How New Hope Christian Academy Turns Potential Into Purpose

Lionel Cable joins us to share how a Christ-centered, whole child model in Memphis is opening doors for under-resourced families through rigorous academics, deep relationships, and a culture of joy. Lionel walks us through New Hope’s origin, outcomes, farm and forest learning, alumni support, and bold plans to expand.

• founding vision rooted in urban Christian education
• five keys of teaching, learning, discipleship, affordability, relationships
• culture shaped by joyful hiring and mission clarity
• campus highlights: renovated gym, forest, and farm
• alumni support office guiding school choice and college
• ways to help through prayer, volunteering, and giving

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

Stephanie 0:02

Hi, this is Stephanie Shafer, and you're listening to the NorthStar Narrative, a podcast from NorthStar Academy. I want to thank you for joining us. I hope you're encouraged, challenged, and motivated by what you learned today. Enjoy the story. Hey everybody, thanks so much for joining us today. I've got an incredible new friend and guest on the podcast today that I cannot wait for you to hear his story, Mr. Lionel Cable. My husband and I recently visited his school in Memphis, Tennessee, and it was incredible. I think we were crying either really or inside the entire time at God's good work there. But Lionel Cable is the head of school at New Hope Christian Academy in Memphis's Fraser neighborhood. Since stepping into the role in 2018, Lionel has brought over two decades of local educational experience, including as a graduate of Memphis City Schools. His leadership is rooted in a powerful conviction to open the doors of opportunity, not based on statistics, but on each child's God-giving potential. Under his stewardship, New Hope has deepened a time-honored, Christ-centered, whole child educational model that invests in students and families for the long haul. Lionel, welcome. Thank you for your time. I'm so excited that you're here today. Thank you, Stephanie. I'm super excited and just very grateful I get the opportunity to uh connect with you, but then also a broader audience. Yeah. Well, I'm so excited to talk about your school and hopefully let people experience a little bit of what uh my husband, Charlie, and I did. Um, and then maybe, yeah, inspire you. If you're listening, this is a school you want to check out. Um, even if you're not in education, this is a story, God's story that you want to hear more about. Okay. So let's start at the beginning. Um, New Hope began in 1996 in the basement of a church with just 20 students, and today you're serving more than 400. So it's an incredible journey. I'm sitting here looking at this um beautiful picture behind him that shows the three different seasons, the three different buildings that they have been in. Um, but how did this original vision take shape and what milestones have stood out to you along the way? Oh wow. Um, so uh it started in the the heart and mind of Stephen Carpenter, who was the founding head. Um, Stephen uh came from a wealthy family, a wealthy background, and had the opportunity to attend um some really prestigious uh private schools here in Memphis. Um while going through these schools, uh, he he gained several friends um who had the same interest as him, and that interest was Memphis. Uh so those guys made a pact that, you know, after college, uh, if they ever hit it big, they would want to get back to Memphis. Uh so after college, um, Stephen uh actually had a calling on his life and enrolled in seminary up in New Jersey. Uh he thought the Lord wanted him to preach uh and teach. Uh the other guys, they actually did come back to Memphis and they remembered that pact and they they called Stephen up one day while he was up in New Jersey and said, Hey, we've hit it big, we're ready to get back. What idea do you have? And of course, Stephen's initial response was, you know, I don't know, not right now. Uh just recently married, you know, in seminary, just not right now. Well, uh, those guys didn't stop. They continued to pester Stephen until finally he picked up the phone one day and said, Hey, I got an idea. Uh, downtown Memphis needs a school. Uh, and at that time, Stephanie, uh, downtown Memphis was surrounded by public housing. Um, and uh there were no high-quality uh public options or private options in the center of the city. Uh so the idea of New Hope was birthed, and that's really kind of the picture behind me. Uh the starting to um, I guess, your left uh is our first building. Um, and it's the the uh first United Methodist Church. Started with 20 plus students, uh, then quickly grew there to our second location, which is right down the street. Um, and it's the old Federal Reserve Bank building to where we are now, which is the last building. But Stephen knew that if um uh with the proper investment uh and uh the proper tools, um, you know, the trajectory of children in poverty, their lives certainly could be changed. Um so there were five keys that he stuck stuck