Frequent Questions


Q: When and where did WWCS start?

A:  In 1986, Worldwide Christian Schools (WWCS) was established in Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A.  WWCS recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Q: Is WWCS associated with a church denomination?

A: Worldwide Christian Schools is a non-denominational organization.  We work with a variety of church denominations including but not limited to Reformed (RCA), Christian Reformed (CRC), Presbyterian, Baptist, Primitive Methodist, and Catholic churches.

Q: What is your mission?

A:  In joyful obedience to God, Worldwide Christian Schools helps responsible organizations around the globe develop Christ-centered schools, primarily in the developing world.  WWCS does not own or operate schools.  Instead, we work through indigenous leadership to establish, maintain, and expand Christ-centered schools wherever they are needed most.  

Q: Why does WWCS believe that indigenous school leadership is so important?

A:  WWCS believes that indigenous leadership is the best way for Christ-centered schools to remain culturally relevant and sustainable within a community.  Each culture and community has unique circumstances that are best addressed by the community members themselves.  Our vision will not be met unless we are flexible and conscious of the culture in which we are working.   

Q: How does WWCS help schools become sustainable?

A: WWCS does sustainability consulting with partner schools, empowering them to begin income-generation projects with funding in the form of micro-business loans.  In Uganda, for example, WWCS partners with Tentmakers Academy, an indigenous-led school that sells its handmade jewelry to buy classroom resources and defray tuition costs.  WWCS is helping Tentmakers reach its goal to begin their own farming, tailoring and carpentry programs which will also benefit the school.

Q: How is your vision attainable?

A:  The vision of WWCS is to glorify God by ensuring that all people have access to Christ-centered education.  This means economical and physical barriers need to be eliminated.  It also means we need to deliver Christian education in new ways.

There are thousands of different groups of people, and we want to reach them all. There are two ways in which we try to achieve our vision: first through partnerships, but most importantly by working through indigenous organizations. It is important for us to identify the key visionaries and Christian leaders within each community to empower them so that they can carry the work forward. We don’t have the ability to affect every region in the world today, but we’re growing to that point. It is a huge task, and it won’t be accomplished overnight, but we believe with God’s help it is possible.

WWCS concentrates on providing a reliable structure to existing groups with a passion for Christian education. These groups need encouragement, accounting, and fund-raising options.
We can only expect to accomplish our vision when the following objectives are met:

  • We know how many people have access to Christian education at any one time
  • We have formed partnerships with hundreds of groups and organizations throughout the world with whom we are working effectively towards the vision in a coordinated manner
  • These groups have multiple methods of education delivery

As Christians we have the ultimate message of peace, but that message must be delivered effectively. 

Q: How do you track your progress in reaching your vision?

A: We track our progress by paying attention to three figures:

  • The number of people with access to Christian education
  • How well we have attained our teacher/leadership continuing education target   
  • The cost of operations versus the money sent to the field

Regions of the world are assigned to Field Development Directors who focus on researching their fields in order to locate where Christian education is not available.  They then establish relationships with local field partners who want to work toward positive change in those areas.  
WWCS then raises funds to bring Christian education where it is needed most and can be most effective.

Q: How many school projects has WWCS been involved with?

A:  Since 1986, Worldwide Christian Schools has been involved with 240 school projects around the globe.

Q: How many children attend WWCS partner schools?

A:  Currently, WWCS partner schools minister to 34,000 children through quality, Christ-centered education.  That number is skyrocketing to over one million through continuing education for teachers.

Q: How many countries has WWCS been involved in?

A:  Since 1986, Worldwide Christian Schools has been involved in school projects located in 44 countries.

Q: Do WWCS partner schools charge tuition?

A:  Some do and others don’t, depending on the school project, student demographic, and area in which the school is located.  In areas of extreme poverty, schools rely on outside funding or income-generation projects to defray the cost of tuition.

Q: How does WWCS define a Christian school?

A:  Christian education is education that acknowledges God in every subject.  Why? Because He is our Creator and our world belongs to Him.  There are two ways for us to learn about God. One is through the Bible - a guidebook from which we can learn about God and His plan for our world.  A second way God demonstrates His power and His presence to us is through creation.

When you look at science in particular it is hard to understand how someone can say there is no God:  the majesty of creation, the intricacy of its design, the colors and the systems that are in place.  For this reason it’s difficult to talk about math, science, or any other subject unless you talk about God as the Creator of those things.  By our definition, Christian education is high-quality education and God is in it - every bit of it.

