10/11/13 CHILDREN ARE IN NEED
(If you do not have three minutes to read this post about Christian Education, don't even start. Just thought you would want to know.)
Do y'all remember the verse that says, "You shall send your young children into the darkness of anti-Biblical education, and justify it by calling it, 'MISSIONS WORK?'" ME EITHER.
Does anyone remember that God told parents to relinquish their influence, authority and responsibility over their children and let the State impregnate their minds and lives with secular humanism? ME EITHER.
But I do remember God giving responsibility for child rearing, education and protection to parents.
Home Schooling and Religious Education predates State and Public Schooling. Parents gave away their rights and responsibilities to raise their children by making the State the guardian, educator and most important influence in their children's lives. And don't forget, the Public (Government, State) educational system is deliberately committed to secular humanism's philosophy and program. Read their original plan, read the history of their actions and their policies, look at the end results todayand consider their future course of action.
I am not attacking well meaning teachers or parents, but I am saying Christians have either been duped into abandoning their children to the "Public" Schools, or they were too lazy to raise their children properly. Whether you are a parent or a teacher, invest your energies, gifts, abilities and talents in open and uninhibited educating children in the truth of the Bible and leading them in bold Christian living, without fear or interference from anti-Christ forces.
Christians did not withdraw from their place in the world when they reasserted their right and responsibility to educate their children in a Christian environment and upon a Christian foundation (whether by Home Schooling or Christian Schooling). INSTEAD, they reclaimed their abandoned children from a wicked system that seeks to undermine faith and family.
It seems that the only "religious" people in the world who feel it necessary to surrender their children to the humanistic State (during the most informative years of their lives) are Christians. When education was removed from the home and the Church, it started a downward spiral to destruction (for individuals and the nation). Too many Christians have been caught in the maelstrom of Secular Humanism and sucked into spiritual darkness instead of being separated unto God.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
(14) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
(15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
(16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
(17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
(18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Someone pointed out that the cost of Christian Education is a deterrent for many parents. I agreed. Here is my response.
You are right, I am sad to say. These very unhappy circumstances do exist; expensive Christian Schooling, financial stress, requiring excessive work schedules, single parent homes, along with some other issues.
Still, God will provide a way, even if it takes extraordinary sacrifice. Let me mention a few things.
Every church ought to provide for, or support Christian education, as a ministry, not as an industry or as a paid service. Christian Education is part of the church's responsibility and no child should be denied because of money.
Sometimes people either mistakenly think they need two incomes or they have put themselves in a situation where they need two incomes, which means giving their children to someone else for 8 hours a day. They need to find a way out of that situation NOW. In fact, families with both parents working seldom NEED to have both parents working. It does not provide that much extra for them, because of other added expenses, or, it is to buy things that are not essential to life. Also, the child is still worth more than the money can buy.
Homeschooling is a viable option. It is more important than any material gain that can be obtained through two working parents. Except in the most extreme cases, ANY parent can educate their child better than the public school can educate them, if that is their desire. Parents can effectively educate their children at home. There are all kinds of aids, support systems. If a parent CANNOT do it, then another family member (grandparents or whatever) can do it.
Parents must want the right thing for their children more than they want to make money, live in certain areas, please their friends and families.
Now, this does not answer all questions, obviously. But remember, following Jesus is a personal and individual reality. God has the answer for everyone.
Let me say this. I have had several families through the years that home schooled their children, on one income or with limited collateral income. Never had to have the children abandoned to the State because of money. Keep in mind, my people have often been newcomers to communities, therefore they did not have advantages of established roots or contacts. They have not had high paying jobs and they have sometimes really struggled. But child rearing and Christian education was more important than anything else.
Pastors should be able to guide needy parents in this area of their lives. If not, parents should find churches that are able to guide them.