to, uh, and that is teaching, learning, discipleship, affordability, and relationships. Um, and if we did those five things excellently, then obviously that's going to change the trajectory of children. Um and the model has worked. Uh so we're going on 30 years old right now. And um, in our 30-year history, Stephanie, we have a 99.9% graduation rate from high school. Uh, 99% of our kids get accepted into college. Uh, 69% of our kids actually obtain their degree, or they are actually still working on their degree, or military, or some type of certification. Uh, and New Hope is a pretty unique model in the private school space because our revenue model is flipped. Um, so we rely heavily on donors. Very grateful now there's an avenue uh through the government with ESAs and EFS, or commonly known as vouchers. Um, but even prior to that, we were 93% donation funded. So 80% of our kids here qualify for free and reduced lunch. The other 20% obviously do not. Um, so we offer large amounts of financial aid to make a um a high-quality private Christian education accessible to all families, regardless of income. A child, what Stephen knew and understood is that regardless of in uh regardless of income, regardless of zip code, um a family should have a choice in terms of the school where they want their child to attend, especially Christian education. Uh here in Memphis now, even back then in 1995, all of the Christian schools really left the city and pushed out to the suburbs. Um, but that that left a big hole here in the center of the city. Uh, so New Hope really stands on just urban Christian education and opening that door of opportunity um, you know, for uh black and brown children who are underrepresented as well as under-resourced. Um, and we've proudly been able to do that for 30 years. Um, and I mean, God has just been so gracious to supply our need um every single year. Um, you know, we've been in the black, but we've also just have this incredible track record of planting the seed of the gospel in the hearts and minds of children, but then elevating their um circumstance and their family through high-quality academics. Yeah, so good. I remember I was just so impressed hearing your story that it's Jesus just as much as the academics. You know they need incredible academics, but they need Jesus. And so just how has that vision now 30 years later began to deepen? And um, especially since you're joining um in 2018, how have you seen the impact? The people coming back that have graduated from college, where have you seen it just getting richer and richer? Yeah, I mean, I think it's the the longer we know the families, uh the the deeper of the impact we actually are realizing. Um, you know, so I my first 24 years uh here in Memphis was in public education. And um there are issues here in Memphis. Memphis is a great city. Um, however, there are two big issues, and that's lack of high-quality academics. But the biggest issue, again, um it is uh lack of understanding of biblical truth and children not knowing that they were created in in his image and that there's a purpose and a plan and so on and so forth. Um so, in order to break that that those chains of poverty, uh, not only money-wise, but then also mindset-wise, um, what I've seen in my eight years here um is that, you know, the longer we have the children, um, I think the the stronger and closer they get to our Lord. Um, but then also something magical, just kind of not magical, but just something special, like really just begins to happen uh inside of the household. So even though 80% of our kids qualify for free and reduced lunch, over time, the longer a family or parents are here, uh, their income also rises. Um, but that's because I think there's just this investment that the parents are all in like, hey, we're gonna invest in our child's education, but we're also gonna invest in ourselves and really make ourselves better. Um, but also what I've seen here is um, I mean, so many children have been introduced to the Lord. Um, I mean, nationally, I mean, there's there's plenty of data to suggest that uh a lot of families are not attending church. Um, and then if they are attending church, um, so many churches have have gone the wrong direction. Um, and they they they teach world gospel instead of like biblical truth and the absolute truth and gospel, um, you know, and you know, opinions on right and wrong, like it's all relative now. But what I've seen here at New Hope is is our children uh grow in faith, but then also the families do as well. Um, we do our best to connect them to churches. So we're not a covenant school. Uh, you know, families don't have to be believers in order to send their children here. However, they better understand that if you do send your child here, they're gonna get a heavy dose of Jesus and biblical truth, and we're gonna stand on that. So honestly, really to answer your question, what I've seen over the past eight years of my time and what I feel has happened over the last 30 years is really just this beautiful transformation um that's been made possible. I