How Christian Schools Shape Adolescent Spiritual Development

Increasing Christian school enrollment, declining spiritual development in modern American culture, and the growing recognition of its importance together create a strong opportunity for Christian schools to contribute to adolescent spiritual development.  

Christian school enrollment within ACSI is growing, creating a significant opportunity to shape students’ spiritual development and support faith formation. This research project explored how Christian schools contribute to high school students’ lived experience of spiritual growth. The study interviewed twenty-five alumni from Oklahoma Bible Academy (classes of 2008–2017), focusing on young adults ages 25–30 in order to gather thoughtful retrospective insights about meaningful faith experiences during their Christian high school years. The research identified four overarching themes that help answer how Christian schools contribute to students’ faith development. 

The themes that emerged from this research provide deeper insight into the findings of the Cardus report. While the Cardus study showed that positive spiritual development outcomes were present, it did not explain how those outcomes were formed. This study helps fill that gap by identifying key themes that describe how Christian schools cultivate those outcomes in students (2018 U.S. Cardus Education Survey: Spiritual Strength, Faithful Formation, 2019). The research revealed four overarching themes that explain how Christian schools contribute to adolescent spiritual development in high school students: 

The highest frequency of expressed insight was the relational discipleship network, with both teachers and friends. Teachers’ role as both Christian models and mentors was an important factor. A former high school student stated, “Probably one of the biggest lessons from Bible class is just, it's going to sound kind of corny, but they (teachers) showed Jesus to me and a bunch of the other knuckleheads in my class.”  

Another Christian school grad recalled, “They (teachers) all just had a deep passion for life and for Christ. They passionately cared about us students and our relationship with Christ, and getting their input and their guidance really helped accelerate my faith growth.” Teachers who shaped students’ faith development were characterized with contagious passion, vulnerability, availability, and authenticity. One-on-one conversations that took place during students’ life challenges influenced them more than direct teaching. Moreover, the value of Christian accountability amongst friends emerged as influential, particularly spontaneous faith conversations in unprogrammed environments like lunch tables and bus trips.  

The second leading insight was that the foundation of Bible and theological knowledge was symbiotic with their spiritual development process. The sample Christian school graduates did not bifurcate their biblical knowledge from their spiritual development process; in fact, they clearly stated it contributed to their internalized Christian faith development. “There was always talk of application in the modern context, but it was rarely ever talked about in isolation from clear Scripture interpretation. And teachers did a good job of bringing those things to the forefront in terms of bringing them to life and making them real. The Bible never felt disconnected or distant.” Another stated that “When I think back to specific moments, Bible class was where discussions really solidified, hearing it with time to wrestle with ideas. And again, under that preceptorship, someone is shepherding us.” Class discussions driven by the students’ questions were particularly influential.  

Graduates stated that being immersed in a learning environment that was saturated with spiritual development as a priority by all personnel in all programs contributed meaningfully to their faith growth. One graduate reflected that “Hearing my math teacher’s testimony was huge, and I considered that when my salvation actually occurred.”  

Another graduate commented that “Teacher B had a significant impact on just showing what a coach can be like by always keeping a level head. And the impact that a teacher can have on a student when they are willing to listen [is huge]. So, he showed incredible Christ-like behavior. Everywhere he went, he made sure that he was always conscious of what he was saying and why he was saying things.” 

Another expressed, "My Bible class and prayer and chapel and Christian teachers and talking about God in class, that was just the norm. I didn't know any different.” “[School was] so saturated with spiritual development, not just Bible class, but the teachers are so good about tying our faith into every class.” The regular, daily faith expressions in the Christian school had a compounding effect. Unsurprisingly, normalizing the Christian faith in the educational environment normalizes it in the students’ lives.  

The fourth overarching theme was the school operations being aligned with biblical authority for internal culture matters and external cultural engagement. “Teacher G corrected us and held firm boundaries, but she loved us so well. And she had so much grace and so much compassion.” “They modeled that you can be a loving person and not compromise right and wrong.” An interviewee articulated, “I thought it was beneficial that especially as high schoolers we learned texts and resources that weren't just all Christian classic readings. Early years of guided exposure taught us how to think critically, and it just solidifies the lens of how you see the world. I think that was especially important.” Corrective discipline reinforced the truth and goodness of Christian living in the students. Exposing high school students to non-Christian thoughts and behaviors, with pastoral guidance, contributed to their faith internalization.  

Are your teachers too busy executing lesson plans to be available for life discipleship conversations?