More Than a Name: What Makes a Christian School Truly Christian?
How Spirit-led educators shape the culture of Christ-centered schools.
It’s possible to have a school with a Christian name—but no Christ-centered culture.
In some schools, students gather at chapel weekly, the handbook quotes Scripture, and the curriculum is "biblically integrated." Students attend retreats and camps. School communities are engaging in capital expansions and progress is being made. But when you walk the halls, talk to students or staff, or sit in on a team meeting, you may find something overlooked: evidence of Christ at work.
That’s because Christian education is not primarily sustained by policies, programs, or even curriculum. At its core, a Christian school is Christian because of the people—the teachers, coaches, and administrators who live, breathe, and lead out of the life of Christ.
These staff members don’t just teach Bible; they embody it. They don’t just recite fruit of the Spirit—they bear it. They are living epistles.
The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This ‘letter’ is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
— 2 Corinthians 3:2–3 (NLT)
They also are modeling a life rooted in the kingdom of God—full of grace, mercy, truth, humility, and joy.
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit... Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
— Matthew 7:17, 20 (NLT)
And through them, the Holy Spirit is actively forming hearts, guiding students, and shaping the culture of the school. So the question becomes: How do we build this kind of Christ-centered culture in our Christian schools?
Here are 3 keys to advance the Christian school mission:
1. Set the Vision and Define the Culture
Culture doesn’t form by accident—it’s shaped by what you define, defend, and celebrate.
Start by asking: What kind of people do we want our students to become? And what kind of staff will model and multiply that vision?
Define the spiritual DNA of your school in clear terms. Articulate what Christlike character looks like on your campus—not just theological knowledge, but spiritual fruit in action: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control.
Vision begins to wane and competing visions emerge unless it’s refreshed constantly.
2. Hire, Screen, and Train with the Mission in Mind
Your hiring process is critically important.
Don’t just ask about classroom management or qualifications. Ask how they walk with Jesus. Ask how they disciple students, handle spiritual conversations, or navigate grace and truth with young people. Explore the candidates’ engagement with the Bible and how they might define biblical worldview (in their own words). Get a sense for their spiritual growth trajectory.
Ongoing formation is just as critical. Professional development should certainly include spiritual development, including opportunities to learn more about the Bible, worldview assumptions, cultural apologetics, and integration strategies. Retreats, devotions, mentoring, and theological reflection must remain part of the rhythm—not just instructional strategies, curriculum reviews, and test scores.
The staff you attract, form, and empower will become the loudest curriculum your school ever delivers. Consider the following strategies:
Ask more in-depth Bible and spiritual formation questions in interviews
Preach biblical worldview and the life of Christ in staff meetings
Write it into leadership documents and strategic plans
Model it in your own leadership presence
Implement biblically-based professional development
3. Celebrate Christ Every Chance You Get
Want to see more of something? Celebrate it. All the time.
Share testimonies of God at work in your staff and students. Did a teacher walk with a hurting student through grief? Did a coach model Christ in a moment of intense pressure? Did a parent send a note of encouragement after witnessing spiritual growth in their child and family through the school?
Highlight those stories in team meetings, communications, chapel moments, and board reports. Let the entire school community feel the warmth and reality of a Spirit-led culture.
Final Thoughts
Christian education is not a style of schooling nor is it simply omission of the “bad stuff” potentially found at competing schools. Rather, it is a way of life rooted in Christ. And that life is carried most powerfully not by policies or programs, but by people.
Because students may hear what we teach, but they’re most impacted by how we live.
Bonus: Where Do I Find Quality Christian Educators?
Answer: Everywhere the Lord leads you.
Consider partnerships with:
Christian universities
Local churches (when appropriate)
Professional Christian associations
Christian job boards
Host your own Christian school job fair
But don’t overlook your own team. Encourage your current staff to help promote open positions—personal referrals can go a long way in identifying mission-aligned, spiritually mature candidates who will enrich your school culture.