CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
SPIRITUAL VALLEY
FORMATION
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Mission: To guide the VCS community in growing their relationship with God.
Key Verse: “...to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Facilities: Auxiliary Gym | Prayer Chapel | Student Life Center | Wellness Center
vcs.net/spiritualformation
SPIRITUAL FORMATION CONTACT
100 Skyway Drive, San Jose, CA 95111 | Telephone: 408.513.2517
vcs.net/spiritualformation | sdang@vcs.net | vcs_faith
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
OVERVIEW
At Valley Christian Schools (VCS), the Spiritual Formation Office (SFO) is passionate about helping our community grow in its relationship with God utilizing an intentional pathway. Through interactions with Christian teachers, mentors, campus pastors, and biblical teachings, students gain meaningful life experiences. This experience helps them thoughtfully begin to answer questions like, “Who is God?” and “How am I developing a relationship with Him?” Even our youngest students can define and live out their own faith both on our campus and in the community.
FORMATION
WAY OF THE WARRIOR
VCS has impacted over 10,000 students and their families for over 65 years. The goal of Spiritual Formation is to point people to Jesus, fulfill God’s call through education, and reach Silicon Valley and beyond. Our well-rounded education extends beyond classrooms and test scores, integrating character and identity formation into all academic pursuits. In 2022, we launched an initiative to focus on building faith, character, and virtues. We call it the Way of the Warrior.
The Way of the Warrior ethos has the following qualities:
• Wisdom: Pursue wisdom in education (Proverbs 1:7).
• Honor: Own your thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and actions (2 Corinthians 10:5).
• Courage: Embrace resilience (Philippians 1:20).
• Sacrifice: Seek the heart of Christ (Philippians 2:2-8).
These virtues are foundational for students and transformational for our VCS family. Imagine the impact of a Warrior Nation that demonstrates wisdom, honor, courage, and sacrifice in all thoughts, words, actions, and relationships. We believe the Way of the Warrior can shape how we lead, serve, and impact our world.
OUR DISCIPLESHIP PATHWAY
As a missional school, we aim to reach the Bay Area and beyond with the good news of Jesus. We believe every person is on a spiritual journey, so whether students are uncertain about faith or deeply committed to serving God, we want to help them take the next step in their relationship with Jesus and get them plugged into a local church. Our ministries are tailored to the age level of each VCS campus to meet students at their stage of development. Since 2024, we have celebrated over 550 students coming to faith in Jesus for the first time. We launched Christian clubs and Bible Studies on all three campuses. We invite you to join in one of our two all community worship services: Convocation (August) and Encounter (February/March). For the latest faith stories and events at VCS, follow us on Instagram @vcs_faith
Uncertain Open to Faith Committed to Jesus Practicing Mission
MEET OUR CAMPUS PASTORS
Rev. Steve Dang (VCHS ’02), Chief Ministry Officer and Senior Vice President
Rev. Marcus Martinez (VCHS ’02), High School Campus Pastor
Rev. Anna Messersmith, Elementary and Junior High Campus Pastor
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:5
BIBLICAL UNITY
We believe that true belonging is rooted in the heart of God’s design. Guided by biblical principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, we are committed to honoring every individual as a unique image-bearer of Jesus Christ. Embracing the beautiful tapestry of cultures, backgrounds, and stories, we strive to reflect the unity and diversity of God’s kingdom (Revelation 7:9).
Ethnic diversity is a beautiful part of God’s original and eternal design for humanity, reflecting His glory and deepening our understanding of who He is. Biblical unity is rooted in Jesus’ greatest commandment: to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:28–33). True diversity, equity, and inclusion are made possible only through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and the truth of Scripture.
FOUR CORE BIBLICAL UNITY PRINCIPLES
1. LOVE reminds us that true unity flows from Christ’s redemptive work. When we see every person as God’s image-bearer, it transforms how we handle conflict, discipline, and differences (Genesis 1:27).
2. CELEBRATE moves us beyond tolerance to actively honoring the rich tapestry of cultures, abilities, and backgrounds God has woven into our community (Galatians 3:28).
3. CULTIVATE calls us to intentionally build bridges of understanding, partnering with families to create environments where everyone belongs (Philippians 2:3-4).
4. RECONCILE is a step toward peace and forgiveness because Christ first forgave us. By God’s mercy, we can equip our students to pursue justice and healing in a fractured world, addressing real issues like racism and injustice with grace (Matthew 5:9).
