AFFILIATION

First Coast Christian School is an educational and evangelistic ministry of First Coast Baptist Church.  Christian teaching in the school is from a biblical approach using the King James Version of the Bible.  

ACCREDITATION

First Coast Christian school is fully accredited by the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools and the National Council for Private School Accreditation and is a member of the American Association of Christian Schools and the Christian Schools of Duval County.

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL

First Coast Christian School was founded in 1981 as a ministry of the formerly known Jacksonville Baptist Temple and was located on Beaver Street.  In 1985, the school moved, together with the church, to our present location on Blanding Boulevard.  The church's name was changed to First Coast Baptist Church and the school was then named First Coast Christian School.   Dr. Verle Ackerman became the Administrator of the school in 1990 and served in this capacity until 1997.  Mr. Morry Kemple assumed the leadership of the school upon Dr. Ackerman’s retirement.  First Coast Christian School earned full accreditation through the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools in 1996.

PHILOSOPHY OF FIRST COAST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

 At First Coast Christian School we believe that the home, church, and school all play a vital role in meeting the total need of a child.  It is our firm conviction that proper training begins in the home.  The Bible teaches that parents are responsible for educating their children.  Children should be trained early in life the importance of obeying authority, respecting others, and being responsible.

The responsibility of the church is to help parents and their children to have a full knowledge of salvation through Christ and to teach them to experience a meaningful relationship with God.  The church teaches that the Bible is the Word of God and that the principles of the Bible are the basis upon which to live a genuine Christian life. 

The responsibility of First Coast Christian School is to reinforce the Christian principles taught by the home and the church.  We want to provide a school that offers an environment and curriculum conducive to effective teaching and learning.  We believe in the traditional approach to education.  Our purpose is to train our students in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and to provide academic excellence for each student.

At First Coast Christian School we seek to put God first and continue daily in His Word and His teaching.  We desire to follow Jesus, and through His example help each student commit his life to Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and begin a personal walk with God.  We want to teach our students self-discipline and encourage them to do their best.  We seek to instill the underlying principles of obedience, respect, and responsibility that insure success in their futures.

We believe it is the responsibility of the home, the church, and the school to work together for the betterment of our students, to help them develop Christian character, and to encourage them as they grow spiritually, mentally, and physically. 

Our teachers are totally committed to Jesus Christ and are called to serve the Lord through the school ministry.  Our faculty is well qualified and many of them hold advanced degrees.  It is the goal of our faculty to provide a quality education while loving our students, treating them with dignity, and providing consistent discipline.

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of FCCS is to provide a quality, Christ-centered education in a safe, Christian atmosphere, to reach the heart of each student for Jesus Christ, and to prepare our students for the future by promoting spiritual growth and developing a biblical worldview.

 

SCHOOL VERSE
“Teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man
perfect in Christ Jesus.” Colossians 1:28b
 

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

• To prepare children spiritually by instilling in them a love for God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit and a personal sense of responsibility to be all God wants them to be.

• To prepare children to live successfully.

• To encourage them to think clearly, logically, and independently.

• To offer an instructional program that meets the academic needs of the children.

• To develop an understanding of the world in which they live and the ability to appreciate and adjust to their environment on the basis of Biblical principles.

• To achieve mastery in the tools of learning and communication.

• To develop a Biblical, moral, ethical, and spiritual sense which will aid them in appreciation of their own personal worth and that of others.

• To develop in each child a sense of responsibility as a Christian and as a citizen.

• To provide opportunities for developing the skills necessary for living as well as how to make a living.

• To provide them with opportunities to develop an understanding of and an appreciation for the arts as well as contributing to them.  

• To offer opportunities to participate in wholesome forms of recreation.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

1. We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired:  that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

2. We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, and infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the God head there are three persons, the Father, The Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious office in the great work of redemption.

3. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth:  that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.

4. We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of the world.  We hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy; the lord of the Antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness destined however to final defeat at the hands of God's own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.

5. We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically of figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image and after His own likeness; that man's creation was not a matter evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly and God's established law that they should bring forth only "after their kind."

6. We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.

7. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost, in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God, the Son.

8. We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace:  through the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's; place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the most tender sympathies with divine perfection, He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and  all-sufficient Savior.

9. We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again:  that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not be character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.

10. We believe in God's electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and an obedient faith; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; with rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.

11. We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us.

12. We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior.

13. We believe that a Baptist Church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel, said church being understood to be the citadel and propagator of the Divine and Eternal Grace; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers of ordination are pastors or elders whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures; we believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission:  First, to make individual disciples; second, to build up the church; third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded.  We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

14. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer; in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new belief; that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord's supper; in which the members of the church, by the sacred used of bread and the fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.

15. We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation.

16. We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our god, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse, and this distinction holds among men both after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.

17. We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience, and coming Prince of the kings of the earth.

18. We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value.  Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily "The third day according to the Scriptures;" that He alone is our "merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God;" "that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven" - bodily, personally and visibly; that the dead in Christ shall rise first," that the living saints " shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;" "that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David" and that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet."

19. The command to give the gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the churches.

20. Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of the faith.