A Commencement Like No Other

The word commencement means “a beginning.” It marks the start of something. And what is beginning at Covenant is the sending out of steadfast and courageous disciples, scholars, and citizens into the world after years of being cultivated in an environment where they have learned to live courageously, think deeply, and serve faithfully.

Those are not merely catchy phrases to us. They truly encapsulate what a classical Christian education seeks to accomplish in the lives of the students.

Culturally, we have set such a low bar for what we expect of young people. Rather than spend time today telling you all that is wrong with the world’s approach to education, there is plenty of evidence of that already. (Come have coffee with me sometime, and we can talk about that.) But what I want to do today is point to what is distinctly Christ-centered and classical, not only about the education Covenant students receive, but also about the way we send them out to the next thing God has for them.

If you were on campus this week, you may have seen or at least heard your children talking about our Senior Send-Off. We line the breezeway and celebrate with our seniors as we send them out. There are cheers, high-fives, hugs, and lots of tears. Even there, we mark the occasion differently.

When you come to Covenant commencement, one of the first things you will notice is that the whole community participates. It is not simply about the graduates themselves. Certainly, the faculty are there. Their families are there. But what makes Covenant distinctive is that our entire student body, kindergarten through twelfth grade, participates in the ceremony.

I love the symbolism of this entire ceremony.

The teachers and administrators are on one side of the graduate. They have poured into them and given pieces of themselves for the formation of these young people. Their parents on the other side of them, those who have provided steadiness, sacrifice, prayer, and foundation throughout the years. Their grandparents, siblings, pastors, and friends are there. The entire Covenant community gathers around them because none of these students arrived at this moment alone.

We proceed into the ceremony behind the sound of bagpipes, and at the end we will follow them out once again. If you want to know why bagpipes, you can read last year’s blog post. But throughout the ceremony, every element is intentional.

The ceremony is meant to encourage students to look forward and to remember that they do not belong to themselves. They belong to the Lord, and He has a plan and purpose for their lives.

Our charge to them speaks not only of the exciting opportunities ahead, but also of the sacrifices that have been made to root them deeply in Jesus Christ. They have been formed through engagement with ideas that have shaped Western civilization and the history of the Church. They have been taught to think logically, to understand the presuppositions beneath ideas, and to follow those ideas to their logical conclusions. They have also been taught to love sacrificially, as Christ loved us.

Because this is not simply preparation for a career. It is preparation for a calling. It is a battle for the hearts and minds of our children. I often think of the words of Christ, that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. A classical Christian education seeks to shape all of those things together.

One especially meaningful part of the ceremony is when we welcome the newest members into the rhetoric school. They receive their blazers, which distinguish rhetoric students outwardly within our community. They look older more mature, and more prepared. We lead with the outward so that the heart and mind might follow. It particularly special because the students look forward to receiving their blazer.

During the ceremony, students will hear a charge from our commencement speaker. They will receive their diplomas, marking years of steady, faithful, and often difficult work. But they are given something more as well.

The young men receive swords, and the young women receive shields. We are intentionally hearkening back to Ephesians 6 and the armor of God. The sword symbolizes the Word of God, which they have been taught, studied, and prepared to carry faithfully. The shield bears the symbol of the cross and represents faith, reminding them that Christ alone is their protection and strength. These symbols remind our graduates that they are being sent into the world prepared for spiritual battle and kingdom service.

Near the close of the ceremony the graduates’ parents come forward alongside the Covenant community, and either they or their pastors pray individually leading us in praying for the graduate.

And then, at the very end, the bagpipes lead us out once more. The graduates follow behind them as they step into what comes next, sent out with purpose, determination, and hope. You will not see a ceremony like this anywhere else. It is distinctive to Covenant Classical Christian School because every part of it is done with great intentionality, seeking to shape hearts and minds formed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We hope you will join us for this celebration on May 16 at 11:00 a.m.

It may very well change you.

To God be the glory.