mean, obviously by the Lord, but the Lord has used so many wonderful donors to make like this pathway uh feasible uh for families who just are down and out um and and don't have a way out, but new hope is that way out. Um, and God has used people, uh whether it's donors, volunteers, or whatnot, to make these this huge impact on the lives of children. Yeah. I love that. So the children are gaining hope and inspiration there, and then the parents can't help but to see that. Yeah, which gives them yeah, inspiration for more. Yeah. Love it. All right. When me and Charlie visited, we were just both struck with the joy. So when you enter this campus from the security guards out front, which we had an incredible opportunity to talk with them, hear their story, and even pray with them on our way out, all the way to every teacher, every student, three years to sixth grade, like it was just really cool. Talking to them, seeing them on their faces was incredible joy and delight. And uh yeah, so how do you build a culture like that where you feel it? It's so tangible. Yeah. Wow. I I that's a great question on the steps that we have taken to do that. Um, and I think it actually begins with with the people that we hire. Uh New Hope has some of the best teachers in the world, not some of, I would say the best uh teachers, um, and not just teachers, but just staff in general in the world. And we are very intentional when we hire and um really trying to make sure that uh people's like spiritual gifts are like really matched up to the position, um, and that they have joy themselves, right? Um, so just through our interview process and just ensuring that we are have the right people on the front line, that makes a world of difference. Um, the thing is, um, teaching children who are in poverty, it's hard. You know, my 24 years in the school system, um, you know, when I was principal and teacher at some of the toughest schools, it's hard because it requires more. Uh, oftentimes you are mom, dad, uh, nurse, everything all wrapped into one, um, just because, you know, the parents may not have the resources to support the child like they like they would want. Um, so hiring the right people, it really begins there that are really that that I mean the fruit of the spirit has to be evident in those individuals. Um, because again, with our families not having to be believers when they come in, their first encounter with the people here, they gotta be able to see Jesus in them. Um, which is uh, I think that's a part of the secret sauce. And hopefully you and your husband kind of kind of felt that and saw that. Uh, there really is joy here. Now, don't get me wrong, um, you know, we're not perfect by any means, sinners who are saved by grace, and we all have our personal issues and so on and so forth, but everybody here understands there's a deeper calling. Um, working in Christian education. I always tell the faculty and staff, along with um pastors and preachers, I think the Lord is going to judge us a little bit different than everybody else. Why? Because, you know, God granted you the opportunity to work and in a Christian school where you can spread the gospel every single day, uh, and you get paid to do it. Um, you know, so I I think they take it really serious. Um, you know, so to answer your question, I think it is it starts with faculty and staff. Then I think it's just being consistent in what we do and making sure that the cross is at the center of what we do. But the mission um is is our NorthStar and we don't ever get away from that. That's so good. Yeah. Everybody's on mission, they know their purpose without a doubt when they wake up and they come and yeah, it was tangible. We felt it. It was yeah, just incredible. Um, okay, your facilities were amazing from the renovation million dollars that you put into the gym, which my husband could have stayed in all day, that smell of the gym and um to my favorite um of your facilities, of course, is the forest and the agricultural farming. I just felt like, oh, this is a taste of the Garden of Eden with all the vegetables and the flowers just structured by your horticulturist that you have on staff to also just free to your honey, honey bees. I'd never been that close to honeybees, and then I want to come back. So one of my questions, can I come and just bring Holton and run around in your forest? Like I'm thinking, I wish I could go there every day and just hike. And um, I love that every the whole all the trails lead back, and so the kids just have freedom to your outside areas where they're I saw them reading books and learning together. Um yeah, into the classrooms. They were all interactive and the teachers were, yeah, like you said, just doing great with them. So loved every moment of it. Um I don't even know what a question is. I just like am so uh just amazed by it. It's so so good and rich. But tell us a little bit how the forest came about, how you know, you or how the donors you had for the gym and what happens in there to the Garden of Eden picture. Yeah, what's it like to be on that campus every day?

