Basis and Purpose of Redwood Christian Schools
This document incorporates many of the principles and statements found in Articles II-V of the By-laws of Redwood Christian Schools, in addition to school positions based upon Biblical Truth. To continually keep before us the goals and principles that guide Redwood, this document is required to be read and signed each year by all of Redwood's employees, volunteers, and board members. By so doing, each such person declares in writing unconditional support for and acceptance of these principles and statements. Bold indicates changes/additions to this document.
ARTICLE II - BASIS
1. The basis of Redwood is the Word of God (Eph. 6:4, Psa. 34:11, Prov. 22:6 and Deut. 6:5-7).
2. The basis is five-dimensional in that Redwood (a) honors the Bible as God's Word, (b) proclaims the relevancy of God, (c) asserts that man is a spiritual being, (d) teaches that there is absolute truth, and (e) believes that man is a sinner.
3. Redwood's philosophy for an education that is Christian starts with the belief that God is the source of all truth. Its perspective is the Biblical view of God with Christ at the center of all life and with all parts of the universe mutually related.
ARTICLE III - STATEMENT OF FAITH
1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible recorded Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that for salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential.
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
8. We believe that God wonderfully foreordained and immutably created each person as either male or female in conformity with his or her biological sex. These two distinct yet complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26–27).
ARTICLE IV – PURPOSE
The purpose of Redwood Christian Schools, a nonprofit institution, is to provide Christ-centered instruction of high academic quality in conformity with Article III of the By-laws. Our students are to be prepared to take their place in the home, the church, the state, and in their vocations or professions, in a manner that glorifies God.
ARTICLE V - OBJECTIVES
Redwood's objectives are:
1. To teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
2. To teach that one can obtain eternal life only by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.
3. To teach that God is the creator and sustainer of the universe and of man.
4. To teach that growth in the Christian life depends upon fellowship with God through Bible reading, prayer, and service.
5. To teach that the Bible is the inspired and only infallible recorded Word of God and that it is practical and essential.
6. To teach the application of Biblical principles to every part of daily life.
7. To teach academic subjects integrated with the Bible.
8. To teach the student his role in the community with non-Christians and with Christians who hold differing views.
9. To teach the urgency of world missions.
10. To teach the student to think for himself and to stand up for his personal convictions in the face of pressure.
11. To teach the student to apply himself to his work and to fulfill his various responsibilities.
12. To teach the student to work independently and cooperatively.
13. To teach the knowledge and skills required for future study or for occupational competence.
14. To teach an appreciation of the fine arts.
15. To teach and help develop a desire and a discretion for wholesome physical and mental recreation.
16. To teach the student his present civic responsibilities.
17. To prepare him for adult responsibilities as a Christian citizen of our nation.
THE MINISTRY OF TEACHING AT REDWOOD CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
Accepting a paid or volunteer position at Redwood Christian Schools (RCS) is to be considered with utmost prayer and thought. It is critical to understand that by accepting any position at RCS, regardless of title or job description, the person becomes a Christian Minister, involved in the ministry of teaching. The simplest definition of being a Christian Minister at RCS is to find a need and help to meet it with the purpose of glorifying Jesus. Every Christian Minister at RCS is expected to teach our students what it means to be a Christian in both word and deed (James 1:22-25), through the way they glorify God by modeling Christ.
The truth of Luke 6:40 cannot be denied, when a student is fully trained, they will be like their teacher. Christian Ministers at RCS daily model Christ to our students. RCS desires Christian Ministers who: 1) are thoroughly committed to Jesus Christ and the truth of the Bible; 2) live out a Biblical Worldview; and 3) are wholly committed to the ministry of RCS so that they are able to train our students in the way they should go, so that when they are old, they will not depart from them (Prov. 22:6).
RCS believes that each Christian Minister is called by God to help raise up students in the ways of faith, modeling Christ through all that they do. The Christian Ministers at RCS are following in the footsteps of Jesus, our Savior, who was also a teacher. He gathered his disciples and others around him and taught with such conviction and truth that the "many who heard him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hand!'" (Mark 6:2). His apostles, likewise, were teachers and gave witness "with great power" through their words and deeds, and "gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all'' (Acts 4:33).
The ministry of teaching at RCS obligates each Christian Minister to assist their students in understanding academic subjects, promote their social and emotional health, provide life skill guidance, and any other instruction that supports the Scripturally devoted Core Values and RCS Mission to equip students for daily living and eternal life. This applies not only to mathematics or science, but how the order and discipline of mathematics or science reveals the mind of God. It obligates one not only to instruct in geography and history, but to inculcate the faith by helping students know that God created all things for His own glory, and to learn that human discoveries, empires, conflicts, and social movements are measured by the divinely ordained order. The ministry of teaching at RCS requires one not only to help students acquire the skills in English Language Arts and Foreign Language, but to also understand that human language is a primary means by which students might communicate the Gospel of Jesus and the other truths contained within the sacred Scripture itself—all of which indirectly or directly disclose salvation history. Regardless of the subject, Christian Ministers at RCS instruct their students by helping them follow Paul's admonition:
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do: and the God of peace will be with you. (Phil 4:8-9)
Christian Ministers at RCS must be ever mindful that they instruct not only through rational explanation of formal subject material, but even more powerfully through word, deed, example, and shared experience. Simply put, they teach the Christian faith by modeling Jesus. This is why all Christian Ministers, even before their first meeting with students, must subscribe to the RCS Basis and Purpose, Statement of Faith, and the job specific Teacher (Administrator, Staff, Board, or Volunteer) at Redwood Christian Schools. This is why Christian Ministers are required to display a Godly example, both at school and away from school. Christian Ministers must teach truth and avoid falsehood. "Therefore, putting away falsehood, let everyone speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one body. ... Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear" (Ephesians 4:25, 29).
Christian Ministers model Christ to students by providing them with Biblically sound faith experiences. They lead in prayer, praise, and instruction with love and mercy. Paul urged Christians to "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander to be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:31-32). Christian Ministers also model the Christian life by being active in their own church community and by serving as an intermediary assisting their students to become active in their respective church communities so that those students might be further nurtured in faith with their family, friends and the fellowship of Christian believers around them.
STATEMENT ON MARRIAGE, GENDER AND SEXUALITY
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
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 (Gen. 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 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Redwood Christian Schools as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a Biblical role model to the students and families of Redwood Christian Schools and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Redwood Christian Schools in any capacity, and selected volunteers agree with and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22).
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Redwood Christian Schools.
STATEMENT ON THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE
We believe that all human life is sacred. God created mankind in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect and value all human life (Psa. 139:1-18).
FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTERS OF BELIEF AND CONDUCT
The Redwood Christian Schools Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality and the proper conduct of mankind. The Bible is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of the faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline of Redwood Christian Schools, our School Board is the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT TO COMPLY WITH The Basis and Purpose of Redwood Christian Schools
I have read and understood the aforementioned principles, articles, and statements and, I agree with and will strive to promote the Basis and Purpose of Redwood Christian Schools.
Revised by the RCS School Board on July 24, 2022.