Jun. 2, 2008 - Build Your House on the Rock
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
and the rains came tumbling down…
We used to sing this in the primary department of Sunday School, along with the verse about the foolish man building his house upon the sand. The third verse makes the moral clear: So build your life on the Lord.
This Sunday our pastor based his sermon on the parable this song comes from. (Matthew 7:24-29) In preaching on this familiar passage the pastor made one connection that I had not thought of in relation to this teaching specifically.
We know that if we build on sand, the sand will shift and the building will collapse. We know that if we build on rock (firm ground) the building will withstand enormous pressure and stand firm through storm and disaster. But what if we build a house on rock…that is set on sand? Well, from a building standpoint it is obvious: The sand will shift causing the rock to move, and the house will eventually collapse.
Obvious…yet so many try to do this with their lives and the lives of their children. How can we build their lives on the foundation of Christ through Sunday School, and then send that foundation off to public school every day where it is promptly placed on the shifting sand of the current cultural philosophy? Yet parents do this every day and never think that it might cause a threat to the Biblical foundation they want for their child’s life.
Perhaps this is why, according to several large studies, approximately 70-80% of youth raised in the Church leave their faith when they enter post-secondary school. Perhaps the foundation of Christ was set flimsily on the sand of culture, and when the storms of liberal academia meet them, they are unable to withstand it, and are crushed in their faith.
Did you notice another parallel? The cultural philosophy that children are taught in public school (and that our youth are bombarded with in post-secondary schools) shifts like the sand. It is not the same today as it was when we were children. It will shift again by the time our children are grown. Yet it is this unstable foundation that the public school system teaches the children to build their lives upon. How sad! No wonder so many crumble.
Many parents give up homeschooling because they feel they can not give their children an adequate education. They are so afraid that their children will not be academically prepared for the world that they are willing to allow them to be spiritually unprepared. We do not have to sacrifice solid academics in favour of solid Biblical teaching, but a poor education based on the Word of God is still better than an excellent secular education based on the shifting sands of cultural philosophy. What is our highest priority?
Get back to the solid, unchanging foundation of the Word of God. Keep your children grounded in it, not only on Sunday morning, but each day of the week, in each subject they study. “Teach them [God’s words] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deut. 11:19) Do not be fooled into thinking that academics can be taught devoid of religion – they can not. In the public system all subjects are taught from the perspective of the religion of humanism and naturalism. This is the sand the system would pour under the rock of God’s Word. By teaching your children at home you can very effectively teach all the academics through the glasses of a Biblical world view. No wonder the studies show that approximately 80% of children educated at home make it through their post-secondary education with their faith intact.
Comments
Jun. 2, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Jacqueline
Thought provoking!
Jun. 3, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Drake
Though you make some interesting points I must disagree with you on one. Your post makes a very black and white statement that seems to lean towards the fact that the downfall of one personal devotion and long standing commitment to God is based on their education system.
Though I can see that one raised in a strong Christian home would allow good teaching, that in itself will not seal their destiny.
I have seen home schoolers fall just as hard as public schoolers. It is not so much were one is taught but how they are taught and what is implemented in ones life. I have never been home schooled and cherish that fact (please don't view this as a bash on home schooling, as I have many friends who are extremely strong in their faith and cherish the fact that they were home schooled--I just don't see it as a either or)
The issue is much more complicated then how I read it in your post (though you may correct me if I am reading to far into it). Yes mixing wordily philosophy and Scriptural truth is dangerous and can happen even in adulthood, but one truly seeking God can live in the world and not be made of the world.
If our kids are grounded in the truth, going to public school or home schooling should make no difference, it is what is ingrained in them and what they are living for that matters.
I will finish this with the opposite argument. If you were to take your cause to the farthest degree and never let them experience the world around them, lock them inside and only teach them a Christian world-view, what will most likely happen when they leave home. By this time a introduction of what happens outside there protected home will be so overwhelming that either they will retreat to shelter or overcome to its 'new found riches'.