Q: Do you work with vocational schools or adult education?

A:  WWCS focuses mainly on primary and secondary schools, but occasionally a WWCS school partner will also provide vocational training as well.  WWCS works to educate adults, specifically teachers, through continuing education for teachers.

Q: What sort of student demographic exists in most WWCS partner schools?

A:  WWCS works with schools that are providing Christ-centered education to those with the least access to it.  Most often, student families come from rural areas struggling with economic poverty and social issues.  Students attending WWCS partner schools come from a wide spectrum of racial and religious backgrounds.  Hindu or Muslim parents will send their children to a Christian school for the quality of academics and the moral instruction.  Sometimes the Christian school is the only educational option in the community.

Q: Does WWCS ever work with or through other Christian organizations?

A: Yes.  In the past WWCS has worked with and through the following entities: 

These are just a few of the major partnerships WWCS has formed with other associations and organizations over the past 20 years.

Q: How is Worldwide Christian Schools (WWCS) connected to Christian Schools International (CSI)?

A: WWCS works with and through many organizations throughout the world, but WWCS and CSI are separate entities.  CSI is a membership-based organization with roots in the Reformed tradition of the Christian faith.  Geographically, CSI member schools are located primarily in North America.  CSI provides educational resources, learning tools and products to its member schools.

WWCS is a non-denominational organization working mostly outside of North America, primarily in the developing world.  As a result, the CSI and WWCS partner school demographics are very different.  Most WWCS partner schools serve those in economic poverty from a wide variety of racial and religious backgrounds.  Like CSI, WWCS provides educational resources to its partner schools, but also operational funding and sustainability consulting as needed.

WWCS and CSI have worked together on school projects in the past.  As an example, CSI has come alongside the WWCS ministry by providing sample textbooks and teacher guides for WWCS school projects in Haiti and India.  Both organizations are working toward providing access to quality, Christ-centered education.

Q: How can my church or school partner with WWCS?

A: WWCS has a variety of programs and fund-raising opportunities that lend themselves well to church and school groups who have a passion for providing access to Christian schooling to those who need it most.  The following programs are available for church/school involvement:

Programs: 

Sponsor-a-School – We recruit sponsors for our school projects around the world.  School sponsors cover operational expenses as well as the cost of materials such as uniforms, religious materials and textbooks.

Build-a-School – We fund school construction projects through donor support and HANDS Mission Teams - work teams from North America to build Christian schools in the developing world.

Fundraisers: 

My Own Bible – We raise funds to purchase Bibles for children in Africa who formerly did not have access to a Bible of their own, in school or at home.  

Lunch Money - We partner with schools, churches, and individuals in North America to help fund school lunch programs.

Mission Homes – With the help of volunteers, we build homes in North America which are then sold on the market.  The profits are used to build Christian schools overseas.

Pastor’s Masters Events – We host golf events to raise money for Christian schools, while also benefiting local churches.

Q: Can I volunteer at a WWCS school project?

A:  Yes!  Join a HANDS Mission Team, groups of volunteers who travel to WWCS projects around the world to build Christian schools.

Q: Why pair education with evangelism?

A: Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you."  Matthew 28:18 makes it clear what our role is as Christians here on this earth.  Christian education is an important way of accomplishing that.

Experts tell us that by the middle of elementary school, the school environment eclipses the importance of even the home in shaping the views, opinions, beliefs, and convictions of children. A biblical foundation brings relevance to the educational experience. For example, Christianity is essentially about relationships: between God and man, and between human beings.

Theodore Roosevelt said, "Educate a person in mind and not in morals and you will educate a menace to society." Train only a child’s mind and you risk creating an adult with no foundation to guide his life. Not only is schooling the major factor in shaping how children see the world, but without at least a basic education, they are unequipped to deal with it successfully. One simply cannot excel in even the most primitive of today’s societies without some training. Pastoral societies where skills are learned by watching one’s father or mother perform their daily duties encompass only a tiny fraction of a percent of the earth’s population.

True evangelism is not just about leading a person to Christ - it’s about showing that person how to be an obedient servant and then equipping that person with knowledge so they can transform their family and community. Christ-centered schools lead people to Christ in a sustainable way.

