What is the Ekklesia in Education?

Jesus’ EKKLESIA was never buildings or even institutions. It was a life-giving people movement whom He charged with bringing goodness, peace and joy to restore a world that was broken. The EKKLESIA IN EDUCATION exists to bring the creative innovation of heaven to the education sector.

Our Purpose

The purpose of The Ekklesia in Education is to advance Christian education for all preschool through collegiate children and young adults in our communities.

Our Mission
Enable every child to hear the truth and have a choice to follow Jesus.
Our Vision

The vision of The Ekklesia is to assist local congregations of churches and organizations to affirm their calling to proclaim God’s word to all children during the formative years when their hearts are fertile and receptive, by default, to God’s truth, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14)

Our Board of Directors

Dr. Cliff Daugherty
Board Chairman

Dr. Clifford Daugherty

Graciela Hahn
Board Member

Ms. Graciela Marques-Hahn

Mr. Ken Shilling
Ex-Officio Board Member

Mr. Ken Shilling

Pastor Matt Thompson
Board Chaplain

Pastor Matt Thompson

Dr. Ed Silvoso
Board Member

Dr. Ed Silvoso

Dr. John Jackson
EIE President

Dr. John Jackson

Dr. Cecil Swetland
Board Vice-Chair

Dr. Cecil Swetland

Board Chairman

Dr. Clifford Daugherty

Dr. Clifford Daugherty joined Valley Christian Schools in San Jose, California, as president and superintendent in July 1986. Under his leadership, enrollment has tripled, and VCS now serves approximately 2,750 K-12 students, including more than 1,600 in the high school.

During his tenure, permanent facilities were constructed for all three schools with a current value of more than $200 million. Dr. Daugherty also serves as founding president of the Quest Institute for Quality Education and of Neighborhood Christian Preschools in Silicon Valley, was founding principal of Los Altos Christian Schools, and founded the Santa Clara County Christian School Association.

He sits on the Board of Trustees of William Jessup University.

He has authored Quest for Excellence, the first volume in a two-book series with The Quest Continues, and Fly With your Dreams.

Dr. Daugherty received his B.S. in English Literature, Bible and Theology from Bethany College, his M.A. in Public School Administration from San Jose State University, and his Ed.D. in Private School Administration and Special Education from the University of San Francisco. He holds lifetime California and ACSI Teaching and Administrative credentials.

Dr. Daugherty and his wife, Kris, have two married children and six grandchildren.

Board Member

Ms. Graciela Marques-Hahn

As Executive Director and founding member of NCC, Ms. Graciela Marques-Hahn helped to open Neighborhood Christian Center in 1981. Her God-given vision has been the driving force behind the center for years, and her creativity and knowledge has helped NCC remain a leading preschool in the Silicon Valley for nearly 35 years. The green preschool campus (sustainable philosophy) and natural setting is the brainchild of Ms. Marques-Hahn, who has been a relentless visionary.

Ex-Officio Board Member

Mr. Ken Shilling

Mr. Ken Shilling is Chief Financial Officer of Valley Christian Schools.

Board Chaplain

Pastor Matt Thompson

Pastor Matt Thompson is head pastor at Trinity Lutheran church in San Jose, CA.

Board Member

Dr. Ed Silvoso

Dr. Ed Silvoso, founder and president of Harvest Evangelism, and the leader of the Transform Our World Network, is a strategist and Bible teacher who specializes in nation and marketplace transformation.

Trained in both theology and business, he is the author of numerous books, including the bestselling Anointed for Business, and his newly released Ekklesia: Rediscovering God’s Instrument for Global Transformation.

His work experience includes banking, hospital administration, financial services and church ministry, as well as coaching leaders on how to take the power and presence of God into the marketplace to see their sphere of influence transformed.

As a strategic thinker with a passion to equip ordinary people to do extraordinary things, Dr. Silvoso has spent his lifetime mining life-giving biblical principles for transformation to link them to practical application to today’s Christians, their families, their sphere of influence and ultimately their communities and nations.

Dr. Silvoso and his wife, Ruth, have four married daughters and twelve grandchildren.

EIE President

Dr. John Jackson

Prior to joining William Jessup University as its Sixth President in March 2011, John served as the Executive Director of Thriving Churches International and as a Senior Leader of Bayside Church, Granite Bay, California. He is the Founding Pastor of LifePoint Church in Minden, Nevada, and previously was the Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest (now Transformation Ministries) where he was responsible to serve more than 270 churches in four Western states. John also served as the Senior Pastor and in several staff roles at First Baptist Church of Oxnard and as the Youth Pastor at First Baptist Church of Buena Park.

Dr. Jackson earned both his Ph.D. and M.A. in Educational Administration and Organizational Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara; M.A. in Theology (Christian Formation and Discipleship) at Fuller Theological Seminary; and a B.A. in Religion (Christian History and Thought) from Chapman University.

His strong background in executive and organizational leadership has given him the opportunity to come alongside high impact churches and leaders in national and global settings to strengthen their organizational leadership and communication skills. John is committed to leverage his Kingdom influence through strategic relationships.

Dr. Jackson has written and co-authored six books: Finding Your Place in God’s Plan, God Size Your Church, Leveraging Your Communication Style, Leveraging Your Leadership Style, Pastorpreneur andHigh Impact Church Planting.

Dr. Jackson is married to Pamela Harrison Jackson and they make their home in Rocklin, CA; they have 5 children, three of whom are married. They are still waiting for grandchildren. Patiently. Not.

Board Vice-Chair

Dr. Cecil Swetland

Dr. Cecil Swetland is regional director California/Hawaii for the Association of Christian Schools International. ACSI is the largest Protestant educational organization in the world, with 24,000 members schools that serve more than 5.5 million students from over 100 countries. Cecil serves 400 ACSI member schools in California and Hawaii.

Prior to joining the ACSI staff, he served as CEO of Desert Christian Schools in Lancaster, California for 18 years.  The schools had an enrollment of 1250 students on four campuses in the Antelope Valley.

He and his wife DeAnna are the parents of two adult children and live in Orange County, California.