We cultivate biblical unity through joyful cultural celebrations, family support, spiritual formation, community dialogue, and Christ-centered education. Our goal is to reflect the eternal reality of God’s kingdom, where every nation worships together in perfect unity, by pursuing transformative oneness through Jesus Christ and a steadfast commitment to biblical truth. Biblical Unity community events and education resources include:
• Cultural education and three K-12 cultural celebration events throughout the year
• Monthly Biblical Unity articles and reflections vcs.net/biblicalunity
WELLNESS
Psalms 139 states that God created our innermost being, and we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by Him. God designed us to have thoughts, emotions, and gifts, all packaged in a physical body. Each part of us needs care and attention to ensure we thrive and live the life He created us to live. The Wellness team promotes understanding of these qualities and teaches how to care for and honor them. We desire to provide the following:
Pastoral care for the whole person
Healthy coping strategies embedded in curriculum at all campuses
Opportunities for our community to care for each part of their being
Social emotional learning strategies included in the school day
Resources for social, emotional, and spiritual support
Support for parents and investment in relationships with them
ELEMENTARY
As students grow physically, socially, and emotionally during their elementary years, it is critical to establish a strong foundation of faith principles and practices that will carry them to their teen years and beyond.
CURRICULUM
• Bible classes teach stories and themes and emphasize Bible verse memorization
• Biblical perspective integrated into every subject
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
• Multiple annual service projects (Past events include writing letters to military members, participating in the fire department’s toy drive, donating bug nets, donating turkeys to CityTeam, and coordinating a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank)
CHAPEL
• Engaging weekly chapels with student-led prayer, praise and worship, and messages to help students grow in their relationship with God
DISCIPLESHIP
• Fifth-Grade Girls’ Bible Study
• Opportunity to connect with campus pastor or chaplain for prayer and encouragement
WELLNESS
• Kindness Crew fosters community togetherness and compassion through acts of kindness big and small
• LightWalkers promotes social and emotional awareness by identifying essential strengths and encouraging values-based decision making
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalm 139:14
JUNIOR HIGH
God works powerfully in junior high students, shaping their identity, sense of belonging, and purpose. We focus on community building, service-learning fellowship, and practical ways to connect faith to everyday life.
Alongside our students’ academic aspirations, we seek to foster the ethos of the Way of the Warrior. We desire that every student becomes Christ-like so we can reflect His love and share the good news with others as we lead, serve, and impact our world.
We recognize that each student has a faith journey, and our focus is supporting this exploration. As a Christian school, our mission is to share the Gospel of Jesus. We encourage students to grow in their relationship with God and be willing to give Jesus a fair hearing.
CURRICULUM
Students are required to take yearly Bible classes. Our Bible curriculum is shaped around the Trinity, with sixth grade focusing on God the Father, seventh grade focusing on God the Son, and eighth grade focusing on God the Holy Spirit.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Student opportunities include the following:
• Operation Christmas Child
• Community Outreach Fellowship
• Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) Program
• Campus Leadership
• CityTeam
• Socktober
• Student-led initiatives involving worship, prayer, and service on campus
CHAPEL
Chapel is an intentional time to encourage students’ faith outside of the classroom. Believing that joy and faith go hand-in-hand, we build an interactive experience in chapel, combining music, games, conversations, service, and guest speakers to connect biblical principles to everyday life.
• Weekly chapels
• Focus on faith during bi-annual Spiritual Emphasis Weeks
“Jesus grew in wisdom and stature , and in favor with God and man.”
Luke 2:52
• Embrace student unity by joining one of our three Bible studies or Christian clubs on campus
• Students connect with our campus pastors or chaplains who pray and encourage them
• Explore emotional wellbeing in weekly Warrior Time, dedicated to cultivating students’ spiritual and social lives
DISCIPLESHIP TRACK
The Discipleship Track is an optional, eight-week course designed to equip students with the essentials to grow in their relationship with Jesus, led by teachers, chaplains, pastors, and students. Not only does it help students connect to a community, but it helps them to explore the following topics:
• How to read Scripture
• How to find a church
• Why it is essential to serve
• How to share your testimony
• Why worship matters
WARRIOR TIME – BIBLE STUDIES
Our Spiritual Formation Warrior Time features two Bible studies designed for students to connect with faculty, staff, and peers. Our assistant chaplains have developed relevant lessons to foster relationships and encourage students’ spiritual growth. These groups are part of our Discipleship Track and are gender specific. The meetings take place on Thursdays during Warrior Time.
Girls: Radiant Souls
Boys: Iron Sharpens Iron
WELLNESS
Warriors Chill is a quiet, device-free wellness space designed to facilitate reflection, contemplation, and intentional relaxation.
Week Discipleship Track
HIGH SCHOOL
We help students experience multi-faceted Christian faith through weekly worship experiences, theological education, biblical unity, leadership development, character formation, emotional and physical wellness, and service learning. SFO weaves faith with students’ social and emotional wellbeing, preparing them with tools to thrive beyond graduation.
We believe Jesus exemplified servant leadership, so we offer students opportunities to practice their faith in relationships. They can deepen their relationship with God through discipleship tracks, spiritual retreats, Bible studies, clubs, and service trips (IMPACT). As a Christian school, we encourage students to grow in their faith and embrace the teachings of Jesus.
CURRICULUM
Bible classes for every grade level, designed as part of our four-year Spiritual Plan, include introductory courses for students new to Christianity.
