Statement of Faith

Statement of Faith

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​ Adopted: January 19, 2026

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Statement of Faith - Western Christian High School

Table of Contents Statement of Faith: The Apostles’ Creed_______________________________________3 ARTICLE I: Adopting The Apostles’ Creed as Statement Faith___________________3-4 ARTICLE II: Introduction ____________________________________________________4 ARTICLE III: Position Paper________________________________________________5-8 ​ ​ Portions of this material were adapted from resources compiled by Love In the Name of Christ. ​

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Copyright © Love In the Name of Christ. All rights reserved.

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Statement of Faith - Western Christian High School

Statement of Faith The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty,​ creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, our Lord,​ ​ who was conceived by the Holy Spirit​ ​ and born of the virgin Mary.​ ​ He suffered under Pontius Pilate,​ ​ was crucified, died, and was buried;​ ​ he descended to hell.​ ​ The third day he rose again from the dead.​ ​ He ascended to heaven​ ​ and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.​ ​ From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,​ ​ the holy catholic* church,​ ​ the communion of saints,​ ​ the forgiveness of sins,​ ​ the resurrection of the body,​ ​ and the life everlasting. Amen. *that is, the true Christian church of all times and all places

Article I Adopting The Apostles’ Creed as Western Christian’s Statement Faith Our goal was to establish a theologically sound, historically rooted foundation that supports unity across denominational lines while maintaining fidelity to essential Christian doctrines and our distinctly reformed worldview. This creed is called the Apostles' Creed not because it was produced by the apostles themselves but because it contains a brief summary of their teachings. It sets forth their doctrine "in sublime simplicity, in unsurpassable brevity, in beautiful order, and with liturgical solemnity." In its present form it is dated no later than the fourth century. More than any other Christian creed, it may justly be called an ecumenical symbol of faith.

Basis of Unity: The Apostles’ Creed is used as the basis of unity in Christ, inviting churches to partner in ministry and accept one another as co-laborers in the Gospel.

Covenant Partnership Requirement: Churches that participate in the Covenant Partnership must

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Statement of Faith - Western Christian High School agree to the faith expressed by the Apostles’ Creed.

All staff and board members must: 1) Profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, 2) Embrace the beliefs of Christianity as expressed by the Apostles’ Creed, 3) Affirm Western Christian’s Statement of Purpose as expressed in the Bylaws, 4) Affirm Western Christian’s Mission, Vision, and Graduate Profile Statements, and 5) Actively attend a Christian church.

Exclusion Criteria for Churches: Churches belonging to denominations whose official doctrinal positions contradict the historically understood meaning of the Apostles’ Creed or Western Christian’s Statement of Purpose may not participate in the Society of Western Christian—even if the individual church affirms the Creed.

We believe this approach promotes a spirit of unity around essential doctrines, provides clarity for organizational identity, and protects the theological integrity of Western Christian’s mission and partnerships.

Article II Introduction What does a centuries-old creed have to do with Western Christian High School in the twenty-first century? The original purpose of most ancient Christian creeds was to affirm belief in the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—and to define the main doctrines of Christianity. In the early centuries of the Christian Church, the creeds helped establish the identity of the Christian faith in the midst of a wide variety of religions competing for the world’s attention.

The creed we know today as the Apostles’ Creed also served as an educational tool, training new believers in the central doctrines of Christianity. At the time of their baptism, Christians would affirm their faith by reciting this Creed as a personal declaration of belief. As false teachings circulated in the Early Church, the Apostles’ Creed took on another role: strengthening and clarifying the essential truths of the faith. For that reason, it places great emphasis on the Person and work of Jesus Christ while giving less attention to other topics such as the Holy Spirit, Scripture, the sacraments, church government, or eschatology (the end times). In a similar way, the Nicene Creed was developed in the Eastern Church to guard against the false teachings of the Arian movement.

Today, we live in a world where confusion about the central doctrines of Christianity remains widespread, and where challenges to the faith still persist in various forms. As a Christian high school, Western is committed to equipping students not only with academic excellence but also with a firm foundation in the truth of God’s Word. Adopting the Apostles’ Creed as our Statement of Faith expresses both our unity with the historic Church and our desire to pass on the essentials of the Christian faith to the next generation. The Apostles’ Creed provides a concise and reliable summary of what Christians have believed through the centuries, and by affirming it together, we root our school community in the unchanging truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Statement of Faith - Western Christian High School

Article III Position Paper I Believe The Latin word credo means more than “I think this is true.” It literally means “I give my heart to” or “I entrust myself to.” So when we say, “I believe in God,” we are declaring not only agreement with certain truths but also personal trust in God Himself.

At Western, this confession reminds us that faith is not merely intellectual but relational. It shapes how students approach their studies, athletics, relationships, and future—everything is entrusted to God. Key Scriptures: Hebrews 11:1–12:3; Matthew 9:20–22, 27–30. _________________________________________________________________________________ In God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth THE FATHER We confess God as the Father because of how He has revealed Himself to us in His Word (Mt. 7:11).

As such, He is personal, loving, and relational. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3), and by his grace, He adopts us as His children (John 1:12). For our school community, this means that our identity is not rooted in achievements or failures, but in being beloved children of God. Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:9–13; Galatians 4:1–7.

ALMIGHTY Calling God “Almighty” acknowledges His sovereign power over all things. While human power is limited and often misused, God’s almighty rule is both good and just.

