Member Spotlight: Nathan Maxwell, Christopher Maxwell of ITonRamp.com

Nathan and Christopher Maxwell learned their skills through work and study, and now they offer their expertise to others wanting to work and study and get a head start on a financially stable life.

The two Samaritan Ministries members, along with their brother, Joseph, created ITonRamp.com two years ago. The Leavenworth, Kansas-based service offers online training in information technology, web design and Quickbooks, enabling home school and high school graduates to work toward IT certification or gain computer skills without racking up college debt in the process.

That lack of debt, combined with the opportunity to qualify for an IT job, can help young people start out their adult lives on solid financial ground. Course length varies from four to 13 weeks. Students watch a weekly webinar, work on assignments and projects, and study course materials.

Nathan oversees the service and teaches computer classes, while Christopher handles the business’s books and teaches a small-business accounting course. Another brother, Joseph, teaches two web design classes and serves as site developer.

ITonRamp is one of many IT education services on the Web. What sets it apart from other online IT training services, though, is its Christian worldview.

For instance, Nathan says, “We start every webinar with prayer.”

Anna Marie and Christopher Maxwell and family.

Most ITonRamp courses, at some point, are also paused for the plan of salvation to be presented, Nathan says.

“We’re trying to keep the Lord as a focus through the whole thing,” he says. “That can sound kind of clichéd, because that’s kind of the Christian lingo thing.”

But it also makes sense.

When, in the Computer Essentials course, Nathan talks about drivers, he has to define what they are: A driver is a piece of software that helps your operating system communicate with the hardware. An analogy he uses is Jesus. Just as a driver is a go-between for software and hardware, so Jesus is a go-between for humanity and God the Father.

“He’s the Intermediary,” Nathan says.

Christopher relates that he has paused a session to “share my heart about why we need a Savior.”

“We make sure we cover everything in the class,” he says. “But we also make it clear that you could be the best in the world at QuickBooks, be great at your job, run a great business, be a great entrepreneur, but if you lose your soul, what is it worth? We’re equipping students vocationally, but if they gain the whole world vocationally and aren’t saved, everything’s lost.”

Nathan says that although they’re focusing on technological- and business-related matters, “We’re trying to focus on the Lord as we go through this.”

“There are ways and opportunities where things can be tied back to Him,” he says.

For instance, after one session that was in doubt due to connection issues, Nathan closed with prayer because he was “just so grateful for God’s blessing that the class was so problem-free.”

“We don’t have problems often,” he says. “That’s rare. But we wanted to offer gratitude for God’s provision and blessing on that. We’re always looking for ways to redirect the attention to Him.”

ITonRamp also helps to redirect its students’ financial goals and priorities. One of the Maxwells’ goals is to offer reasonably priced training so young people just finished with formal schooling don’t have to go into massive debt from college expenses to enter a field that generally doesn’t require a degree anyway.

“Contrast that debt with the earning potential possible if you are actively employed during those years making $15 to $20 per hour,” Nathan says. “You can walk out of college with $75,000 to $100,000 in debt, or you can finish those years with $100,000 to $150,000 in the bank.”

Steve Maxwell, Nathan and Christopher’s father, has a lot to do with the brothers’ direction and priorities. Through Titus2.com, the Maxwells’ family ministry, Steve encourages Christians to be lifelong learners. Christopher says Titus2.com’s emphasis on sheltering children from bad influences also encouraged them to make sure ITonRamp services are presented in a wholesome, God-centered environment. That’s important with the wide variety of students they attract, from homeschool students to middle-age moms.

Their dad’s encouragement to work, save money, and stay out of debt also helped them individually to buy their own homes debt free in their 20s. That’s especially important for people who feel called to be married, Christopher says.

“Why not think about it sooner, rather than later?” he says. “Work during your teen years. Start early.”

Working hard is key to any entrepreneurial effort, but Christian entrepreneurs have an advantage, he says—a relationship with Jesus Christ.

“The leading and the guiding of the Holy Spirit is an asset that nonbelievers don’t have,” Christopher says. “That doesn’t mean that every business started by a Christian will be a success.”

But Biblical principles like using fair weights and measures (Deuteronomy 25:15) go a long way toward establishing a solid business, he says. For instance, pay your bills promptly.

“When we receive an invoice, we pay it the next day,” ITonRamp’s accountant says. “That builds strong relationships with suppliers. They know that we’re money in the bank.”

The Maxwells know that ITonRamp isn’t for everyone. Nathan, for instance, learned what he needed to know about IT through self-study and work.

“That’s one of the things I’m careful to tell people,” he says. “Those of you that are interested in learning, who want to go down the road of self-study, you can do it. I did it. Look for the most popular book on the subject. Study the credentials needed. Plot a course. If you want to do ITonRamp and God so leads, I’d love to lead you through it.”