Our Mission & Philosophy

MISSION STATEMENT

“Teaching a Changeless Christ to a Changing World”

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

Parents have been given the divine injunction to “Bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  A loving God, who wants only the best for our children, gave these directions.  Immanuel Lutheran Church sponsors a Christian day school to partner with parents in fulfilling this command; that is, to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ to children of the congregation and the community so that they may grow to love their Savior and believe in Him as the only means of salvation.  Additionally, faith instilled by the Holy Spirit may become a functional faith during their stay on earth.  When we gather a class around a Christian teacher guiding them with God’s Word, good things happen; Christian character and Christian nurturing occur.

DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

Since Immanuel Lutheran School is an extension of the ministry of Immanuel Lutheran Church, the doctrinal statement for the church and school are the same.

Lutherans believe:

  1. There is only one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  God is the Creator of the universe with all of its grandeur and beauty, and He sustains it with His almighty power.  He also created our first parents, Adam and Eve, in His image so they might live in fellowship with Him and be His instruments.  (Matt 3:16-17; Gen 1:1; Ps 33:6 and 9; Heb 11:3)
  2. That Adam and Eve, whom God created, doubted and rebelled against Him.  They sinned, and their natures became evil.  Now every human being is born with sin, a self-centered nature, and a tendency for evil that violates God’s will and desire.  Attempts to change human nature or to please God through our own good are doomed to failure.  People need forgiveness and new life, and God provides it through grace.  (Psalm 14:3; Eccl 7:20; 1 John 1:8)
  3. God, out of pure love, gives people forgiveness of sins and thus reconciles them to Himself.  His own Son, Jesus Christ, took the punishment for all sins of all people upon Himself when He died on the cross of Calvary.  God raised Him from the dead on Easter and thus demonstrated to the world that the sacrifice of Jesus has been accepted and humans’ sins are paid for.  Jesus has ascended to the right hand of the Father and will return on the Last Day in power and glory.  (John 3:16; Rom 10:4; Col 1:13-14; John 1:9)
  4. That people receive forgiveness of sins and salvation through faith.  Faith is created by the Holy Spirit through the means of the Gospel message, which tells of God’s love demonstrated in Jesus Christ.  (1 Cor 2:14; 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 2:8-9; 1 Cor 12:3)
  5. The Bible is the sole source of knowledge about God and His forgiveness and is also the way Jesus speaks to us today. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible, so it is true and without error.  (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Tim 3:16-17)
  6. The church is the fellowship of all who have come to faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  The Lutheran Church gets its name from Martin Luther, who “reformed” the church with the basic principles of faith alone, grace alone, and Scripture alone.  The purpose of the church is to nurture faith through the Word and Sacraments and to share the love of God through Word and deed with the whole world to make other people disciples of Jesus Christ.  We believe we are empowered to carry out God’s will through the indwelling and gifts of the Holy Spirit.  (Act 2:42; 1 Cor 1:10; John 14:26)
  7. God has given two Sacraments to build up His church: Baptism, to create faith through the power of the Holy Spirit, and Holy Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), to nurture faith.
    • In Baptism, the Holy Spirit uses the water and God’s Word to wash away our sins, give us a new life of faith, and receive us into God’s Kingdom. Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:19-20 that all “nations” are to be baptized, both young and old, including infants. If you feel that the Holy Spirit is calling you or your child to be baptized, please talk with your classroom teacher, the principal, or the pastor for more information.
    • In Holy Communion, Jesus Christ gives the communicant His body and blood “in, with, and under” the bread and wine. Furthermore, as the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, we believe in close communion.  If you have not communed here before, please speak with the Pastor or a deacon before the service.  We ask this out of love and concern, taking God’s Word seriously.  “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”  (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 2: 38-39; 1 Cor 11:17-34)
  1. The fellowship that God establishes with His believers on earth will continue after this life as believers live with Him in heaven for all eternity.  (1 Cor 15: 42-43; Phil 3:20-21; Heb 9: 27-28)

ILS CORE VALUE STATEMENTS

  1. Equip students to be disciples who grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
  1. Encourage servanthood and an intentional faith life in God and to the community.
  1. Encourage and promote the intellectual growth of students in a Christ-centered environment.
  1. Promote respectful and caring attitudes among students, parents, and faculty.
  1. Encourage responsibility and accountability among students, parents, faculty, and the community.