A Note from "Mom"

The following was sent to me by a mom with permission to share on the blog.  The name of the school has been changed, and the children are identified by their first initial only.  This is not only for privacy reasons, but because this mom's story is the story of many moms and dads who have their children in Christian schools.  It's stories like this that remind that "this is why we do what we do."  To God be the Glory!



It is very important for us to provide our children with a Christian education, with godly teachers and fellow students. We love Jesus and want our children to know that our love for Him transcends material possessions and worldly comforts.

We desire for our children to grow to love Him deeply and to serve and glorify Him with their lives.

We want our children to grow up knowing that although we may not have been able to give them many of the things their friends may have, like American Girl dolls and video games, that we cared enough about their souls to do everything possible to surround them with Jesus, even if it requires sacrifice on our parts.

We have been pleased with “Hometown” Christian's roll in our lives thus far.

My oldest son, C, has given at least three neighbors Bibles and even has asks them if they read them. He thinks he may be a preacher one day (or a tree house designer). Either way, we know that whatever He does He will glorify God. We also know that his love for Jesus is nurtured by “H”CS. Our second child, A, has a real heart for orphans and missions. She even asked me if we could adopt some orphans for Christmas, and again wants some from Japan now. She prays faithfully for Haiti and Japan. Again, I know that her zeal is furthered by “H”CS.

We have five children and hope to give them a Christian education throughout high school. We pray faithfully for the school, Mrs. “Elementary Principal”, our teachers and classes. We love them.

A Great Parenting Resource ~ A Terrific Price

Westminster Bookstore is offering the "Getting to the Heart of Parenting" DVD teaching series (includes DVD, Discussion Guide and Leader's Guide) at a reduced rate for ONE WEEK only.  


The sale ($15 instead of the usual $60) ends on Tuesday, January 18.


About the DVD ~ from the Westminster Bookstore website:

"Parenting is more than using your power to get children to behave in certain ways. Parenting is all about the exposure and change of the child's heart. When the heart of a child changes the behavioral change that is needed will last. This is a great conference for parents raising children from age toddler through teen.

Learn how to be an instrument of heart changing grace in the little moments of life that God will give you with your children. Paul Tripp will begin with giving you a picture for God's design for the family. Because if you don't understand the family; you will never understand parenting. Then, Paul will help you to understand the life transforming and agenda setting things that the Bible says about the heart. Then, he will apply the principles about the family and the heart to the three primary stages of parenting.

In each stage Paul will give you the key issue of focus and practical steps for achieving what is important, at that particular stage of the child's growth and spiritual development. Paul will also help you to identify those places where you are in the way of what God is calling you to do rather than being part of it by helping you to locate your own heart issues."

Click on this link to take advantage of this special offer!

Is Teacher 'Belief' Important for Educational Transformation?

Trevor Cairney
Just in CASE
Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and EducationSydney, NSW, Australia

Introduction:
"I’ve been working on a book over the past year with a group of theologians and educators that is exploring what is distinctive about Christian education. We see a strong connection between faith and educational priorities and decision-making. But we live in an age where teaching is seen as a secular activity and where the teacher is meant to dispassionately separate or even suppress their personal beliefs as they teach the children of other parents. This of course wasn’t how teaching was always seen. In fact, for much of human history, teaching was seen as a deeply religious activity, that is, something guided by beliefs shaped by an understanding of an ‘Ultimate Reality’ concerning the cause, purpose and nature of life and the universe. I am of the view that it is virtually impossible for the act of teaching to be free of religious belief."


Conclusion:
"While not all readers of this blog will accept the message of the Bible, my challenge to all would be to consider the ultimate goals of an education system that seeks to strip away any basis of belief or faith. From what will it draw its priorities and what will be the marks of the graduate of the system of education that is created? My comments above will raise many questions. Am I saying that you have to be a Christian to be a good teacher, or is the only good school a Christian school? The short answer to both is no. But what I am saying is that what teachers believe matters, and that their beliefs have an impact on the type of education that is offered. "

Click HERE to read the full post!

