Why Christian Education?

Freedom’s Cost

One of the most telling parts of American history has to do with the populating of New England. Many of the early immigrants came to the New World to protect their children from the apostasy of forced religion. They left the confines of a comfortable home, a way of life, and the security of England to traverse the Atlantic Ocean on a quest for freedom. Why would they risk so much? It was because of their understanding of the Bible and their concerns about their children’s indoctrination.

The ability of the common man to have his own copy of the Bible made submission to the man made doctrines of England anathema. The early settlers in America knew they could not keep the world from seeping into their children’s lives, so they removed themselves and their families from the contaminants of Europe. They believed the dangers of the New World were worth facing for the sake of their families. Nothing was more important to these Christians than the well being of their children through the imparting of their Christian heritage, even at the risk of losing their lives.

Today in America there are many Christians who enjoy having their own Bibles and going to a Bible believing church because of these early pioneers. But it is also a stark reminder of how far America has fallen to realize how many of those same Christians send their children into the secular schools to be indoctrinated by an atheistic curriculum and a system that forbids prayer. The public schools of ten years ago are no longer in existence. The public schools of today are no longer tolerant of anything or anyone Christian.

Some believers think that their children should be the salt and light of the public schools as justification for sending children into these godless social training arenas. Parents rarely understand the pressures inflicted upon the teachers and the children to conform. Sadly Christian teachers and students lose their salt very quickly and are threatened or mocked into submission. The conflict within the hearts of these Christians is spiritually sickening.

It is very confusing for children to hear one thing at school all day long and then hear their parents say something else at home. Not only would a child be confused by the opposing world views, they most often follow the world’s ways. The early settlers of America knew that this was a losing proposition and did something about it. They left the godless society behind and followed God’s prescription for family life.

It isn’t difficult to understand God’s will in education as revealed in the Bible. In many passages it defines this role by saying such things as, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Sadly then, it isn’t that Christians do not know what God expects, it is that we think the price is too high. The pioneering spirit of America’s early Christians, many of whom paid the ultimate price for freedom, would be stunned by such blatantly halfhearted attitudes.

The next time you think that Christian education costs too much or that it is too inconvenient, think about the alternative. Comfort or Christianity is the choice. Presently we still have the freedom in America to train up our children in a God-honoring way, but how much longer will this last? With all these facts in mind, please continue to pray for the ministry of Freedom Christian School and thank God for the freedoms we still enjoy in America.