Often people end up doing things they never imagined themselves doing. Everyday, there are people who went to school for a degree in mathematics who end up teaching in elementary school. And people who crammed four years into six to get their elementary education degree end up as a secretary in a law office for one reason or another. A lot of people are forced to be in positions where they must be quick learners or else throw in the towel, but when they trust the Lord to help them do His will, they find out that they can succeed by taking one day at a time. This is exactly what happened with Wanda Newby when the Lord called her and a few others to start a Christian school called Glasgow Christian Academy in small Glasgow, Kentucky.

Q: Wanda, first of all, tell me a little about yourself. Where did you grow up?

What is your educational background? I grew up in a small town in Tennessee— Sparta, Tennessee. After high school graduation, I went to Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee, where I majored in Business Administration.

Q: What exactly were you doing before you began to work full-force on starting the school?

Are you ready for this? I was an aerobics instructor! I had started my own company called Aerobic Design and had exercise classes in businesses and industries in Glasgow and surrounding counties in south central Kentucky where we had moved after my husband, John, had completed his tour of duty with the Army. We had been living in Germany before moving to Kentucky in 1976.

Q: What made you want to start this school?

My husband and I had a beautiful little girl in 1981 after almost eleven years of marriage. She meant so much to us. At that time, I had been listening to Christian radio and had heard several talk shows about the condition of our public schools. I also had encountered the public school environment when I went to help out in the classroom at various times during my daughter’s early school years in kindergarten through second grade. The language of some of the children she sat near was very coarse. I had no idea that little children could use such foul language! God was using this to bring an awareness of the need for Christian education in our area.

History reveals that in 1962 and 1963 prayer and Bible reading were removed from schools in America making it unconstitutional to have the God of the Bible proclaimed in any way to school children. As the church slept through this horrendous assault on religious freedom, little did they realize the consequences of these judicial actions. Many believers thought this would make no difference in their children’s education, after all, children go to church to hear God proclaimed. It seemed they thought that taking God out of school would ensure that the public school system would remain “neutral” regarding religion; however, with God there is no place for neutrality. In Matthew 12:30, Jesus clearly declares that whoever is not for Him is against Him. So the question is: What did God think about the action taken by the highest court in the United States? Did it agree with God’s Word or did it break God’s Word. It broke it! Deuteronomy 6:4-9 gives each believer in Jesus Christ clear instruction in rearing their children. To paraphrase, it says that parents should have God’s Word clearly etched in their hearts and then to diligently teach it to their children and talk about God’s precepts when they sit at home, when they walk by the way, when they lie down at night, and when they get up in the morning. That means that the Word of God is to be taught to children all throughout the day. To a great degree, that was the case in schools before 1962 and 1963. I recall that my school day began with reading from the Bible, singing hymns, and praying before lunch. God’s faithfulness in public education was reflected in a variety of ways during this period. There were high academic achievements, a low crime rate, a low rate of births to unwed mothers, low illegal drug use, homosexuality was not an issue, and it was almost unheard of that couples would live together outside of marriage.

After prayer and the Bible were removed from our schools, statistics have confirmed what Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Students have been graduating from high school by the thousands who cannot even read the words on their diplomas. SAT and ACT scores have gone steadily downward since 1962 and 1963, while crime, drug use, babies born to unwed mothers, unmarried couples living together, abortion, and homosexuality have soared. Since God has been removed, He has been replaced by police walking the halls and metal detectors at school entrances. The Lord used so many things to convict me of the need to rear our daughter according to what He said in His Word in Ephesians 6:4 to “bring [children] up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” She really belonged to God, and my husband and I were to be stewards of this precious daughter that God had given us.

Q: How did you become the administrator of Glasgow Christian Academy?

In the beginning I was not sure exactly what part I would play in this undertaking. I kept thinking that God surely wanted individuals with a degree in education to administrate the school. I assumed I was to plant the seed and assist those more qualified than I in this exciting adventure. I had a good friend who had a master’s degree in education and I tried fervently to convince her to be the administrator. She politely declined saying she was not called to that position. Other qualified people were brought in, but no one would agree to accept the administrator’s position. When it came time to start the school year, I reluctantly agreed to take the position. I was not trained as an educator and felt very inadequate. But sometimes, I think, God has a sense of humor when He calls individuals who are not especially qualified in an area to prove that it is really Him doing the work and not the person. I have often seen myself in 1 Corinthians 1:27 which says God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and has chosen the weak things to confound the mighty. In my situation, I realized that the success of the school belonged totally to God and not me. He just wanted my obedience and availability to accomplish the work.

Q: How did you know it was really the Lord?

God’s Word and the light of His Holy Spirit confirming the Word proved to me that this was God’s initiative and His will. He was going to do a special work, and He was inviting me, as well as others, to participate with Him. Also, I remember a very chilling experience one day when things were going badly, and the spiritual battle was raging. Yes, the enemy knew what was about to happen and he fought hard against it. I was weary and just said in my mind, “I don’t need all this grief and hassle! Forget the school! Somebody else can do it, but not me!” At that split second the Lord impressed on my spirit what would happen to my daughter if I proved unfaithful to what He was calling me to do. To this day I am not sure what the end result would have been, but I knew it would be a price that I did not want to pay. I quickly repented and told the Lord I would do it regardless of the obstacles in the way.

Q: What were a few of the most uncertain times you had while at Glasgow Christian Academy when you perhaps were tempted to doubt His calling you to start the school and even doubt His faithfulness?

There would be seasons of calm and seasons of storm. There were so many incidences of His faithfulness in the storms that I could write a book. There were seasons where money was really tight and times when the “laborers were few,” but I never doubted that God was still in control and everyone would somehow come out on the other end better because of the difficulties that we faced. I never doubted (but sometimes questioned) His call on my life. But you know you are where you are supposed to be by the peace He gives you.

Q: Can you give some instances when God miraculously provided for GCA?

One special work God did was providing the facility where the school is currently located. The school started out very small with only eighteen students in the renovated basement of a building in town. We outgrew this basement facility and moved into the top level of the same building that had previously been occupied by a church that had relocated. The school continued to grow, necessitating a move of the kindergarten and junior high grades to two area churches. We had prayed for several years for God to provide an adequate facility where we could bring all our classes back together again in one location. We received word that a trucking firm wanted to sell their office building and terminal and had asked if we were interested. The facility was located on one of the most visible spots in town, right along the parkway with property connecting to the by-pass in town. Wow! But could we afford it? The office building was across the street from the actual trucking terminal and would make an excellent school. It was constructed and was valued at $750,000 in 1974. This was 1995, and, of course, property appreciates. God would have to do a miracle—and He did! The owners were asking $350,000. We accepted, not knowing where we would get the money, but knowing if God could give us this property at this unbelievable price, He could certainly provide the money to pay for it. To make a long story short, God did provide the money to pay off the debt and provided another $300,000 through a faithful businessman to renovate the trucking terminal that is now the elementary facility and gymnasium.

Q: How long were you at GCA?

I was there for fourteen years. I retired from my position as administrator at the end of this past school year. God had given me Galatians 6:9 when He called me to Christian education. It says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” I was called for a season—and in January of 2004, I knew my season was over. God often calls people to an area of ministry for most of their lives, for others of us it is only for a season. I am currently waiting for my next assignment. For in God’s kingdom there is no retirement. There’s always something that everyone can do.

Q: What would you say to someone who doubts God’s wisdom or someone who thinks he can just “do it on his own” without God?