Our children as missionaries
Nov. 11, 2005 at 11:10 AM
Yesterday, Tony left me a few comments and questions that are fairly common among Christians concerning homeschoolers. Here's what he said (in red) my response is below
Further, I am not critical of those "left behind". I am criticial of government education that promotes the state as higher than the parent or God.
Tony then asked these questions,
We are not abandoning those children to the "bad" influences. Their parents are responsible for whatever influences are upon their children. I have not given up on them. However, I'm willing to give the discipleship of my children to reach them.
Also, you are assuming that my children are only going to be an influence for good. Scripture says that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. That includes mine. They do foolish things that will be a 'bad" inlfuence on others. (Trust me! I see what they do to each other!)
A child doesn't necessarily become wise just because he's homeschooled. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In order for my children to become wise they must learn to love and fear the Lord. And then the knowledge that they learn can be applied with the wisdom of God to guide them. That will come as they learn under the discipleship of their parents not a godless institution that says that there are many ways to God. The curriclum is the "bad influence" as much as any child is.
2. Just because you are a Christian of deep faith and conviction, does not mean you have the skill sets or aptitude to be a good teacher of all the subjects that our children need.
I never claimed to have all the skills necessary to teach all subjects. I don't know many who do. But I sure don't have. My children are quite capable of learning many subjects on their own. Especially since they have not been given the mindless drivel that kills their love for reading and learning.
Your statement also assumes that the schools have hired the teachers with the aptitutde to teach these subjects. I'm not sure that claim can be made in most schools. Is homeschooling the perfect answer? No, there is no perfect education this side of heaven. All educational choices will have gaps. I accept that. And so do those who enroll their children in the public schools. They are willing to exchange Christ and the wisdom of the the Bible applied to their teaching while I'm willing to exchange a state of the art Chemistry lab.
3. If Christians isolate themselves, how do we bring the Kingdom of God to fruition on this earth? Christ clearly calls us to be a light to the world. Do we not think our children are smart enough to eventually detect the hypocrisy of teaching them the song "This Little Light of Mine" behind closed doors? Hide it under a bushel--NO!
The short answer to that question Tony is NO. I don't think my five year old unbelieving child is capable of discerning a lie from the truth. What child is?
They may eventually come to the knowledge of Christ and realize the foolishness of some of what they have been taught. But that doesn't mean that some of the residual effects don't remain. I am a case in point. The effect of what the "classrom" model created in me was not always positive. I learned that the grade was more important than the truth of the information being taught. I learned to compete against those I should learn to serve. I learned to ignore my siblings and prefer my friends. I learned that getting knowledge is more important than getting wisdom. All of these and more were "taught" to me by the schools that tried to educate me.
No Tony, our family is not hiding our light under a bushel. And we're not hiding it in the four walls of the classroom either. The world is our classroom and our lives a daily testimony to HIS saving power. When my son hold's the door for a lady; when I talk to the lady in the grocery line; when my daughter prays for her baby sister's "oweee"; when my husband goes into the school and does a Civil War presentation; when I talk to the lady behind me in the grocery line; when my daughter teaches piano to the neighborhood children; when our family takes a meal to a friend; we are living the life of the believer. We are giving a cup of water in HIS name.
When scripture says, "Go out into ALL the world and preach the gospel." that's exactly what we're doing every day.
I have a few questions or points to consider. And please do not misunderstand, I am not opposed to homeschooling. But I am worried about Christians being to quick to withdraw from the world and also being too critical of those "left behind".First, scriptures tell us that friendship with the world is enmity with God. (James 4:4) No soldier in active duty entangles himself in civilian affairs. (2 Timothy 2:6) So it is not that we are withdrawing from the world. Our generation is engaged in a spiritual war. Every generation has the same battle to fight. As a parent, I am not going to send my children into a system which says that there is no God to be trained for that war. Our nation would be foolish to send untrained soldiers to the Middle East. The same would be true here.
Further, I am not critical of those "left behind". I am criticial of government education that promotes the state as higher than the parent or God.
Tony then asked these questions,
1. If all Christians homeschool, how do we go minister and provide an example to those in our public schools? These are not evil people, they need Christ as much as we do, but how will they be influenced? Aren't we just abandoning them to the "bad" influences from which we are fleeing? Is this not giving up?The scriptures tell me to go out into all the world and preach the gospel. I don't limit my evangelism (nor my children's) to the schools or their schedule. The influence our family has on other families is not limited by the need to contain my children for six hours a day in a classroom. We go out into ALL the world. At times that has included our whole family going into the public schools for presentations. (My husband has been to the public schools three times in the last month.)
