1. A Philosophy of Christian Education
Brad McCain
Tacoma Baptist Schools exist to glorify God
by developing DiscipleLeaders
through a Christ-centered community
that is growing in faith, knowledge, and service.
Tacoma Baptist Schools exist to glorify God…
The Westminster Catechism begins with the question and answer, “What is the
chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”1
This
statement stands as the starting point for all disciplines throughout Tacoma Baptist
Schools. Tacoma Baptist Schools’ first and foremost purpose is to bring glory to God.
Every other statement and assumption within this Philosophy of Christian Education is
built upon this foundation. The glorification of God serves as the purpose for our
adherence to the eternal veracity of the word of God; how we interact in peer to peer,
teacher to student, and student to student relationships; and serves as the primary target
for any form of attained accomplishment. This being of preeminent importance, “to glorify
God” becomes the opening for any purpose statement of Christian emphasis. Apart from
this purpose our existence should cease.
1
See the following web source for scripture citations that accompany this statement.
http://www.reformed.org/documents/wsc/index.html?_top=http://www.reformed.org/documents/WSC.ht
ml

2. From the desire to glorify God, a Christian worldview can be formed. This desire is
not the basis alone. It is fused with a holistic approach to biblical truth and submission
thereof that gives genesis to a Christian worldview. The complexity of articulating the
entirety of a Christian worldview is impossible in a document of this size, so the most
prevalent pieces will be addressed. These are the core doctrinal beliefs of Tacoma Baptist
Schools.
 About the Bible: The Bible is the Word of God. It is complete and without
error; it has final authority over everything it addresses. We accept the
Bible as the standard for all areas of life.
 About God: We believe in the one and only true God existing in three
Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are eternal, equal,
and distinct, yet perfectly united.
 About Sin and Salvation: Every human being has sinned and stands
condemned before God. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died to pay the
penalty of sin. He was buried and rose again, demonstrating His victory
over sin and death. Those who trust in Christ are forgiven before God and
are eternally saved; those who reject Christ remain condemned in their
sinfulness and will suffer eternal punishment.
 About Christ’s Return: Jesus has ascended to heaven where He now rules
providentially as God the Son. He will return to earth one day to rule
forever with His saints.
 About Sanctification: It is the privilege and responsibility of every Christian
to grow in Christ-like character and carry out the Great Commission
(Matthew 28) while we await Christ’s return.2
These core beliefs are the non-negotiables for any Christian worldview. It is important for
Christian education to function from this basis. There are many competing voices in
society, some of which have infiltrated the church. Many of these philosophies are in direct
2
See TBS Student Handbook for Junior High and High School Students, Page A-2.

3. contrast with scripture. Without a thoroughly vetted worldview and a continuing process
of evaluating all elements of a school’s function through the lens of scripture, it is easy
for these competing voices to gain an audience in a Christian school. It is impossible for
a school that has departed from or compromised on biblical truth to maintain a Christian
worldview. Therefore, it is impossible for such a school to continue to glorify God as
intended.
…by developing DiscipleLeaders…
Developing DiscipleLeaders is a phrase I invented to describe the functional
purpose of Tacoma Baptist Schools. “To glorify God” is the ultimate purpose of the school.
However, “Developing DiscipleLeaders” is the phrase through which every decision is
funneled. I use the word developing because the process is never finished. The follower
of Christ is in the constant process of being developed or conformed to the image and
likeness of Christ. Likewise, the truly devout follower of Christ understands the mandate
to engage in developing others. Developing in both the active and passive sense, the
Christian educator is also in process of being educated. This reciprocity happens in the
classroom, through staff meetings, and with parent interactions with recognized mutuality
at all times.
A DiscipleLeader is one who is a follower of Christ who is leading others in how to
follow Christ. Again, there is an active and passive element to the idea that we are
simultaneously followers and leaders. Every role in the Christian school recognizes this

4. and understands the correct place within the structural hierarchy of the school. The only
difference is assigned responsibilities. This phrase – developing DiscipleLeaders - defines
who we are as a school. Making disciples is the active command of the Great Commission
and the active mandate for our school. We must exercise great intent toward training our
students to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. As a Christian
school, our goal is to make disciples, who make disciples, who make disciples, ad
infinitum. Grades are important. Accomplishments are important. Making disciples is
mandatory.
We are surrounded by other Christian schools who strive to do the same things we
do to some degree or another. We do not communicate what we do as much as why we
do it because this is the distinguishing factor for TBS. Developing DiscipleLeaders is the
communication phrase from which all other functions of our school derive. This is the
centrality and pulse of our school which permeates every element. As we emphasize
developing DiscipleLeaders we enhance our school culture and move toward a common
goal.
…through a Christ-centered community…
I prefer the idea of being Christ-centered over Bible-centered. I’ve seen the latter
produce many Pharisees over the years in the church. A Christ-centered school
understands that Christ alone is the Word (John 1). We pursue the Word as a person, or
as a relationship to be nurtured, grown, and understood, rather than a text. As we do so,

