Thursday, September 2, 2010

Educating Children Pt.4 - Education as Discipleship

In this, my last post on 'Educating Children,' I would like to write briefly about how the education of our children helps or hinders us as parents in our attempt to obey the scriptures and "bring up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord."

Over the years as a Father of 8 homeschooling children, I've been pleasantly observing the transitional language that those in the homeschool movement have begun to perpetuate.

I've seen the movement go from one of "homeschooling," to "home education," to "home discipleship." And I like the last statement the best. I believe it encapsulates what home educators are after. We're not trying to do public school at home, or trying to compete the public schools at all. We are after something much more significant. Much more substantial. Much more faithful to scripture.

Those families who we spend time with, who are also home educators, are after the multi-generational vision that the word of God sets forth for parents to pursue in the covenant relationship that they have with Him and their children.

The Lord doesn't save people to be cul-de-sacs. He saves them to be 6-way intersections, affecting lives in all direction. Telling others of His goodness, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and most of all His Son. And He expects parents to begin their missionary life by bringing up their children firmly grounded in His word, and thoroughly protected from those who would seek to harm them.

"...Remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses."
Nehemiah 4:14


Did you hear that Men? The Lord says to fight for your families, not to offer them on the alter of convenience in the name of education.

Use the 12+ years of educating your children as a precious time of molding them, shaping them, developing them, and directing them in the way they should go. The Lord promises that if we do this correctly, they will not depart from the faith when they get old! (Proverbs 22:6)

How sad it is when a Father and Mother hear the great commission in Mathew 28:19, and never think to begin with those living in the same household as them. If you think I'm exaggerating, think again. The following is true:
  • Between 75-88% of children growing up in Christian homes are leaving the faith by the end of their 2nd year of college.
  • Less than 1 out of 10 "churched" teenagers has a biblical worldview. (*Churched means they went to Sunday school and youth group for 13 years from ages 5-18)
  • The average Christian Father spends less than 1 minute a day engaged in conversation with each of his children.
  • Most Christian homes have no formal discipleship happening on a daily basis.
  • Most Christian homes don't do Family Devotions at all, let alone on a regular basis.
  • Fathers hearts aren't turned to their children as they are commanded to be in scripture. (Malachi 4:6)
Can we do better? absolutely! Will it be easy? nothing worthy is! Look to cross Men, and call upon the Lord for a fresh vision for your home!

Stand on His promises and enjoy the fruit of living under His sovereign Hand!