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 lifelong learning. We endeavour to provide
teaching and modeling that instils 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 by His Spirit in their personal calling as He
makes it clear to them.
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 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. Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit lives in us as believers and
brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility
and self-control into our lives. He works in and through us with His gifts as
He chooses. [Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11]. We believe that the
Holy Spirit is God’s present-day agent to bring direction and power to our
otherwise darkened hearts and minds. [1 John 2:27; John 14:16, 17, 26; Acts
1:8].
6. 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]
7. 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]
8. 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 with his Creator and to reflect in his person and works the
excellencies of his Maker. Man was instructed to exercise dominion over the
world in joyful, loving obedience to God and to interpret all reality in
accordance with His design and law.
6. Sin
Sin is disobedience to God and His law. Because of man’s
sin, God’s curse has been brought upon creation, and man is alienated from God
and from his neighbour. As a result, man has become corrupt in his heart and
blind to the true meaning of life. He thus represses and misuses the revelation
of God which constantly confronts him in creation and in Scripture.
Educationally, this suppression results in man attempting to understand the
world and arrive at meaning and values apart from God.
7. Covenant of Grace
God, in His initiating grace toward lost sinners, is pleased
to establish a relationship with them. In Christ, He provides deliverance from
sin and its consequences and restores fellowship with Himself. Therefore, God
declares, “I shall be your God and you shall be my people.”
8. Christ
Jesus Christ, the living Lord and Savior, of Whom the
Scriptures testify, has by His death on the cross reconciled people to God and
brought redemption to life in its entirety. Through His Spirit, He: Regenerates
hearts to repentance and faith. Renews love to God and to our neighbour.
Redirects our understanding to rightly know God, ourselves, the world and mankind.
9. The Kingdom of God
Christians are to submit all areas of life to the divine
commandments to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and
love our neighbour as ourselves.
10. The Purpose of Education
The general purposes of Christian education are to direct
and guide pupils to: Commit their hearts to Christ. Attain understanding and
wisdom. Joyfully perform their competent and responsible service to the Lord in
the home, church and society. Develop a Christ-centered, Scriptural world view
in which Biblical truth is foundational to all areas of study.
11. Parents
God has given parents the responsibility to nurture and
educate their children. Therefore, Christian parents should establish and
maintain education that is Christian in character.
12. Children
Children, entrusted by God to parents, need loving nurture,
careful guidance, correction, instruction, and supervision in exploring the
world as God’s creation. Children bear the image of God and therefore possess
true dignity and worth; they have an important and unique place in God’s world.
13. Teachers
As servants of God, teachers exercise School Board-delegated
authority to perform their duties in the education of children. Therefore, as
believers they must reflect the love of Christ at all times by word and
example. Christian teachers have a unique responsibility to guide pupils into a
growing relationship with the Lord and into a deeper understanding of His
world.
14. The Christian School
The school is established and controlled by a society of
Christians that holds the education of children in mental, moral, physical, and
spiritual values as its primary objective. It is a community in which Christian
love, concern, and insight are brought to bear on the task of learning. This
teaching is to be done in a manner which supports and augments the training of
children in the home and church.
15. Christian Unity
We believe that, based on the directives of 1 Corinthians
13, and because of the unique nature of the school as being
inter-denominational in character, harmony and unity are fundamental goals of
the Society. As Christ Himself taught us: “Love God with all one’s being and
love one’s neighbour as oneself.”
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS
The Board of Directors shall transact official business of
the organization at Board meetings and at General meetings as set.
ARTICLE VI – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The affairs and business of the society shall be conducted
by a Board of Directors, who shall be chosen and function as detailed in the
By-Laws of the society.
ARTICLE VII – FINANCES
For the purpose of carrying out its objectives, the society
may borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such a manner as it sees
fit. The methods used to acquire finances may include, but are not limited to,
membership fees, tuition fees, grants and donations, business activities
performed by the society or its auxiliary groups, investments.
ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended as follows: The amendments
shall be read and discussed at two consecutive Board of Director meetings, be
presented for final approval at the following meeting, and be approved by a
majority vote of the members present at such meeting. Each of the three
meetings shall be duly called in accordance with the Bylaws. Articles II, III,
and IV are not subject to change or amendment.
ARTICLE IX – DISSOLUTION
1. A
decision to stop operation must be passed by majority vote by the Board of
Directors. This action requires one-month-prior written notice to all members
of the Society. This notice shall give the principal reason for the proposed
action, and a complete financial report.
2. Disposal
of Assets: Upon the dissolution of the Corporation, the Board (after the
payments of all the liabilities of the Corporation) shall dispose of all assets
of the Corporation to such charitable associations, which carry on their work
solely in Canada, are established for Christian education, and are deemed
appropriate by the Board.
