September 22, 2006 - Why a Christian Education?

Why offer a Christian Education to your children?  Sounds like a great question to contemplate.  Many parents believe a Christian Ed allows you the opportunity to avoid pagan education and they are right.  But, there is a much deeper reason for giving your children a Christian education. 

Let’s look at two reasons to provide a Christian education for your children.  It ensures the future of the Christian church.  If you do not raise your children to understand their faith, they will probably tube it.  If they don’t tube it, their children probably will.  This past Sunday evening I heard an address about this very issue while we visited a church in Seattle.  The pastor reminded us of a flourishing Scottish church at the end of the nineteenth century.  Many of the nation’s important dignitaries attended this church regularly.  A century later the church has a small congregation and a liberal perspective on Christianity.  How could this happen?

Parents did not ensure that their children understood their faith.  Their children only mentally assented to their parent’s beliefs.  When this happens, Christianity won’t continue with your young people.  Their faith does not penetrate their heart.  It does not affect the goals and objectives they have for the future.  They are simply a shadow of their parent’s faith.  And we all know that a shadow can not produce another shadow, thus no passing on of faith. 

The second reason to equip your children with a Christian education is to develop leaders who think Biblically.  We need Christian leaders who can out-think the unbelieving world.  I believe Christian leaders, entrepreneurs and statesmen will make a difference in the future.  It is our responsibility to teach our children how to make Biblical decisions in a variety of life’s issues.

It is imperative that you instill a Scriptural worldview in your children.  A worldview that is foundational in their life and equips them to respond Biblically to music, news, studies, jobs, art, business and all areas of their lives.  If you are not preparing your children to make decisions based on the Bible, you should re-think your homeschool objectives.  A worldview based on Scripture should be top priority in educating your children. 

No matter how or what you do in your homeschool, there will be gaps…no question about it!  My question to you is which gaps will your children have in their education.  Which gaps can you live with?  For me, I can live with some grammar and math gaps.  If my children don’t know what a gerund or polynomial is, I am not going to fret.

If my children don’t know how to make a decision based on Scripture, I most definitely will fret.  I do not want any gaps in their Christian maturity and character development.  I can live with academic gaps, but I can’t live with Biblical gaps.  Thus, our homeschool’s top priority at the younger ages is character development.  At the older ages, our highest priority is developing a Biblical worldview in ALL areas of life (research, family, jobs, business, music, entertainment, news, and so on).

What are your priorities in your homeschool?  Which gaps will your children have?  Are you sure your children will continue in their Christian faith?

Blessings,
Kerry

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September 23, 2006 - A Biblical Worldview

September 23, 2006 - Great Question!!