Christian Kids Need a Christian Education

(Today’s post was inspired by Voddie Baucham’s “Children of Caesar.” For more information on this topic, visit exodusmandate.org)

Today I’m going to be upfront about something a lot of my fellow believers don’t want to hear:

Christian children need a Christian education.

True, this isn’t the first time I’ve talked about this, but I’ve been feeling convicted to tackle the topic again.

You see, the public education system was built as a humanist system – a secular humanist system, to be precise. It was always meant to turn children from Christianity.

“Our schools may not teach Johnny to read properly, but the fact that Johnny is in school until he is 16 tends to lean toward the elimination of religious superstition.”

-Paul Blanchard – Signer of The Humanist Manifesto and architect of the American Education System

“Public education is the parochial education of scientific humanism.”

-Joel Burnette – Signer of The Humanist Manifesto and architect of the American Education System

It’s understandable that parents decades ago may have not understood the ulterior motives of the school system. Prayer was still in schools, positive morals were being taught and the curriculum that was used reflected this.

This isn’t so today. As time goes on, it becomes clearer and clearer that God has not only been completely removed from the schools, but morality has been turned upside down. Children are being taught they can choose their own gender. Kindergarteners are being presented with lewd lessons on sexuality. Political viewpoints of teachers are being indoctrinated into their students, and children are being used as political pawns.

Besides the atrocities being presented to students, the entire atmosphere of school itself is wrought with danger:

• bullying
• drugs
• student on teacher violence
• teacher on student violence
• teachers molesting students
• principals being caught soliciting children for sex
• suicides brought on by unchecked bullying

And on and on it goes.

Yet here we are today. Well over 90% of Christian parents utilize the public education system, very often using the “salt and light” reasoning.

Let’s take a look at a few things about this expectation.

The Problem with Expecting Kids to Be Salt and Light in Public Schools

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1. Jesus was speaking to adults when he gave the salt and light command, not children.

School students are young, and they are, more likely than not, immature in their faith. Throwing them into a situation where they are surrounded by unbelievers – both children and adults – may not be the best situation for a child who is still impressionable.

“I’ve heard all the rationalizations all my life, you know: ‘I want my child to be an ambassador for Jesus.’ I’m all for ambassadors, but I’ve never met any that are eight or ten years old.”

-Cal Thomas

2. Children are exposed to anti-Christian teaching 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, 36 weeks a year, in a public school setting.

This is where that questionable curriculum comes in. Well-intentioned parents often say that they talk to their kids about the truth and about the Bible when they’re at home to counteract this influence, and that is certainly a good start. But how much time do parents actually have to run interference once you rule out school, homework, extracurricular activities, after-school programs, chores, and dinner?

Compared to how much time kids spend in school, not much at all.

“If we continue to send our children to Caesar for their education, we need to stop being surprised when they come home as Romans.”

-Voddie Baucham, “Children of Caesar”

3. Even Christian children can fall prey to peer pressure.

Parents often put their kids in public school so they can be a light to others, and it’s a noble gesture. Unfortunately, when you put a good potato in a bag of bad potatoes, the good potato doesn’t make the others good. The bad ones turn the good potato bad.

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

-1 Corinthians 15:33

4. A student is not above his teacher.

What does Luke 6:40 say?

“The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.”

Think about that. If a child is trained by a teacher/teachers who openly promote sinful behavior and mistruths, should it even be a question about whether or not a Christian child belongs in that setting?

“You cannot separate education and discipleship. Whoever is educating our children is discipling our children.”

-Voddie Baucham, “Children of Caesar”

But the Bible doesn’t say anything about education…

Oh, doesn’t it?

Let’s take a look at just a few verses that tell us a different story.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

-Proverbs 22:6

“And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

-Deuteronomy 6:7

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

-Proverbs 1:7

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

-Romans 12:2

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

-2 Corinthians 10:5

“Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

-Matthew 5:19

This just barely scratches the surface. No words that I can say can be any clearer than what God expects parents to do when it comes to raising and, yes, educating their children.

I just want to leave you with one more verse to meditate on:

““Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

-Mark 12:17a

Who do your children belong to? Do they belong to Caesar? Or do they belong to God? The choice is yours.