Mission Statement
The mission of TCA is to provide the best academic studies and to teach our students to develop Christian values that will prepare them for employment, upper education, and to become responsible, productive, Christian members of their respective future communities.
Brief History
Our school began in 1988 with a handful of students under the direction of James E. Rhodes, Senior Pastor, and M.R. Hawley, Associate Pastor of Mercy Baptist Church. The academy, known then as Mercy Baptist Academy, held classes in the church’s Sunday school wing at 3474 Pennsylvania Avenue in Weirton, West Virginia.
Why Christian education? This answer was written by former youth pastor, R.J. Bush, in the first yearbook of 1991-1992:
“In these days of educational decline, negative influences, and spiritual indifference, parents are confronted with a tremendous responsibility of rearing children. It is with that burden in mind that Mercy Baptist Academy was founded. The academy is here for parents who still desire a proper learning environment as well as a Christian education for their child.”
When the 2000-2001 school year opened at the present facility the academy name was changed to Tri-State Christian Academy. The 12-acre campus provides us with the proper facilities to extend our ministry to children throughout the Ohio Valley.
Statement of Faith
*We believe that only the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were inspired by God and are infallible and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life.
*We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
*We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary and is fully God and fully man.
*We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred the penalty of physical death and the liability of spiritual death and eternal separation from God and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature.
*We believe that the Lord Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are justified by faith in His atonement.
*We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate.
*We believe in “that blessed Hope”; the personal and glorious return to earth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
*We believe that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, by faith, are born of the Holy Spirit and thereby become the children of God.
*We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, the eternal blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost.
Statement of Moral Integrity
Students need to be taught that the Bible dictates the standards for sexual behavior. This is particularly important in a society where young people can become confused by the conflicting values reflected on TV, in movies, on the Internet, some secular music, etc.
The Bible teaches that sex is God-ordained within the covenant of marriage and is a spiritual bond between (male) husband and (female) wife (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6; Heb. 13:4; I Cor. 7:3-5). Those who are not involved in such a marriage are to live celibate lives (I Cor. 7:1, 2).
The unique roles of the male and female are clearly defined in Scripture. Romans 1:24-32 states that God recognized homosexuals, lesbians, and other deviates as perverted. Other Scriptures dealing with living Godly lifestyles include Romans 12:1,2; 1 Cor. 6:6-20; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-5; 1 Thess. 4:3-8; and 1 Tim. 4:12.
TCA’s Biblical role is to work in conjunction with the home to mold students to be Christ-like. Therefore, it is required that all those involved with TCA honor God by having lifestyles that are based on these Biblical standards. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, administrators, faculty, staff, parents, students, and volunteers.
View of Education
Purpose of School: Tri-State Christian Academy is a non-profit, Christ-centered, non-denominational Christian school. TCA is an alternative choice of education that teaches Jesus Christ as the center of all learning and living and presents the way of salvation to each student. The religious training given at Tri-State Christian Academy does not stress any particular religious denomination, but emphasizes a strong Bible foundation and basic principles of Christian conduct and character. Children are taught to obey their parents, to respect their teachers and those in authority, and to appreciate our great American heritage.
Role of Parent in Christian Education: God has given the parents the responsibility to teach their children. The Christian School is a tool to help the parent in fulfilling their responsibility of education. (Deut.7:4-9)
Role of the Teacher: The Christian philosophy of education is based on Christian teachers who understand these basic principles of Christian education, who are personally committed to them, and who demonstrate effectiveness in their ability to communicate them. (Phil. 4:9)
Statement of Non-Discrimination
Tri-State Christian Academy prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, reprisal and, where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the School. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, please contact the school office at 724-947-8722 or email the school at TCAknights750@gmail.com.
TCA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Non-Admission/Disenrollment Based on Religious Principles
On occasion, the atmosphere or conduct within a particular home may be counter to or in opposition to the Biblical lifestyle the school teaches. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, sexual immorality, sexual orientation, or inability to support the moral principles of the school (refer to Statement of Moral Integrity). In some cases, the school reserves the right, within its sole discretion, to refuse admission of an applicant or to discontinue enrollment of a student.
Membership
Tri-State Christian Academy is recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International.