With God’s blessings, Risen Savior Academy strives to be the premier Christian school in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.,—a place where the hearts and lives of children and their families are eternally changed by the love of Jesus. This is our prayer and our vision. But this vision is more than a statement on paper; it is the foundation that shapes every classroom, every relationship, and every moment within our community. Here’s our story.
Risen Savior Lutheran Church in Lakewood Ranch has been a part of WELS Home Missions for the past ten years. In 2020, we stepped out in faith and opened our preschool with the intentional goal of using our school as outreach—to children and their families. We started in 2020 as a preschool of around 20 children. With God’s blessings, we now have 150 children from ages two through second grade. And looking to the future, we plan to grow to a preschool-through-eighth-grade school of 350 children.
As we’ve grown, we’ve embraced the importance of having a vision to guide us moving forward. That’s where our vision statement came in: With God’s blessings, Risen Savior Academy strives to be the premier Christian school in Lakewood Ranch—a place where the hearts and lives of children and their families are eternally changed by the love of Jesus.
Being a premier Christian school means pursuing excellence with purpose. At Risen Savior Academy, Christ-centered teaching and academic rigor go hand in hand. Our teachers are deeply committed to nurturing both the souls and minds of students, recognizing that true success is measured not only by knowledge gained, but by the character of a God-given faith that is being nurtured and formed. Therefore, each subject is taught through the lens of Holy Scripture, helping students understand God’s truth and see his presence in every aspect of life.
Our vision also speaks to transformation—hearts and lives eternally changed by the love of Jesus. The love of Jesus is at the center of everything we do. Through chapel services, prayer, scripture, and daily interactions, students are reminded that they are deeply loved by God and called to share that love with the world around them. This transformation begins with children, but it does not end there. We are intentional in sharing the transforming power of the gospel with the parents of our students as well. We pray we capture both the children and their parents so that Risen Savior isn’t just where their kids go to school, but where their family goes to church and together are filled with the love of their Savior. This culture of outreach is the “why” behind the existence of Risen Savior Academy.
The “how” of our vision ultimately depends on God’s blessings. We acknowledge that every success, every moment of growth, and every transformed life is the result of his grace at work among us. With trust in his guidance, we move forward with confidence and humility, committed to the mission he has placed before us.
Risen Savior Academy is more than a school—it is a community shaped by faith, driven by excellence, and united by the life-changing love of Jesus. Through God’s blessings, we look forward to continuing this mission for years to come.
Written by Caleb Free, home missionary at Risen Savior Academy in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