The Dangerous Worlds of Analog Parents with Digital Teens

Parents cannot be spectators in the lives of their children, but should set rules, establish expectations, enforce limitations, and constantly monitor their teenagers’ digital lives. Anything less is a form of parental negligence.

Dr. Albert Mohler
Originally posted on AlbertMohler.com
December 8, 2010

Sunday’s edition of The New York Timesgave front-page attention to the problem of adolescent bullying on the Internet. There can be no question that the Internet and the explosion of social media have facilitated the arrival of a new and deeply sinister form of bullying, and the consequences for many teenagers are severe. For some, life becomes a horror story of insults, rumors, slanders, and worse.

Meanwhile, many parents are baffled about how to help — if they are not completely out to lunch.  

How are you doing?  Click here to read the full post on AlbertMohler.com.

You Have to Watch Out for the Pork on Thursdays

The Trouble with Being Sheltered from Reality

Mark Kennedy (ACSI Canada, Eastern Region)

My childhood friend Bill grew up to be a respected and successful bank executive- a man who occasionally helps financial institutions beyond our borders. A few years ago while consulting for a bank in Dublin he made his temporary GHQ in a small hotel that boasted a dining room for its guests. On a Thursday evening he ambled down to this quaint eatery for a taste of Celtic cuisine not suspecting the violent conflict that would arise later in his stomach.

“I was sick all last night after eating in your restaurant!” He told the manager the next morning.  “Well what did you have for dinner?”  “Roast pork!” said Bill.  “Ah yes,” replied the manager philosophically in a lilting Irish brogue, “You have to watch out for the pork on Thursdays.”

You can imagine the questions in my friend’s mind after his initial shock wore off. Perhaps foremost was “Why didn’t someone tell me?!?”  Sheltering someone from reality can be dangerous. And sometimes the consequences can be much more serious than a minor case of food poisoning.

Consider the effects of an education that intentionally shelters students from the most essential realities about life and living- a secular education where the daily presence of the living God is ignored and the authority and guidance of scripture is dismissed- an education that edits out the creator and sustainer of the real world.

Paul warns about a day when “men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn away from truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Tim 4: 3 & 4. That time sounds uncomfortably familiar.

It’s not that a secular education necessarily speaks out against the God of the Bible or openly denies the authority of the scriptures. It simply remains silent about them. And that’s the problem. If a student from a Christian family receives a consistently secular education how surprising can it be if he concludes that God can’t be very important? ‘After all they never talk about Him at school’ he might reasonably say to himself- and his logic would be pretty hard to refute. He got the message that silence implies.

Robert Louis Stephenson expressed it plainly, “The cruellest lies are often told in silence.” So when important, even vital truths are withheld from people who desperately need to hear and experience them, Stephenson says it is a cruel deception.

The silence in secular education has implications for the way children learn, believe, think and face life’s challenges. When students are sheltered from God’s reality they are vulnerable to the deceptions Paul warns about in Col 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”  Philosophies produce actions, and actions produce consequences. 

So it should be no surprise that sex education that ignores biblical standards produces ever growing rates of sexually transmitted diseases, abortions and accompanying psychological problems; that a purely mechanistic and evolutionary view of humanity convinces some students they are worthless genetic  accidents so that suicide becomes a reasonable option; and that personal troubles for which secular minds have no real answers cause some  students to turn to illicit drugs in a hopeless attempt to escape. The world of drug and alcohol abuse and promiscuous or perverse sexuality is so often a false refuge for people who have not been equipped to deal with the real world.

