Faith: Church's school continues tradition of melding faith, education

That was 18 years ago.

Now Gospel Baptist Christian School, a mission of the church, has an enrollment of 117 students from age 3 to grade 12, all with the desire to learn more than just the three Rs. They all want God to be part of their daily education.

Along with reading, writing, arithmetic, science and history, students at Gospel Baptist Christian School also learn positive character traits, scripture and Bible lessons.

"A lot of what we do is similar; let's face it, we teach all the same subjects they do in the public schools," said Pastor Bill Lytell, administrator of the school and pastor of the church. "But getting out of the public schools gave us an incredible freedom. They can memorize scriptures and sing songs and we can teach character traits."

Students may also do other things Christian students are forbidden to do openly in public schools: Learn the theory of creation instead of evolution, and have teachers lead prayers.

Schools teaching the theory of evolution instead of creation is one big reason to invest in a Christian education, Lytell said.

"If evolution is true, the Bible cannot be true. That's how serious it is," Lytell said. "It's not just Biblical at all. When we say we left because of that teaching, people say it's just a minor point, but it's not. It's a major point. If the beginning of the Bible isn't true, I can't believe any of it, so it's a major thing."

Everything taught at the school is taught from a Biblical viewpoint and everything, including punishment, is done with the Bible in mind. Corporal punishment is part of the discipline policy, although the parents agree to come in mete out the punishment -- three firm swats with a paddle -- when a major infraction has been committed by a child.

"It's Biblical. The Bible teaches corporal punishment as a mandate," Lytell said. "We're commanded to do it. The Bible doesn't ask you to do it, you're commanded to do it."

And does it work?

"Absolutely," he said, because then pain is associated with bad behavior and the students who are disciplined once are less likely to do so again.

There is also a strict dress code all students must follow, and a slew of positive reinforcements for the children who do good deeds or improve their grades, things such as stars on the board, silver dollars or recess privileges.

Lytell says the positives and the negatives work together to form what Gospel Baptist Christian School administrators and parents are striving for: good children who grow to be good adults.

"We're really trying to produce a person you'd want to live beside, a person you could turn to in need," Lytell said.

Sharon Stevenson of San Carlos Park sends her two boys, Adam, 10, and Michael, 7, to Gospel Baptist for the solid Christian education.

"We are Christians, born-again believers, and we wanted a school that teaches the same values," said Stevenson, who does not belong to Gospel Baptist Church. "They're getting all the regular math, science, English and reading along with Bible teaching."

And although the Stevensons do teach their children about God and the Bible at home, they wanted more than that for their kids.

"There are things in the public schools we didn't agree with, but at Gospel we feel we have a better grasp on what our children are learning," she said.

As for the cost, it's a sacrifice the family is willing to make.

While a public education is free, private Christian school tuition is an out-of-pocket expense for families. Gospel Baptist Christian School tuition is $2,800 a year for the first child in a family, $2,240 for the second, $1,680 for the third and any children beyond that attend tuition-free.

The school also gave away $80,000 in scholarships this year.

"If you read the Bible, Jesus cared about the poor and we don't want to exclude the poor and most Christian schools exclude the poor and they don't mean to," Lytell said.

Although there is tuition, the school usually manages to just break even each year, or if it does make a profit, the money goes back into the school for improvements. The school is still housed within the church, but that's soon to change.

The church has plans to break ground within the year on a four-phase, 44,000-square-foot school building behind the church. The two-story building would include a gymnasium, cafeteria, classrooms and a variety of multi-purpose rooms.

"We don't really want to build, but we build because we have to build to grow," Lytell said. "We start turning away students. We're not profit-motivated but ministry-motivated."

Gospel Baptist isn't the only private Christian school on the canvas.

The Royal Palm Academy in North Naples is a private Catholic school for children ages 3 through seventh grade. The school, which opened in 1998, adds one grade level per year and currently has 117 students enrolled. Royal Palm is located on Livingston Road just south of Bonita Beach Road. Many Bonita Spring students attend for the Christian education where they enjoy small class sizes and Spanish every day, as well as religious studies, said Karen King, director of admissions.

"We look at developing the whole child in all aspects of life so they can be leaders of tomorrow," said King, who also mentioned the program the school developed called Community as Classroom which uses community resources such as the Art League of Bonita Springs to broaden the student's education. "We try to prepare these students to be polite and as polished in public as they are in the classroom."

Royal Palm Academy, too, comes with a price tag. Cost varies depending on the grade level, from $5,000 to $8,000 per year for the first child in the family with discounts for additional children.

Even though private Christian schools may take a toll on the pocketbook, they are honoring a commitment to God and to faith, Lytell believes, and are a necessary step in raising honorable children.

"It's obedient to scripture," he said. "I don't think you can be obedient to the Bible and send them to public school. How can you let an atheist raise your child?"

Contact Features Editor Kristen Smith at 213-6043 or kmsmith@naplesnews.com