Campus Tour: Gym, Farm, And Forest

Lionel 15:42

Yeah, every entity, I mean, every every piece of this entity is I mean, there's a story behind it. I mean, I uh honestly, you know, Stephanie, we really should not be here after 30 years. I mean, one, just our our funding model for one, that's the biggest thing. Uh, but then even the building itself, I mean, God, I mean, he has always provided. Um, you know, of course, the three buildings are represented behind me. Every one of those buildings have been, I mean, we've been debt-free for all of them. Uh, there's always been a mystery donor, some we know, but the majority of them are mystery. We don't know who they are, um, but they will buy the building for us. Um, and that's pretty much, you know, why we are here. The building that we're currently in used to be an old private school uh, you know, that popped up in the late 60s, um, but obviously went defunct in the early 90s when the neighborhood began to transition. Uh, and it was in pretty bad shape. Um, you know, and of course, over our 20 years in this particular location, um, you know, the Lord has allowed us to make several upgrades because of donors, again, who just come alongside um and support the mission and what we're doing and the kids. Um, you know, so just very grateful now as far as the farm in the forest uh next door. When we first got here, we did not own uh that land. It was owned by Habitat for Humanity, and they were gonna bulldoze it and they were gonna make a subdivision right there. That course would not have been great for the school, but uh the Lord stepped in uh at the ninth hour. Um the the city pulled the permit uh to do it, and then they said they can't do it because it's on a floodplain. Uh so they they held that land for about a couple of years after that. And then they approached us and said, Hey, it's we it's trash property uh to us. Would you like it? So they gave it to us. They deeded it to us for free. So as we acquired that, um, you know, on the other side of our parking lot was about uh 1.5 acres of just just plain space. There's nothing there. Of course, it was in a floodplain, also. Uh, but Mary Leslie Ramsey, as a retired science teacher who who worked here for almost 30, uh, no, not 30, 25 years, woke up one day with the idea of, hey, the Lord has placed it on my heart um that we need a placepace for our kids, but then also uh a farm. Um and she she took the head of school at the time out for just a walk and just kept saying, Do you see it? Do you see it? And he kept saying, Mary Leslie, I don't see a thing. What are you talking about? Alice is an old forest and a blank, blank field. Uh, but she said the Lord really placed it on her heart that because of the population of students that we serve, who they don't go outside. Um, many of them live in dangerous neighborhoods, many of them live in apartment complexes, so they don't have green space to go outside and just run around and be kids. That's one of the reasons. But then also, um, there's no better teaching tool than a farm or putting a seed in the ground and you have to tend to that seed. Be patient, you have to care for it, water it, pool weeds, all of those things, so many lessons inside of that. Like that's the best way to teach children, and that's hands-on. Uh, so um the head of school said, sure, let's do it, let's try it. But I'm gonna tell you right now, we don't have any money. And we didn't have any money to get it off the ground. Um, so Mary Leslie, um, there was a family friend um named David, was uh uh just finished his time with Teach for America, the training for that, and was ready for his assignment to actually jump in and become a teacher, but it fell through. Um, so he sat still and ended up joining the Peace Corps, went overseas for five years or so, and actually learned all about agriculture and so on and so forth. He jokes all the time, like prior to his time, you know, in uh Peace Corps, he couldn't keep grass alive. Uh so he learned uh this skill, came back, uh connected with Mary Leslie at the time he began working at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Um, so this partnership was birthed with the Botanic Garden. Um basically, the Botanic Garden said, you know what, all the plantings and things we throw away, you guys can have them. Uh so they gave them to us, uh, and we started planting them. Of course, got serious about the design of the farm. Um, and then from there, it just it just grew uh into probably the most lush, uh, dense uh farm to where we do grow um certain types of crops, uh, from watermelons, muscadines, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, I mean you name it, it's there to all different types of flowers uh and flowering plants and bushes and trees and things of that nature. Um, and David, he's our full-time horticulturist. Uh so he started for free, like I said, volunteering, you know, um, with that connection over at Memphis Botanic Garden to now, to where he's now full-time, but we also employ five interns who are alumni uh who come back and work periodically throughout the year to uh tend to the grounds.

Stephanie 20:58

Yeah, love it. Love if the alumni are coming back in and God stories. Yeah. I love it that she uh And I missed one, the gym.

Lionel 21:08

The gym. Yes. So the gym had not been touched for almost 20 some odd years. Um, there's very little that was done to it. Um, but um through donors, um, and then also the pandemic, there was some good there. All of the the funds that came came in, we were able to set those things aside for future expansion. Um, you know, the the finance committee said, hey, we're gonna earmark these dollars uh for future expansion. And of course, that time is now with us adding seventh and eighth grade. Um, so between donations and then those dollars set aside, we've been able to renovate our gym from top to bottom uh in preparation for adding middle school. So feel very blessed there too.

Stephanie 21:53

Yeah. I want to talk about the middle school soon, but first the alumni and um your advancement office, just that model and how you do not just, okay, thanks for coming. Hope you do great in seventh grade, but you you plug them in and get them in a great school and then follow them and help them adapt and then all the way through college in hopes that they're gonna do great. God's using them for great purposes, but that they'll come back, you know, invest in the community. So yeah, tell us a little bit more about that and how you know donors have bought in and just what's what's happening with each student.

