Integrity involves bringing congruence to the inner person:  the heart, the soul, the mind, the will, and actions. Real Christianity is found in a person who lives on the outside what he already is on the inside. The person of integrity has nothing to hide or fear because his life is an open book. The man of integrity recognizes that he must have exclusive allegiance to God and doesn’t try to love God and the world at the same time. His heart is in heaven because that is where his treasure is. I John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.”

Because ministry is an integral part of who believers are and is evidence of their salvation, ministry to one another in the body of Christ is not optional. The Christian who doesn’t minister is no different than the person who doesn’t breathe. God has gifted each believer specifically and solely for the purpose of ministering to one another in the context of the local church. Grace Academy supports the local church, training students and sending them back into their local churches, where they exercise their spiritual gifts. In this way, they’ll be able to make a difference for Jesus Christ in those churches. Ministry is also important at Grace Academy as the school ministers to families and churches. The Bible has established the church and the home and the Christian school exists to support them.

The concept of purity comes from I Corinthians 6:9-11, which says that as Christians we are set apart. Purity must first begin with salvation. (John 3:3, Psalm 51:7) There is nothing more important in life, not one’s GPA, nor one’s career; nothing is more important than one’s eternal destiny. Therefore it is our desire that all our students be saved (1Timothy 2:4). The redeemed student will seek to live for and love Jesus Christ with all his heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37) The result is a student who, from a heart to love God, lives a right and moral life.

Accountability requires openness between two or more people who agree to share personal victories and to question one another when they notice sinful tendencies. This is, in reality, biblical edification: the ministry of stimulating one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Accountability is also found as students take tests, receive grades on assignments, and are encouraged to practice righteous behavior.

The Apostle Paul in Romans 12:2 tells us not to “be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. In essence this is the redeemed person who understands their salvation and lives it out, the biblically functioning Christian. It is our desire that every student at Grace Academy live a life of total dependence on God while being conformed to His image. That is a difficult goal for an academic institution! The temptation to lean on yourself when you study a course and take the test is mighty strong. And so we have to carefully balance academic confidence with dependence on God. Proverbs 3:5-6 makes our mission of conformity quite clear: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

According to Proverbs, one of the chief characteristics of a wise man is a desire for learning. “The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (Proverbs 18:15). To assume that we are teachable merely because we hear a lot of teaching is to deceive ourselves. A prerequisite to teachability is humility; we must know that there is always more to be learned than we already know, and we must be willing to learn from anyone, and at any time. A wise person loves to learn because he realizes that knowledge is like precious treasure. Learning is a lifelong process; it is a spiritual discipline that characterizes the truly wise person. Never forget, however, that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.