Encourage. Inform. Grow Together.
Growing Deeper was created because we know raising young people in the world today is not easy. Through the Growing Deeper series, we will learn from the experts together, gaining strategies and tools to tackle tough issues while continuing to foster students' Christian faith.
Growing Deeper Speaker Series
Growing Deeper is a yearly speaker series aimed at partnering with our broader parent and church community as a way to corporately learn from experts by gaining strategies and tools to tackle challenging issues while continuing to foster Christian faith within ourselves and our students.
Past Events
2021-2022 Events
2021-2022 Growing Deeper Events
February — Mental Health
Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety
Film viewing and panel discussion
Wednesday, February 23 @ 7:00 pm
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Grand Rapids Christian Schools hosted a special screening of the documentary, Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety of the 43 minute film, followed by an informative panel discussion with community and school mental health professionals and teachers.
What is the difference between “being anxious” and having an anxiety disorder? What can we do about the 634% rise in use of Mental Health America’s online tool for anxiety since the start of Covid? Why is there still so much fear and stigma in just talking to others instead of hiding online? What can each of us do to make it better and best engage in a full and happy life?
Angst is on a mission: to start a global conversation and raise awareness around anxiety. This documentary will include:
- Candid interviews with kids and teens, who discuss their anxiety, its impacts on their lives and relationships, as well as how they’ve found solutions and hope
- Expert perspectives, (from institutions such as Stanford University, Child Mind Institute), who talk about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects and resources to help
- Tips, tricks and strategies to help reset thinking patterns, push back against anxiety and support others
Angst Resources
Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.
Philippians 4:6-7
November — Conflict
Bearing with One Another: Loving Like Jesus
Tuesday, November 16 @ 7:00 pm
What does it mean to bear with one another and what might it look like in our community? We will explore Christ's call to be patient, humble, and gentle in a culture that so often is not. Julian Newman of Culture Creative addresses contextual realities surrounding conflict and what it means to be a "third space."
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Guest Speaker:
Julian Newman
CEO, Culture Creative
Consultant, Grand Rapids Christian Schools
Julian Newman
Julian Newman, founder and CEO of Culture Creative, is a nationally recognized certified diversity and inclusion thought leader. Culture Creative is a leading national consulting firm specializing in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Culture Creative clients include advertising agency Leo Burnett, InnerWorkings, Holland, Gordon Foods, Michigan State, along with other universities, school districts, and philanthropic organizations nationally.
As a cultural intelligence strategist, author, and motivational speaker, Julian has spoken to more than 100,000 people and groups nationally and internationally during the past 20 years. Since the launch of Culture Creative in 2014, Julian and his team have worked with more than 100 companies and nonprofit organizations to develop culturally aware leaders, employees, and more empowered communities.
Julian inspires people to believe in their inner-hero and be world changers. Julian shares his leadership development expertise with corporate, non-profit, creative, and faith-based clients virtually. Julian has a unique gift of bringing people of diverse backgrounds together to find common ground and become more beautiful together. He empowers them with curated seminars, training materials, and lectures that are specific to a client's needs.
Julian speaks on behalf of the National Diversity Council and serves as an advisor to the Disruptive Technologists Think Tank. He has published writings with various media outlets, including Relevant Magazine, and will be releasing a series of books and cultural intelligence reports in the near future.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
November — Resilience
Raising Resilient Kids
Wednesday, November 3 @ 7:00 pm
In our first Growing Deeper event of the year, Kevin Broene, owner and operator of Grit Leadership, LLC and our Grand Rapids Christian Middle School Athletic Director and Grand Rapids Christian High School Assistant Athletic Director, shares valuable insights and research on grit, growth mindset, and how we can communally raise resilient kids. Viewers will leave this presentation with actionable skills to develop growth mindsets from the athletic field to the classroom or even conversations at the dinner table.
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References & Resources
GRIT Leadership
Kevin Broene, Founder
gritleadershipea@gmail.com
Presentation References
"When children aren't given the space to struggle through things on their own, they don't learn to problem-solve very well. They don't learn to be confident in their own abilities, and it can affect their self-esteem. The other problem with never having to struggle is that you never experience failure and can develop an overwhelming fear of failure and of disappointing others. Both the low self-confidence and the fear of failure can lead to depression or anxiety"
— Chris Meno, Psychologist, University of Indiana
“We develop grit in others by praising their process, not their result. “There is one thing we know for sure — praising results has gotten society to where it is today.”