We are not abandoning those children to the "bad" influences. Their parents are responsible for whatever influences are upon their children. I have not given up on them. However, I'm willing to give the discipleship of my children to reach them.
Also, you are assuming that my children are only going to be an influence for good. Scripture says that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. That includes mine. They do foolish things that will be a 'bad" inlfuence on others. (Trust me! I see what they do to each other!)
A child doesn't necessarily become wise just because he's homeschooled. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In order for my children to become wise they must learn to love and fear the Lord. And then the knowledge that they learn can be applied with the wisdom of God to guide them. That will come as they learn under the discipleship of their parents not a godless institution that says that there are many ways to God. The curriclum is the "bad influence" as much as any child is.
2. Just because you are a Christian of deep faith and conviction, does not mean you have the skill sets or aptitude to be a good teacher of all the subjects that our children need.
I never claimed to have all the skills necessary to teach all subjects. I don't know many who do. But I sure don't have. My children are quite capable of learning many subjects on their own. Especially since they have not been given the mindless drivel that kills their love for reading and learning.
Your statement also assumes that the schools have hired the teachers with the aptitutde to teach these subjects. I'm not sure that claim can be made in most schools. Is homeschooling the perfect answer? No, there is no perfect education this side of heaven. All educational choices will have gaps. I accept that. And so do those who enroll their children in the public schools. They are willing to exchange Christ and the wisdom of the the Bible applied to their teaching while I'm willing to exchange a state of the art Chemistry lab.
3. If Christians isolate themselves, how do we bring the Kingdom of God to fruition on this earth? Christ clearly calls us to be a light to the world. Do we not think our children are smart enough to eventually detect the hypocrisy of teaching them the song "This Little Light of Mine" behind closed doors? Hide it under a bushel--NO!
The short answer to that question Tony is NO. I don't think my five year old unbelieving child is capable of discerning a lie from the truth. What child is?
They may eventually come to the knowledge of Christ and realize the foolishness of some of what they have been taught. But that doesn't mean that some of the residual effects don't remain. I am a case in point. The effect of what the "classrom" model created in me was not always positive. I learned that the grade was more important than the truth of the information being taught. I learned to compete against those I should learn to serve. I learned to ignore my siblings and prefer my friends. I learned that getting knowledge is more important than getting wisdom. All of these and more were "taught" to me by the schools that tried to educate me.
No Tony, our family is not hiding our light under a bushel. And we're not hiding it in the four walls of the classroom either. The world is our classroom and our lives a daily testimony to HIS saving power. When my son hold's the door for a lady; when I talk to the lady in the grocery line; when my daughter prays for her baby sister's "oweee"; when my husband goes into the school and does a Civil War presentation; when I talk to the lady behind me in the grocery line; when my daughter teaches piano to the neighborhood children; when our family takes a meal to a friend; we are living the life of the believer. We are giving a cup of water in HIS name.
When scripture says, "Go out into ALL the world and preach the gospel." that's exactly what we're doing every day.
9 Comments and Trackbacks
posted by JenIG on Nov. 11, 2005 at 11:17 AM
this was a highly interesting post. thanks Spunky!
posted by Sharon (http://nesthome.blogspot.com/) on Nov. 11, 2005 at 11:19 AM
Great answers, Spunky!
You know, when Tony commented on parents not having the educatonal background to teach ALL subjects to their children- that is such a heavyweight for me.
Even though I only taught in the schools a short time, I did learn in those few short years that there are MANY teachers who are under-qualified for their jobs. I was so surprised at how many "teachers" snuck in without certification- which, of course, is always a big issue with the state.
Even the teachers that have the certification- there are always some who eave you questioning their capabilities.
Personally, I feel parents have an advantage because they kow their children so well, and hopefully know what type of learner their child is. An outside teacher starts off as a stranger and sometimes months can go by before the teacher knows the best learning environment for that student.
As with all things, there are always pros and cons.
Just because there may be a fancy Chemistry lab doesn't mean the teacher in there is doing a great job.
And just because a parent lacks that lab at home doesn't mean the child isn't learning!
posted by Pattycake on Nov. 11, 2005 at 11:32 AM
Great post, great answers. The ministry to the public schoolers has been on my heart. We have opportunity to go to our local city school and volunteer as tutors in an after school program. I am thinking of doing this myself, one day a week. I am also thinking of getting my senior high daughter involved. She is VERY established in her faith, rooted and grounded -- and it would be with kids younger than her anyhow. I don't know where this contact could lead to, but it could be a start.