Alumni Support Model And Scholarships

Lionel 22:32

Yeah, yeah. So what I will say, 30 years ago, I don't think that that was a part of Stephen's original vision. It was not. It's something that that happened out of necessity. Um, so um 30 years ago, um, we thought that we were gonna go ahead and just grow a grade every single year through high school, uh, but we grew faster than we could actually keep up, and it became very expensive. Um, so within three years, we had to figure out where we where we were going to send children. Uh, so the decision was made to partner with two other private schools here in the Memphis area. Neither of those private schools ever had black children uh attend, nor did they have under-resourced children attend either. Uh, so when we sent our kids there, it did not go well uh at all. Uh it didn't go well for our kids, and of course, it didn't go well for those schools, even though our kids, you know, crossed the finish line and persevered through all of that. Um, so back in 2000, I think it would have been 2002, um, Blair Geere, who's the uh really the brainchild behind the ASO, um, she had the idea of, okay, we got to do something. Um, you know, and I think that something is, I'm just gonna have to detach myself, you know, from my office. And I'm gonna have to spend a lot of time in these schools um talking to admin, but then also talking to families and then checking on our kids. Um, you know, so the model it stuck. Um, so um the original two schools, they're still with us as partners. Um, and now we're partnered with 18 other private schools, along with uh a slew of uh high-quality public schools. Um the model works this way. Once the children um leave us, um, you know, they'll be plugged into uh whatever school they're gonna go to. Uh but before they do that, and this process really starts in fourth grade, ASO will have several meetings with families to begin to introduce the concept of school choice to them. Because you got to think about it, families who are in poverty, they're thinking about today. They're not thinking about tomorrow, nor are they thinking about tomorrow for the child and what needs to happen. So in fourth grade, they start that conversation, introduce school choice, introduce all the schools they can certainly choose. Um, in fifth grade, that's when the ASO will continue the conversation here. Uh, but they will introduce the child's portfolio to the family. Like this is your child's body of work thus far. This is the kind of school we think your child needs to attend, whether that's high academic or performing arts or whatever it is based off of the that child's body of work. Sixth grade, that's when they then have to apply to two private schools. And then they also have to look at two high-quality public schools as well. Um then, of course, by second semester, they will have made their decision, then they get accepted into whatever school they're gonna go to. 75% of our kids uh leave us and they go to another private school. The other 25% will get plugged in at a high-quality public school or optional school or charter school. So, how is that affordable? Um, you know, at the time, we offered what's called the New Hope Scholarship. Um, so if you met academic requirements, behavioral requirements, you would get an $8,500 scholarship that follows you from seventh grade to 12th grade all the way and is renewable every single year. Um, so if we took that model or that amount of money, and then the the schools would put their financial aid on top of it. So if a family is only paying $65 a month here at New Hope, which 99% of our families are paying, you know, a very small amount, even if they chose the most expensive school here in Memphis, which is right around $31,000 a year, their total every month would still be about $65 a month. And that's because the New Hope Scholarship, and then the a large amount of financial aid the school offers, and then that just leaves that parent portion. So the alumni support office, a lot of their work, again, is working with our kids as well as those schools to help bridge that gap, uh, to knock down barriers, uh, but then to also be cheerleaders for our kids, but then also stand in the gap when there needs to be really hard conversations with the school about change uh on some things and how they can better support our kids. Um, and then of course it doesn't stop there once the kids graduate high school and they enter college. I mean, the majority of our kids are first generation college students. Um, and that can be very difficult to navigate if you have no idea. We don't want our kids to get into debt. Um, so they have really great conversation about, hey, student loans and scholarships and financial aid and how all of that works. Um, and then on top of that, ensuring our children are are aligning, you know, their skill set and and you know, God's gifts to like the the appropriate major. And it's not just about money, um, because if you get into the wrong major, you will have wasted a ton of money. Yeah. Um, and that's not what we want for our kids. So there's guidance there, but then the alumni support office also visits um our college goers wherever they are to ensure they get across that finish line. Uh, but it doesn't stop there. Once they graduate college, the ultimate goal for New Hope. Um, and I do think Stephen, the founding head, I think he had this in mind, is after this large investment um into the children, um, you know, it's it's having the kids come back to Memphis. Memphis is a very broken city, uh, but Memphis also loses a lot of talent to really big cities. Um, you know, and that's what we're trying to prevent. We want our kids uh who love Jesus, uh, who know biblical truth, um, you know, who who know exactly who they are to come back and not just serve at New Hope, but serve just the city really well. And if they can if we can do that, obviously that's gonna break this really terrible trajectory that has a hold on Memphis so that Memphis can become the city we know Memphis can become.