Truly keep up your godly manners of raising your kids, teach them to be a light in this world always holding firm to what is true and learning how to live as a follower of Christ in this pagan world. It is the parents who truly live out their faith and ingrain that into their family (homeschooled or not) that truly make a difference.
Drake
www.theweightofglory101.blogspot.com
Jun. 3, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Drake
One thing I must add is we should not be afraid of tests and trials as this allows us to grow. If our faith is never challenged, will it ever mature?
"2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
James 1:2-4
Jun. 3, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by teabaglady
Thanks for your thoughts, Drake. Allow me to just clarify a few points for you.
First, you said, "Though I can see that one raised in a strong Christian home would allow good teaching, that in itself will not seal their destiny."
I absolutely agree with you. The statistics note that about 20% of home educated youth do leave their faith. There is no guarantee.
Next you said, "It is not so much were one is taught but how they are taught and what is implemented in ones life."
Again, I agree. You will note that my post was speaking specifically about public schools where all subjects are taught from a humanist world view. ALL subjects will be ingrained in our children from this perspective if we send them to a public school. How each subject is taught, therefore, will undermine their faith at every step of the way. Yes, some do withstand this, but it is very difficult for children so young to understand what is wrong with how they are being taught.
You said, "Yes mixing wordily philosophy and Scriptural truth is dangerous and can happen even in adulthood, but one truly seeking God can live in the world and not be made of the world."
Again, this is true. However is a 6 year-old truly seeking God? Do they know how to do this yet? Are they grounded in their faith? My point here is that young children are not yet grounded. They do not yet know what they believe. How can they even know what part of their education goes against Scripture, never mind how to withstand that pressure? It can be difficult even as a mature Christian. It makes sense for children to know the Word and how to interpret the world through God's Word before they actually have to go out and do it.
I won't quote your whole "opposite argument" here, but I again agree with that point. It is pretty rare for a home educated child to be sheltered in the way you described, and I'm not suggesting they should be. But they should be sheltered - and given opportunity to defend their faith as the parent sees that they are ready to do so. To send them out on their own to defend a faith that is still very new to them is really akin to throwing them to the wolves.
Remember, too, that school is not what it used to be. With every generation academia is becoming more liberal and more openly opposed to Christianity. Each generation will face more direct attack on their faith and at younger ages. We first looked at home schooling about 10 years ago because of the things the Catholic system was teaching in the early elementary grades. What was taught in the public system would make your hair stand on end. (This was in Ontario.)
There is reason to believe that home education gives children a better chance - it grounds them more completely before they face the world and are required to defend their faith before it. The statistics consistently back this belief up.
If parents choose the public school system, that is their decision before God. But they need to make an informed decision and CHOOSE the system, rather than simply sending their children to school by default - becuase that's what most people do or that's what their parents did... Do you see the difference? Don't just send your children off without a thought. Think about it. If God leads you to use the public system, then follow Him. And be sure to ground your children in the Word. You will need to be far more diligent and spend far more time at this than I will because I don't have to wade through all the junk they've been taught by someone else.
Luke 6:40 says this: "A pupil is not above his teacher, but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher."
I think it's clear that we need to choose wisely and prayerfully who that teacher is.
Jun. 4, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by 3rsandahug
As I read your post (and Drake's responses and your response to Drake), I was thinking of other ways parents try to build their children's "faith houses" on rocks that are sitting on sand. For example, some Christian parents send their children to Christian schools assuming the children will learn to act or live like Christians as a result. But if they don't teach their children and model their faith at home (like the verses from Deuteronomy you quoted), then the children may learn little more than hypocritical "christian" behavior (not that they necessarily will). Or Christian parents who live lives wrapped up in the things of the world rather than the things of Christ - regardless of how they choose to educate their children - and pass on a love of "mammon" instead of service to the Lord.
