The Oakbrook Way: Nurturing Faith
There’s an old saying that as long as there are tests, there will always be prayer in schools. While this certainly makes us smile, nurturing faith at Oakbrook is so much more than that.
The Oakbrook Way
At Oakbrook, faith is the foundation of everything we do — and it’s woven into every part of school life. That’s the heart of The Oakbrook Way: nurturing faith, igniting minds, integrating enrichment, fostering relationships, shaping leaders, and encouraging balance. It’s how we grow students who are deeply rooted in Christ and prepared to make an impact in the world.
Chapel Moments
This morning is a perfect example of this. After beginning their day with prayer and classroom devotions, our Lower School gathered with Chapel Leader Mrs. Olivia McNeely, who shared a message that helped even our youngest Knights understand that faith is both simple and strong. Meanwhile, our Middle and Upper School students welcomed Pastor Micheal A. Davidson from iLIVE Ministries. Pastor Michael isn’t just a powerful speaker, he’s also an incredibly gifted keyboard player. He used his music to show students that worship can be more than words, it can also be something you experience deep in your soul.
Faith in Practice
Of course, chapel is only one way we nurture faith. At Oakbrook, it’s everywhere.
- Every single day, in every single class, students begin with prayer and devotion.
- From K3 through 12th grade, students take Bible classes that grow with them—from learning the Bible as one story to exploring apologetics.
- In October, our Middle and Upper School students head to Windy Gap for a retreat where faith, community, and worship come alive.
- Small groups give our older students a place to connect and grow under the guidance of teachers who model Christian values.
Living BOLD
Each year, our school rallies around a theme. This year it’s BOLD: Believing, Oneness, Living, and Discipline, drawn from 2 Timothy 1:7. Each quarter we’ll unpack one of those words together, learning how to live boldly for the Lord in our classrooms, on the field, on stage, and in daily life.
Faith in the Everyday
What makes Oakbrook special is that faith doesn’t stay in the chapel. It spills into sports, arts, and academics. Whether students are praying before a big game, discovering God’s fingerprints in science, or giving thanks for creativity in the arts, they are learning that faith isn’t a subject. It’s a way of life.
A Daily Calling
While this has always been who we are at Oakbrook, we also recognize that nurturing faith is never finished. It’s a calling we live out every day, in every class, in every game, and in every opportunity the Lord gives us. What makes Oakbrook truly special is that this work isn’t just for our students. From teachers to coaches to our facilities staff, every adult on campus is also nurturing their own faith as they invest in the faith of each child they meet.
Why It Matters
So yes, at Oakbrook we pray before tests. But we also pray before meals, we worship together in chapel, we study Scripture in every grade, we retreat to the mountains, and we live out our faith in every corner of campus. That’s what it means to nurture faith. That’s the Oakbrook Way.
Learn more about what Nurturing Faith looks like at every age and stage here.