Stephanie 28:58

I love it. Yeah, and so while you're hearing that story, it's just a thread of redemption, of hope, of relationships, of the networking, the wisdom that is passed on to these kids, the intentionality that it takes. It's a lot of hard work. Yes, it is. A whole lot. And so as we see the goodness, I mean, just to recognize that you've got some incredible people. That's why you say they're the top people, because that takes so much work.

Lionel 29:25

Yes, it does. Yeah, it does. It does. And so just very grateful for them. Um, you know, there's a national teacher hiring shortage, everybody's kind of suffering from that, but our retention rate of our faculty and staff, I mean, it's it's amazing. Um, you know, we don't match salary of like public schools and even some of the more expensive private schools. We can't. Um so I like to say the work that they're doing is it's hard work. Like you got to be drawn to our mission and know your purpose to really want to come here to New Hope and to serve and to serve well.

Stephanie 30:00

Yeah. Well, you see the eternal impact. You're serving. You're keeping your eyes on Jesus, eternity, like he tells us to. Yeah. Yeah. And that's why you're together in unity and so much joy. He's going to bless that. And call. So yeah. Love it. All right. Let's talk a little bit about your own leadership. So, what have you learned about leading with both excellence and humility in a community like Frazier?

Leadership, Worth Beyond Test Scores

Lionel 30:27

Wow. Um boy, you got to learn how to follow first. Like that's the biggest thing is um learn how to follow. And um, there are 99.999% of the people in this organization are a lot smarter than me. Um, you know, and I've learned in my 24 years, 25 years, you know, in education and leadership is um the people that are better than you, let them be better than you in those areas. And it will make things so much easier on you. Uh, but it is going to, it will just work. Um, so I I really believe in letting people lead. Um, of course, I'm gonna set the vision, you know, and ensure that we are sticking to the mission and I'm gonna run as run fast. Um, but I'm also gonna coach the people up to run faster than me because I need for them to do that and to stay out front. Um, so yeah, just to answer that, what I've learned is um, boy, learn to follow. And it's okay to do that.

Stephanie 31:35

That's good, really good. Your leadership is rooted in the conviction that students are more than stats. Yeah. And each one carries God-given potential, and that's so obvious when you go in there. And because of that, they feel it, they know it, and they're rising up to that. Um, but how do you keep it front and center in a world that mostly measures everything by the success, by test scores and achievement, what you can see.

Lionel 32:02

You know, I think it started with my time at Douglas K8. That's a whole nother story that I won't get into. Um, you know, but of course, it was the seventh lowest performing school in the entire state of Tennessee. And, you know, within a you know, a two-year period, we became one of the one of the higher performing schools, um, as well as a nationally recognized chess program. Um, you know, so when I see children, I don't see what they can't do. I see what they're they're capable of, and they're capable of anything. As long as there are high expectations, that's there. Um, you know, kids get boy, they can do any and everything. Um, you know, so that's what drives me. But then also um, you know, we we serve a father who came to seek and to save um, you know, those who are lost. Um, and you know, we're commanded to be the Lord's hands and feet and you know, to to share the gospel at any given time uh and be prepared to do that. Um, so I don't want, you know, when it's my time to to um you know be in front of Jesus, you know, and he's replaying my life, you know, I don't want him to say, Lionel, I gave you an opportunity to share the gospel. Um and you didn't, or you know, this child was lost because you you didn't share, you didn't plant the seed. Um, why didn't you? You know, I don't I don't want that uh at all. Um, so I take it really serious. I mean, this is eternal work, and I think the people that work with me all understand that as well. This is not about just um you know arithmetic and and reading and all of that. No, this has eternal like ramifications um, you know, that can't be undone. Um yeah, that yeah, that was a big question, Stephanie, but yeah. Yeah, there are so many people who who are lost and Jesus is looking for um and wants them. Um and we have an opportunity here at New Hope. Um I mean, just to give hope through the gospel. Uh that's yeah, yeah.