— Carol Dweck, Professor, Standford University
Further Reading
GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
—Angela Duckworth
How Children Succeed
—Paul Tough
A Study on Praise and Mindsets (video)
— Carol Dweck
The Perils and Promises of Praise
— Carol Dweck
Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life
—Michael Merzenich
Dream Big, Think Small: Living an Extraordinary Life One Day at a Time
—Jeff Manion, Pastor, Ada Bible Church
The Learner Lab
—Trevor Ragan, Founder
Sarah Schnitker, Associate Professor of Psychology, Baylor University
Guest Speaker:
Kevin Broene
Owner/Operator, Grit Leadership, LLC
GRCHS Assistant Athletic Director / GRCMS Athletic Director
Kevin Broene
Kevin attended Grand Rapids Christian and earned his Bachelor’s degree from Calvin College in 2004. He is in his 16th year working in Christian Education, with the last 9 of those years at the Grand Rapids Christian Schools.
In 2010, he earned his MA from Governors State University in Educational Leadership. Kevin has been a classroom teacher for seven years at The Chicago Christian Schools and an athletic administrator for GRCS since 2012.
In the fall of 2017, in tandem with his work as an athletic director, Kevin started Grit Leadership for Educational Athletics with a mission to equip and empower leaders to build a gritty, more resilient generation. In 2019, Kevin earned the MHSAA Region 13 Athletic Director of the Year award.
Currently, he loves working with the coaches and staff at Grand Rapids Christian and with athletic directors, coaches, and parents from around the country. In 2020, Kevin began a partnership with Baylor University’s Center for School Leadership, where he is connected with more than 50 schools nationwide, partnering with them to engage Grit Leadership into those schools and communities. His work with these Christian schools and their administrators not only helps build more gritty and resilient communities but also benefits his learning and growth as an administrator here at Grand Rapids Christian Schools.
He and his wife, Stephanie, have three children, Jacob (8), Abby (4), and Sophie (4), who all attend Grand Rapids Christian Schools.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10: 24-25
2020-2021 Events
2020-2021 Growing Deeper Events
- April — The Very Good Gospel
- March — Creation Care
- January — Raising Youth in a Digital Age
- November — A Conversation About Racial Justice
- October — Faith & Politics
April — The Very Good Gospel
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Lisa Sharon Harper — The Very Good Gospel
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 7:00 pm
In our final Growing Deeper event of the year, Lisa Sharon Harper, author of The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right, shared her pilgrimage in coming to understand the significance of shalom and the forcefully good news of the gospel.
Guest Speaker:
Lisa Sharon Harper
Author, Speaker, Activist
Lisa Sharon Harper
From Ferguson to New York, and from Germany and South Africa to Australia and Brazil, Lisa Sharon Harper leads trainings that increase clergy and community leaders’ capacity to organize people of faith toward a just world. A prolific speaker, writer and activist, Ms. Harper is the founder and president of FreedomRoad.us, a consulting group dedicated to shrinking the narrative gap in our nation by designing forums and experiences that bring common understanding, common commitment and common action.
Ms. Harper is the author of several books, including Evangelical Does Not Equal Republican…or Democrat (The New Press, 2008); Left Right and Christ: Evangelical Faith in Politics (Elevate, 2011); Forgive Us: Confessions of a Compromised Faith (Zondervan, 2014); and the critically acclaimed, The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong can be Made Right (Waterbrook, a division of Penguin Random House, 2016).
The Very Good Gospel, recognized as the “2016 Book of the Year” by Englewood Review of Books, explores God’s intent for the wholeness of all relationships in light of today’s headlines.
Lisa Sharon Harper Discussion References:
The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong can be Made Right
By Lisa Sharon Harper
Brave Souls: Experiencing the Audacious Power of Empathy
By Belinda Bauman
Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America.
By Michael Emerson and Christian Smith
March — Creation Care
Cultivating Redemptive Communities (Recorded Webinar)
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Where Did That Carrot Come From? Cultivating Redemptive Communities
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Do you know where your carrots come from? What soil supported their growth? Whose hands harvested them? Far from a forum on root veggies, this session hopes to connect what we eat, where we shop, and how we learn to a much bigger vision of what it means to be a thoughtful neighbor.
