MISSION

Promise Academy cultivates wise, creative, and compassionate leaders through exemplary, Christ centered education in North Tyler for the joy of our city and the glory of God.

VISION

Promise Academy believes that a Christ-centered education of the highest academic standards should be accessible to all students, families, and neighborhoods in Tyler regardless of geography, economics, and social restrictions, and that the city will know God’s joy, unity, and biblical justice through this pursuit.

This holistic education - committed to the truth, discipline, and values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - will affirm the promise of each student: that all persons are made in the image of God, created for God’s glory, and endowed by him with the potential to acquire wisdom and knowledge.

As such, Promise Academy joins families to nurture kingdom-minded citizens who work for justice, economic opportunity, ethnic harmony, hope for the family, and joy in their communities.

“...that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations."

(Isaiah 61:3-4 ESV)

Promise Academy adheres to a Statement of Faith and a Faith & Life Covenant that all Promise Academy employees are required to sign as a condition of employment.

Please submit this application with a resume and cover letter explaining why you believe you will be a valuable addition to the Promise Academy faculty or staff.

 

Thank you for your interest.

Pastor Recommendation

Please have your pastor answer these three questions in a letter sealed in an envelope, or in an email address sent direclty to jon.lasse@promisetyler.org

1. Would you trust this person to work with children?
2. How long have you known this person?
3. What is the Christian character of this person?

*If you have attached or sent in a resume, feel free to put "See Resume" for any of the employment-related questions below!

Equal Opportunity Employer

Promise Academy is an equal opportunity employer that maintains a policy of non-discrimination with respect to all employees and applicants for employment pursuant to all applicable laws. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical ability of an otherwise qualified individual, or membership or application for membership in a uniformed military service.

Because Promise Academy is a non-profit, religious organization, it does reserve the right to hire and employ individuals who share its beliefs and who agree to adhere to the principles and doctrines in its Faith & Life Covenant, including its Code of Ethics and Statement of Faith.

“I have read, and I fully support without mental reservation the Promise Academy Statement of Faith and Faith & Life Covenant, including the Code of Ethics as written.” OR “I have read, and I support the Statement of Faith and Faith & Life Covenant except for the area(s) listed and explained on an additional sheet of paper. The exceptions represent either disagreements or items for which I have not yet formed an opinion or conviction.”

FAITH AND LIFE COVENANT AND STATEMENT OF FAITH

Promise Academy cultivates wise, creative, and compassionate leaders through exemplary, Christ-centered education in North Tyler for the joy of our city and the glory of God.

In order to best live out this mission together, the board, faculty, and staff of Promise Academy embrace the provisions in this faith and life covenant as our holy obligations as forgiven sinners. We are called to humility, justice, truth, and purity because these are the perfections of our Savior himself, as he has demonstrated in giving us salvation.

While Promise Academy is not a church, we are a community of Christians who seek to live according to biblical standards laid down by Jesus Christ for his body, the church. And while Promise Academy is not a religious order, it demonstrates some features that are similar to religious orders, communities wherein, for the sake of fulfilling the community’s purposes, its members voluntarily enter into a social compact. At Promise Academy, we call this social compact our Faith and Life Covenant.

For this covenant to serve its stated purpose, it is crucial that members of the Promise Academy family understand it clearly and embrace it sincerely. In joining this covenant we are, before the Lord, joining in a compact with other members of the Promise Academy community. If we do not wish to live under the provisions of this covenant, we should not agree to it. But if we do agree to it, it should be with the full intention of living with integrity under its provisions.

Our Faith & Life Covenant

The goal of life at Promise Academy is to know and love the beauty and glory of God, and to live, work, serve, and worship together as an educational community centered on the Lord Jesus Christ. Our mission as an academic community is not merely the transmission of information; it is the development of God-cherishing “Kingdom-minded citizens who work for justice, economic opportunity, ethnic harmony, hope for the family, and joy in their communities...” (Promise Academy Vision Statement). Along with the privileges and blessings of membership in such a community, there are responsibilities. The Bible has clear warnings about the high calling of those called to teach children in the path of righteousness (cf. James 3:1, Matt 18:6). The members of the Promise Academy board and staff take these responsibilities seriously.

The biblical foundation of Christian community is expressed in Jesus’ two great commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-40). Jesus perfectly demonstrated the pattern: love for God and obedience to God’s Word acted out in love for others. Acknowledging our dependence on the power and grace of God, the board, faculty, and staff of Promise Academy humbly covenant to live according to this ideal.

The purposes of this faith and life covenant are as follows:

• to cultivate a school-wide culture that encourages spiritual, moral and intellectual growth.
• to integrate our lives around Christian principles and devotion to Jesus Christ.
• toremove whatever may hinder us from our calling as a Christ-exalting, educational community.
• to encourage one another to see that living for Christ involves dependence on God’s Spirit and obedience to his Word, rather than a passive acceptance of prevailing practices.
• to encourage one another in fostering hope and joy in God in the families and city that we serve.