Students are reminded that no circumstance is beyond God’s control, and no future is beyond His care.

Key Scriptures: Psalm 135:6; Ephesians 1:11.

MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH The Creed affirms that God created both the visible and invisible realms. Creation is not random or meaningless; it is the intentional work of a good God. This gives dignity to our studies in science, history, and the arts. All truth belongs to God, and creation points us back to its Maker.

Key Scriptures: Genesis 1–2; Psalm 8; Colossians 1:16.

And in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord

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Statement of Faith - Western Christian High School JESUS The name “Jesus” means "Jehovah saves.” This points us to the heart of the gospel: that God entered history to save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21).

CHRIST “Christ” means “Anointed One.” He fulfills the Old Testament promises of a Savior-King who would bring healing, justice, and peace (Luke 4:18–19).

HIS ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON Jesus is God’s unique Son, fully divine and fully human. In Him we see God most clearly (John 1:14).

OUR LORD To call Jesus “Lord” is to acknowledge His ultimate authority. For our students, this means Christ is not just one influence among many, but the One to whom every part of life belongs.

Key Scriptures: John 3:16; Colossians 1:13–23; Philippians 2:5–11. _________________________________________________________________________________ Who Was Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary This phrase protects two vital truths: Jesus is both fully God and fully man. He is the eternal Son of God who was conceived by the Holy Spirit; and having been born of his mother, the virgin Mary, He shares fully in our humanity. He truly is Immanuel, God with us.

For young people, this means that Jesus truly understands human life. He knows our struggles, joys, and weaknesses, and yet He is God with us.

Key Scriptures: Luke 1:26–38; John 1:14. _________________________________________________________________________________ Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, Was Crucified, Dead, and Buried The Creed roots Jesus’ suffering in real history by naming Pontius Pilate. Jesus’ death was not a myth but a public event. He was crucified, dead, and buried—fully entering into human suffering and death.

This is central to the gospel we teach at Western: Jesus bore the penalty of sin so that we might have life.

Key Scriptures: Isaiah 53; Mark 15:1–47; Romans 5:6–8. _________________________________________________________________________________

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Statement of Faith - Western Christian High School He Descended to Hell This phrase affirms that Jesus truly died. Christ our Lord, by suffering unspeakable anguish, pain, and terror of soul, on the cross but also earlier, has delivered us from hellish anguish and torment.

Key Scriptures: Acts 2:24–27; Isa. 53; Matt. 26:36-46; 27:45-46; Luke 22:44; Heb. 5:7-10 _________________________________________________________________________________ On the Third Day He Rose Again from the Dead The resurrection is the heart of the Christian faith. It is not only proof of Jesus’ divinity but also the guarantee of eternal life for all who believe.

For students, the resurrection means hope: our future is secure because Christ lives.

Key Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, 20–22; John 11:25–26. _________________________________________________________________________________ He Ascended into Heaven, and Is Seated at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty Jesus ascended not to leave us but to reign as King. Seated at God’s right hand, He intercedes for His people and rules over history.

This reassures our school community that Christ is sovereign, even now, in every part of our lives.

Key Scriptures: Acts 1:9–11; Hebrews 7:25; Ephesians 1:20–23. _________________________________________________________________________________ From There He Will Come to Judge the Living and the Dead The Creed ends its focus on Jesus by looking forward. Christ will return, and all will give account before Him. This reminds students that our choices matter, and that God’s justice and mercy will one day be fully revealed when His kingdom is fully revealed.

Key Scriptures: Matthew 25:31–46; 2 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 21–22. _________________________________________________________________________________ I Believe in the Holy Spirit Though brief, this statement affirms that the Spirit is fully divine and at work in the Church and in the lives of believers. The Spirit applies Christ’s work to us, empowers us for witness, and produces spiritual fruit in us.

For Western, this means we depend on the Spirit’s power in our teaching, learning, worship, and community.

Key Scriptures: John 14:16–17; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22–25. _________________________________________________________________________________

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Statement of Faith - Western Christian High School The Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints Here “catholic” means “universal.” The Creed affirms that the Church is bigger than one denomination, school, or culture. We belong to the global body of Christ, united across time and place.

Students are reminded that faith is not individualistic—we are part of a great community that is larger than ourselves.

Key Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 4:1–6. _________________________________________________________________________________ The Forgiveness of Sins The gospel assures us that through Christ, our sins are forgiven. This is not just a theological truth but a daily reality: we live free from guilt and shame because of Jesus.

In our school community, forgiveness also shapes how we relate to one another—with grace, mercy, and reconciliation.

Key Scriptures: Psalm 103:8–12; 1 John 1:9; Ephesians 1:7. _________________________________________________________________________________ The Resurrection of the Body Christian hope is not only that our souls live on, but that one day God will raise our bodies to new life.

Death does not have the final word.

For students, this truth grounds hope in the midst of suffering, loss, or fear of the future.

Key Scriptures: John 5:28–29; 1 Corinthians 15:42–44. _________________________________________________________________________________ And the Life Everlasting. Amen.

The Creed closes with the promise of eternal life in God’s presence. This is the ultimate goal of faith: unbroken fellowship with God in His new creation.

At Western, this reminds us that education is not just preparation for college or careers, but for eternity.

Key Scriptures: John 14:1–3; Revelation 21:1–4.

Portions of this material were adapted from resources compiled by Love In the Name of Christ.

Copyright © Love In the Name of Christ. All rights reserved.

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