About 1 — Faith Lutheran School

Children Learning for Life in Jesus Christ

Welcome to Faith Lutheran School

We endeavor for all **children** attending Faith Lutheran School to **learn** the necessary academics of today’s world, affording them the experiences to be prepared **for life**. We specifically seek to provide our students with a Biblical worldview to help them grow and develop a life-long relationship with **Jesus Christ**.

“And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God’.”

— Mark 10:13-16 ESV

Our History

Faith Lutheran Church was established in 1954 as fellow Christians recognized the need to meet together in their corporate worship. As that fellowship was blessed by God and began to grow, members realized additional mission outreach was needed in the Derby community. Faith Lutheran Preschool opened its doors in 1988. Faith Lutheran Preschool developed into Faith Lutheran School in 2001 with the addition of Kindergarten. The school has grown from a Preschool to a full Grammar School, serving children through Grade 6. In 2023, Faith Lutheran School transitioned to a classical model of education. The leadership and staff at Faith Lutheran School recognize that the cornerstone of this establishment is Jesus Christ, and His will and His truth remain the center of the education provided.

“For this two fold purpose God has given us children and issued us this command, that we should train and govern them according to His will, to bring up children above all things in the fear and knowledge of God, and that they may be employed for whatever need there is, to have them instructed and trained in a liberal education.”

— Martin Luther

What Sets Faith Lutheran School Apart?

We seek to partner with parents as they raise their children to love and serve Jesus Christ.
We employ dedicated teachers, who deeply love the Lord, value education, and truly care for and encourage every student.
We boast a lesser student-to-teacher ratio. Smaller class sizes enable us to help our students by giving them more individual attention.
We guide children to navigate obstacles and conflicts by using the wisdom of Scripture.
We provide foundational phonics and classical literature to support a life-long love of reading and learning.
We provide reading intervention and support for children with learning difficulties and dyslexia, because we believe literacy is of paramount importance to the educational, emotional, and spiritual health of the student.
We educate children using the classical model of learning, which grows with the students as they discover and develop.
Our students participate in special classes that ensure a well-rounded educational experience, such as art, music, and physical education.
The education at Faith Lutheran School is centered on Christ-like living.

why classical education?

Faith Lutheran School recognizes that children today are bombarded by outside influences that claim their messages are true. How can a child know what is true and what is false? The only way to teach children the truth is to teach them that Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life” and that His Word is infallible and trustworthy (John 14:6 ESV). Classical, Christian education centers on the one true God, and all other branches of knowledge grow from this ultimate source of wisdom. This model of learning builds as children develop and discover. The fruit of this model of learning is a knowledgeable adult, who can reason, apply reason, and express their viewpoints.

Statement of Faith

Doctrine: We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Sexuality: We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

Marriage: We believe the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25). We believe that marriage between one man and one woman, for life, uniquely reflects Christ’s relationship with His Church (Eph. 5:21-33). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, cohabitation, homosexual behavior, rejection of one’s biological sex or use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18- 20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10). We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11). We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28- 31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the school.

Life: We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps. 139.)

The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Faith Lutheran School’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Church Council, Board of Elders, and School Board is Faith Lutheran School’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s application.