philosophy

"He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 1:6

PHILOSOPHY

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to assist the family in providing Christ-centered, Bible-based education that supports the uniqueness of each student and lays the foundation for the development of moral character, the pursuit of excellence in academics, and a lifestyle of service to God and others.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative, inerrant Word of God (2 Timothy 3:15, 2 Peter 1:21).

We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:1, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30).

We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ (John 10:33); His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:35); His sinless life (Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:26); His miracles (John 2:11); His vicarious and atoning death (1 Corinthians 15:3, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 2:9); His resurrection (John 11:25, I Corinthians 15:4); His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19); His personal return in power and glory (Acts 1:11, Revelation 19:11).

We believe in the absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit for salvation because of the exceeding sinfulness of human nature and that men are justified on the single ground of faith in the shed blood of Christ and that only by God's grace, through faith alone, are we saved (John 3:16-19, John 5:24, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5).

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation (John 5:28-29).

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9, I Cor. 12:12- 13, Galatians 3:26-28).

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life (Romans 8:13-14, I Corinthians 3:16, I Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 4:30, Ephesians 5:18).

STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

Willamette Christian School (WCS) is an extension of the ongoing ministry of Church on the Hill (COTH) of the Assemblies of God. The School Advisory Board makes policy recommendations to the COTH Board which in turn makes all final policy decisions.

WCS affirms the belief that it has a spiritual and educational mission to the children and young people of our community.

WCS is dedicated to the principle that a balanced education is fundamentally based on the Word of God. We believe in the concept that education is best achieved when Christianity is lived out in every aspect of our lives. WCS endeavors to create a Christian environment in which the student can attain spiritual growth, experience academic excellence and develop healthy physical and social skills. We also desire to help the student identify God-given gifts and callings and to see them developed and used by God within the school and extended to others outside our school community.

It is our aim to open the minds of the children entrusted to us to understand:

Who they are in God -

to understand the uniqueness of their personality made in His own image.

What they are in Grace -

to discover their own special gifts of genius.

What they can do for His Glory -

to stimulate them to become achievers in life.

SCHOOL OBJECTIVES

Willamette Christian School is committed to these basic objectives:

1. CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT

Willamette Christian School is committed to teach and disciple young people in the Christian Faith in accordance with the precepts outlined in the Bible and to see each student develop a Biblical understanding of God which, most importantly, includes a personal relationship to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. The spiritual objectives at WCS include:

● Providing opportunities for each student to confess Christ as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9).

● Equipping students to identify and understand the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives (John 16:13-15).

● Teaching each student to respect and submit to authority from God's perspective (Hebrews 13:17).

● Imparting an understanding of each Christian’s place in the body of Christ by providing opportunities for each student's involvement in this task (Ephesians 4:12).

● Leading each student into an awareness that God has a destiny for his life which includes bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God (Romans 2:10).

● Enabling each student, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to recognize his potential by identifying his strengths and overcoming his weaknesses (Psalm 139:13-16).

2. PRAYER

In concert with our Christian commitment, Willamette Christian School holds that the development of a spirit of prayer is essential to living in closer relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, we stress the following (James 5:16):

● Daily classroom prayer

● Participation in weekly chapel services

● Participation in spiritual activities and programs

● Fostering expression in Christian ministry at all grade levels

3. THE BIBLE

Willamette Christian School believes that the Holy Bible, the sacred scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, inerrant Word of God and is the only perfect rule of faith, doctrine and conduct. The Biblical objectives at WCS include:

● Teaching the Bible as the inspired and inerrant Word of God and instilling attitudes of love and respect for His Word (II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:20-21).

● Teaching each student to hide God's Word in his heart through Bible meditation and memorization (Psalm 119:11).

● Establishing Biblical principals as a guide for life (Psalm 119:105).

● Teaching each student how to study the Word of God (II Timothy 2:13).

● Helping each student develop a Christian world view by integrating life and all studies with God's Word (II Peter 1:3).

.A student will be referred to his or her parents and local church if a debatable topic of a theological nature arises.

4. EDUCATION

Willamette Christian School is committed to creating an educational environment so that all its members - staff, students, and parents - can reach their greatest academic growth. This is achieved through:

● Providing dedicated teachers who are committed to Jesus Christ and have an understanding of God's call on their lives to minister and who are positive witnesses to the work of Jesus Christ in their personal lives and in their teaching.

● Providing full-time teachers who are fully certified, maintain that certification, and update educational skills.

