NTCA’s Faith Development Program Provides UNCOMMON Opportunities

At NTCA, our goal is to foster leadership through Christian innovation. With faith being integral to our core values, we recently saw a need for students to have more opportunities to explore their faith. Like every other aspect of our project-based school, it needed to be innovative. When building our faith development program, we brought together the core elements of living in a more intentional, spiritual way: celebration, discipleship, service and leadership. Each of those elements has its own way of bringing students closer to God and His uncommon love for us. 

Celebration

Students gather every week to explore their faith through group celebrations. They sing, they pray and they learn all about the values of their Christian education. UNCOMMON hosts a full Week of Spiritual Emphasis twice a year that allows students to dive even deeper into their faith, starting the new semester off with an affirmation of their beliefs.  

Discipleship

At the Campus Ministries Lounge, students have the chance to speak to ministry leaders on campus about their unique faith journeys. They can also work with trained peer Bible counselors, who provide Bible studies and counseling to their fellow students. This area is dedicated to helping students form their faith on a more personal level. 

Service

Service is part of the curriculum at NTCA. From serving food at local food banks to partnering with World Vision to help provide shelter and education to children around the world, students have the opportunity to serve those who are near and far away. Many of the service opportunities tie in with their project-based classroom lessons, allowing students to learn while doing hands-on work with real-world impact. 

Leadership

Students interested in shaping the spiritual atmosphere on campus can join the Campus Ministries Team, led by Pr. David Craig. Campus Ministries Team members plan outreach programs, organize events and lead praise teams on campus. Through this program, students learn leadership skills that can be applied to the real world, whether or not they decide to pursue spiritual leadership in the future. 

Students at our Tampa Christian school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Empowering Spiritual Leaders: a Look into NTCA's Campus Ministries Team

North Tampa Christian Academy provides a multitude of opportunities for students looking for ways to grow in their faith. The school’s UNCOMMON faith development program offers support for families, faculty, staff and students through celebration, discipleship and service. For those looking to take their faith formation one step further, there’s the Campus Ministries Team.

How the Campus Ministries Team Works

The Campus Ministries Team, led by Pr. David Craig, plays a vital role in shaping the spiritual atmosphere on campus, empowering students to become spiritual leaders. Members are selected based on their desire to impact the school in a positive way and their willingness to grow spiritually. Specific responsibilities include leading praise teams, organizing events, planning outreach programs, and more. These students spend their time on the team developing leadership skills and putting their faith into practice.

“Students benefit in a special way because they are able to collaborate with a small team to achieve a specific goal that will impact our school and others for the better,” the pastor said. “We plan together, we grow together, we learn together, we pray together, we dream together, we fail together, and we succeed together as a community of spiritual leaders on campus.”

Community Engagement and Outreach

NTCA students are no strangers to being active in the community. Through project-based class assignments, every student on campus has the opportunity to serve others. The Campus Ministries Team takes community engagement even further through special events, outreach programs, and mission trips. The team strives to build bridges that foster growth and collaboration within the community.

Training and Leadership Development

Members of the Campus Ministries Team develop leadership skills, public speaking abilities, and mentorship. They learn how to cast a vision, organize events, and lead small groups, all of which contribute to their overall growth and development as spiritual leaders. While they have a plethora of opportunities now, even more will be coming in the not so distant future. 

Future Plans for the Campus Ministries Team

“Some future plans and goals our team has include a school mission trip next year that will give our students a realization of how blessed we are and how we have the opportunity to bless others,” Pr. Craig said. “Also in the plans are spiritual retreats, small group opportunities, as well as community outreach opportunities.“

The Campus Ministries Team at NTCA plays a crucial role in empowering students to become spiritual leaders within their school and community. Through collaboration, mentorship, and active engagement, members of the team are able to grow spiritually and make a difference in the lives of others. 

Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation.Contact us today to learn more.

5 Benefits of Christian Education for Children

School is where children go to learn about academic subjects, but it can be a place to learn so much more. Christian schools teach children to be Christlike while they learn the lessons they need to learn to succeed in society. They do this by focusing on values and the gospel just as much as the fundamentals of education. Read on to learn about some of the many benefits of Christian education for children. 

Focus on Character Development

Schools with a Christian foundation teach with the philosophy that who a child becomes is as important as what they learn. Therefore, lessons and activities focus on how students can be the best versions of themselves. Teachers emphasize the importance of traits like honesty and kindness, relating these subjects to what students learn in the classroom. As a result, children have what they need to be good people as well as good students. 

Faith-filled Foundation

While Christian schools discuss faith in the classroom, they also provide faith development opportunities outside of the classroom. These can take place in the form of assemblies, individual Bible counseling and opportunities to serve the community. Students have plenty of room to incorporate faith into their lives. What they learn at school matters. 

