Constitution for Issachar Christian Academy

PREAMBLE
Believing it is our duty and privilege as Christian parents and community to provide Christian day school education for our children, we the undersigned resolve to work diligently toward the building and maintenance of such a school. We believe that such education is grounded in the Lordship of Jesus’ rule in both creation and redemption. Only through such education can our children receive the proper preparation to carry out the mandate given to man in the beginning to exercise dominion over all the earth, and to show forth the greatness of God and the redeeming power of Christ to all mankind. This task can best be accomplished through concerted action in the implementation of the educational guidelines stated in Article IV below and in the Educational Philosophy. Therefore, we do hereby make and adopt the following articles of the Society:

ARTICLE I – NAME
The organization shall be known as the North Bay Christian School Society (hereinafter referred to as “the Society”). It is an autonomous Christian society. It is not a church body nor is it subject to any church organization. The government of the society is autonomous.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE
To attract parents who are willing and desirous of giving their children an education that is directed by God’s Word, the Bible. To create an educational environment that has an emphasis on spiritual development based on a Biblical worldview. To help children to understand the concepts and principles of the Bible and apply them to everyday life. Our desire is to be an institute that offers academic excellence using current and high standard curriculum to create love for life long learning. We endevour to provide teaching and modeling that instills emotional strength, developing a biblical understanding of the basis of self worth. To equip students to face challenges while maturing into courageous whole believers. To create a community that models biblical character. To develop in each student skills to listen to and actively participate with God in their personal calling.

ARTICLE III – BASIS
The basis of the Society is the Bible, which we hold to be in its entirety the Word of God. We hold the following truths to be self-evident teachings from the Bible:

1. The Bible and Its Authority
WE BELIEVE that only the sixty-six books of the Bible are the inspired, and therefore inerrant, Word of God. The Bible is the final authority for all we believe and how we are to live. [Matthew 5:18; John 10:35 and 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21]

2. The Eternal Godhead
WE BELIEVE that the one true God exists eternally in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit— and that these, being one God, are equal in deity, power and glory. We believe that God not only created the world but also now upholds, sustains, governs and providentially directs all that exists and that He will bring all things to their proper consummation in Christ Jesus to the glory of His name. [Psalm 104 and Psalm 139; Matthew 10:29–31 and 28:19; Acts 17:24–28; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:9–12 and 4:4-6; Colossians 1:16–17; Hebrews 1:1–3; Revelation 1:4–6]

3. Man and His Need
We believe that humanity was created in the image of God, and that through sin incurred both spiritual and physical death. Consequently, every faculty of a persons’ body, soul, and spirit are tainted by sin, causing alienation from God. Humanity is unable to save themselves or to contribute in any way to their acceptance with God. [Genesis 1–3; Psalm 51:5; Isaiah 53:5; Romans 3:9–18 and 5:12–21; Ephesians 2:1–3]

4. Jesus Christ and His Work
WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, that He was conceived and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and offered Himself as a penal, substitution sacrifice for sinners. By His blood shed at the Cross, He obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. He was raised bodily on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, there to make intercession for the saints forever. [Matthew 1:18–25; John 1:1–18; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1–28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10–14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:6–11; Colossians 1:15–23; Hebrews 7:25, 9:13–15 and 10:19; 1 Peter 2:21–25; 1 John 2:1–2]

5. Salvation for Sinners
WE BELIEVE that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ordinance, ritual, work or any other activity on the part of man is required or accepted in order to be saved. This saving grace of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us by enabling us to do what is pleasing in God’s sight in order that we might be progressively conformed to the image of Christ. [John 1:12–13, 6:37–44 and 10:25–30; Acts 16:30–31; Romans 3–4 and 8:1–17, 31-39 and 10:8–10; Ephesians 2:8–10; Philippians 2:12–13; Titus 3:3–7; 1 John 1:7, 9]

6. The Future
WE BELIEVE in the literal Second Coming of Christ at the end of the age when He will return to Earth personally and visibly to consummate His Kingdom. We also believe in and are praying for a great end-time harvest of souls and the emergence of a victorious Church that will experience an unprecedented unity, purity and power in the Holy Spirit. [Psalms 2:7–9 and 22:27–28; John 14:12 and 17:20–26; Romans 11:25–32; 1 Corinthians 15:20–28, 50–58; Ephesians 4:11–16; Philippians 3:20–21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3–12; Revelation 7:9–14]

7. The Church
We believe that God has called Christians to be in the fellowship of a local assembly of God’s people for worship, fellowship and service. We are to preach the Gospel to all nations, and especially to remember the poor and to minister to their needs through sacrificial giving and practical service. This ministry is an expression of the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ and is an essential part of the Kingdom of God. [Isaiah 58:6–12 and 61:1; Matthew 5–7, 28:18–20; Luke 4:18 and 21:1–4; Galatians 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:8]

ARTICLE IV – FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES
We believe that God, by giving us the Scriptures, has revealed ordering principles which are essential to education. Accordingly, Christians have a mandate to bring the whole Word of God to bear upon education for the purpose of preparing each student for service in God’s kingdom. Therefore, we commit ourselves to the following educational principles:

1. Life
There is to be no division for the Christian between the sacred and the secular, since the whole of life is to be lived to the glory of God. Our calling is to bring the whole range of life – science, business, education, politics, etc. – under the dominance of Christian principle and purpose, thereby giving concrete expression to the Lordship of Christ over all of life.

2. Bible
The Bible, as the written Word of God, is the truth by which the Holy Spirit enlightens human understanding of God, the world, and mankind. It is the inerrant authority by which God directs and governs all Christian activities, including the education of children. We believe that only the sixty-six books of the Bible are the inspired, and therefore inerrant, Word of God.

3. Knowledge
God is the source of all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. He has made Himself known in creation and the Scriptures. The key to understanding life is not to be found within the world apart from Christ. He is the focal point and integrating principle of all knowledge.

4. Creation
The world in its origin, preservation, and restoration is the work of God. The glorification of God is its purpose. It can only be correctly understood in its relation to Him.

5. Man
Man was created in the image of God to enjoy covenantal fellowship wi