Mike Edwardson
Mike Edwardson
Co-founder and Farm Manager, Plainsong Farm & Ministry
Mike and his wife Bethany Edwardson have felt called to start a community-based farm that connects to local churches and ministries for many years now.
As a family, they have continued to put down roots here in West Michigan, knowing that the life of a place is built with hospitality and gratitude toward one’s neighbors and the land. They have begun the process of taking Plainsong Farm from fallow and neglected to fertile and productive, with the help of much coffee and the endless energy of their daughters.
Mike graduated from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015 with a Master’s degree focusing on Christian Environmental Ethics, delivering food & faith-related presentations at multiple conferences and churches.
He has also established and operated multiple urban food plots in connection with universities and churches prior to taking on this role at Plainsong Farm.
Guest Speaker:
Phil Warners
Director of Outdoor Education, Rockford Christian School
Phil Warners
Phil Warners
Director of Outdoor Education, Rockford Christian School
Phil Warners (Mr. Phil) is the Director of Outdoor Education at Rockford Christian School. Mr. Phil returned to educating students in a classroom after spending 16 years educating students in the world of outdoor education at Camp Roger. Mr. Phil loves to show students the power of God's word, how it can impact their lives, and then watching it all change them.
Read more about Mr. Phil and the Outdoor Education Program at Rockford Christian School HERE, HERE, and HERE.
January — Raising Youth in a Digital Age
Raising Youth in a Digital Age (Webinar Recording)
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Raising Youth in a Digital Age
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
This presentation provides parents and other caregivers with an overview of children’s screen media use and risk factors for excessive media use.
Learn about the signs of problematic and excessive screen media use. Strategies will be provided to reduce risks associated with screen time, gaming, and social media use. These skills are especially important as children are using screens more than before (especially during the pandemic).
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Sarah Domoff
Clinical Child Psychologist, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Central Michigan University
Dr. Sarah Domoff
Dr. Domoff is a clinical child psychologist with expertise in problematic media use in children. She directs the Family Health Lab at Central Michigan University (www.sarahdomoff.com) and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology.
Her research on the health outcomes of screen media use in children has been funded by the NIH. Dr. Domoff also trains clinicians to assess and treat youth with problematic media use (e.g., gaming disorder, social media conflict) at the Center for Children, Families, and Communities. At her clinic, Dr. Domoff delivers interventions to help parents and children reduce excessive and problematic screen media use.
Resources from Dr. Sarah Domoff
November — A Conversation About Racial Justice
A Conversation About Racial Justice (Webinar Recording)
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A Conversation about Racial Justice
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
As a cultural intelligence strategist, author, filmmaker, artist, and motivational speaker, Julian Newman has spoken to more than 100,000 people and groups nationally and internationally during the past 20 years. In his work with GRCS, he helps lead diversity and inclusion efforts with faculty, staff, and students.
Julian Newman joined us to address the pressing question: How do we live as Christ-centered disciples in a time of racial and cultural polarization?
He did this by clearly grounding the conversation and the work of racial justice and reconciliation in Scripture, looking to Jesus as our guide. Julian's presentation takes us on a biblical journey to help live into God’s call to be a community of justice-seekers in a world. Along the way, he gives pastoral advice and practical guidance for individuals and families taking up this important work.
“The institution of race broke America at its foundations. It will not be enough to tinker here and there. We need to envision a new way of being together… It will mean imagining a world where everyone - especially the least of these - has enough to thrive.” Very Good Gospel, 157.
Guest Speaker:
Julian Newman
CEO, Culture Creative | Director of Leadership and Culture, Grand Rapids Christian Schools
Julian Newman
Julian Newman, founder and CEO of Culture Creative, is a nationally recognized certified diversity and inclusion thought leader. Culture Creative is a leading national consulting firm specializing in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Culture Creative clients include advertising agency Leo Burnett, InnerWorkings, Holland, Gordon Foods, Michigan State, along with other universities, school districts, and philanthropic organizations nationally.
As a cultural intelligence strategist, author, and motivational speaker, Julian has spoken to more than 100,000 people and groups nationally and internationally during the past 20 years. Since the launch of Culture Creative in 2014, Julian and his team have worked with more than 100 companies and nonprofit organizations to develop culturally aware leaders, employees, and more empowered communities.
