Our Purpose
Back to top
-
The purpose of Abundant Life Christian School and Learning Center is to provide a sound academic education, integrated with a Christian view of God and the world within a warm, caring environment. Our emphasis is on providing a basic Christian philosophy of, and approach to life.
Both Old and New Testaments emphasize that such instructing, training, and nurture is to begin at an early age. Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come to me…” Luke 18:16. In an economy that forces an increasing number of parents to seek out child-care facilities, it is important that the Church consider seriously this command of Jesus. Therefore, it shall be one of the purposes of Abundant Life Christian School and Learning Center to develop and offer a comprehensive program for children at as early an age as facilities and available personnel make practical. From the youngest to the oldest, a primary purpose of ALCS & LC will be to model and teach the caring love of Jesus for each individual and to encourage the appropriate response to that love on the part of each individual.
-
We believe that both the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, revealing the three persons of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the true God and true man.
We believe that man was created in the image of God, but is separated from God by sin.
We believe that man is redeemed by grace through faith in Christ’s vicarious atonement for sins, the shedding of His blood on the Cross.
We believe that the gift of eternal life is available to all men, that those who receive Christ by faith are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, His imminent return, and the resurrection of His people.
-
Abundant Life Christian School and Learning Center was founded in 1982 by the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Wilmington.
Its formation was in response to the desire of local Christian families for a private school setting emphasizing quality education from a Godly perspective. Upon approval from the local school committee, ALCS opened in a former public school building in September 1982.
Throughout its 12-year history at 17 Boutwell Street, ALCS experienced significant growth. By 1994, ALCS had outgrown the facility. This coincided with Wilmington public school need for the Boutwell Street School. In spite of a yearlong effort to relocate, the school packed its belongings into trailers in June 1995 without having found a location in which to reopen in the fall.
Throughout the summer, administrative staff was encouraged by a specific scripture: "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.
Two weeks before school was to begin, the Lord provided Christian education space in 3 churches: Wilmington United Methodist Church, St. Thomas Catholic Church and The Old South United Methodist Church of Reading. These facilities, in addition to those at the site of the First Baptist Church, enabled the school and daycare ministries to continue.
School opened in all 4 locations in September of 1995 and by March 1996, the congregation of the First Baptist Church voted to build a new Christian Education facility on the church site. Funding was received and ground broken on June 4, 1996. The 21,000 sq. ft. addition was completed in 3 months!
Classes began mid-October, 1996, to the glory of God.
Back to top
