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 Welcomes New Director for Biblical Unity, Diversity & Social Engagement
Colorado Springs, CO– The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is pleased to welcome Dr. Justina Jenkins as its new Director for Biblical Unity, Diversity & Social Engagement. In her new role, Jenkins, alongside the ACSI Ministry Team, will create Christ-centered educational resources to meet the unique needs of students, educators, and parents of high-poverty communities.
Jenkins and the Ministry Team will build upon ACSI’s 25-year foundation of equipping under-resourced schools, communities, and families. This foundation, comprised of a network of urban schools, was established by longtime ACSI leaders Dr. Vernard Gant and Mrs. Yvonne Jones.
ACSI President & CEO Dr. Larry Taylor is passionate about cultivating learning environments that train students to have a biblical worldview for every objective of the curriculum and co-curriculum.
“We have an opportunity and responsibility to increase access to Christ-centered education for students who typically do not have this option,” he said. “Dr. Jenkins will spearhead ACSI’s efforts to serve our existing network of under-resourced schools. She will also work closely with ACSI’s executive team to plant new Christian schools in high-poverty communities throughout our nation.”
Jenkins joins ACSI with more than 16 years serving in education, most of those in Christian schools. She currently serves as Head of School at Rivertree Academy in Fort Worth, Texas, where she has led since 2019. She earned her Doctorate from Mercer University in Curriculum & Instruction and her Master’s of Education from Mercer University.
“I am honored and enthusiastic to embrace the role of Director for Biblical Unity, Diversity & Social Engagement,” Jenkins shared. “I am deeply committed to upholding the five foundational biblical principles that guide this position. I pray this will be a transformative journey that not only reflects these principles but actively contributes to the flourishing of schools deeply rooted in faith, understanding, and shared purpose.”
Jenkins will continue to serve as Head of School at Rivertree Academy.
ACSI Chief Ministry Officer Jerry Nelson looks forward to serving alongside Jenkins.
“ACSI is committed to building upon the foundation laid by Dr. Vernard Gant over twenty years ago,” Nelson said. “He was a champion for ‘the least of these.’ The newly formed Biblical Unity Department, under the leadership of Dr. Justina Jenkins (Director of GRAACE Initiatives), will continue to communicate the heart of Jesus to remove any and all unnecessary barriers to the most transformative education on the planet—Christian education. Dr. Jenkins brings a wealth of experience and expertise to ACSI to help us continue to provide access to Christian education for all those who desire it.”
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.