Spiritual Formation at MCS
At Mariners Christian School, spiritual formation is at the heart of our mission to build a firm foundation through Christ-centered education. We are committed to ministering to the whole child—mind, body, and spirit—guided by our core value of a deep and abiding Love for Christ.
Through intentional development of a biblical worldview, we equip students to see all of life through the lens of God’s truth. Scripture is integrated across every subject, activity, and experience so that faith is not compartmentalized but lived out daily.
We believe spiritual growth is a shared calling, and we partner closely with parents to “raise up children in the way they should go, so that when they are old, they will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Our ultimate desire is for every student to encounter the transformative power of Jesus Christ and be prepared to live with conviction, wisdom, and compassion in a world in need of His truth.
Chapel Experience
Our weekly chapel is a central expression of our steadfast commitment to spiritual formation. Every student, from youngest to oldest, participates in a chapel experience that is intentionally designed with Jesus at the center, reflecting our core school value: Love for Christ.
Chapel is more than a gathering—it’s a vital time of worship, learning, and spiritual growth as a community. Each week, students engage in heartfelt worship through song, hear Christ-centered messages from passionate speakers, and participate in student-led moments of sharing and leadership. Meaningful prayer experiences and age-appropriate small group discussions deepen faith, encourage authentic connection, and help students apply God’s Word to their daily lives.
Through chapel, our entire school community unites around the truth of Scripture and the presence of Jesus—cultivating hearts that love Him and lives that reflect Him.
Anchored in the Story of Jesus
Two cornerstone experiences of spiritual formation at Mariners Christian School are Nativity Emphasis Week during Advent and Spiritual Emphasis Week leading into Easter. These sacred seasons provide our community with dedicated time to slow down, reflect deeply, and focus intentionally on the life of Jesus—His miraculous birth and His sacrificial death and resurrection. We believe it is essential that every student not only hears these foundational truths, but understands their personal and eternal significance.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas and Easter, both Elementary and Middle School students engage in meaningful, age-appropriate spiritual practices. Teachers are equipped with rich, grade-level content and classroom experiences that invite reflection, response, and deeper understanding. Across campus, students participate in additional chapels, worship-focused gatherings, and unique opportunities designed to draw hearts closer to Jesus.
These weeks are more than events—they are sacred spaces that form faith, foster reverence, and remind our entire school community of the hope we have in Christ.
Bible Curriculum
At Mariners Christian School, the Bible is not an add-on to education—it is a core subject and the foundation of all we teach. Every student, from Transitional Kindergarten through Middle School, participates in dedicated Bible classes each week, where instruction is protected and prioritized just as it is in math, science, or language arts. We believe God’s Word is so vital that it deserves its own intentional place in the daily rhythm of learning.
Our goal is to raise up students who know Scripture, are shaped by God’s Truth, and live in accordance with it as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Through age-appropriate study, Scripture memorization, and practical application, our Bible curriculum equips students to understand the story of God’s redemption, grow in relationship with Him, and apply biblical truth to every aspect of life.
Elementary Bible
In the Elementary years, students build a firm foundation in the person of Jesus Christ and discover how the whole of Scripture points to Him. Each grade level provides age-appropriate instruction designed to cultivate both knowledge of God’s Word and a love for Him.
TK & Kindergarten
Through songs, hands-on activities, engaging stories, and Scripture memorization, students experience the goodness of God revealed throughout the Bible.
1st & 2nd Grade
Students encounter Jesus—who He is, what He taught, and what He accomplished—as they follow His ministry through the Gospels.
- Foundation: We begin with Jesus because He is the perfect representation of the Father and the central focus of all Scripture.
- Formation: Students are guided to slow down and soak in the Word, allowing Jesus to shape their hearts. This includes meditating on truth, exploring the story from multiple perspectives, asking meaningful questions, engaging in prayer, and learning to dig deeper into Scripture.
3rd–5th Grade
Using the Deep Roots curriculum, students expand their understanding of God’s Word, exploring both Old and New Testament themes. They develop skills to interpret Scripture faithfully, recognize God’s redemptive plan throughout history, and begin applying biblical truth to their own lives.
Middle School Bible Classes
In Middle School, our aim is to form students as theologians, apologists, and disciples of Jesus Christ—equipping them with a deep, resilient faith that can stand firm in today’s world.
Theologians
Students learn how the Bible fits together as one unified story of redemption. Through focused study of key texts such as the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, Psalm 1, and the Sermon on the Mount, they grow in biblical literacy and develop skills to read, interpret, and apply Scripture.
Apologists
Students are trained to think critically and articulate their faith with clarity and confidence. By exploring topics such as the Apostles’ Creed, the trustworthiness of Scripture, the Resurrection, the existence of God, the problem of evil, and current cultural issues, they learn how to defend their faith and engage culture with truth and grace.
Disciples
Students practice spiritual disciplines—including prayer, journaling, fasting, meditation, study, and solitude—to grow in intimacy with Christ. The goal is transformation: a life marked by love for God, obedience to His Word, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
Biblical Worldview Integration (BWI)
At Mariners Christian School, Biblical Worldview Integration is at the heart of how we teach and disciple students. It goes far beyond opening class with prayer or adding a Bible verse to a lesson. Instead, it is the intentional process of connecting every subject and area of life to God’s greater story—making the invisible Kingdom visible.
Through consistent Biblical worldview integration, students come to see that all truth belongs to God. They learn to view and interpret the world through a biblical lens, which develops a faith that is personal, thoughtful, and equipped to engage the culture and world around them with wisdom and grace.
To guide this work, our teachers use the CHAMP framework which highlights God as Creator, humanity in His image, God’s sovereignty as Almighty, Morality rooted in Truth, and our God-given Purpose. This framework equips teachers to weave biblical connections into every subject and empowers students to see their learning—and their lives—through the lens of God’s truth.
