It is our desire to provide each student with excellent Christian education. The goal of our school is that each student will develop a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ and be able to discover and utilize the unique gifts that God has given them. Our desire is to train and equip our students so that they can grow to be effective ambassadors in our churches and communities.
In order for a Christian Education Program to be academically sound and instructionally effective, it must be founded upon Christian Educational Principles that recognize the true nature of God, truth, knowledge, and of man.
- Reality - God is the personal and purposeful Creator, the Guiding Force of the universe. Reality in life involves the understanding that God is real and is active in the lives of men and women and the whole universe today.
- Truth - All truth is God's Truth. Truth is consistent throughout the universe. Truth exists and is an absolute. God has shown Himself through His Scriptures; man's understanding of truth comes through a study of the inspired Word of God and an understanding of His creation.
- Absolutes - Christian Education offers absolutes, not selected or transient opinions. The Bible contains the absolutes, which are fixed reference points for all questions, origins, destinies, values, and meaning.
- Knowledge - All knowledge must be put in the context of Biblical truth. Any knowledge or personal conviction, which serves as a guiding principal in an individual's life, must be based on truth as revealed in God's inspired Word and His original creation.
- Unity - Facts do not exist in isolation; they exist in relation to other facts. Christian education creates meaning by teaching facts in the context of Biblical truth. Christian education acknowledges Jesus Christ as the focus of ALL knowledge since in Him all things hold together and have their purpose. This means that knowing His viewpoint gives order and meaning to all areas of study.
- Sufficiency - Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" and that "to know Him is to know eternal life". Christian education prepares us for life and eternity. People are eternal beings and their ultimate destiny will be determined by their confession, or lack thereof, of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.
- Mankind - Mankind was created in the image and likeness of God, by God, though our ability to reflect God has been marred by sin. Individuals exist for the service, worship and pleasure of God.
- Christian Education - We affirm these basic truths:
- Humans possess a spiritual dimension.
- Education involves the total being: spiritual, intellectual, physical, and social aspects; that is, the "whole person".
- Each person possesses unique individual potential traits and needs.
- The educational experience must include a primary emphasis on the development of Christian beliefs, attitudes, character and skills.
- An integration of Biblical truth will be an inseparable primary part of the total educational process. Christian concepts will be unifed with, inseparable from, and central to the academic program.
- Youth need a consistent influence while preparing to live in a complex society. Only the Bible has the answers to man's needs and longings, and therefore will serve as our final authority on all questions.
- Skill Development - All students, regardless of ability, should have the opportunity to develop skills in order to take meaningful roles in their community. Skill development enables students to realize their individual potential for service to others. Preparation for success in post-secondary education is vital because skills will often need to be developed through further education.
- Christian Community - Community standards for staff and students participating in the alternative program at Brant Christian School will be modelled, and based on the clear teachings of the Bible.
Our Statement of Faith is the foundation for how and why we teach the way we do. Brant Christian School infuses the Alberta Education curriculum with a Christian worldview, and further supplements the faith component with dedicated time in student schedules for Christian Education courses. These courses offer age-appropriate instruction that includes study of the Old and New Testament. At the high school level, Christian Education includes an examination of ethics, philosophy and other world views. From our smallest kindergarteners to our high school graduates, all students are highly encouraged and expected to memorize Scripture, as part of a rich and disciplined Christian life.
Students will find their faith reflected in all courses across the grade levels - thanking God for His intricate and amazing creation in Science, learning to appreciate all people groups and what makes them unique in Social Studies, revealing God's character through the predictability and order of Mathematics, celebrating God's creativity as reflected in Art, Drama and Music. BCS teachers and administrators are committed Christians that live out their faith, in the classroom and their personal lives as well.
Students will also enjoy daily class devotions and prayer time, as well as the opportunity to come together as a larger student body for bi-weekly chapel times. Our School Chaplain, Mr. Knoepfli, directs two student worship teams that alternate leading corporate worship in chapel, one made up of junior high students, the other senior high. Students are encouraged to overcome their fears, use their unique gifts to serve and lead their classmates, in visible and behind-the-scenes ways. In addition, we often host special guests in chapel, sparking and challenging our students' faith in fresh and different ways. The student body, grades 1-12, is also divided into Family Groups that meet regularly for fun activities, mentorship, group devotions and building relationships. We believe this level of community, across the age spectrum, is important for spiritual development and growth.
Every two years, students in grades 9-12 can opt in to a mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico, through Youth With a Mission. This opportunity is meaningful, challenging and life-changing for students and chaperones alike! Students build a house for, and alongside a Mexican family, rubbing shoulders with them and getting to know them, despite the language and economic barriers. They also participate in smaller outreach projects, such as serving in a soup kitchen or visiting a seniors home. From the preparation and fundraising to the debrief and presentations after the trip is over, everything is purposeful in emboldening and encouraging our students in their personal faith journeys.
It is our desire to see each student develop their relationship with Jesus Christ. By committing to faith formation in every aspect of school life, we pray that our students take their faith into the world, impacting their families, friends, neighbours and communities. We seek to honour God and bless others in all that we do at Brant Christian School.