Mission & Beliefs

The LRCA Christian Community “Religious Organization”

Little Rock Christian Academy will, as a religious organization, exercise its prerogative to neither commence nor continue an appointment, employment, admission, enrollment, or other category of LRCA Christian community representation or participation if it is believed by LRCA that so doing will cause confusion about, conflict with, or compromise of the LRCA Christian community’s mission to disciple LRCA students by providing a distinctly Christian education from a Christ-centered worldview.

Roles and Expectations for LRCA Community Participants
(Student and Parent or Legal Guardian)

LRCA asks that at least one parent (or legal guardian) of each student be a devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ as demonstrated in testimony, lifestyle choices, and conduct, to adhere the LRCA Doctrinal Statement, and to be an active member of a local denomination of the historical Christian church. Each participating parent or student is either a co-discipler or the one being discipled. Co-disciplers and the one being discipled are expected to abide by applicable LRCA Christian community standards, manifest respect for the beliefs shared in common by the LRCA Christian community, and be fully supportive of the LRCA Christian community mission in word and conduct.

What does this mean in practice? Two examples:

• Belief Systems outside the Circle of Orthodoxy Embraced by Historical Christian Church. The doctrinal beliefs of the LRCA Christian community are those within the circle of orthodoxy embraced by the historical Christian church. It is the belief of LRCA that the admission of a child of a parent who adheres to a faith tradition outside the circle of orthodoxy embraced by the historical Christian church would create confusion in LRCA’s mission to teach LRCA students the truth as stated in our LRCA Doctrinal Statement (see below). Consequently, admission will be denied when LRCA determines that the doctrine of another faith system (e.g. Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses) does not align with the doctrine of the LRCA Christian community.
• Human Sexuality and Marriage. LRCA stands firmly upon the truth claims and moral foundations of Christianity, as expressed in the Bible as understood by the historical orthodox Christian church. This includes but is not limited to the biblical definition of marriage, the attendant boundaries of sexuality and moral conduct, and the clear biblical teaching that gender is both sacred and established by God’s design. Parents (or legal guardians) who choose to enroll their children at LRCA are agreeing to support the biblical values and the relevant Christian positions regarding faith and practice embraced by the historical orthodox Christian church as it has interpreted the Bible and the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

LRCA Mission Fit Recap

Selecting the distinct philosophy of discipleship espoused by LRCA is an important decision. Little Rock Christian's desire is that parents make an informed choice. Thus, these key excerpts of LRCA's Christian Community Statement have been provided. Please know that prayerful consideration is given to admission, continued enrollment, and re-enrollment in light of a perception of mission alignment between parents and school as co-disciplers.

You are invited to explore whether the mission of Little Rock Christian Academy aligns with your mission for discipling your children. Our prayer is that you discover God’s perfect will for your family as you pursue this most critical parental duty.

Click here for the full Christian Community Statement

We believe that the Bible, consisting of 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, verbally inspired, free from error in doctrine, fact and ethic, and inerrant in the original writings, is the Word of God and the only infallible and authoritative rule of faith and practice.

We believe in the Holy Trinity, one God eternally existent in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

We believe in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of God the Father, and His personal and physical return in power and glory.

We believe that God created man in His own image but that through sin, man brought upon himself and his posterity not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God; that all human beings by physical birth possess a sinful nature.

We believe that the salvation of lost and sinful man is a free gift of God's grace apart from works, based solely upon Christ's vicarious and atoning death, effected by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, and received by trusting in Christ's finished work on the cross, and that this salvation is eternally secured to all believers.

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by Whose indwelling upon salvation the Christian is enabled to live a godly life; that it is incumbent upon every believer to walk worthy of his calling--to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh.

We believe in the resurrection of the body of both the saved and the lost--they that are saved to the resurrection of life everlasting and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation.

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

LRCA is committed to cultivating mutual respect, celebrating God-given differences around the cross of Christ and building up the Body according to the truths of scripture and in accordance to our stated mission. We value both the uniqueness of individuals as well as varying cultures that contribute to our collective identity. In deepening kingdom diversity, LRCA desires to foster a community that is able to express the love of Christ to diverse others within the attitudes, beliefs, and practice of our Christian faith.

We also recognize that diversity for diversity’s sake is of very little use. Only when there is unity in diversity around the cross of Christ is there tremendous benefit not just to LRCA, but the overall Body of Christ as well.

Little Rock Christian Academy's fifth strategic plan has begun - stay tuned!

First and foremost, we are a school – a Christ‐centered educational community in pursuit of truth, wisdom and knowledge with a focus on preparation for higher education.

As a Christian school, we are an extension of Christ’s church and the Christian home. Christian schools are stronger and wiser in partnership with the Christian home and local churches. At LRCA, we refer to this partnership as the golden triangle. It is the responsibility of the golden triangle to challenge students to maturity as Jesus, Himself, was challenged: “and Jesus grew in stature and wisdom and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)

The primary agents of instruction are parents assisted by professional servant educators who know Christ intimately.

A strong education balances the artistic, athletic and academic pursuits to the glory of God and liberates all to serve others wholeheartedly.

An educational experience is void without the love of Christ demonstrated in authentic community and service. Love always considers the best interest of the other.

Not everyone learns in the same way, nor do all have the same ability. Accordingly, we aim to maximize challenge, maximize support and maximize potential of those we admit through selective admissions based on our mission and strategic goals and those students to whom we annually commit.

IN TERMS OF OUR PHILOSOPHY OF LEARNING, WE BELIEVE:

• Learning is a relentless lifelong pursuit.

• Every student’s potential can be maximized to the glory of God.

• Research informs our practice/methodologies.

• There is a core knowledge base that is essential to master in order to be fully educated. This content base should be incrementally acquired and meaningfully understood via effective teaching practices. Beyond the core, critical‐thinking skills are an intentional overlay of our curriculum.

A well-designed curriculum, effective teaching methods and an attitude of life-long learning add up to a transformative educational experience.

A CULTURE OF LEARNING AT LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN ACADEMY IS NURTURED BY THE FOLLOWING EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES:

• Thinking in Christian categories

• Danielson's "Frameworks for Teaching"

• Collective Leadership - horizontal patterns of accountability, leadership and contribution 

• The Workshop Model

• The Harkness Model