Why SFCA Exists

History

Southwest Florida Christian Academy was started in 1994 with 75 students in grades K-3. In our second year, we nearly tripled in size with 200 students in grades K-6. For the 1996 school year, we added grades 7-9 and another 100 students. Tenth grade was added in 1997, 11th grade in 1998, and 12th grade in 1999. We proudly graduated our first class of students on May 26, 2000.

Mission

Southwest Florida Christian Academy, a ministry of McGregor Baptist Church, will partner with Christian parents to provide their children with a distinctively biblical and academically excellent education that will equip students to be godly leaders and to successfully engage the culture for Christ.

Vision

Southwest Florida Christian Academy is a ministry of McGregor Baptist Church dedicated to excellence in education, empowering students to reach their educational goals and to exemplify Christ through a lifestyle of leadership, service, stewardship, and worship.

We will achieve our vision and fulfill our mission by:

• Basing all teaching, activities, and programs upon the principles taught to us through the inspired word of God and contained in the Bible, thus teaching truth.
• Providing students a high quality, full, and balanced educational experience based upon biblical teaching and principles, including a diversity of subjects sufficient to expose talents and meet life goals up to and including college preparation.
• Attracting and retaining exceptional teachers skilled at teaching, demonstrating Christian behavior, and having the highest competence in specific areas.
• Attracting and retaining exceptional administrators and staff who will manage the assets of the school with biblical stewardship, and who will continually develop the teachers, programs, activities, and curriculum to meet the needs of the students.
• Reaching out to the greater Christian community to assure broad support of the school and its students, and to assure alignment of goals and programs with other Christian organizations and churches.
• Developing facilities and equipment necessary to meet educational goals.
• Assuring the fiscal integrity of the school by minimizing debt, controlling costs, and developing alternative funding sources so that the full cost of educating each student is covered by current income.
• Developing and maintaining a future-oriented master plan that specifically describes short-term and long-term goals that will lead to the vision being realized and the mission accomplished.

Core Values

To fulfill its mission, Southwest Florida Christian Academy will honor the following Core Values:

• The Bible
• The Christian Family
• Quality, Bible-based Education
• The Church
• Qualified, Christian Staff
• Stewardship
• Discipleship of Students

SFCA’s daily operation will be guided by the following operating principles to fulfill its mission in accordance with its core values:

Core Value #1 – The Bible (2 Timothy 3:15-17)

The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God that is the authority for all that is done at SFCA.

SFCA will:

• Teach the Bible as the source of absolute truth.
• Integrate the Bible into all aspects of SFCA life.
• Form the basis of its philosophy of education on the principles of God’s Word.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures that are consistent with God’s Word.
• Expect all faculty, board, and staff to study the Bible and apply its principles to everyday life.
• Implement a comprehensive Bible curriculum (K-12) that will lead students to study, memorize, and apply God’s Word to their life.

Core Value #2 – The Christian Family (Ephesians 5; Genesis 1)

The Christian family is the foundational unit for society that is based on the biblical pattern for marriage and family in accordance with God’s will.

SFCA will:

• Develop policies and procedures that honor the Christian family.
• Develop strong home-school relationships through clear and effective communication with parents.
• Develop and maintain unity between home and school by encouraging mutual respect between home and school authorities.
• Teach all students God’s ideal for the marriage relationship and the family.
• Pray for and with SFCA’s families.
• Help parents understand and fulfill their biblical responsibilities as presented in Kingdom Education.

Core Value #3 – Quality, Bible-based Education (Proverbs 9:10)

A quality education encompasses the total educational program based upon the foundation that all knowledge and wisdom are from God.

SFCA will:

• Design an educational program that will meet the spiritual, mental, physical, and social needs of each student.
• Design and use curriculum and teaching methods that are grounded in God’s absolute truth.
• Challenge all students to reach their full potential in all aspects of their school life.
• Employ, develop, and retain godly teachers who strive for excellence in all areas of their lives.
• Develop a comprehensive K-12 Bible curriculum that will effectively lead the students in a thorough study and application of God’s Word.
• Provide teachers with the training necessary for them to effectively plan and implement biblical worldview integration in the classroom instruction.
• Provide teachers with the necessary training on the biblical philosophy of education found in Kingdom Education.
• Teach all students that man is born with a sin nature and in need of Christ.
• Encourage students to seek God’s plan for their life.
• Develop an educational program that will equip students to engage all areas of the culture for Christ by utilizing the gifts and talents they have received from God.

Core Value #4 – The Church (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 4:12-13)

The church is the body of believers whose purpose is to fulfill the Great Commission.

SFCA will:

• Develop policies and procedures that will honor the purpose of the local church.
• Recognize that it is a ministry of McGregor Baptist Church and submit to the church’s spiritual authority.
• Require all board members, administration, faculty, and staff to be active members of a local, Bible-believing church.
• Encourage all school families to become active members of a local, Bible-believing church.
• Teach all students God’s purpose for the church so that students will understand the importance of being an active member of and serving in a local church.
• Continually work at developing strong relationships with local churches in the Ft. Myers area.

Core Value #5 – Qualified, Christian staff (Luke 6:40; 1 Timothy 3:1)

A qualified, Christian staff is comprised of born-again Christians who have a calling to Christian education and the training necessary to fulfill their responsibilities.

SFCA will:

• Develop a staff selection process that will ensure that all staff have a calling to Christian education, possess the skills necessary to fulfill their responsibilities and can effectively communicate the plan of salvation to others.
• Hire staff that have a personal relationship with Christ and live a life in support of the school’s statement of faith.
• Provide all staff with a continuing staff development program that will enable them to develop professionally and meet certification requirements.
• Provide all faculty with training in the principles of Kingdom Education and effective biblical worldview integration.
• Select, develop, and retain board members, administration, faculty, and staff who exhibit Christ-like attitudes and behaviors.
• Encourage administration, faculty, staff, and students to model Christ by serving others in the school and community.