I had the same thing (angrily) posed to me by a woman in our church. She said "You homeschoolers take all the Christian kids away, and there's no light in the school!" My concise answer was "Yes, but I'd rather see Christian teachers infilterating the schools than children who are easily influenced and can't handle the pressure."
My heart goes out to kids in public school, and esp. the lie concerning our beginnings -- if true, then we are just random accidents. Suicide is up -- kids are desperate. I agree there needs to be a light shown -- but not our kids. That would only be to their demise.
posted by gottsegnet on Nov. 11, 2005 at 12:37 PM
I agree, of course : ) Thanks for taking the time to type it up so clearly...sometimes it can be difficult to answer these questions with some compassion when people start dumping questions and protests on you the minute you identify yourself as a homeschooler. I always want to just say, "I never said YOU had to."
And parents ARE qualified to teach their kids. If you don't have the necessary skills to survive in this world, how did you get to grow up, get married and manage your household? I think the true problem in the thinking that parent's aren't qualified or "I could never teach my own kids" is an unconscious desire to measure by the world's standard. Yeah...a lot of facts are taught in school. What I have forgotten would probably fill a small library, and I ask myself...if I forgot it, I did not really need it much, did I?
posted by HomeSchooling4Jesus on Nov. 11, 2005 at 3:07 PM
Sigh....some people (even though maybe well meaning) just don't get it do they spunky. I recommend anyone who questions our motives to pray, read the Bible, read a couple of 'why' we homeschool type books, do some research....eventually they will get it.
Anyway, thank you for the congratulatory comment, very kind of you!
PS, I am a Michigander as well!
posted by heythereheather on Nov. 12, 2005 at 3:43 AM
Statements like that assume that everyone homeschooling will be Christian. Maybe that's true in some areas, but in my area, I'm just as likely to find non-Christian homeschoolers. In addition, my kids can be involved in many different activities with non-Christians.
It's important to me, too, to be reaching out to non-Christians, and modeling that for my children. But it can happen in other ways than through the schools. How about just reaching out to neighbors? My DH goes to different neighborhood parks almost every day of the week with my two kids, and he's living out evangelism for the boys to see.
I've also known very many Christian kids, and Christian families, who don't have any sort of ministry in the public school, even though they attend. Hey, I was one of them! I can't even say that my closest friends (who were all "good kids") even knew I was a Christian. That I went to church, yes; but did they really know what that meant to me? I love my parents, but I never saw them proclaiming the gospel to anyone in my school. Just being in the schools does not mean evangelism will take place.
What's more important is a heart to be sharing God's love with the world. And the "world" does not just mean the schools. God will use us wherever we are, if we're open to His leading.
I also see myself volunteering in the public schools, even as we homeschool. My DH has a flexible schedule (hey, sometimes being a pastor's family has perks!), and he could do some schooling or activities with the kids while I spent one day a week in our neighborhood school. We also hope to start an afterschool ministry someday, in addition to our AWANA program and our jr. high program, which are already outreaches to the community.
I didn't know I had so much to say on the topic :) But I find it shortsighted to say that if a family is homeschooling, they are not reaching out to the community, to the kids in the school.
posted by cappuccinosmom on Nov. 12, 2005 at 5:35 AM
That was so great!
To my mind, sending kids away from home to school *limits* thier evangelistic ability. School is for learning, and how many minutes of that long day are children actually even permitted to freely talk, and share thier faith?
My children provide opportunities to witness at the library, the grocery store, the post office, and anywhere else we go. They get to hear me on the phone with someone who needs prayer and encouragement. And we can read as many "Jesus stories" together as we like, with no "separation of church and state" monster breathing down our necks. :)
What's more, we need to remember that even grown-up missionaries and evangelists have some training and preparation before they go out. Who would send a missionary into the field without first making sure they know the language, understand the world view, and thus have the ability to communicate the Gospel appropriately?
posted by riverfolk4 on Nov. 16, 2005 at 12:36 AM
AMEN! Well said, well said! The second greatest commandment...that we love our neighbors as ourselves. Tis all about love, as you clearly believe.
~~Happy Blog Moments~~
posted by Anonymous on Nov. 18, 2005 at 2:18 PM
Thanks for the article. Liked the point that homeschooling doesn't make our children automatically godly. I've taken a couple of my young children downtown and talked with drunks, homeless, etc. Also, keeping them active in our own neighborhood will condition them for a life of thinking of others first, denying self always. Thanks again.
If interested check out kingdomofgodlife.blogspot.com
Have a great day!