Victory Village

Admission to Victory Christian Academy is open to anyone regardless of racial, cultural, economic or religious background. Please request application forms and fill them out completely. If you have questions that are not answered in these E-pages, please write or call.

Heart Ministries, the non-profit corporation, under which VCA operates, is a Christian mission work, supported by donations of parents, friends, churches, and others who want to help youth. Heart Ministries, Inc. was chartered by the State of Kansas as a non-profit organization in November, 1971. It was then recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as non-profit, making contributions to the ministry deductible for income tax purposes.

At present, fourteen girls are accepted to live in the dormitory. Another ten or twelve can be accepted into the school from the local area. Daily care and education involves considerable expense. It costs $1,500 a month to take care of a resident girl at the Village. Local student's expenses run between $50 and $100 per month. Parents are encouraged to make a monthly contribution of as much of this amount as possible. We will not turn anyone away on the basis of whether or not parents are able or willing to help financially, but each parent is encouraged to do the best they can.This is one of the unique features of Heart Ministries, and is why we are always trying to raise money to supplement the income from parents. If you know of other interested individuals, churches, foundations or corporations that might be interested in supporting Heart Ministries, we would appreciate you putting us in touch with them.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF VICTORY VILLAGE

Victory Village is a Christian Boarding School where we want so much to show the love and compassion and understanding of Jesus Christ, while we help both students and parents work through these conflicts. The mediation of a third party is often helpful in bringing about understanding and finding common ground. Many have come poles apart, and have left feeling close together once again.

We try to approach situations from God's perspective as revealed in the Bible. The Christianity we seek to practice and model is by no means a legalistic system of rules and regulations that are so easily shunned and rejected by normal, growing youth. It is rather a dynamic faith and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

From the Bible we learn that Jesus was not a kill-joy or a boring person as some mistakenly believe. He attended weddings and parties and must have laughed and enjoyed Himself with His friends. He wants all to experience abundant life, or life in its fullest dimension. (John 10:10)

A vital and integral part of our Victory Village program is regular attendance at the First Baptist Church of Hutchinson. Everyone is expected to take part in the services and activities and keep an open mind about what is taught and preached. No one will be forced to believe any certain doctrine, join the church or make any spiritual decision against their will. Religious experiences and conversion are very personal matters that everyone must consider for themselves. Many have come to know Jesus Christ personally while at Victory Village, but it has to be their own voluntary commitment.

SOME SPECIFICS ABOUT VICTORY VILLAGE

From very simple and modest beginnings have come some unique features, or operational assumptions of the Heart Ministries program. These include:

A. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. At Victory Village students are not only given a second chance, but many times a third and fourth and fifth. The staff seeks to show unconditional love and to develop a personal relationship with each young person in the program. Victory Village provides a secure, loving Christian refuge and shelter from domestic violence, trauma, peer-pressure and harmful influences like alcohol and drugs, until more resistance is acquired to successfully stand the rigors and pressures of the everyday world. There is freedom to make appropriate choices, but also a reminder that a greater degree of freedom and trust increases one's responsibility to accept the consequences of these choices.

B. DISCIPLINE. A unique progressive philosophy and style of ministry, based on traditional Christian values, has been developed to help youth grow toward maturity and independence. Rules and guidelines are based on Biblical absolutes such as the Ten Commandments, standards of general decency and common sense. These are not unreasonably rigid or legalistic in nature. A great deal of flexibility, allowing for differences in background, personality and basic nature of each individual, is incorporated into the program. Discipline is for the purpose of correction and not for punishment. Staff members are aware that rules and regulations minus relationships often equal more resentment and rebellion. In keeping with the name Heart Ministries, it is recognized that genuine change in behavior must come from within, and that undue force from without will not result in permanent changes in character and lifestyle.

C. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. Victory Christian Academy is designed to meet each student's special academic and emotional needs, keeping in mind that curriculum often needs to be tailored to fit an individualÆs own particular learning level and style. Many have been able to catch up in their school work and have been prepared to transfer back to both public and private schools at home. Others have been graduated to attend college, enter the military, get married, raise families and take their places in local communities of society.

D. CHURCH ORIENTATION. Being a Christian organization, regular church attendance has always been a part of the total program of Heart Ministries. For 16 years services were held at Victory Village, but sensing that it would be beneficial for both students and staff to interact with a larger number of people in an established church setting, First Baptist of Hutchinson was chosen as a church home for the Victory Village family. This church, established in 1872, provides many opportunities for Bible study, worship, music and youth activities. At the same time, Heart Ministries remains interdenominational and needs support from people in many different churches and denominations. Basic Christian principles are taught, practiced and modeled, but no one is forced to become a Christian, join a church, or believe any certain doctrine. There are opportunities to make such commitments, and many do, but the decision must clearly be left to each individual. We encourage students to get to know the pastoral staff personally, and set up appointments for counseling any time they would like to do so. The Church telephone number is 316-662-4771. The pastoral staff consists of Rev. Jim Autrey, Senior Pastor; Chris Boaz, Youth Pastor; and Elsie Fly, Director of Christian Education.

E. FINANCIAL INTEGRITY. The administration of Heart Ministries is committed to the highest degree of financial integrity, being accountable to the State of Kansas, the Internal Revenue Service and to our private donors. The organization is sound and solvent with a net worth of over $800,000. Being a Christian mission work, no young person is ever turned away because a family is unable or unwilling to pay expenses. It is believed that all should have an equal opportunity to receive a right start in life. parents are made aware of the cost and encouraged to help as much as possible. Government funds are not depended upon for support. Instead, contributions are solicited from Churches, organizations, corporations and individuals who are interested in the moral and spiritual welfare of youth. All contributions to Heart Ministries, Inc., are deductible for income tax purposes.