Classes focused on the following areas:
• Studies in the Bible’s Old Testament
• Studies in the Bible’s New Testament
• Philosophy of Religion & World Religions
• Service Learning: on campus, locally, or globally
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES – IMPACT MISSION TRIPS & OUTREACH
IMPACT
Every year, students and faculty teams travel the world on short-term service trips to places like Alaska, Seattle, the Philippines, Nepal, El Salvador, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, and Thailand. Students must complete 25 service hours each year, though many serve above and beyond our requirements.
OUTREACH
In addition to service trips, we host several impromptu campus-wide service projects throughout the year, including food drives, clothing drives, and fundraising for various nonprofits, including Martha’s Kitchen and CityTeam.
CHAPEL
Chapel fosters students’ spiritual growth through diverse formats, including engaging music, relevant teaching, scripture analysis, thoughtful conversations, and art. The SFO team curates an annual chapel calendar to strengthen students’ faith in Jesus, the truth of Scripture, and the value of community service.
• Weekly chapels help students grow in their relationship with God through a time of musical worship, teaching, scripture reading, prayer, and conversations with Christian leaders in various industries.
• Bi-annual Spiritual Emphasis Weeks allow students to focus on their faith.
• We invite students to experience various chapel formats to help them connect their faith to everyday life and experiences.
• An optional additional chapel on Mondays at Warrior Time called Grace Line Chapel is designed for students to dive deeper into worship and Scripture.
• Students connect with our campus pastors or chaplains who pray and encourage them.
DISCIPLESHIP TRACK
The Discipleship Track is an optional, eight-week course designed to equip students with the essentials to grow in their relationship with Jesus, led by teachers, chaplains, pastors, and students. Not only does it help students connect to a community, but it helps them explore topics such as the following:
• How to read Scripture
• How to find a church
• Why it is essential to serve
• How to share your testimony
• Why worship matters
STUDENT SPIRITUAL RETREATS
We schedule off-campus student spiritual retreats in both the fall and spring. As a respite from the busyness of high school life, time is intentionally set aside for reflection, inspired by how Jesus spent time with God when life became hectic.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHRISTIAN COLLEGES
Our passion for Christian education extends beyond high school. We continuously build partnerships with top-level Christian universities and colleges with admittance and guaranteed scholarships for qualified graduates. Our current partnerships include Biola University, Azusa Pacific University, Wheaton College, Westmont College, and Grand Canyon University.
$425K Raised for Missions
57K Individual Service Hours
8 Countries Visited
250+ Students and Staff Serve on Mission Trips
COMMUNITY FAITH
We are passionate about serving our whole community. Whether a student, parent, alumnus, faculty, staff, or one of our partners worldwide, we want to help you grow in your relationship with God. We host several ways to grow together throughout the year. Here are ways to be involved:
• Elementary, junior high, and high school Parent Teacher Prayer Fellowship (PTPF)
• Worship events (i.e. Convocation, Encounter)
• Prayer Intercessors
• Events (i.e. Homecoming, Christmas at the California, Festival of the Arts) vcs.net/sfcommunity
ALUMNI MINISTRIES
ONCE A WARRIOR, ALWAYS A WARRIOR
After graduation, our Warriors join a network of 10,000 alumni worldwide. In 2024, our alumni ministries team traveled over 25k miles to visit and encourage our alumni students around the country. Through our Alumni Association, we are committed to encouraging and praying for our alumni. We have a network of ambassadors stationed across the country and internationally. Our hope is for our graduates to find connections wherever God leads, whether in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Portland, Phoenix, Denver, Chicago, Waco, Dallas, Nashville, New Haven, New York, Boston, or even Paris, France.
Visit alumni.vcs.net to find out about our many alumni road trips, events, and reunions near you.
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11
CHURCH PARTNERSHIPS
We are passionate about the local church and believe it is essential for lifelong faith. Every student eventually graduates from Valley Christian, but we never graduate from the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we partner with local churches to help families connect and grow in their faith. Our Spiritual Formation ministry is seen as an extension of the local church and includes service-learning locations, youth pastors who lead campus clubs, and quarterly gatherings hosted for local pastors.
MISSION STATEMENT
Valley Christian Schools’ mission is to provide a nurturing environment o ering quality education supported by a strong foundation of Christian values in partnership with parents, equipping students to become leaders to serve God, to serve their families, and to positively impact their communities and the world.
VISION STATEMENT
A world where every student pursues their personal Quest for Excellence™
FOUNDING STATEMENT
Valley Christian Schools supports the homes and churches of students in providing an education that is grounded in the Judeo-Christian values of the Bible, as reflected in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. Valley Christian Schools is committed to a Quest for Excellence™ in all of its educational programs, and provides a comprehensive kindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum with a rigorous college preparatory program. Firmly founded on Christian values, Valley Christian Schools challenges youth to aspire toward lives of character, service, and influence while pursuing their individual Quests for Excellence
