Hello all,

I met Greg (founder of Dare2Share ministries) last month at a Christmas event that Senator Bill Armstrong (CCU President) invited both of us to attend.  Greg shared with me his thought that “homeschoolers who do not share Christ are like Ferraris locked in a garage.”

Greg sent me this email today:

“I think you’re gonna love our new evangelistic website (www.gospeljourney.com)! Check it out and, if you like it, forward it to a friend or family member who needs Jesus.”

Very creative!

Mike Chapa
Executive Director

As I write this, I am struck by God’s goodness to us as an organization, but more so by the faithfulness of the parents who continue to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Here are some highlights from 2011:

1.  Generations with Vision (http://generationswithvision.com/) hosted their second Family Economics conference in NC in March to a sell-out crowd.  Mike Cheney, my wife, and I were on hand to help run panel discussions and help with the event.  Generations is hosting their third family economics conference in Mar 2012 near Chicago–there is still room left–go to http://familyeconomics2012.com/ for more details.

2.  Mike Farris keynoted our Day at the Capitol event in April.  We reinvented the activity and you responded!  The new extravaganza included the Vision Heirs marching us around the Capitol and you wearing themed attire–you told us it was a hit!

3.  In May, we had Homeschool Day at Elitch’s again and enjoyed the wonderful park with all the rides open.  Next year, we have our first ever truly “exclusive” day for homeschoolers–come on out on Fri May 11th 2012 and enjoy less than 50% priced tickets with likeminded families!

4.  We also held graduations in May for many graduates–an event milestone that is so important in the lives of our children as they move on to adulthood.  We are planning them for the weekend of 18-19 May 2012–sign up now!

5.  Our Rocky Mountain Super Conference on the family in June attracted nearly 4000 people from 12 states and welcomed (for free!) Parents of Preschoolers as they consider the educational choices for their children.  This coming year we have Mike Smith (HSLDA.org) and Ken Ham (creation museum, Answers in Genesis) as well as Kevin Swanson keynoting.  Come join the fun!

6.  In July, we held our annual Golf Tournament fundraiser.  Not only was the weather beautiful, but this is becoming very important to us as a fundraiser.  We are already planning for it again this coming July–please sponsor a hole or donate to the event or even come and hit the little white ball with us.

7.  In August, we sponsored the Bible Bee again and had more participants than ever!  Even more exciting, we had more go to nationals than ever before.  Look for it again in 2012!

8.  In September, we held our second annual Homestead Bootcamp at Blessed Creek Farm near Fort Morgan.  This year was a two day event with even more to learn.  Look for a three-peat in 2012!

9.  We hosted numerous Introductory and High School & Beyond Seminars in Parker, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Alamosa!  These are bread and butter events for us and we will press forward with many more in 2012.

10.  In Nov, we hosted our first ever Ladies’ Tea in Colorado Springs.  The speakers edified the audience and the event was very elegant.  We hope to do more of these, so let us know more of what you would like to see.

11. Our bookstore and office in Parker remain open most weekdays.  Curriculum, advice and encouragement are only a phone call away and we are pondering teaching classes in our bookstore in 2012.  Look for more info on that soon.

12.  We are planning our first ever AME (Apprenticeship-Mentorship-Entrepreneurship) conference in Denver in the second half of 2012.  This will be nuts and bolts for families to reconsider the family economy–stay tuned!

13.  We are planning another Father/Son Retreat in Sep 2012.  This time, we’re probably staying on the Front Range and hope to have many hands-on activities–come on out and be encouraged and challenged with your sons.  Watch the website of Facebook for more info.

14.  We launched our new website (chec.org)!  Hopefully, this facelift is more functional and appealing, although we continue to improve the details.  Check out our online bookstore and remember, you can always give online.  It is not too late for a 2011 tax-deductible donation!

I sincerely hope you have had a wonderful 2011 and pray God’s richest blessings on your 2012 as we disciple the next generation in service to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Mike Chapa
Executive Director

Friends,

It seems not a week or two goes by that CHEC does not receive notification that one of the families enrolled in our Independent School has experienced the passing away of mom or dad.  Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “[It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.” We are all dying…it is just a matter of time and manner.  In Adam’s fall, we sinned all.  But…we have a Redeemer in the Lord Jesus Christ and with Paul we can say, “O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory?” 1 Cor 15:55

I was thinking about life tonight with my wife and I realized that I have learned much about what to believe and how to live from teachers named Sproul, a father-son doxo-praxo-combo.  I am traveling to FL this week to attend the funeral of the wife of RC Sproul Jr.–Denise.  Cancer beat her down in the end, but I would draw your attention to RC’s take on it and that of another friend, Doug Phillips.  The posts can be viewed here and here.  Both of these men keynoted for us last summer at our Rocky Mountain Super Conference on the Family.  As we live life, we pray that His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.  There is work to be done now, especially with our children, and while the Lord tarries, we work to advance His Kingdom and not our own.  Just like the Sproul’s.

Mike Chapa
Executive Director

This is an interesting article.

Mike Chapa
Executive Director

If you have not seen this free movie yet, please do so here. However, as this article shows, some are offended at the comparison of abortion to the holocaust.  Seems murder is only bad sometimes…

Mike Chapa
Executive Director

“Far from being the Great Satan, I would say that we are the Great Protector. We have sent men and women from the armed forces of the United States to other parts of the world throughout the past century to put down oppression. We defeated Fascism. We defeated Communism. We saved Europe in World War I and World War II. We were willing to do it, glad to do it. We went to Korea. We went to Vietnam. All in the interest of preserving the rights of people.
And when all those conflicts were over, what did we do? Did we stay and conquer? Did we say, “Okay, we defeated Germany. Now Germany belongs to us? We defeated Japan, so Japan belongs to us”? No. What did we do? We built them up. We gave them democratic systems which they have embraced totally to their soul. And did we ask for any land? No, the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead. And that is the kind of nation we are.”

Well, after his incorrect dating of Christ’s return last May, with an adjusted date in Oct also come and gone, the false prophet has at least admitted he was wrong here.  That is good, but I wish he would repent of telling everyone that the “church age” is over and to leave their churches to follow his radio ministry.  The “church age” is most certainly not over and the bride of Christ perseveres and the gates of hell will not overcome her.  We are not to forsake the assembly of believers (Heb 10:25) and I pray you are all in good churches as Christian homeschooling is not enough by a long shot for the raising of a godly generation.

Mike Chapa
Executive Director

I think this blog post from Al Mohler is particularly on target.

Rom 1:22     Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools

Mike Chapa
Executive Director

State Senator Kevin Lundberg (and CHEC co-founder and board member) sent me the following information:

This Saturday, October 15, will be a significant day at our state Capitol. On the west steps, at 2:00 PM, the Colorado Legislative Prayer Caucus will hold a Call to Prayer Day for Colorado.

The Colorado Legislative Prayer Caucus is a bi-partisan group of legislators, which I am a part of, who are united to defend America’s right to trust in God. I invite you to attend the call to prayer this Saturday afternoon.

For more information about the event on Saturday go to: www.calltoprayercolorado.com.

Mike Chapa
Executive Director

Folks,

You may recall that my wife and I went to Sweden last spring and visited with Christer Johannson (on the right in the photo above).  The country of Sweden is considering the ridiculous decision of terminating their parental rights.  HSLDA has a template here you can use to write a letter to Sweden–mine is going in the mail tomorrow.  Please do the same to help out some folks being oppressed by “the state,” before it comes knocking on our door.  Thank you–these are grave times for the “Christian” west.

Mike Chapa
Executive Director