CHI Connect: December 2023
Expanding Horizons: A Season of Growth and Planting
Over the summer, my family and I ventured to Brazil to rally our team, train leaders, and forge new partnerships, marking my return after almost three years due to COVID travel restrictions. The growth has been phenomenal—over 400 campuses and 12,000 students! Please pray for the substantial task we have ahead to manage this expansion and ensure quality across our learning communities. I look forward to sharing many exciting developments from Brazil in a later update.
Returning to the U.S. I faced the planting season: onboarding new partnerships and identifying next year's micro-campuses. Laura Lee and the kids headed to see family in Tennessee while I began an intensive three weeks of work across North America. I’m grateful I obtained a pilot’s license last year and a generous donor-provided CHI with a Cessna 182, a game-changer for flexibility of travel to small towns we’re working in across the country. I’d like to give you a peek into this last journey that covered 18 stops, 6,000+ miles, and almost 60 hours of flight time.
The Journey: A Glimpse into the Adventure
Leg 1: Arlington to Bellingham, Washington.
A meeting in Bellingham addressed the increasing demand from Canadian communities wanting to implement our model, utilizing U.S. accreditation for an "international degree" locally. Families are awakening to the impact of secularism, taking proactive steps.
Leg 2: Bellingham to Vancouver, WA
Meetings in Vancouver, Washington, explored transforming a three-story medical training facility into a family-focused community college and trade school. Firmly Planted Resource Center aims to change Christian education in the Pacific Northwest.
Leg 3: Vancouver to Sheridan, WY
Flying high across the Cascades and Rockies, I reached Sheridan, Wyoming, where The Wagon Box Inn seeks to be a hub for education in Northern Wyoming. They house a library and regularly welcome a flourishing intellectual community. They’ll begin formally training Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and Humanities students, with the aim to expand and become the Sheridan Christian Community College.
Leg 4: Sheridan, Wyoming to San Antonio, TX
In San Antonio, we collaborated with a Sloyd and Croft trade teaching site, challenging the local education system. Impact360/Lifeshape joined discussions, planning for discipleship and training in the trades for 2024.
Leg 5: San Antonio to Norfolk, VA
The journey continued to Norfolk, Virginia, where I presented at a large education conference on the future of Christian education in North America, receiving enthusiastic responses. This opportunity resulted in new requests for Christian Halls and some writing and speaking opportunities to further a vision for building accessible Christ-centered micro-campuses.
Leg 6: Virginia to North Carolina to Georgia to Texas
Meetings in North Carolina explored launching the North Carolina Christian Community College Network to disrupt the overloaded community college system. The trip concluded with family visits in Georgia, symbolizing the end of this incredible journey.
STAFF HIGHLIGHT
A little about me…
Greetings!
My name is Dr. Andrew Ellis, and I am the academic coordinator for Christian Halls. It is my job to maintain the day-to-day operations of CHI, which includes taking care of university partnerships and supplying online academic programming to Christian Halls across the country. I want to ensure that every Christian Halls student has access to the best possible online courses and curricula so that they can take ownership of their education and grow in their area of study without compromising their professional qualifications or their Christian worldview.
My background is in music, and I recently graduated with my D.M.A. in vocal performance. I appreciate the importance of academic excellence and scholarship while valuing the ability to perform at the highest level in real-world situations. It is my vision that every Christian Halls student will be intellectually equipped to bring real-world contributions to their families and communities – be heavenly minded AND earthly good.
My own family brings me incredible joy as I raise my two children with my wife, Lisette, and we seek to model what it means to trust and follow Jesus in everything we do.
~ Dr. Andrew Lane Ellis
Closing Thoughts:
Thanks for letting me update you on the latest progress and the adventures therein. Please pray that the Lord would take this plowing and planting and grow a bountiful harvest of soul formation across North America, for national renewal and to His glory. I hope this encourages many of you, as there are sparks of life and renewal across America. It will take courage and self-governing families and communities, but if we play for keeps, there is both joy and hope now and in the future.
Wishing you a blessed holiday season,
Dr. Nicholas Ellis
President, Christian Halls International
