We hear a ton about “mindset” in education. And if I had to bet, the growth mindset box on your PD bingo card was probably filled in at every session. Have you also heard of a learning mindset? What about a resilient mindset? Or have you been encouraged to help your student develop a global or empathy mindset?
Worthy pursuits, these are. But even though many of the mindsets served up during PD are at least partially consistent with Scripture, I would like to suggest another mindset option: a Kingdom mindset!
What is a Kingdom mindset? We get a glimpse in Matthew 6:33, in which Jesus calls us to seek first His Kingdom rather than chasing after our needs and wants. Then He promises that if we put Him first, all those needs and wants we worry about will be added unto us.
I call this the “upside-down Kingdom.”
In the upside-down Kingdom, we don’t “lean on our own understanding” (Prov. 3:5) or view others from a worldly point of view (2 Cor. 5:16), but we do allow the Holy Spirit to guide what we see and what we do (Gal. 5:25).
Consider Christal, a public school principal in Texas, who recently shared a remarkable story with me. While preparing to interview candidates for several staff positions, she didn’t lean on stale professional development tips or ask ChatGPT for insightful questions. Instead, she turned to the Lord, earnestly asking, “What do I need to know?” and “What do I need to do?”
She felt she heard, “Rework the interview questions.” Awakened at 4 a.m. by a divine nudge, she poured herself into listening and crafting.
The result? Questions that delve into identity over mere skills and are so profound that a leadership team member marveled, “These are the most beautiful interview questions I’ve ever heard!” Her interviews stretched longer, plumbed deeper, and revealed not just which candidates to hire, but precisely where they’d fit best on her grade-level teams.
Christal’s experience didn’t result in someone praying to receive Christ. But consider this: might her team members or the teachers she hires feel a spark of curiosity about Jesus after witnessing her journey? Could they be drawn to a relationship with a God who orchestrates brilliant interview questions that ripple outward, reshaping a school’s culture?
Too often, we get stuck on the idea that “real” ministry boils down to leading someone to Christ, thinking that nothing else carries eternal weight. Public school educators, hemmed in by legal limits on evangelism, may conclude, “Well, I can’t do that kind of ministry here, so I’ll just stick to teaching and leave the ministry to pastors.”
But what if that’s a trap we don’t have to fall into?
What if embracing a Kingdom mindset could transform our classrooms or schools?
Together, let’s ask God to show us the way as we serve in our schools!
