and isolate children from their parents. Any efforts a school makes to include families via conferences, events, etc. is in (wonderful) opposition to the institute's actual design. More on this in an upcoming article.

Again, miraculous things happened with the merging of those ministries and the Lord is still being glorified at Calvary Emmett and Calvary Christian Academy, however in 2019 I stepped away from Calvary Chapel and have since worked as a Human Resources Director for a company that serves disabled adults. 

It's been a great job, I've had the opportunity to help people and I've learned a lot about leading others and about myself. Even though I wasn't in paid ministry any longer, I told the Lord, "I'll do whatever you put in front of me" and have started a men's group and been doing some individual counseling as well. 

In Spring of 2024 (just a few months ago!) our friends and former co-ministers, Joany Mitchell and Kristy Gunderson, contacted me about starting another school. We had served together in the past and they had been homeschooling their kids and other students for a few years and felt the growing need for another Christian education option in our valley. My response to them was an unsure excitement but then another friend independent of them texted me the same question the next day.

Things felt more sure. My wife and I began to pray in earnest. 

A bunch of us had an informal gathering at the Gunderson's. Jennifer Potts, who I had served with for years, was there, I grabbed her and said, "Hey, we want to talk about starting a school, and I'm not doing this without you!" Her response was, "I'm not doing it without you either!" It was a great time of prayer and discussion.

Next, was the lynchpin for my decision. I called our former co-minister, Barbie Getchell (who was living in Nampa), and I said, "Hi Barbie, we're thinking of starting a different education option over here in Emmett," before I could give any details she replied -- with no questions -- "I'm in!" A great peace overcame me in regards to this decision. Our families confirmed this decision with their support. And the planning began! 

From the start of the planning sessions, I knew what the heart -- the Kingdom heart -- of the ministry had to be: Partnering with families.

In the Kingdom of Christ, His people all work together with their various skills and talents to build His kingdom with Him. That's what we are about. Our skills in the Kingdom are in education. We are bringing these skills to share with other Christians under the agreement of a charter. That is the simple heart of this ministry and that is where we will always stay.

The planning has been a whirlwind in the past few months -- God has provided an incredible place for us to meet at Grace Baptist Church! He has solidified our curriculum decision which is to use a hybrid ACE workbook system. But the most exciting part for me is the team that He has put together!

I am so honored to work beside such amazing people! Joany Mitchell and Kristy Gunderson will be teaching our elementary students while Gayle Scott and Tyler Mitchell will be teaching our older students. Jennifer Potts, Barbie Getchell, and I will be serving as administrators. I am truly overwhelmed with the potential of this group! I can't wait to see what they do! 

To answer the initial question: "Why Pinions Christian Charter?" The answer is because God has orchestrated a lot of people and circumstances -- far beyond what I have written here -- to bring about this ministry opportunity at this time. We believe this vision of education is unique and will serve His kingdom in ways we haven't imagined yet! But He has.

I'm asking you to join us. Read our Charter. See if your mind and heart is in alignment with ours. Then please pray for the work of the Kingdom through this charter. Visit with us about your skills and resources, perhaps God will partner us together in building up the young people around us. Perhaps He'll use us to equip generations to know His name. And, who knows? Perhaps we'll figure out how to be His family together.

I love you all,

Jason