5. we accomplish what would more rightly be called biblical saturation than biblical
integration. Integration implies the combination of two elements that would not be joined
if left unto themselves. Biblical integration can imply that math, science, history, English,
and the fine arts have nothing to do with Scripture so we must integrate the two. Often
the result is proof-texting a subject matter by taking the Word out of context. This
cheapens the gravity of the Word for our students and should be avoided.
To be truly Christ-centered results in a biblical saturation within the school.
Saturation implies that the passive element has been so exposed to the active agent that
the two have become completely inextricable. Biblical saturation implies that the
fundamental elements of God’s creative and redemptive plan can be discovered in any
discipline. In fact, no discipline can truly be understood in its totality apart from the
biblical. Christ is also Truth. Apart from truth no matter can be fully known. Apart from
Christ no matter can be fully known. In a culture of postmodern relativism, the Christian
school must hold fast to the undeniable veracity of the Word of God as absolute truth. To
be a Christ-centered community means that the Christian school is saturated with the
Word and Truth in a way that fully illuminates all elements of a field. This Word and Truth
informs all decisions and values of the school and its constituents.
As educators, we are collaborative in our efforts to teach and lead our students to
places of discovery for themselves. It takes the expertise of someone who has traveled
the path before to guide students along the way to discovery. Our role is that of shepherd

6. within the community of a Christian school. The shepherd leads his sheep. He protects
the sheep from the enemy. He takes them to fertile pasture so that the sheep can be fed.
However, left unto themselves, sheep will eat a pasture into destruction. The community
of a Christian school allows the teacher and school to partner with the family and local
church in the spiritual formation of a child. This mutual relationship is one of a partnership
in which there is reciprocal responsibility. The Christian school understands its position in
the process of helping students grow within the context of a Christ-centered community.
TBS is often described as a second family. This community is very connected. Our
interwoven-ness creates a very unique community. A Bible-centered approach can lead
to legalism and the use of scripture as spiritual grenades against those who disagree. It is
impossible for a Christ-centered community to behave in such a way. “The fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace.” This subtle shift to being a Christ-centered community
should change things. There is grace and truth in Christ.
…that is growing in faith, knowledge, and service.
Measurable outcomes exist in any school. Most schools measure their outcomes
through standardized test scores. While these are certainly important, they are not the
most important. At TBS, we emphasize growing in faith, knowledge, and service. Students
who are growing in faith should be able to articulate their faith. They should be able to
lead another person to faith in Christ. A student who is growing in faith is learning how
to feed themselves spiritually. The school’s true report card comes in the years after a

7. student leaves. Is the student faithfully serving the local church? Have they continued the
process of developing DiscipleLeaders? Have they demonstrated a walk that is consistent
with a Christ-centered life? Faith is hard to measure under the scrutinizing watch of daily
life at a Christian school. They learn the language and figure out how to conform to the
culture around them. As the pressures of life come upon a student the certainty of their
faith is proven.
While students grow in faith, we also challenge them to also grow in knowledge.
Wisdom – the ability to make the right decision for the right reason – is a lost art in today’s
culture. We must train our students to grow in godly wisdom. This is knowledge that will
go far beyond standardized test scores. However, we have also been given the task to
encourage our students toward academic excellence as an act of worship unto the Lord.
This knowledge is demonstrated in their eventual ability to also live a Gospel-saturated
life. Growing in knowledge is visible through the skills demonstrated to compete
athletically, perform the arts, and ace a test. However, growing in knowledge is also
important for those who will rarely do any of those things to a level that would receive
accolades. Every student is worthy of our coaching and coaxing to develop and grow in
knowledge through their own skills to the glory of God.
Service is an external manifestation of an inward reality. Eventually, we want our
students to lay down their lives for the sake of the Gospel by serving others. This can
happen through vocational ministry, but is often most remarkable when seen as a natural

8. outpouring in daily living. Service to others is a form of DiscipleLeadership. This is a skill
that should be observable and repeatable in the lives of teachers and students.
I believe God has placed me at Tacoma Baptist Schools to raise up a generation of
missionaries. They will pursue every vocation, but they will see themselves primarily as
missionaries of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations. As they center their lives around
Christ, they will become DiscipleLeaders who live for the glory of God.