Barna Research suggests there are 1.1 billion kids in the world today who don't know the love of Christ.  Research shows that there is less than a 7% chance kids will ever come to know Christ if they don’t by the age of 14. In many parts of the world, Christian schools are welcome where Christian churches are not. Muslim parents will send their kids to Christian schools because of high academic standards. These kids are bringing the message of Christ back home to their families. Without Christian education that is well recognized as valuable in that community, this wouldn’t be happening.

Q: How do you fight poverty and work for social justice through Christ-centered schools?

A:  A lack of education causes poverty, and poverty prevents education. This cycle traps millions of children and their families in developing countries.  Education based on Christian values and principles is the key to the hearts and future of the world’s children. It will change their lives forever.

Abraham Lincoln said, "The philosophy of the classroom in this generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next generation."  Education is the basis on which a developing nation must build a society, an economy, a democratic government. Yet the gap between the need for education and the provision of education is increasing.   The problem is not an unwilling parent population - it is poverty.  In most of the world, even primary education costs dearly. With an average of 52% of income for families in poverty going just for food, there is nothing left over to cover tuition, books, uniforms, and other related fees.

There is a way out.  Worldwide Christian Schools - in partnership with those investing in the children of the developing world - provides the critically needed resources to establish locally owned and operated Christ-centered schools. In some countries which are hostile to exclusively evangelistic endeavors, Christian schools can provide the only avenue for witness and testimony. This gives hope for impoverished families and their children. Using sound academic curricula that is consistent with basic Christian teaching, children receive an education that imparts self-worth, dignity, and community responsibility. Students are empowered to fulfill their own dreams - and impact the future of their community for generations to come.

Q: Why schools?

A: Indhira Ghandi, former Prime Minister of India, once said while speaking in the U.S:  "We can do without foreign aid and good will projects. The only thing we do need is education. Help us educate our people and you will have won the hearts of a nation."

No issue is more central to the future of a people than the education of its children. And no type of education is more effective in building future leaders than Christian primary schooling. Two complimentary issues are of primary importance in Worldwide Christian Schools’ ministry:

  • Imparting basic literacy skills
  • Demonstrating Christian teachings

The former transforms a child’s expectation of life on this earth; the latter transforms their hope for eternity.

Building on the best of the missionary tradition established in the 19th century, Worldwide Christian Schools brings the hope of Christ through its comprehensive educational program to those previously without expectation of opportunity or learning.

The Bible is the ideal learning tool, available to 95% of the earth’s people groups in their native tongue. It provides exciting story material with consistent moral and ethical teachings. More importantly, it provides a clear testimony of the love of God and His ultimate sacrifice through God’s Son to purchase salvation for us all. The combination of the words of Jesus and His life demonstrated through His people is a powerful tool to transform the lives of students and their families.

Clearly, a key opportunity to change the lives and communities of the world’s poor lies within the local Christian school. No single element is as critical to a human being’s ability to make sound choices as Christian education. It provides the solid moral foundation upon which to cultivate one’s God-given potential, and opens doors of opportunities impossible without a well-rounded education.

Q: How is Worldwide Christian Schools financially accountable?

A:  WWCS is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and The Barnabas Foundation, a Christian stewardship organization that helps donors with planned giving.

Q: How is WWCS “redefining Christian education”?

A: WWCS partner schools around the world are very different from Christian schools in North America.  Christian schools in the U.S. and Canada are often stereotyped as serving mostly white, wealthy families from Christian backgrounds.  These stereotypes are not always true, and many North American Christian schools are working to counteract them.  

WWCS wants to help schools redefine Christian education.  We work with and for families in poverty; people from a variety of racial and religious backgrounds.  Each country in which we work requires a unique approach to Christian education – often drastically different from what North Americans are accustomed to at their local Christian school.  

The classrooms of teachers at WWCS partner schools are filled with children from Muslim and Hindu backgrounds, whose parents send them to the Christian school because it is often their only option, or because of the school’s reputation for quality academics.  Many children in WWCS partner schools cannot afford to buy the public school uniform, but are accepted into the Christian school because they charge little or no tuition as a result of partnership with WWCS, and/or they operate sustainability programs that help to defray the costs of uniforms and other classroom materials.

What North American and WWCS partner schools have in common is quality schooling that is centered on the good news of Christ.  At Christian schools around the world, God is in every subject.  

Q: How can I learn more about WWCS?

A:  Our website is your best resource for learning more about the WWCS ministry.  You can also join the mailing list for our publication, The Calling – a quarterly news magazine.

If you would like to speak with a WWCS staff member in person about a specific school project or program, visit our staff page.