Why Christian Schools Should Use
BIBLICALLY INTEGRATED ONLINE COURSES
Have you considered how the academic material in a
course is influenced by the author’s worldview?
Since most textbooks train students to think from a Godless
worldview, Christian schools typically choose textbooks
from Christian publishers. However, if a suitable textbook
is unavailable, schools can often rely on their Christian
teachers to inject a Christian worldview.
Families value your Christian school ministry enough to
pay your tuition. They consider the Christian school faculty
and administration as partners in fulfilling the mission that
God gave them to teach their children with a focus on God.
Are you aware of the problems with using online
courses that teach a secular worldview at your school?
There are many inherent benefits to online learning in
terms of flexibility. Online learning provides an abundance
of options and gives a student freedom to work at their own
pace at any time and place. In addition, students develop
critical thinking skills as independent learners that will
serve them the rest of their lives.
Now consider online learning at a Christian school. Each
student in an online course works independently, engag-
ing with the content without a live Christian teacher in
the room. Thus, having a Christian teacher to support and
supplement the rich biblical worldview in their course is
critical.
The worldview in which the course content is framed
in and laced with becomes considerably more important
because there is no live Christian teacher to carry out the
ministry that happens in the classroom setting.
There is a temptation to select the cheapest online course
option, which typically is offered by the public school system
or other secular outlets available in your state or district.
Parents of children in your school may even pressure you
to accept the cheapest option available. If you comply, you
cheapen the value of your program and undermine your
mission. You also open the door to the parent simply select-
ing the free public option in the future.
While the students in the secular online courses will
still receive some benefits inherent to online learning, they
will do so, in essence, by attending a public school for that
particular subject. Therefore, the Christian school offering
the secular courses becomes a hybrid Christian-Public
school option for families.
As a Christian school leader, you have an opportunity to
help your stakeholders see that Christian education, wheth-
er in the traditional classroom or online is all about learn-
ing through a Christ-centered worldview. Please help them
understand that there is a “real cost” (as described above) of
going with secular worldview online course content. Help
them remember that the investment they make to provide
Christian education for their child extends to the online
credits they gain. Helping them see this value is important
because you will be asking them to invest financially in
Christ-centered online courses.
At Sevenstar, we serve Christian schools by providing
Christ-centered online courses for 6th - 12th grade
students, including AP and Dual Credit options.
We find the best online curricula available, and we process
it through an extensive biblical integration process. In
addition to biblical integration in the courses, we try to
replicate a true Christian school experience by supporting
students with Christian teachers, prayer forums, a chaplain,
devotionals, and a spiritual life community.
One Guidance Counselor we serve explains the Sevenstar
option to parents at their school as the online experience
that is closest to the experience in the traditional classroom
at their school.
Sevenstar is a world leader in online Christian education.
Over 400 Christian secondary schools use their technology
and online curriculum to help students grow in the knowl-
edge and grace of Christ.
learn more at
sevenstar.org
513-612-1029
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