Our Mission is to provide a distinctive, Christ-centered, education intentionally designed to cultivate a purpose-filled life in the service of God and man.
OUR vision​
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Our vision is to be renowned in Graham and beyond as a Christ-centered school, nurturing unwavering faith and equipping students from PreK to 12th grade with academic excellence. We aim to prepare students to fulfill Christ's calling on their lives, utilizing their God-given talents purposefully to glorify Him and impact the world around them.
our virtues​
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At Open Door Christian School, we are dedicated to cultivating loving, serving, and thinking students through a Christian education with a Biblical worldview. Our commitment to these values is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that education is not just about acquiring knowledge, but also about developing Biblical virtues and a deep understanding of our place in the world. These virtues guide our approach to education and prepare our students to become responsible, engaged, and successful members of society who make an eternal difference.
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Prudence
Demonstrating honesty, wisdom, integrity and humility. Prudence is having sound judgment and making sound choices. It is about being thoughtful and is developed through the habits of attention, wisdom and remembering.
Proverbs 11:3, 2 Corinthians 8:21, Philippians 4:8
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Temperance
Demonstrating order, courtesy, self-control, patience, and obedience. Temperance is about mastering ourselves for the sake and happiness of those around us. It is about acting the right way at the right time and is developed through the habits of self-control, patience, and excellence.
Galatians 5:22-24, 2 Peter 1:5-6, Titus 2:12
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Justice
Demonstrating respect, friendship, generosity, kindness and fairness. Justice is about treating others with respect and taking responsibility for their well-being. Justice is developed through the habits of courtesy, fairness, and gratitude.
Micah 6:8, Isaiah 1:17, Psalm 106:3
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Fortitude
Demonstrating courage, optimism, good citizenship, loyalty, and grit. Fortitude is about having the courage to face challenges, maintaining effort and interest over time despite setbacks and adversity. Fortitude is developed through the habits of grit, courage, and joyfulness.
Romans 5:3-5, James 1:12, Galatians 6:9, James 1:2-4, Hebrews 12:1
OUR PHILOSOPHY
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ODCS believes a well-rounded education can only be accomplished by teaching students that God encompasses every aspect of life. This biblical worldview helps them see the world as God sees the world and enables them to reclaim the world for Christ.
The educational process is seen as a tool used by the Holy Spirit to bring the student into a right relationship with God, produce God’s wisdom in him, and equip him to fulfill God’s purpose for his life.
As the student participates in this process, he should begin to expand his understanding of his own abilities, skills, and character qualities. The student should see himself as an integral and important part of his family, school, church, and society. The establishing of life goals and careers should be an outgrowth of a strong spiritual and academic foundation.
This process should involve parents and teachers who demonstrate the power of Christ to transform lives. By delegated parental authority, Open Door Christian School is a partner in training and educating children.
Our History
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Open Door Christian School (ODCS), originally First Street Christian School, was founded in 1986 by Linda Pippin. Mrs. Pippin started the school to meet a need of teaching her young daughter through a biblical perspective and never intended for it to be more than a one room classroom; however, God had another plan.
As the small school continued to grow and the board faithfully prayed over it, the words “open door” kept being uttered. In 1989 the school’s name changed to Open Door Christian School.
In August of 2000, Open Door Christian School became an official ministry of Oak Street Baptist Church due to the vision and God’s guidance of those on the long-range planning committee.
Open Door did not grow without experiencing many obstacles and adversities that shut the doors of most Christian Schools. Yet, God’s favor is with the school and its doors remain open.
OUR BELIEFS
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Open Door Christian School is a ministry of Oak Street Baptist Church (OSBC). Below is a statement of beliefs from OSBC:
Our foundational beliefs include but are not limited to:
A. The Bible is the infallible and inspired Word of God. God is its author and it is truth without any mixture of error. Its intended purpose is to reveal God’s plan of redemption and salvation for mankind through His Son, Jesus Christ.
B. God is the Supreme Creator, Redeemer, and Ruler of the universe. He is the eternal, triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
C. Jesus Christ, God’s Son and God the Son, fully God and fully man, was born of a virgin, lived a perfect, sinless life died on a cross for the sins of mankind, rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended to heaven where He lives and makes intercession for His bride, the Church. Salvation for every human being is found only in trusting the person of Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. One day, Christ will return for all who belong to Him.
D. The Holy Spirit is the invisible presence of God who convicts of sin and calls people to Christ. He lives in every true believer and gives power to live the victorious Christian life.
E. The Church includes all the redeemed of all ages. The local church is an autonomous, self-governing body of believers – operating under the lordship of Christ through democratic processes. The pastor, elders, ministry staff, deacons, committees, ministry teams, and lay leaders are selected by the church body to lead the church.
F. Salvation is the grace-filled work of God to completely save a human being for Himself. It involves turning from sin to God and faith in Christ. Salvation includes the process of conversion, sanctification, and glorification.
G. Oak Street Baptist Church agrees with the doctrinal statements in The Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, but considers the Bible as the ultimate document of faith and practice.