The Family Church

My wife Sara and I are the father of a wonderful little boy named Malachi. He is three, and loves to run laps around any living room he finds himself in, and his favorite things are to "Worship", Pray over our dinner and "Paw Patrol"!

Malachi goes to Preschool at The Academy At The Family Church in Gainesville, where he has the great pleasure and privilege of being taught by some of the finest teachers I've ever met. His Teacher Mrs.Angela has moved heaven and Earth for Malachi, even working many extra unpaid hours on her own time to learn more about how to help Malachi with specific needs that he has. She, and the rest of the preschool have become a home-away-from-home for my Son Malachi, and all of his best friends are there with him.

But on Monday July 8th, 2024, we received an email that The Academy would be closing its doors due to continued financial hardship. This must not be! This Academy is a place where teachers faithfully shepherd Gods little ones. The Academy is a place that my son learns to pray, to be kind, and gentle, to Love Jesus, and Love Like Jesus, and most importantly, it's a place for my Son to learn about his Creator.

Being a financial coach, when I saw this it deeply disappointed me, I have seen all too often in my work the exact same story play out in businesses and personal financial realities too many times to count. If we are going to be the church in America, If we are going to draw a line in the sand and say TODAY that we will not give another INCH! Then Today we will have to FIGHT to keep the Academy open, and their 60 children continuing to learn about their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I want to see revival in our land, but what's gotten us here will not bring us there, America. We must change how we view money, and we must follow Gods word on it. If we want to see our Chrildren raised up in the fear of the Lord so that when they are older they will not depart, then we've got to put money where our mouth is and fight tooth and nail to keep every single door open at the Academy so these 60 precious young souls can continue to learn about their creator God, and their savior Jesus Christ.

As A Financial Coach, I reached out to church leadership, and within an hour I was given the entire financial picture of the Academy. I naturally will at all times keep 100% of that information confidential out of integrity, respect, and obedience to the church, but what I will say is this: THIS IS A BATTLE THAT CAN BE WON!!! It will not be easy, but we are currently working on a plan to right this ship and turn the Academy, not only into a profitable enterprise able to stand on its own two feet, but a financial SUPPORT to the church that it sits right next too which is also ministering to Gods people.

Here's the problem. None of my cost-cutting income raising efforts work if payroll doesn't run. The money literally just isn't there to keep it open past its current closure date of July 19th. That's where this GoFundMe comes in to play. I am going to fight tooth and nail to keep this place open, and work as closely with church leadership on this problem as I can, but before we can start treating the patient for all of it's infirmities, we first need a blood transfusion so the patient doesn't bleed out before its faithful doctors can get to work healing its broken and battered body.

I also want to stress that this is a FINANCIAL problem, NOT a problem with the quality of education, NOT a problem with how the school is being run. I never had any idea from any of the teachers or faculty that anything at all was wrong, they all just continue right along loving our little children the best way they know how, and that's first and foremost through showing them the love of Jesus Christ.

I beg you. Please help save the Academy. Give it a lifeline so that we can work on saving the Academy. There are many things we can do to right the ship, but not if it bleeds out first.

I am going to fight with everything I can to keep this school open, and I'm humbling asking that you would too.

For my Son Malachi,

That Gods Kingdom would come, and His will be done,

That the Church would no longer be in retreat in America, That the storehouses wouldn't run dry,

And that the Devil wouldn't win.

Kindest Regards,

Jebb McAfee