Christianity-based Perspective

Christian religions focus on aspects of life like hope and love. While children can find love at public schools if they know where to look, they’re often surrounded by it at Christian schools. Looking at lessons through a faith-based lens allows students to put the subject matter and their faith into perspective. Learning about these qualities inside and outside of the classroom gives these students a unique outlook they can carry with them throughout their lives. 

Opportunities for Family Involvement

Along with faith-based values and perspectives, Christianity teaches the importance of family values. For that reason, Christian schools often encourage participation from all families. Some even require parents to volunteer their time to the school. Family involvement in children’s education sets them up for success and helps them gain the confidence they need to succeed. 

Emphasis on Serving Others

The benefits of Christian school go beyond the student. Students at these schools serve the community as part of the curriculum. Learning to serve others and becoming involved in the community helps children understand from a young age how they can contribute to the world around them. They continue to feel empowered to help others throughout their lives. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we offer more than a place for children to learn. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

5 Fun Ways to Build Faith During Summer Break

Summer break memories typically revolve around vacations to exciting faraway places, and children can find it difficult to settle down and remember to focus on their faith. However, it’s the perfect time to look at things from a faithful perspective. Getting a break every year for summer is a blessing, and there are so many ways you and your family can incorporate faith into summer activities. Here are a few fun ways to build faith together during the summer break. 

Memorizing Bible Verses

Getting your child to memorize anything when they’re not in school may not sound fun, but memorizing Bible verses together could be the exception. One of the best ways to help your child memorize their favorite Bible verses is by taping them to their bed frames, then reciting them together every night. Go with one verse at a time until it’s memorized, then move on to the next one. This is a great way to keep their minds active and provide a reminder of God’s presence over the summer.

Nature Scavenger Hunt 

Experience God’s gift of nature with your child. Print out a checklist of items that can be found in nature, and have your child mark off each item as they find them. Through this activity, you’ll help your child gain awareness of the world around them while reminding them that God built everything they’re checking off the list. 

Gaze at the Stars

Find a place within driving distance where you and your child can get a full view of the stars. This might involve some research, depending on how deep in the city you live. However, it can be a great way to put the enormity of God’s creation into perspective. Remind your child that there’s a universe beyond this planet and that it’s all God’s realm.

Have a Movie Night 

Find kid-friendly movies to watch with your child, and consider inviting friends or family members who share your faith to watch along with you. Some great examples would be “Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie” for younger kids and the Chronicles of Narnia series for older children. Be sure to read reviews before selecting the lineup, and consider adding in movies you enjoyed as a child. This can be a great way to show your child fun, entertaining movies with a message that will stick with them. It also gives you an opportunity to show them how faith is displayed on film.

Write Thank You Notes

You may already ask your child to write thank you notes during holidays, but this can also be a meaningful activity to do during the summer. Have your child write down a list of important people in their lives. Encourage them to think about special memories, events or aspects they appreciate about each person. Writing it down and sending it to each person in a thank you note is sure to put a smile on each person’s face. No one expects thank you notes in the summer. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we believe faith building should happen all year round. Students at our Tampa Christian school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Understanding Faith as a Source of Strength

Living in faith is a personal experience. Everyone experiences their faith differently. However, what most believers have in common is that their faith is a source of strength, especially in the times when they need it the most. For Christians, that strength comes from a belief in God’s omnipresence and Jesus’s love. This belief can make the burdens of life easier to bear. Here are a few ways that faith can be a source of strength. 

Knowing Peace

Trusting in God during difficult times can provide a sense of peace that breaks through the chaos. When your mind is at peace, everything becomes easier to get through. People of all ages can benefit from having a sense that, even if things are tough, they’ll be better on the other side. Children especially struggle with this type of perspective, as their minds aren’t fully developed in terms of forward thinking. Faith can help them reframe the situations they’re in and find peace in knowing that they will get better.

Overcoming Circumstances

Life won’t always be easy, and the only constant in life is change. Even when it feels like nothing but blessings are coming your way, circumstances can change in an instant. For people with faith in a higher power, adapting during these times means finding strength in that faith. This strength often goes beyond yourself. When you have children, they also lean on you during times of unrest. This popular Bible verse often helps Christians when life becomes hard to bear: 

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” — Philippians 4:12-13 

Power Through Grace

Grace is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give to yourself and others. The grace given to you by God can beget more grace. Through the power of grace, you can forgive others and quickly move on when situations are less than ideal. Giving your child grace when they fail a test or giving your colleague grace when they miss a deadline can go a long way. This doesn’t mean ignoring others’ mistakes, rather showing them compassion instead of reacting with anger. 

We hope to help our students understand that faith can bring them strength, especially in difficult times. Students at North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa Christian school, thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.