Accreditation and Affiliation

Academic accreditation: Since its inception in 1954, Bethany Christian Schools has been accredited by Indiana's Department of Education. Bethany joined the North Central Association in 2006 and completed requirements for NCA accreditation in 2007-08.

Church affiliation and theological context:As the church school of the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, Bethany Christian Schools functions within the framework of Mennonite Church USA. The denomination's Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective serves as the foundational theological document for Bethany. What follows is a thumbnail list of core convictions of Mennonite Church USA, which are spelled out in greater detail in Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective:

• We worship a loving God who created all things and continues to sustain them. God created human beings in God's image, to be in relationship with God, to love others, and to take care of the created world.
• God's love for the world was embodied in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through whom we are reconciled to God as we confess our sin and self-centeredness. We place our hope in God's ultimate victory over evil and death.
• The biblical story teaches us that God loves all people and invites us into relationship. God longs for relationship with people from every race, ethnicity, and nation.
• As we feel God's call, we respond through baptism and church membership.
• The Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom of the church community guide us in living faithfully as followers of Jesus. The Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfill God's purposes for the world.
• We believe God has given each person gifts for ministry, gifts to be used to build the church and proclaim Christ to the world.
• God intends us to participate in God's way by living with integrity, embracing peace and nonviolence, and seeking justice and wholeness for humanity and for all creation. Our service, mission, and stewardship are grateful responses to God's generosity.

Mennonite education affiliation and accreditation: Bethany Christian Schools is a member of the Mennonite Schools Council (MSC), a network of about 35 pre-K through 12 Mennonite schools serving more than 10,000 students in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. In partnership with the church, the Mennonite Schools Council advances Christ-centered PreK-12 education by networking schools and equipping them to implement the vision of Anabaptist/Mennonite education. In 2007-08, Bethany completed requirements for accreditation by the Mennonite Education Agency (MEA), which oversees Christian education from pre-K through seminary on behalf of the Mennonite Church USA.