A professional association of educators – supporting, connecting, and protecting Christians working in our schools.
Our Belief
We believe God has a purpose for every Christian educator…
Our Mission
So we encourage, equip, connect, and protect them…
Our Method
Through strategic initiatives, training, support, and legal coverage…
Our Vision
In order for them to serve as thriving ambassadors for Christ in our schools.
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Statement of Faith
At Christian Educators, we believe in…
- One God eternally existent in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- The Bible as the inspired Word of God.
- Christ, the Son of God, His virgin birth, His miracles, His atoning death for our sins, His bodily resurrection and His return.
- The need and reality of spiritual conversion by the Holy Spirit through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- The ministry of the Holy Spirit Who enables us to live a godly life.
Christian Educators’ Executive Director
Ambassadors for Christ in our public schools
Meet David Schmus, Executive Director of Christian Educators, and hear his story and compelling vision for thriving ambassadors for Christ in our public schools.
David Schmus
Executive Director
David Schmus is the Executive Director of Christian Educators. He joined Christian Educators in 2015 and became Executive Director in 2017, and was honored to be mentored by two prior CE Executive Directors: Forrest Turpen and Finn Laursen. Prior to his tenure at Christian Educators, he was a high school AP US History/Government teacher and a Christian Club advisor for 15 years, being repeatedly honored as Most Inspirational Teacher. He holds an M.A. in Biblical Studies and Theology from Biola University, and has taught Biblical Worldview and Introduction to Teaching classes at Biola as an adjunct professor. David has been interviewed for numerous radio and online/print outlets, including World Magazine, Christianity Today, Salem and Bott radio networks, as well as several podcasts, including The World and Everything In It and the Moms in Prayer podcast. He leads and co-hosts the annual Rise Up Summit, an online conference that attracts over 10,000 Christian educators yearly. David and his wife Elizabeth have been married for over 30 years, have 5 daughters, one son, and are based in Orange County, California.
Christian Educators’ History
National Educators Fellowship, Inc. (NEF) was organized in 1953 by Dr. Clyde M. Narramore, a psychologist for the Los Angeles County Schools and Benjamin S. Weiss, the principal of Metropolitan High School in Los Angeles, when they gathered 11 educators in Clyde’s home in Pasadena, California.
The group was organized in response to an expressed need that more than half of the millions of children and youth attending America’s schools have no moral and spiritual training other than that which they may incidentally receive in their public school education. Educators needed to be equipped and encouraged to meet this need.
Within a few months, their meetings grew to 150 educators who worshipped, shared testimonies, and grew more excited about what God was doing. Clyde began to travel and speak to encourage Christian educators around the country. From this beginning, the national organization expanded.
Within a few months, their meetings grew to 150 educators who worshipped, shared testimonies, and grew more excited about what God was doing. Clyde began to travel and speak to encourage Christian educators around the country. From this beginning, the national organization expanded.
Our magazine, Teachers of Vision, began in 1955 with the “Vision” newsletter.
In 1970, the organization continued to expand by holding national conventions with themes such as “Christ for the Crisis in Education” and “Learning from the Master Teacher.”
In 1981, the name of the organization was changed to Christian Educators Association and then to Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) in 1984.
In 1991 under the leadership of Forrest Turpen, CEAI successfully established the member insurance program, providing professional liability insurance and job action protection benefits for members, turning CEAI into an effective alternative to teachers’ unions, at a time when unions were embracing values more and more hostile to the Biblical worldview. This obviously met a need, as membership grew over 500% from 1991 to 2003.
After Finn Laursen assumed leadership in 2003, CEAI launched several new initiatives to equip educators and transform schools, including the Daniel Project in 2010, which raised up missional educational leaders to be “modern-day Daniels.”
In 2015, CEAI launched LIFT America, which is gathering educators in cities across the country to encourage and inspire them to take Jesus onto their campuses.
The Thiesen Scholarship for future missional public school educators was launched in 2016.
Under the current leadership of Executive Director David Schmus (2017), Christian Educators has launched several new initiatives, such as the Rise Up Summit, a national online conference attended by thousands of educators, and the Turpen Grant, which awards grants of up to $500 to Members with Coverage.
CEAI looks to continue to equip Christian educators to faithfully represent Christ in an increasingly challenging cultural environment. Would you pray for us and consider joining us in this critical mission?
In 2021, Christian Educators launched the AWAKE One-Day Experience to equip Christian educators to faithfully represent Christ in an increasingly challenging cultural environment. Find out how you can help bring an AWAKE experience to your area.
CEAI becomes Christian Educators, with a refreshing rebrand and updated mission/vision statement designed to reach the next generation of ambassadors for Christ in our schools.
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