I have friends who send their children to public school for a number of reasons, and I can in some cases see children growing up in a faith that will last because the parents are living and modeling genuine faith at home. That's not to say the children's faith may not ever be challenged in a science class or they won't face other temptations that we can help our kids avoid when they're home with us.
I'm not trying to draw away from your original point, but I was thinking that the "shifting sand under the rock" is often parents' shaky faith. And since homeschoolers often choose to homeschool for faith reasons, their children may be off to a better start in building their faith.
That's my 2 cents on the subject! BTW, I love your summary of the Ten Commandments. My kids are learning them in Sunday School right now - I may have to email that to their teacher.
Karen
Jun. 4, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by teabaglady
Hi Karen! Thanks for adding your 2 cents' to this post. You're absolutely right that sometimes it's the parents own weak faith that is the shifting sand beneath the children's foundation. I was assuming that once a parent cares about growing godly children their faith would be solid. Parents will often reap in their children what they sow in themselves. We should all start with making sure our own lives are built firmly on the Solid Rock of Christ. Thanks for that reminder.
Actually, there is another post I was composing in my head, though I don't think I have written it yet, about the verse in Luke that I quoted above, and how it is a reminder to me to make sure I'm the kind of teacher I want my children to become like! I should get that one written.
Jun. 5, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by 3rsandahug
I look forward to reading that post, too!
Glad you dropped by my blog. It's been a long time since I've been in the blog world, too, and I'm looking forward to getting caught up again (although working on my new business is taking a lot of my "spare time" lately).
Karen
Jun. 6, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Drake
Well thank you for the clarification. I mostly wished to challenge the simplified picture I seemed to be getting from your original post. The truth is, I don't think this issue is truly not black and white. As I can see the advantage even more now with your rebuttal, there are costs to be weight and pro's to be sought out on both scenario's.
I my self am not a die hard public school advocate by any means. Carmen and I have discussed both options in great detail and have still not come to a full resolution. I have just scene the good and bad of both from a lot of people I know.
And of course I am not one who likes to let people get off easy and needs to challenge... ;)
Jun. 7, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by teabaglady
It's always good to be challenged. :-) I just want people to think about their children's education. Currently public school is the "default." If a parent doesn't think about it, the kids go to public school. This, in my opinion, is sloppy parenting, although most don't realize it so I don't fault them personally. But I hope I can encourage parents to understand what's really being taught and how children learn best and help them to see how important it is to make a prayerfully informed choice about this.
You're right that it's not black & white. Few things in life are. But most of the "negatives" of homeschooling are really not negatives at all. I have yet to hear a reason to not homeschool that can't be overcome. Many of the "reasons" don't exist at all, except in the minds of those who don't really understand homeschooling. So it's good to really think about it and search God to know what He wants for your children. That way when you run into difficulties you'll know that He will provide a way through them.
Watch for my next post, which is currently formulating in my brain, that will talk about how God takes care of everything when we just trust Him and do what He asks, specifically in the area of educating of our children. :-)
Meanwhile, have you read my "Ready for College?" post? It dispels one of the more common myths about home education.
Jun. 7, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Drake
Oh, I will be waiting.
I think the biggest shame is parents who allow the world to raise their kids... allowing everyone else to do this work (youth group; public school, sports, etc.) as though it is everyone else job to do so, when the majority of their children's spiritual growth is developed to maturity at home.
I believe it is not so much the time spent outside the home versus inside, but it is the quality of the time spent at home that is truly important in my mind. So that when they leave home they are unable to turn from God because they have seen and experience to much and that they are unable to be cynical towards the church because they have been loved to deeply by it.
This is what I hope to bring in my ministry and parents need to realize they are a key role (much more then I) in the process of spiritual maturity.
So I encourage you to keep your convictions as you are searching God's work in your children's life. But just remember, they need to be in environments that they can be challenged but always know where they are grounded as well (like Victoria and cadets).
So God bless you both and Peace and Grace in abundance.
