Ministries > National Association of Christian Home-school Journalism Clubs

"When Gregg Harris brings his experience as a pioneer in the Christian home-schooling movement to the founding of a National Association of Christian Home-School Journalism Clubs--well, something very good is about to happen. NACHJC's goal is to help home-schooling parents raise up godly young journalists who will in turn bring godly character and journalistic competence to the work of the "watch-dog press." NACHJC deserves broad participation and support." — Joel Belz, Founder, World Magazine

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Christian home-school graduates have already demonstrated their desire and ability to have a godly impact on the world. Journalism is one area of service where their impact may be prove to be the greatest. How is that so? Because journalism is all about getting the truth out to people who need to know it.  The Gospel is "good news" concerning Jesus Christ. Accurate news and information is the lifeblood of all liberty. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Christ Himself is the Truth, but He is also the Author and ultimate Advocate of Truth. All truth is therefore God's truth. Satan, on the other hand, is the father of lies. When the fear of God and love for Truth is absent from the news media, Satan has a free hand to distort reality and spread his lies, first in religion, but also in politics and culture.

It is profound to consider that God breaks through the darkness and confusion of this world with a beam of light called the Gospel. It is the beginning of the invasion of Truth that then penetrates every area of life. God-fearing Christian journalists are on the frontlines of this invasion. Therefore, may God give us a new generation of journalists who bring both character and competence to their work! May He give us a flood of great editors, reporters, photo-journalists, political cartoonists and columnists who edit, report, shoot, draw and comment for the glory of God and the greater freedom of their fellow man. NACHJC exists to help bring this hope to pass.

Why Journalism Matters
Nations rise and fall on the basis of how freely and clearly their journalists do their job of informing the public on how their leaders are using or abusing their power. A nation served by news media that merely publish the press releases of the power elite, or which merely attack political or social enemies left and right with unsubstantiated lies and distortions, will not continue to enjoy any meaningful liberty. But in order to have such a news media, there must be journalists who are willing to lay their lives on the line to bring the truth to the public so that informed decisions can be made by citizens in every area of life. Such faithful, principled, truth-honoring journalists are rarely produced by conventional schools and colleges. Christian home schools however are already doing so, as demonstrated in the groundswell of Christian home school blogs sites on the culture war and current events from a Christian perspective. NACHJC exists to fan the flames of this process by organizing home schooling families into Journalism Clubs that more effectively prepare students for even higher quality writing and reporting.

The Problem
The best way to learn journalism is by joining a Journalism Club. In such clubs, whether in High School or college, you join with other like-minded students to actually write, edit, illustrate and publish and distribute a school newspaper or magazine under the oversight of club advisors. There is no better way to develop as a writer or as a crusader for truth than by joining and participating in such clubs. The problem is that the Christian home school community has very few such clubs thus far. Home schooling parents often lack the experience and the motivation needed to start and manage such clubs. And, operating in a home school setting, such clubs would need to be run very differently than is normal on a high school or college campus.

Our Solution
NACHJC is the National Association of Christian Home-school Journalism Clubs. Its mission is to assist Christian home schooling parents and students in organizing successful journalism clubs in their own community and then linking those clubs together for mutual support, training, encouragement and academic competition. Just as Christian Home-school Speech & Debate Clubs have helped to raise up godly and effective public speakers and debaters, NACHJC helps to raise up godly and effective journalists.

Our Strategy
Each NACHJC affiliated club operates as an independent voluntary association of Christian home-schooling families whose students, ages 12 and up, have an interest in improving their writing and publishing skills by publishing a actual newspaper or magazine, both in print and on their own club's website. As with most Journalism Clubs, in NACHJC Affiliated clubs the lower grade level students serve as cub reporters and assistants to the upper grade-level students. Sophomore and Junior grade level students may serve as department editors, photo-journalists and columnists while senior grade-level students serve as Managing Editors and Editors In Chief of the publication. Parents and other resource people serve as Advisors and Supporters.

The difference between other clubs and a NACHJC Affiliate appears at several levels. First, home-schooling students have no school news to report, and so their stories must deal with the same kind of news that professional news outlets report. A NACHJC publication is a real, hard news free-press publication. For those familiar with World Magazine, NACHJC Affiliates attempt to publish a state and local version of the same — reporting on current events, politics, sports, business and culture from a tastefully objective Christian world-view where Truth is passionately honored. Second, in NACHJC Affiliated clubs each student approaches his or her participation in the club as a short-term mission worthy of raising funds from friends and relatives to cover annual tuition and the expenses in producing and publishing the newspaper.  This budget allows each NACHJC Affiliate to publish a print run of over 10,000 copies per issue and so to have a real impact on its community. In addition, NACHJC Affiliates participate in annual training opportunities hosted by NACHJC in cooperation with World Magazine and other Christians journalists. Our annual awards provide national recognition for the best work in each catagory of journalism, and top awards include valuable scholarships to major Christian colleges and universities.

Our Requests
If you share our passion to raise up a new generation of godly Christian journalists who will bring character and competence to the ministry of journalism, we invite you to get involved in four important ways.

First, we request your prayers for this project. If we do this well, some of our graduates will make history for boldly telling the truth in the face of powerful but corrupt interests. Pray that we will be wise and faithful to God in each student's training.

Second, if you are a Christian home schooling student, ages 12 and up, we request your involvement as a member student. Learn with fellow enthusiasts how to research and report like a professional journalist, using all of the literary devices and methods that make news and information hit its mark. Join a club in your area. A Directory of NACHJC Affiliates is available on the NACHJC website.

Third, if there is no NACHJC Affiliate in your area, or if the club is already too large, consider starting a new club for you and your fellow home-school students ages 12 and up. Our NACHJC Advisors Handbook, written by Whitney Puttman and edited by Gregg Harris will walk you through all the steps needed to be successful. As a NACHJC Affiliate you will enjoy all the benefits we offer.

Fourth, if God has blessed you financially and you have seen the impact of Christian home schooling graduates in the church and community, consider making a tax-deductible donation to Noble Institute for the support of NACHJC.  There is no better way to invest in the future of our nation's liberty, and for that matter, in the liberty of nations around the world, than by helping to prepare passionate young Christian home school students to serve God in the ministry of reporting the truth in the media. By your contribution you will allow NACHJC to keep club member affiliation fees as low as possible, you will help us develop and maintain the national NACHJC website where thousands of club members and advisors find day-to-day support, and you will help us give away more substantial prizes and scholarships each year to the winners of our annual NACHJC Journalism Awards.

The best young writers, reporters, editors, photo journalists, political cartoonists and comic strip artists of the future are studying right now. Your support will help them succeed. Click here to go to our secured donation page. Thank you for your vision, your prayers and your generosity.