Stories of good news from current and former students

Owing to influences from outside school, especially the Internet, I developed depression, and felt I had no purpose. I did not know who I was. My Christian teachers prayed for me and supported me, encouraging me with powerful Bible verses, and helping me to realise who I really am – a confident young man of faith. If I hadn’t had this support, I might not be here today. My parents chose a Christian school because they wanted to pass on the same values that they had been brought up with. My Christian education helped deliver me from the dark and terrible thoughts that came about from the internet, and taught me about Christian living, and how to deal with the challenges that life throws at me.

I went to [school name] for 13 years. For all the years that I was at school, in the classroom and all through any extra curricular activities, all of my teachers had a positive impact on my schooling education! They were patient, kind and loving regardless of the situation, always living by and applying the fruits of the spirit to their actions and words. They always had my best interests in mind and would go above and beyond to see me succeed in everything I do but especially in helping me figure out the person I’m meant to be in this big world. They challenged me, in a good way, and positively helped shape my worldview as they showed me the Love of Jesus Christ and taught me how to better treat others from the teachings of the Bible! Their Christian faith and biblical understandings gave me hope for my future and those around me.

My life has been greatly enriched by attending a Christian school. Not only because of the teachings and the structure of the day, but because of the relationships that each staff member was willing to make and demonstrate Christ’s love to every student. My future wasn’t pressured but rather nurtured into a hopeful promise of being a Christ-like person. Every success and achievement wasn’t broadcasted for prideful purposes but to reinforce the humble character of the school’s values. My life will forever be shaped in the likeness of Jesus, and I am beyond grateful for that.

My non-religious atheist parents transferred me to a Christian school midway through my primary education because they wanted me to be inculcated with good moral and ethical values besides good academic education. My parents told me later that they liked what they saw in the person I had become, and they too decided to embrace the Christian faith for themselves.

When I heard about the Christian faith in year 7 and saw the authentic lives my Christian teachers lived, I wanted to be part of this myself. Having Christian teachers who taught the Christian faith made my faith journey an authentic experience and allowed me to feel safe and confident about the choice I was making. I want this to be the experience of my children when I one day send them to a Christian school. Christian teachers taught me not only academically, but holistically (emotional, spiritual, physical, mental well-being).

Students who had been expelled repeatedly from other schools were embraced and included as valued and significant members of our school communities. Teachers noticed and challenged students who were excelling to both extend and share thier talents with the school and wider community. While in theory these two examples may also be evident in state schools, the principles of forgiveness and of giving ones best for God and others were held consistently by the Christian teachers. The Christian community was for me the most significant difference between Christian schools and state schools. I could not imagine a Christian School without Christian teachers living out their faith by loving God and those around them.

It is both the doing and the saying of the Christian faith that makes an impact on students here.