Statement of Faith

1. We believe the whole Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative, inerrant Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21).
2. We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:1, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30).
3. We believe in the deity of Christ (John 10:33), His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:35), His sinless life (Hebrews 4: 15, 7:26), His miracles (John 2:11), His vicarious and atoning death (1 Corinthians 15:3, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 2:9), His bodily Resurrection (John 11:25, 1 Corinthians 15:4), His Ascension to the right hand of God (Mark 16:19), and His personal return in power and glory (Acts 1:11, Revelation 19:11).
4. We believe in the absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit for salvation because of the exceeding sinfulness of human nature, and that men are justified on the single ground of faith in the shed blood of Christ, and that only by God's grace and through God’s gift of faith alone are we saved (John 3:16–19, 5:24; Romans 3:23, 5:8–9; Ephesians 2:8–10; Titus 3:5).
5. We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved in Christ unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28–29, Rev. 20:11-15).
6. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 12:12–13, Galatians 3:26–28).
7. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life (Romans 8:13–14; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19–20; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18).
8. We believe that God fearfully and wonderfully created the entire human race as His image-bearers and for His glory.
9. We believe God wisely foreordained and immutably created each person’s being including gender as either male or female in conformity with their biological sex. These two distinct yet complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26–27, Mark 10:6).
10. We believe God created human sexualty as good and to be expressed exclusively in marriage, the uniting of one man and one woman in a single union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18–25, Mark 10:2-12).

CODE OF ETHICS

Affirming Biblical Standards

Our covenant is based on these non-negotiable biblical standards for godly Christian character and behavior. We understand that our collective calling includes the following:

• To acknowledge the Lordship of Christ over all of life and thought. This involves a wholehearted obedience to Jesus and careful stewardship in all dimensions of life: our time, our possessions, our God-given capacities, and our opportunities (Deut. 6:5-6;1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 1:18; 3:17);
• To love God with our whole being, including our minds, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Christ-like love should be the motive in all decisions, actions, and relationships (Matt. 22:37-40; Rom. 13:8-10; 1 John 4:7-12); • To pursue holiness in every aspect of our thought and behavior (2 Cor. 7:1; 1 Thess. 4:7; Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:15-16);
• To exercise our Christian freedom responsibly within the framework of God’s Word, humbly submitting ourselves to one another (1 Pet. 5:5; Eph. 5:21) with loving regard for the needs of others (Phil. 2:3-11; Rom. 14:1-23; 1 Thess. 4:9);
• To treat our own bodies, and those of others, with the honor due the very temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:17-20);
• To participate in regular, corporate worship and be an active member of—or actively seeking membership in—a local church, which forms the basic biblically-mandated context for Christian living (Acts 2:42-47; Heb. 10:25; 1 Tim. 3:14-15);

Living the Christian Life

We believe these non-negotiable biblical standards will show themselves in a distinctly Christian way of life, an approach to living we expect of ourselves and of one another. This lifestyle involves practicing those attitudes and actions the Bible teaches as virtues and avoiding those the Bible teaches to be sinful.

According to the Scriptures, followers of Jesus Christ will:

• show evidence of the Holy Spirit who lives within them, such as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23);
• “put on” compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and supremely, love (Col. 3:12- 14);
• seek righteousness, mercy and justice, particularly for the helpless and oppressed (Prov. 21:3; 31:8-9; Micah 6:8; Matt. 23:23; Gal. 6:10);
• love and side with what is good in God’s eyes, and abhor what is evil in God’s eyes (Amos 5:15; Rom. 12:9, 16:19);
• uphold and promote the God-given worth of human beings, from conception to death, as the unique image-bearers of God (Gen. 1:27; Psalm 8:3-8; 139:13-16)
• uphold chastity among the unmarried (1 Cor. 6:18); and the sanctity of marriage between a man and woman (Heb. 13:4);
• be people of integrity whose word can be fully trusted (Psalm 15:4; Matt. 5:33-37);
• watch over one another in brotherly love; remember one another in prayer; aid one another in sickness and distress; be slow to take offense, and always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay (Matt. 18:15-17; Col 3:16-17; 2 Tim 3:16).
• give faithful witness to the Gospel (Acts 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:15), practice good works toward all (Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:10; Heb. 10:24; 1 Pet. 2:11), and live lives of prayer and thanksgiving (1 Thess. 5:17-18; James 5:16; Titus 2:7-8).