Stephanie 34:27

So good. Yeah, you inspire me in all kinds of ways. Everything you're doing inspires me. So uh okay, looking ahead, what excites you the most about the future um of New Hope, especially the seventh and eighth grade that's planned?

Expanding To Middle School And School Choice

Lionel 34:42

Yeah, um, the opportunity to keep our kids longer. Although our children do well, um, I mean, there there were struggles because we our current our current setup, um, releasing kids at in seventh grade, that's not the the best time for a child to start a new school. Um, you know, that's a wonky time uh in in their their you know grow in their adolescence and growing up. Um so it excites me that we get the opportunity to keep our kids for two years longer and really build that leadership skill set in them and then have them go out to high schools and be the leaders of those high schools uh to share the gospel, but then to also, you know, compete academically and everything else with all of the other children and do really, really well. So that excites me that we get the opportunity to keep them longer. Second thing that excites me is that the Lord um has opened the opportunity for families across Tennessee uh to have a choice in their child's education through um vouchers. Uh my parents, we didn't have a lot of money. We were probably we were poor from a monetary standpoint because my mom was a teacher and my dad was a preacher, uh, and had five kids. Um, so private education, for one, that wasn't even on the radar because we couldn't afford it. But then Christian private education certainly wasn't on the radar because we couldn't afford it. Uh, but now there's an opportunity for families to really um choose where their child goes. Um so very hopeful. Um, and what I what I desire is that since this avenue of school choice is now available, that more urban Christian private schools will pop up. Quality urban Christian private schools will pop up because cities need them. Um, and not just urban, but just Christian private schools in general. Um, and I think if we can have more of them, that could potentially turn the tide of a lost generation.

Stephanie 36:50

Yeah, yeah. And you have a dream for South Memphis.

Lionel 36:55

Yes, yes, absolutely, absolutely. Yeah, we had visitors yesterday, um, you know, from a church that is considering partnering with us and perhaps opening up a satellite campus. So we'll see. We'll see what the Lord has in store.

Stephanie 37:09

Yeah. Incredible. All right, so those listening that are inspired like I am, how can people come along, no matter where they are listening from, and help and be a part of this good story?

Lionel 37:23

Yeah. Um, you know, my mom would always say, Lionel, when you see the Lord doing something good, you better try to get on on board. Try to get on that because something amazing is going to happen. So I encourage people to know that something good is happening here, uh, 3000 University Street. Uh, we are in the one of the most impoverished areas of Memphis, um, but um lives are certainly being changed uh here uh through the gospel and high-quality academics. Um so I encourage you to come aboard, be a part of something good. Uh and it's not just money. Um, you can do something as as as small as um not small because it's mighty, um, is just put us on your prayer list. And every day you are praying for us so that the Lord opens the door for us to be able to um um have more children come aboard, uh, whatever that avenue is. Uh so certainly pray uh for that. You could also pray for the stamina and endurance of the teachers here because they're on the front lines and it it is hard, y'all. Um, you know, that he would keep our our teachers on fire uh for him, but then also just coming a fresh wind every day coming in energized to push our children across the finish line. Um then I think third, um, you know, if the Lord places it on your heart, we're always looking for volunteers. Um, you know, uh just being a good neighbor. Sometimes it's hard being a good neighbor when you're 300 miles away. I get that. Um, but if you're in Mississippi or Memphis, we're a very short drive. Uh and when I say neighbor, that's more proximity. Hey, I mean, if we're in proximity, you're you're a neighbor. Um, so come and see what's here. Um, because there is something good uh here in Fraser. Uh oftentimes Frazier gets a bad rap. Uh and it's kind of like Nazareth, there's no good thing that comes out of that. There's something good in here in Fraser.

Stephanie 39:23

Yeah.

Lionel 39:24

Um, so get on our volunteer list. Um, and then lastly, um, is that if um you believe in Christian education and then also see the need for urban Christian education in the core of a city, um, you know, with us serving 44 different zip codes, we do need donors to come alongside, just to put it bluntly, um, you know, in order for us to to continue the the work that we're doing, but then also to fuel this vision of opening more schools like a new hope uh that can have an eternal impact. Um, it takes dollars to do so. Um, so every little bit helps. Um uh so yeah, yeah, that's my that's what we need at the moment.

