Rev Dr Robert Frisken AM 1934–2024
Tens of thousands of students attend low-to-medium-fee Christian schools every day across Australia. But the wave of Christian Schools started small, half a century ago. Two Baptist churches in Regents Park and Berala, two working-class suburbs in Western Sydney, set up Christian Community High School and began a movement now known as Christian Schools Australia. Bob Frisken was training to be a Baptist pastor when he took on the challenge to set up the school to help Christian parents.
“Australians understand only too well how bushfires can start and spread rapidly, ravaging everything in their path,” writes Helen Branch, a consultant with The Excellence Centre (TEC), a ministry of Pacific Hills Christian Education. “In February 1976, a ‘fire’ was ignited which spread rapidly … and has brought the light of Jesus into education … At the official March opening of Christian Community High School (now Regent’s Park Christian School) the 14 enrolled students and the song ‘It only takes a spark to get the fire going.”
It was the time when you could start a school in the back of a church. These days starting a school takes money and a a mass of compliance. But the fire got going.
In her obituary published by TEC, Branch outlines how Frisken had a desire to be a missionary while teaching Geography and Commerce for 17 years at state high schools. Then he began his training to be a Baptist pastor at Morling College and served at St Marys Baptist Church. “At this time, Bob asked the Lord the question, ‘Why did you leave me teaching for 17 years when pastoral ministry is so exciting?’”
The answer soon came from a fellow Morling Student, Peter Hester. “Bob, how would you like to be the Principal of a Christian School?” Both young pastors were convinced God was calling them to the task and not for just one school. When Christian Community Schools Ltd was founded in 1976, its charter included being an umbrella organisation for other new schools.
Stephen Fyson, a Psychologist who has been associated with Pacific Hills Christian Education for decades, credits Frisken with forming his ideas of what a Christian school should look like. Ephesians 4 is the go-to text that Frisken has given the movement.
“The metaphor that Bob saw in Ephesians is of a temple with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. The temple, of course, is not static because while it is built on Christ, the members of his church make up a living and dynamic temple. The foundation stone of itself is worth deep consideration. It is a foundation that runs counter to the Western world’s no-God concepts of building self-esteem or a socialist egalitarian society or a successful capitalist market, or some other ideal of human-focused achievement.”
Frisken rejected “factory-style teaching” instead building a “Christian learning community.” Instead of the purpose of learning being to gain economic advantage, the Frisken model was of people living increasingly in unity with others.
“Any subject or topic or skill is like a ‘toy’ (gift) from God. How we use it will depend on whether we are interested in learning why the Giver gave it to us. We call this learning to give thanks to the Giver – also called giving praise and thanks to him.”
Image: Robert Frisken (right) with Mark Spencer, Director of Public Policy. Christian Schools Australia Source: Robert Frisken Facebook
Christian Schools Australia, the organisation that now plays the role of an umbrella organisation for schools that Frisken saw the need for back in the seventies, paid tribute in a note to their members. “Along with David Magill and Rev Peter Hester, Bob was integral to the explosive growth of the Christian Community Schools movement, initially in Australia but then increasingly internationally through the establishment of New Hope International. Bob was also committed to teacher training through the establishment of the Institute of Christian Tertiary Education, which transitioned to the education faculty at Morling College.
“In 2002, Bob was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia, with the citation being “For service to the development of education services through the Christian Community Schools movement throughout Australia, South East Asia and the Pacific”. He was subsequently awarded an honorary doctorate through Alphacrucis College for his continued work across five decades.”
Two Baptist Churches in two humble suburbs of Sydney had nurtured a spark that has become a living flame.
Image: Cover of TEC commemorative booklet for Robert Frisken