Arkansas Christian Academy

Arkansas Christian Academy has a rich, 25-year legacy of developing students rooted in prayer, and being a force for good in the Saline County community. With Knights as its mascot and purple as its school color, ACA holds the honor of offering a private Christian education to the children of our community.

Perry Black pastors Family Church, conveniently located in Bryant just off I-30 and Springhill Road. The church is home to the Arkansas Christian Academy Knights, whose mission is to “provide an excellent education based on God’s Word and help students realize their unique purpose in God’s plan. To teach students to respond productively to God’s call.” 

Students at Arkansas Christian Academy are challenged both academically and spiritually. ACA aims to encourage students to work toward achieving their dreams by living a character-driven life, while using the unique gifts and abilities God has given to each of them.

Proverbs 3:13 reads, “Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding.” This verse embodies ACA’s philosophy of Christian education and is one of the guiding principles of the school.

The church and school serve as a cornerstone in the Saline County community, offering a meaningful home to many. And Pastor Perry Black is the heart and soul of both organizations, propelling them towards where he senses God leading. 

“I’m a Jonesboro native, and went to school in Little Rock at Central High School where I graduated,” said Pastor Perry. “Then I went into the Army, then back to Jonesboro, where I attended ASU, and married Janet in 1973. I attended Bible School, and graduated from Dallas Christ for the Nations, then returned to Little Rock and landed in Bryant in 1986.” 

After some time in Saline County and several years of full-time ministry, Pastor Perry says he felt led to start the church, Family Church Bryant, in 1990. It was in 2001 that he knew starting a school was the next step. “I recall clearly hearing a still, small voice tell me to start a school,” said Pastor Perry. “I was driving down I-430 South close to the Stagecoach Road exit, and it was a Thursday. On Sunday morning I announced to the church body that we intended to start a school.”

The first year Arkansas Christian Academy opened, there were 33 students enrolled. “The second year, we had 60,” said Pastor Perry. “By year three, we had 90 students and went up to tenth grade. We could not believe the growth and just kept up with all the changes and many blessings.” 

Now in 2025, the school has an enrollment of over 500 students and has a campus complete with a Youth Center, sports teams, and accreditation by the Arkansas Nonpublic School State Accrediting Association. 

They currently serve students from infancy through 12th grade. “We were being faithful, and the Lord kept adding students”, said Pastor Perry. “Our next big project we will take on soon is a bigger gym for all the sports teams. We have seen our sports grow a lot lately, and we are so excited to offer those opportunities to our students.”

For a school of its size, Arkansas Christian Academy offers a wide array of extracurricular sports. Boys can play baseball, basketball, football, cross-country track, and golf;  girls can participate in cheer, basketball, cross-country track, golf, volleyball, and softball.  

When asked what sets Arkansas Christian Academy apart from other schools in the area, Pastor Perry shares it is very simple. “We have had the Ten Commandments hanging in our school rooms for twenty-five years,” said Perry. “We have Chapel every morning for all ages, whereas a lot of faith-based schools hold chapel only once a week. We also allow our teachers to have their Bibles in the classroom, and to pray with students.”

In terms of the impact of Arkansas Christian Academy on the Saline County community, Pastor Perry shares some interesting numbers. “Seventy-five to eighty percent of our faculty and student body attend other churches. So, when you think about it, our church and school are reaching new people every day. Then when you consider those students—their siblings, parents, and grandparents—our reach outside of our church community is huge. That is the lasting legacy of our school. We reach beyond our walls to spread the Good News to all around us.”

When asked about the significance of the color purple in the school’s mascot, and how it was selected, Pastor Perry points back to the students. “Our students picked the mascot, and it ties back to being strong prayer warriors. Jesus is the King of Kings, and the color represents royalty. We really believe in prayer, and it pervades every aspect of the school.”