The House System: Five Houses, One Home

Though our use of “House” is obviously metaphorical, the concept originates with boarding schools in England where students often lived in actual homes where developmental needs and a sense of belonging could be fostered. Today, many schools like ours across our own country are seeing rich benefits to incorporating “Houses” in the life of their schools. Upper Class students may apply to be House Deacons. These students ensure that each of the following areas are planned and implemented.

  • Community: Houses are “intergenerational” groups of students — in our case 7th-12th — that gather for a range of activities that can happen even during regular school days.
  • Spiritual Formation: Bible studies and Small Groups are important to a strong community. Our model includes house “Floor” meetings throughout the year where the houses separate into smaller groups for deeper discussions with their Deacons and Faculty Advisors. Each house is rooted in scripture with key virtues for growth.
  • Service: Giving back is built into the life of BRCS. Students learn the importance of impacting the community and world for Christ. Service includes weekly House Stewardship with specific in school assignments as well as local and global projects.
  • Leadership: A House will typically have about 25 students, a male and female faculty advisor, and a male and female “House Deacon” (where deacon is derived from the Greek word for servant–emphasizing our desire to form servant leaders). The student Deacons help plan events, motivate, and lead their houses in Bible studies and team activities.

“…being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Philippians 2:2-8