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Ada Christian School Bylaws

Ratified: June 8, 1998

ARTICLE I – Purpose,​ ​Powers​ ​and​ ​Basis

Section 1. Office

The principal office of the Society shall be located in the village of Ada, Kent County, Michigan.

Section​ ​2. Purpose

The​ ​purpose​ ​or​ ​purposes​ ​for​ ​which​ ​the​ ​Society​ ​is​ ​formed​ ​are​ ​as​ ​follows:​ ​​​To​ ​acquire, establish,​ ​maintain​ ​and​ ​operate​ ​Christian​ ​Schools​ ​furnishing​ ​primary​ ​and/or​ ​secondary education;​ ​to​ ​grant​ ​diplomas​ ​to​ ​its​ ​students​ ​who​ ​merit​ ​the​ ​same;​ ​to​ ​determine​ ​and establish​ ​curricula​ ​in​ ​which​ ​instructions​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​based​ ​upon​ ​the​ ​infallible​ ​Word​ ​of​ ​God as​ ​interpreted​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Reformed​ ​faith​ ​with​ ​courses​ ​of​ ​study​ ​as​ ​may​ ​be​ ​approved​ ​as specified​ ​from​ ​to​ ​time​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Trustees;​ ​to​ ​determine​ ​the​ ​qualifications​ ​of​ ​and​ ​to hire​ ​faculty​ ​and​ ​administrative​ ​staffs;​ ​to​ ​select,​ ​acquire​ ​and​ ​furnish​ ​text​ ​books, educational​ ​materials,​ ​supplies​ ​and​ ​equipment;​ ​to​ ​plan​ ​and​ ​provide​ ​for​ ​the​ ​expansion​ ​of Christian​ ​education​ ​in​ ​the​ ​schools​ ​which​ ​it​ ​controls,​ ​and​ ​to​ ​acquire​ ​by​ ​purchase,​ ​gift​ ​or otherwise,​ ​such​ ​real​ ​and​ ​personal​ ​property​ ​as​ ​may​ ​be​ ​necessary​ ​or​ ​advisable​ ​to promote​ ​and​ ​carry​ ​out​ ​the​ ​objects​ ​of​ ​​​this​ ​corporation.

Section​ ​3. Powers

The​ ​corporation​ ​may​ ​exercise​ ​generally​ ​any​ ​power​ ​that​ ​is​ ​consistent​ ​with​ ​the​ ​purposes described​ ​above​ ​and​ ​that​ ​a​ ​nonprofit​ ​corporation​ ​organized​ ​under​ ​the​ ​provisions​ ​of​ ​the Michigan​ ​Nonprofit​ ​Corporation​ ​Act​ ​may​ ​exercise.​ ​​​The​ ​corporation​ ​may​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​and distribute​ ​the​ ​corporation’s​ ​property​ ​in​ ​such​ ​manner​ ​as​ ​will​ ​best​ ​promote​ ​its​ ​objectives and​ ​purposes,​ ​without​ ​limitation​ ​except​ ​such,​ ​if​ ​any,​ ​as​ ​may​ ​be​ ​contained​ ​in​ ​instruments under​ ​which​ ​such​ ​property​ ​is​ ​conveyed​ ​to​ ​the​ ​corporation.

Section​ ​4. Basis

The​ ​supreme​ ​standard​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Ada​ ​Christian​ ​School​ ​Society​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​the​ ​Scriptures​ ​of​ ​the Old​ ​and​ ​New​ ​Testament,​ ​herein​ ​confessed​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​infallible​ ​Word​ ​of​ ​God,​ ​as interpreted​ ​in​ ​the​ ​historic​ ​Reformed​ ​confessions:​ ​​​The​ ​Belgic​ ​Confession,​ ​Heidelberg Catechism​ ​and​ ​Canons​ ​of​ ​Dort.​ ​​​Acknowledging​ ​that​ ​these​ ​Scriptures,​ ​in​ ​instructing​ ​us of​ ​God,​ ​ourselves​ ​and​ ​God’s​ ​creation,​ ​contain​ ​basic​ ​principles​ ​authoritative​ ​and​ ​relevant for​ ​education,​ ​we​ ​hold​ ​that:

  1. The ​​authority​ ​and ​​responsibility ​​for ​​educating ​​children ​​resides ​​in ​​parents ​​or guardians​ ​of​ ​the​ ​children,​ ​and​ ​not​ ​in​ ​the​ ​state​ ​or​ ​the​ ​church.​ ​​​Parents,​ ​however, may​ ​delegate​ ​their​ ​authority​ ​to​ ​those​ ​who​ ​can​ ​competently​ ​carry​ ​out​ ​this God-given​ ​parental​ ​right.
  2. The​​ primary ​​aim ​​of ​​Christian ​​parents ​​in ​​securing ​​the ​​education​ ​of ​​their​​children should​ ​be​ ​to​ ​give​ ​them​ ​a​ ​Christian​ ​education – that​ ​is,​ ​an​ ​education​ ​whose​ ​goal​ ​is to​ ​equip​ ​the​ ​children​ ​for​ ​living​ ​the​ ​Christian​ ​life​ ​as​ ​members​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Christian community​ ​in​ ​contemporary​ ​society.
  3. Christian ​​parents, ​​when ​​delegating​ ​the ​​authority ​​for ​​educating​ ​their​ ​children, should​ ​delegate​ ​it​ ​to​ ​those​ ​institutions​ ​that​ ​seek​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​Christian​ ​education for​ ​the​ ​students.
  4. The ​​responsibility ​​for ​​maintaining​ ​such ​​institutions ​​rests ​​on ​​the ​​entire​​Christian community.
  5. The ​​Christ ​​proclaimed​ ​in​ ​the​ ​infallible ​​Scriptures ​​is ​​the ​​Redeemer ​​and ​​Renewer ​​of our​ ​entire​ ​life;​ ​thus,​ ​also​ ​of​ ​our​ ​teaching​ ​and​ ​learning.​ ​​​Consequently,​ ​in​ ​a​ ​school that​ ​seeks​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​Christian​ ​education,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​sufficient​ ​that​ ​the​ ​teachings of​ ​Christianity​ ​be​ ​a​ ​separate​ ​subject​ ​in​ ​the​ ​curriculum,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​Word​ ​of​ ​God​ ​must be​ ​an​ ​all-pervading​ ​force​ ​in​ ​the​ ​educational​ ​program.