● Providing challenging academia in a Christ-exalted environment, actualizing the Christian philosophy of life into all dimensions of the academic experience. The principle of Bibliocentric education should permeate the curriculum at all levels. The teaching of all subjects as a part of the total truth of God enables students to see the unity of natural and special reflection requiring commitment to the inerrant authority of the Bible. Bibliocentric education extends to all areas of student life. The courses of study at WCS will:

Maintain a standard of academic excellence (II Timothy 2:15)

Aid the student in the discovery and development of his God-given intellectual abilities, recognizing the obligation to use them constructively as individuals uniquely created by God (Daniel 1:3, 4, 17, 19, 20).

Teach the student academic investigation, creative thinking and critical thinking based upon proper use of Biblical criteria for evaluation (II Timothy 3:14-17).

Teach the student how to research and reason from a Biblical perspective (Hebrews 5:14).

Provide a well-balanced, bibliocentric curriculum, implementing the core knowledge, skills and competencies required to be effective and productive members of the body of Christ in society (II Corinthians 5:20).

Develop proficiency in study skills (II Timothy 2:3-7)

Correlate and integrate scripture into subject matter providing an internalization of God's truth (II Timothy 3:16).

Develop a love for wisdom and knowledge and an ability to discern truth and error (Proverbs 2:1-6).

5. FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

Willamette Christian School is aware of the divine mandate issued to parents to rear their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The home is responsible for the training and education of children. With this responsibility comes commensurate authority to make decisions relating to a childs education in alignment with God's purposes and commands. WCS recognizes that parents have selected our school to augment the home in its God-given assignment to educate and train children in the way they should go. The children entrusted to us must be provided with a Christian education that reflects and reinforces the values and ideals of the Christian home given in Scripture. It is the responsibility of Willamette Christian School to employ Christian professionals who will bring into fulfillment our goals of education with dignity and excellence by the grace of God. There must be mutual commitment among parents, teachers and administrators to establish and enlarge the Kingdom of God in the hearts and lives of our children.

Willamette Christian School regards the nurturing of our Christian community and its families as a vital part of our church and school ministry. We will accomplish this by:

● Promoting mutual trust, understanding and respect among teachers, students and parents.

● Encouraging the concern and respect for the talents and limitations of one another.

● Developing an attitude of sharing and responsibility for the actions of the whole group.

● Taking leadership in solving group problems in a positive and constructive way using Matthew 18 as our guideline for dealing with problems (the principle of going to that person alone as a first step to dealing with problems or concerns). Gossip and the sowing of discord are sins and are not acceptable.

● Initiating open and meaningful communication with one another.

6. CHARACTER TRAINING

Willamette Christian School strives to provide a Christian environment conducive to the development of Christ-like attitudes, habits and character sufficient to keep a good balance in intellectual pursuits. The individual who possesses and walks in Godly character will reap the fruit of intellectual attainment. It is essential that our students are taught the "Three R's", but it is equally important to teach the "Three D's" - Devotion, Dignity and Discipline.

We encourage character training by:

● Developing a Christian character program through teaching and training in application as outlined in God’s Word.

● Providing instruction in the nature of God and the nature of man.

● Teaching the students to honor and submit to authority from God's perspective (Ephesians 6:1-3).

● Developing an awareness of Godly character qualities and providing opportunities for these traits to be reinforced (Galatians 5:22, 23).

● Providing models of Godly character (I Corinthians 11:1).

● Encouraging students to respond to daily problems through the Holy Spirit by applying God's Word and Biblical examples and not to react with negative aspects of human nature (Romans 8:5-15).

● Encouraging students to develop self-discipline and responsibility from God’s perspective (I Timothy 4:7).

7. PERSONAL AND SOCIAL OBJECTIVES

Christian education is comprehensive and includes the development of the whole person - spiritually, intellectually, morally, socially, culturally and physically. The personal and social objectives at WCS include:

● Helping the student develop his identity in Christ as a unique creation in God's own image (Psalm 139:13-16).

● Discovering and developing the special gifts of genius in the student with which he is to serve others (Romans 2:10).

● Leading the student to appreciate Christian and American heritages (I Corinthians 10:11).

● Teaching an appreciation of marriage and the family as an institution ordained by God with Scriptural basis for family relationships (Genesis 2:18-25; Ephesians 5:22-23).

● Teaching the Biblical principle of relationships with our fellow man (Galatians 5:13).

● Teaching good physical fitness, good health habits and personal hygiene, instilling an appreciation of and the wise use of the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 619-20).

● Teaching the student to respect and appreciate peers as unique individuals created in God's image (Philippians 2:1-4).

● Cultivating an interest in and understanding of the culture of nationality groups other than American.