Statement of Faith
The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) was founded in 1978 when several regional U.S. school associations joined, becoming a united voice to advance excellence in Christian education. The leaders’ vision was to inspire, challenge, and resource educators and schools. First headquartered in La Habra, California, ACSI moved to an expanded facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1994. Today, ACSI serves nearly 24,000 schools in more than 100 countries.
As an association we are committed to:
Biblical Fidelity and Prayer
Immerse ourselves in the Holy Scriptures and prayer, both individually and corporately; consistently measure all association actions, programs, and resources against the teachings of the Word of God; and recognize our total dependence on Him.
Biblical Foundation and Focus on Jesus Christ
Serve schools and educators that represent a range of evangelical, Protestant backgrounds; all our schools and educators will hold to the ACSI Statement of Faith.
Members We Serve
Allocate our resources, including time and finances, in such a way as to bring maximum benefit to our members, and respond promptly to constituent needs.
Stewardship
Act with faithfulness and integrity and exercise diligence in program administration, with thoroughness and research-based expertise in the production of resources, and with fiscal accountability, realizing that ACSI ultimately belongs to God and we ultimately answer to Him for all we do with that which He has entrusted to our care.
Diverse Worldwide Constituency
Be authentically international in structure and practice, promoting international, national, and regional organizational leadership for the mutual benefit of all member schools; develop programs, resources, and services with all constituents in mind, utilizing insights learned from colleagues from around the world and evidencing the high value we place on gender, ethnic, age, and cultural differences.
Staff and Their Growth
Establish personnel resource and organizational policies and practices that encourage equitable and competitive wages, support for continuing professional growth, and commitment to collaborative goal setting, accountability, and consistent implementation of evaluation systems.
Public Engagement
Influence public policy and public perception that have an impact on Christian schools and the rights of Christian educators everywhere, seek appropriate representation to protect the rights of parents to be free to choose the educational program that in their view best meets the educational and spiritual needs of their children, and work in collaboration with families, churches, governments, and other leaders and organizations to promote school compliance with all applicable laws and to promote the ability of private individuals or groups to establish and support Christian schools without restriction or reservation.
ACSI Statement of Faith
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative, inerrant Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, 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 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, 1 Corinthians 15:4), His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19), and 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 and through faith alone we are 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; the saved unto resurrection of life, and the lost unto the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28–29).
- We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 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 (I Corinthians 3:16, 6:19–20, Romans 8:13–14, Ephesians 4:30, Ephesians 5:18).
- We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18–25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2–5; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God’s command is that there be no sexual intimacy outside of or apart from marriage between a man and a woman.
- We believe that God wonderfully foreordained and immutably created each person as either male or female in conformity with their biological sex. These two distinct yet complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26–27).
Our Statement of Faith is not exhaustive of all of our beliefs. The Bible, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, speaks with absolute authority regarding the proper conduct of mankind and is the unchanging foundation for all belief and behavior. The ACSI Board of Directors holds final interpretive authority on biblical meaning and application with regard to faith, doctrine, policy, practice, and discipline.
ACSI and Spreading Hope Network Host Urban School Leaders’ Gathering Equipping School Administrators Serving Diverse Communities
Kansas City, MO– The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) has partnered with Spreading Hope Network to host an Urban School Leaders’ Gathering designed to support Christian school administrators who are serving diverse communities. The Gathering will take place March 16-17, 2023, after the ACSI Flourishing Schools Institute at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center.
School administrators serving diverse communities will hear relevant content from expert speakers including ACSI President and CEO, Dr. Larry Taylor, Russ Gregg, Head of School at Hope Academy, Marcus Oatis, Founder and Executive Director of Providence School of Arts, Dan Olson, Executive Director of Spreading Hope Network, and Jerry Nelson, ACSI Chief Ministry Officer. The theme will be structured around three main points: The Leader’s Purpose, The Leader as Steward, and The Leader as Servant.
Taylor believes this Gathering aligns with ACSI’s mission and vision—to advance and provide more students with access to a solid, Christ-centered education.
“ACSI is thrilled to come alongside Spreading Hope Network for the first time in offering The Urban School Leaders’ Gathering,” he shared. “The goal of this event is to equip and encourage our school leaders who are operating in socio-economically and ethnically diverse communities. We have been very intentional in the schedule to allow time for collaboration, ensuring that school leaders have the time to share the strategic issues they are facing in their schools.”
The Urban School Leaders’ Gathering is an offering from Spreading Hope Network, an extension of Hope Academy aimed at launching new urban Christian schools. Since its inception, hundreds of entrepreneurial educators have been equipped and inspired with innovative strategies to reach all students.
Gregg, founder of Hope Academy, is passionate about serving diverse populations, providing as many students as possible with access to Kingdom education.
“At the intersection of innovative education, educational justice and access issues, and missional living, we believe there is an energy to be fanned into flame to serve students of the city,” Gregg shared. “Many Christian schools already exist in our urban centers, serving some of the most disadvantaged students. We want to encourage them to continue the work and equip new educational leaders to do similar work.”
Taylor looks forward to serving as a panelist at the Gathering.
“It has been close to my heart that all of the Lord’s children are given the opportunity to receive a quality education taught from a biblical worldview,” he shared. “Our prayer is that each leader will leave with renewed vision, deepened insights, and a network of colleagues they can reach out to in navigating their unique challenges.”
To learn more about or register for the Urban School Leaders’ Gathering, visit the website or contact ACSI Care Team by calling (800) 367-0798 or emailing careteam@acsi.org.
About ACSI:
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ACSI exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. ACSI advances excellence in Christian schools by enhancing the professional and personal development of Christian educators and providing vital support functions for Christian schools through multiple services, including teacher and administrator certification, school accreditation, legal/legislative assistance, and curriculum publishing. Serving more than 25,000 schools in 108 countries, ACSI helps more than 5.5 million students worldwide connect to Christian education.
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About Spreading Hope Network:
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Spreading Hope Network exists to ignite a movement of God-centered education for at-risk youth in our nation's cities. Founded in 2017, the organization networks and catalyzes an emerging generation of Christian educators inspired by the model of Hope Academy in Minneapolis— a leader in the classical, Christ-centered, urban schooling movement. Spreading Hope Network shares resources, hosts conferences and site visits, networks school leaders, and helps kick-start new God-centered schools for children of the city. Learn more at spreadinghopenetwork.org.