Core Value #6 – Stewardship (James 1:17)

Stewardship is the awareness that everything one has belongs to God and must be effectively managed for His glory.

SFCA will:

• See, appreciate, and effectively manage everything, everyone, and every day as a stewardship responsibility from God.
• Model and train students to appreciate and effectively manage all that God provides.
• Establish policies and procedures that reflect biblical principles of stewardship.
• Implement and manage a budget based on biblical principles of stewardship.
• Hold the board, administration, faculty, and staff accountable to fulfill their duties in a way that will honor the Lord and assist the school in achieving its mission.

Core Value #7 – Discipleship (John 8:31; 1 John 2:6)

Discipleship is demonstrated by a commitment to a consistent application of the Word of God to all of life.

SFCA will:

• Encourage staff and students to exemplify the fruit of the Spirit.
• Strive to instill godly character in all students through all the school’s educational programs.
• Develop and enforce the school’s discipline policies that will emphasize the importance of Christ-like behavior.
• Commit itself to the absolute authority of the Bible.
• Train students in daily Bible study, prayer, devotion, and application of biblical principles in every area of life.
• Encourage discipleship relationships across all levels of the school.
• Integrate the Bible into all subjects and areas of the school.
• Prepare the students for a lifelong commitment to the discipleship process.

Philosophy of Christian Education

We live in a world with two views of life. It is from these two opposing world views man contemplates his existence and finds value and purpose in life. We believe God is the center of His creation.

God the Father is our loving creator. Out of nothing, He created all that we know and all that we are yet to discover. God is active in His creation, having plans and directions for each of His children. Jesus is man’s bridge to God. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us as Christians. He is our helper and our guide as we live the adventure of our spiritual pilgrimage.

Man can only be understood in context of a God-centered world view. Our potential, our reason, and our purpose are enveloped in the fact that man is the centerpiece of God’s creation.

Education must address the needs of the “whole man.” A Christian approach to education will ensure sensitivity to the unique needs of each individual. The imparting of God’s knowledge and wisdom is the goal of Christian education. The desire to be a life-long learner of His truth is the mark of a maturing disciple. Truth and reality are found only in a worldview focused on God.

God’s Word, the Bible, is His revelation to man. The daily lives of God’s people will be changed as a result of knowing and studying God’s Word.

The education of a child or young person must be a cooperative effort with the family. It is the parental responsibility to see that children are taught a proper understanding of the world. Thus, Christian education becomes a partnership between parents, the church, and the school in this important task of exploring and discovering a God-centered world view.

Education itself is not the answer to man’s problems. It is only as we start with the knowledge of an all-knowing and loving creator that we can successfully educate. In this process of education, we will not only impart wisdom and knowledge for this world, but we will prepare man for eternity!

Statement of Faith

We believe God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God. (See Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2; II Corinthians 13:14.)

We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (See Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; I Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; I Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13.

We believe the Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living and understanding of spiritual truth and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. (See II Corinthians 3:17; John 14:16-17, 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:16.)

We believe the Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error. (See II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; II Timothy 1:13; Psalm 12:6, 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5.)

We believe people are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.” This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life. (See Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2.)

We believe salvation is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. (See Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12, 14:6; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1.)

We believe because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” it. Salvation is maintained by the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security. (See John 10:29; II Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10-14; I Peter 1:3-5.)

We believe people were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is eternal existence in Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. (See John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; I Corinthians 2:7-9.)

SFCA’s Lifestyle Statement

Human Sexuality and Marriage

The employee will manifest by precept and example the highest Christian virtue and personal decorum, serving as a Christian role model (I Timothy 4:12) both in and out of school to pupils (Luke 6:40), and as an example to parents and fellow faculty members in judgment, dignity, respect, and Christian living. This includes, but is not limited to, the refraining from such activities as the use of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and the use of vulgar and profane language. (Col. 3:17 KJ, Titus 2:7-8 TLB, I Thess. 2:10 TLB, I Thess. 5:18, 22-23 KJ, and James 3:17-18).

We believe sex is a gift from God to be enjoyed within the marriage relationship. We believe that marriage was instituted by God and, as such, the term “marriage” has only one meaning, regardless of current legal or cultural definitions. The Scriptures define “marriage” as the joining of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union. We believe that God has commanded abstinence from any form of sexual or intimate activity outside of a marriage. We believe that participation in fornication, pornography, homosexuality, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, polygamy, or adultery are all sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We also believe that gender is a gift from God, and He created human beings male and female; therefore, we hold the distinction between the two sexes to be sacred. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to change one’s gender by any means. (Genesis 2:15-25; Psalm 139:13-16; Isaiah 53:1-6; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 11:11-12; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:22-33)

Creation Statement

We at Southwest Florida Christian Academy feel a strong duty to teach Creation Science as a basis for understanding our origins. We believe in the creation of all that we know out of “nothing.” All life is a wonderful gift from God to be respected and cared for. A true understanding of the present world requires correlation of all the data of science within the framework of the Bible. This would include the following:

• Special creation of all things in six literal days.
• The fact of a universal flood as evidenced by both biblical and geological record.
• Biblical genealogies are for origin purposes. This makes it difficult to use these genealogies for establishing absolute time prior to Abraham. The fossil record and geological record of time support special creation.
• Man’s methods of dating yield conflicting ages, and therefore must be viewed as erroneous.

King’s

At SFCA we are the King’s. The name is a witness that we belong to the King of Kings. Each staff member has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We strive to see each child trust Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. It is our expectation that each student will reflect his/her personal salvation by living a life pleasing to the Lord as they serve the King of Kings.