How To Help: Pray, Volunteer, Give

Stephanie 40:06

Yeah, I know we're excited because you said Charlie and I can come and read with the students. Um, and so looking forward to that and just continuing to tell your story. Thank you. And so if you've heard the story, tell the story. Speaking of stories, okay, leave us with a story of a student that you have seen maybe start at three and come all the way up. And uh well, you wouldn't have been here the whole time if they've graduated from college. But what what's a story where you've seen a dramatic change and maybe even in their family?

A Family Transformed: Student Testimony

Lionel 40:38

Yep, yeah. There's a young man. Um won't give his name. He is currently at another private school in, he should be ninth or tenth grade right now, um, to set the stage. Um kind of typical. Um dad entered prison when he was either two, two years old or one year old. Single mom uh because dad's in prison with uh, you know, three kids, uh, four kids. Um, but this middle child was came through new hope um and just extremely angry. Uh actually both boys' brothers were here were just extremely angry for obvious reasons. Uh, but mom's, you know, she saw the benefit of a Christian education um and to kind of counter the the brokenness of what's kind of happening at home. Um, so um what we saw in their time here, uh, since both boys are in high school now, uh, mom decided, okay, I've got to be better. Uh so she entered nursing school and it was quite a journey. Um, long story short, for her, she ended up getting her nursing degree. While here, uh, one of the boys, um, I mean, there was some trouble, uh, but we stuck by him. Um, and he ended up getting saved in fourth grade. His older brother got saved at the tail end in sixth grade. Um, and there were just lots of struggles that we've had had to endure, you know, over their their time here. Um, and I remember the day that dad got out. Um, and of course, there was some trouble that that particular day. And dad, um, of course, this is the first time I ever met dad. Um, and the most powerful thing happened in my office, uh, because dad, fresh out of prison now, doesn't really know his son, um, showed so much love and kindness and just I mean, just a fatherly love that you would not necessarily expect, especially in this particular situation. Um so getting to see that, like really, man, that was a very powerful moment. But then also being able to share the gospel, you know, with dad and so on and so forth, like it was a pretty powerful moment. Where you fast forward to now, uh, both of these young men are at a really great uh Christian private school and are exceptional athletes, and they're doing an exceptional job in the classroom academically as well. Likely we'll get some D1 scholarship offers. Uh, dad is, I mean, he's plugged right back into the family. And I mean, the trajectory has just gone up, up, up, up, and up. Um, so that's just one example of um, I mean, just really a powerful story that that um just kind of sits with me. Um, and it's it kind of shapes the why behind the new hope and why it's so important, but then also the power of God and and reconciliation and him um just really penetrating the hearts and minds of a family and seeing the trajectory of the the the whole family just really really change over time.

Stephanie 44:14

Yeah. So good. One of the things I think it's so inspiring too, you really carry your faculty and staff, each student, each alumni, the parents, the families on your heart, on your chest. Um yeah, and you can see God just doing incredible, incredible work. And so thank you so much for sharing. I'm excited just to know, trust God, that this podcast is gonna be in ears all over the place and just continue to build those bridges and connections and yeah, all the tunnels flowing of resources. And so I can't wait to get on your campus again. Um, all kinds of ideas are flowing in my mind of ways to do that and bring other people in. So just thank you. Thank you for taking time with me and Charlie for uh the beautiful flowers the school gave. Everybody, I got to have this beautiful vase of incredible flowers, and Charlie got a journal and yeah, pens and just the just the little gifts. So that I mean that's who you are, like you're thinking about other people and and coming in and yeah, building those relationships. So yeah, I feel like I know you really well. I've only talked to you twice, but I know your heart because that's really evident, the love you have for Jesus and people. So just thank you. So blessed by you, Stephanie.

Lionel 45:35

Thank you. Uh just really for the opportunity. I love your you you and your husband. Uh, and just even him pointing out the sun, uh, you know, the picture behind me. Uh, and I'd never viewed it that way. Um, you know, but just yeah, it was a it was a great connection and just very thankful for the opportunity to um be on your podcast. Uh so very grateful.

Stephanie 45:58

Thank you so much for listening today. If you have any questions for our guest or like information about NorthStar, please email us at podcast at nsa.school. We love having guests on our show and getting to hear their stories. If you have anyone in mind that you think would be a great guest to feature, please email us and let us know. And don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss out on upcoming stories.