Regularly, I am asked some variation of the question, “What makes education Christian?” Thoughts can range anywhere from a premier private school experience, safety from cultural influence, and/or the most common refrain being an education that has Bible class and chapel. While all of these have some degree of merit, Christian education is so much more and contains several characteristics that distinguish it from other educational systems. While the list below is not intended to be exhaustive, I would strongly caution anyone to think that education is “Christian” without what follows.

Seven Essentials of Christian education

1. The Bible is viewed as sufficient and authoritative. 

Too often, Christian ministries neglect to proclaim that the foundation of ministry is the Word our Lord has given us. 2 Timothy 3:16,17 rings true in that the word of God is good for teaching and equipping believers to live a life well-pleasing to the Lord. A Christian school will establish educational outcomes that align with the authority of scripture.

2. The Bible is integrated across every touchpoint of the student’s experience. 

Christian schools who believe in the authority of scripture will embrace the commandment to love the Lord with all our being (Matthew 22:37-39) and that whatever we do, we do for the glory of the Lord. (Colossians 3:17) A Christian school declares how much it believes this truth with the intentionality that it strives to integrate scripture into classroom instruction and extracurricular activities. A Christian school does not take a break in any element of its programming from declaring the truth of scripture.

3. All faculty are professing believers. 

All faculty in a Christian school believe what they instruct and serve as examples of Christian living. Teachers cannot teach what they do not embrace. The Christian school staff may be imperfect, but all must be professing Christians who have recognized Christ as the Lord Savior of their lives.

4. The school views the parent as the primary spiritual influencer in the student’s life. 

We live in an era where parental rights are questioned, minimized, and, in some cases, outright ignored. However, a Christian school realizes that the parent is the primary discipler or evangelist to their children. As such, a student's education is done “with” the parent instead of “without.” In such cases when the parents are not, Christian education is intentional about expressing the need for the parent to be so. Christian education supplements the parent - not supplants, and constantly strives to partner well.

5. The “Imago Dei” (image of God) is honored. 

Christian education embraces the truth that humanity is created in the image of God as the crowning work of His creation. As such, life is treasured, and treating life with dignity is an expectation. Christian education teaches and promotes that life is precious and that no one has the right to remove the dignity of another.

6. Relationships are treasured and cultivated. 

Christian education teaches the tragic relational effects of sin. Relationship with God and one another is broken. Christian education identifies the consequence of sin, yet actively models that God can reconcile and restore broken relationships through Jesus Christ. Therefore, staff at a Christian school are mentors to their students, and students are continually taught that their relationships with one another are vitally important. We simply cannot love God, who we do not see, if we do not actively love the ones we do see (1 John 4:20.)

7. Education should be exemplary. 

Christian education provides students with the biblical principles, academic competencies, and social skills needed for the next of their lives. There should be evidence that proves the school’s strategic priorities and instruction reflect this quest.