By contrast, Scripture condemns the following:

• pride, dishonesty (such as stealing and lying, of which plagiarism is one form), injustice, prejudice, immodesty in dress or behavior, slander, gossip, vulgar or obscene language, blasphemy, greed and materialism (which may manifest themselves in gambling), covetousness, the taking of innocent life, and illegal activities (Prov. 16:18; 1 Cor. 6:10; Exod. 20:7; Rom. 13:9; Col. 3:8-9; James 2:1-13; Gal. 3:26- 29; Rom. 13:1-2; 1 Tim. 2:8-10; Heb. 13:5-6);
• hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and legalism, understood as the imposition of extra-biblical standards of godliness by one person or group upon another (Acts 15:5-11; Matt. 16:6; 23:13-36);
• sinful attitudes and behaviors such as “impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” (Gal. 5:19-21);
• sexual immorality, such as the use of pornography (Matt. 5:27-28), pre-marital sex, adultery, homosexual behavior and all other sexual relations outside the bounds of marriage between a man and woman (Rom. 1:21-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:31).
• the dissolution of marriage in divorce, except in the cases of adultery (Matt. 19:9), abuse (Eph. 5:25-33), and abandonment (I Cor. 7:15).

Promise Academy Institutional Value

The school has also adopted the following institutional value, out of respect for one another and the families we serve.

Substance-Abuse Free Facilities: All Promise Academy-related functions or activities held within school facilities, on school grounds, or in student-oriented school activities off site will be alcohol-free and tobacco-free. This means that the possession or consumption of alcohol or the use of tobacco in any form will be prohibited in, on, or around campus.

Exercising Responsible Freedom

Beyond these explicit biblical issues and core values, the Promise Academy community seeks to foster the practice of responsible Christian freedom (Gal. 5:13-14; 1 Pet. 2:16-17). This requires a wise stewardship of mind, body, time, abilities and resources on the part of every member of the community. Responsible freedom also requires thoughtful, biblically-guided choices in matters of behavior, entertainment, interpersonal relationships, and observance of the Lord’s Day.

Of particular concern are issues related to alcohol, illegal drugs, and tobacco. While the use of illegal drugs or the abuse of legal drugs is by definition illicit, the situation regarding alcoholic beverages is more complex. The Bible requires moderation in the use of alcohol, not abstinence. The abuse of alcohol constitutes by far our society’s greatest substance abuse problem, not to mention the fact that many Christians avoid it as a matter of conscience. Thus the question of alcohol consumption represents a prime opportunity for Christians to exercise their freedom responsibly, carefully, and in Christ-like love.

Board members, faculty, and staff therefore embrace responsible freedom in the use of alcohol. They will take care in the serving or consumption of alcohol, especially in situations where there are families, students, or others present for whom alcohol abuse has been or continues to be a significant struggle. This care is so that our Christian freedom does not “somehow become a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Cor. 8:9).

The Promise Academy board, faculty, and staff also embrace responsible freedom in matters of entertainment, including the places where staff may seek it, such as television, movies, video, theater, concerts, and the Internet. Promise Academy community members are encouraged to be guided in their entertainment choices by the godly wisdom of Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”

Conclusion

We, the Promise Academy community, desire to be a covenant community of Christians serving the families of our city, whose life together is marked by integrity, responsible freedom, dynamic, Christ-like love, and where the name of Jesus Christ is honored in all we do.

This requires that each of us keeps his or her word by taking the commitment to this covenant seriously as covenant keepers, whatever pressures we may face to do otherwise. The issue of keeping one’s word is for a Christian an important one. Being faithful to one’s word is a matter of simple integrity and godliness. “Lord, who may live on your holy hill?” asks the Psalmist. “He who keeps his oath, even when it hurts” (15:4), comes the reply. Christian integrity dictates that if we have voluntarily placed ourselves under Promise Academy’s faith and life covenant, we must make every effort to fulfill our commitment by living accordingly.

Keeping our covenant may also on occasion require that we take steps to hold one another accountable, addressing conflict with one another in love as we work together to live in faithfulness both to God’s Word and to our own word. Such loving acts of confrontation are at times difficult, but when performed in the right spirit (Gal. 6:1), they serve to build godly character for both the individuals involved and the community as a whole (Matt. 18:15-17). Only in this way, as we are willing to speak the truth in love, will we “grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Eph. 4:15).

When significant accountability is needed within our community, the board, faculty and staff will follow additional policies from our Policy Manual.

Note: Some of the language in this covenant is used with permission from Hope Academy (MN).

Updated, approved by Board of Trustees, and affirmed by all staff in Fall 2020.

Certification And Signatures

• I certify that the information given on this application is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.
• I authorize all organizations and individuals named in this application and any accompanying resume to provide Promise Academy with any relevant information required to make an employment decision.
• I further authorize Promise Academy to investigate my employment and personal history by obtaining reports and information from appropriate agencies and organizations.
• I understand that false or misleading information given in my application or during interviews will be grounds for the denial or immediate termination of my employment.
• I have read, and I fully support without mental reservation the Promise Academy Statement of Faith and Faith & Life Covenant, including the Code of Ethics as written.
• If hired, I agree to comply with all rules and regulations established by Promise Academy. I agree to cooperate in any investigation conducted by Promise Academy, including searches, background checks, or substance abuse testing.