Julian inspires people to believe in their inner-hero and be world changers. Julian shares his leadership development expertise with corporate, non-profit, creative, and faith-based clients virtually. Julian has a unique gift of bringing people of diverse backgrounds together to find common ground and become more beautiful together. He empowers them with curated seminars, training materials, and lectures that are specific to a client's needs.
Julian speaks on behalf of the National Diversity Council and serves as an advisor to the Disruptive Technologists Think Tank. He has published writings with various media outlets, including Relevant Magazine, and will be releasing a series of books and cultural intelligence reports in 2020.
What Now? 7 Steps Toward Racial Justice as a Family
By Julian Newman
1. Recognize & Celebrate Differences
If your younger child asks about someone's skin color, use it as an opportunity to celebrate with a statement like, "Isn't that cool? God made all of us, and we are all unique and awesome!" If you have older children, talk about digital images in media that stereotype, communicate bias, or give a more balanced perspective.
2. Speak Openly and Honestly About Race
Talking clearly about race, racism, diversity, and equity builds powerful pathways of communication and trust. Making this a part of the regular family rhythm allows everyone to navigate the nuances surrounding the race conversation and engage more comfortably and with confidence.
3. Take Responsibility for Your Own Learning
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google, Bing, and a host of streaming services are available to everyone. Don't place the burden of your educational journey on the shoulders of someone else. Watch a movie, documentary, or do a family book study and have a discussion about it.
4. Enter Into the Struggle
Understand that you "don't have to be one to stand with" and "there are no others, just other people." Rather than turning away from the ugliness of racism, lean into it, and feel it. Don't deny, deflect, or diminish the effects of racism. Lament with those that are suffering and have compassion on those that are hurting.
5. Encourage Action
Look for opportunities to engage in larger conversations, move into different relationship circles, and seek to promote and create racial justice and equity. Add day to day living to your learning, and over time the capacity to exercise leadership will emerge from an authentic life. Consistency in this area allows you to put some "walk" to the "talk."
6. Be Vulnerable
It is okay not to have all the answers. It takes courage to confront our own ignorance, bias, and prejudice. But we can't fix what we won't face. Being courageous informs others that we are all connected and encourages and empowers others to be brave as well.
7. Take a Minute to Breathe
This is good for everyone but absolutely essential if you are in a marginalized group that is regularly the target of racism. Take a break from the news, social media, and intense racial images. Stay away from social media debates. Conserve your energy. Your experience is your experience, and you don't need to prove anything to anyone. Reach out to your circle of support and take time to unburden your soul and care for yourself.
7 Components of Trans-Cultural Bridge Building
Cultural Competency at GRCS — Staff Stories
October — Faith & Politics
Faith and Politics (Webinar Recording)
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Faith & Politics
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Dr. Kristen Deede Johnson (from Western Seminary) led us in thinking about the question: What is our calling as Christians, as followers of the way of Jesus, in this current political moment?
She dod this by guiding us through a brief historical survey of Christian engagement in politics from the time of Jesus to the modern-day. And then, turning to the present-day, Dr. Johnson invited us to consider how Christian beliefs, virtues, and spiritual disciplines can help shape our political engagement as a form of Christian witness.
“It is necessary for all people of faith to draw from our principles to help us engage the world in a way that moves our nation and world toward God’s very goodness.” Very Good Gospel, 175.
Faith and Politics Discussion References:
The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance
By Bethany Hanke Hoang and Kristen Deede Johnson
Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
Edited by Timothy Keller and John Inazu
Guest Speaker:
Kristen Deede Johnson
Professor of Theology and Christian Formation — Western Seminary (Holland, MI)
Kristen Deede Johnson
Dr. Kristen Deede Johnson is Professor of Theology and Christian formation at Western Seminary in Holland, MI. Kristen’s teaching and scholarship engage areas of theology, discipleship and formation, justice, culture, and political theory.
In partnership with International Justice Mission, she and Bethany Hanke Hoang wrote the award-winning The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance (Brazos, 2016), which was chosen for Christianity Today’s 2017 Book Awards. She has also written Theology, Political Theory, and Pluralism: Beyond Tolerance and Difference (Cambridge University Press) and an array of articles and book chapters. Most recently she was a contributing author to the book Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference (Thomas Nelson, 2020).
In 2018, Kristen was named as one of 10 New or Lesser-Known Female Theologians Worth Knowing by Christianity Today.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the Growing Deeper speaker series, please contact: