– Jessie Cruickshank
Sacred Journey Academy is based on the discipleship or covenantal model for Christian schools.
The practical implication of this is two-fold. First, Sacred Journey Academy will only enroll students where at least one parent is actively involved with a local Christian church.
Second, in its own internal operations, Sacred Journey Academy deliberately and thoroughly integrates biblical principles and worldview throughout its structures, functions, and culture.
To root most deeply, what students learn about Christian faith and life needs to be reinforced at home, and at church. A carefully planned discipleship school is the best expression of the powerful idea of the “three legged stool” that students should see and learn the same faith elements at school, church and home. Or as a very wise man once put it, a cord of three strands is not easily broken (Eccl. 4:12)
To better accomplish this goal, Sacred Journey Academy will be using a 4 + 1 school week to minimize homework of students, using Friday as a “projects / field trips / catchup” day. We want your child spending time with you, and spending time with their faith community.
A core value is that Sacred Journey students will talk over what they are learning with parents, both from an education experience and in matters of the heart. We value mentorship and want students learning from adults in their life. In fact, our educational curriculum (Sonlight) encourages this.
In short, the best way to instill Christian character and courageous Christian faith is to reinforce these in all aspects of a student’s life. This is crucial in the elementary and middle school years. Students must know and embrace what they believe first before they can effectively evangelize non-believing peers.
When Alexis de Tocqueville traveled throughout the United States in 1831, he marveled at the large number of democratically-run charitable organizations in the United States, and praised them at length in his 1835 classic book, Democracy in America.
Every Christian school has to grapple with whether they are, in fact, one of those democratic institutions. The alternative, as the apostle Paul lays out in Romans 12, is that a Christian school is better thought of as a “body,” a living spiritual organism, much like a church. As a discipleship / covenantal school, we embrace St. Paul’s view.
That has major implications for how we organize and run Sacred Journey Academy. Consistent with Biblical history, Sacred Journey’s core vision is not determined in a democratic voting process, but rather through prayer and fasting. As was the case in all important Biblical endeavors, when a leader’s core vision was ascertained, God used a variety of people to put muscle and vital organs and skin to the leader’s skeletal vision.
Notable examples include the fundraising for, and building of the first temple, Ezra and Nehemiah’s core vision for a restored temple and wall around Jerusalem, or how Peter’s core vision resolved the clean / unclean “Jewish first” controversy of the early Christian church. In accord with New Testament guidelines, Sacred Journey’s leadership team follows the Biblical practices and qualifications for elders, deacons, and overseers.
Our financial practices, such as how we set tuition or provide financial aid, will be governed by a written statement of Biblical principles. We will be transparent in budgets and how money is received and spent. We will settle all disputes within ourselves or with others in our community through the process instituted by Jesus in Matthew 18. We follow Biblical directives in our staffing and volunteer placement. Throughout our program, we seek to elevate the sanctity of the family unit, and help students bless and honor their parents.
In short, led by the Holy Spirit, we will continue to refine the overall ministry of Sacred Journey in accord with the same principles, worldview, and character we seek to bring to the children God entrusts to our care.
We are looking for parents, teachers, donors, and volunteers to make Sacred Journey Academy a reality. Fill out this form and we will call you with next steps.
We are looking for parents, teachers, donors, and volunteers to make Sacred Journey Academy a reality. Fill out this form and we will call you with next steps.
