Spiritual Life
Our name happens to include the word Christian, in part to identify us as a school that has a different approach. Even more than our name, though, we hope that our actions, the way we lead, the environment we create, and the love and grace you feel on our campus will all identify us as a different type of school: a Christian school! We think NHCS does have a higher calling. Examine our mission statement: “Equipping hearts and minds to impact the world for Christ.” Our ultimate goal is to impact the world with Christ’s goodness, truth, and beauty—a goal much different from that of any other school. We intend to do that by first equipping the hearts of our own students! “For it is from the heart that all else flows.” (Proverbs 4:23)
During the past few years, we have structured the leadership of North Hills to focus on the “whole child”: the mind, the body, and the soul. It is our focus on the soul—the heart—that sets us apart. At NHCS, our first priority is honoring and serving Christ as we educate our students. We truly believe that, unlike the public school system or other private schools, we have the potential to make an eternal impact on our students and even their friends and families.
While all of us at the school are responsible for sharing our faith and leading our children with a Christ-like attitude, the job of shepherding and developing the spiritual aspect of our organization is our Spiritual Life Director, Mrs. Shari Evans.
In her role, Mrs. Evans keeps her finger on the pulse of the spiritual component our students, faculty, and staff. She helps define, as well as guide us, as we equip the hearts of our students. As a Christian school, we intend to integrate a Biblical worldview into all that we do and teach. At NHCS, we believe that all Truth is God’s Truth. For this reason, we believe God’s Word is easily integrated into every subject we teach and every activity we sponsor. As we educate and train the students’ minds, bodies, and souls, we constantly look for ways to integrate God’s Truth in every class. Our infinitely wise and creative God designed the laws of physics, the beauty of mathematics, the amazing biology of all living things, and the soothing tones of music. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork,” both inside and outside the classroom.
Along with Biblical integration in our core classes, we also have a focused Bible class for each grade level, as we introduce the doctrines of the Christian faith. Our lower school students focus on Bible stories, Bible literacy, and Bible passage memorization. Upper school students focus on Bible survey, the wisdom of Proverbs, Systematic Theology, and Apologetics. Upper school student meet for small group devotions within their “houses” (small groups), and all students gather for weekly chapels, with worship led by students and presentations given by local pastors and guest speakers, spiritually mature students, or members of our school staff. Through our Bible classes and chapel programs, we also integrate disciplines of the Christian faith across our campus each year. These disciplines include Scripture Reading/Memorization/Meditation, Prayer and Confession, Gratitude, Christian Community, Fasting, Worship, Celebration. We believe that consistency and faithfulness to both Bible doctrines and spiritual disciplines will cause students to develop lives of spiritual health.
We also have a Prayer Buddy program in which older students are paired with younger students. This program allows older students to mentor and model a prayer life for younger students, although the inverse may sometimes occur. This time together allows students to experience the power of prayer, as well as allowing students to care for each other as they build a sense of spiritual community.
To further equip the hearts of students, we have Spiritual Emphasis weeks for each of the school divisions. The Spiritual Emphasis weeks are times when the students can dig deeper into God’s Word, learn new concepts, bond together as a body, and reflect on their own spiritual walks. God has often initiated spiritual awakening among our students during these weeks of intense focus.
As our staff is often on the front lines of helping students navigate struggles and difficulties in their lives, we value the spiritual health of our employees and seek to encourage them through weekly staff devotions and times of prayer. Not every student may vocalize his or her personal burdens, but caring and discerning teachers recognize the need for each student to be offered a listening ear, and encouraging word, and Christ-like love. As our faculty and staff are strengthened spiritually, they are prepared for effective ministry to our students as needs arise. In addition to equipping our staff spiritually through strategic initiatives, we are blessed to have a group of parents who faithfully gather to pray for our entire North Hills family on a regular basis.
A number of years ago, a group of students began “prayer walks” on our campus, and this meaningful experience is now a special part of each new school year’s beginning. Prayer walks today include students, staff, parents, and local pastors for a time of devotion and prayer. After breaking up in groups, time is spent praying in each classroom for the students and teachers who will occupy the location for the year. Every locker, office, and playground structure will be touched and prayed for during the annual prayer walk as we ask God for His Kingdom to come, and for His will to be done--here, as it is in heaven.
It is our great privilege to keep our eyes and ears open for ways we may serve our entire NHCS family as physical, emotional, and spiritual needs arise. By God’s grace, we delight in serving through listening, loving, encouraging, and demonstrating the compassion of Jesus to our students and their families.