In Christian schooling we don’t shelter students from reality. We prepare students by telling them the whole truth about the real world and by honouring the presence of the source of all truth and by teaching future generations about his standards for living. As the Psalmist says, “We will not hide them from their children; We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power and the wonders he has done.” Psalm 78:4

In the early 1990s after Russian Communism collapsed I found myself on a team of North Americans instructing hundreds of Russian educators about how to teach the Bible to Russian public school students. Evgenity Kurkin of the Russian Ministry of Education explained why we had been invited to do that, “Seventy years ago we closed Him (God) out of our country and it has caused so many problems in our society we cannot count them…..We must put God back into our country and we must begin with our children.”

One evening as I walked with some of our Russian hosts down a snowy street in St. Petersburg, a translator told me about his life in Chernobyl after the nuclear accident – the one that killed and crippled thousands. “For three years after the accident nobody told us what had happened, all we knew was that our children were getting sick. We finally learned about it through BBC radio.” Those people in Chernobyl knew the cost of being sheltered from reality – and it was far too high.

And what about the future cost for North American students, especially those from Christian homes, who have been sheltered from the realities that matter most for living now and for the life yet to come?

We shy away from sounding a warning to families in our churches. ‘Try to focus on the positive aspects of Christian schooling and don’t offend anyone’ we tell ourselves. But maybe the time has come to tell the whole story to Christian families for the sake of their children and for the future of the church in North America.

Christian Music for Children

From Tim Challies

There is a vast amount of Christian music targeted at children. The problem is that there is a lot of junk as well—stuff like this. (Click on the back button to return to this post if the video doesn't open in a new window.)

My kids are not particularly drawn to music so we have probably overlooked a lot of the great resources out there. Nevertheless, there are a few that we’ve come across that they continue to enjoy. So here are some of our favorite kids’ albums. 

I’d love you to read through and add your own suggestions in the comments.

Already on "the list"

• Seeds Family Worship
• Sovereign Grace Music
• Getty Music
• Judy Rogers
• Songs for Saplings
• The Rizers

Click here to read the entire blog post - including additional resources in the comments section.

Have any others to add?

Long Story Short ~ Ten Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God

Came across this wonderful resource (available for $6.99 from Westminster Bookstore). Check it out and let us know what you think!


Long Story Short ~ Ten Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God

Click here to order from Westminster Bookstore

(Publisher's Description) ~ Christian parents know the importance of passing the gospel story on to their children, yet we live in a busy world filled with distractions. Schedules collide, there is homework and yard work and dishes and laundry, the car’s oil should be changed, there are phone calls to make...and before you know it, everyone is getting to bed late again.

The Bible can seem like a long story for an active family to read, but when you break it down into short sections, as Marty Machowski does, family devotions are easy to do. Long Story Short will help busy parents share with their children how every story in the Old Testament points forward to God’s story of salvation through Jesus Christ. You won’t find a more important focus for a family devotional than a daily highlighting of the gospel of grace. Clever stories and good moral lessons may entertain and even help children, but the gospel will transform children. The gospel is deep enough to keep the oldest and wisest parents learning and growing all their lives, yet simple enough to transform the heart of the first grader who has just begun to read.

Ten minutes a day, five days a week is enough time to pass on the most valuable treasure the world has ever known. Long Story Short is a family devotional program designed to explain God’s plan of salvation through the Old Testament and is suitable for children from preschool through high school.

Enlightened and Encouraged

Dan Berens

Christian Schools International

Originally posted on Nurturing Faith

We are living in instant times. We are fixated on the newest and latest. Sometimes we forget how we have gotten to where we are. Since CSI just celebrated 90 years, I thought it might be a good time to consider some of the rich history that is ours to see what can be gained from the past for living in today’s times.

A book that I recently read was 22 Landmark Years, Christian Schools International, 1943 – 1965written by John VanderArk, who served as Director of CSI from 1953-1977. The comments below are reflections and quotes from that source, published by Baker Books.

VanderArk begins his preface with a quote: “Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well (that) the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning…”.  Would you be shocked if I told you that this was a September 26, 1642 letter explaining the reason for establishing Harvard College? He goes on to say that “the purposes of life and learning are essentially theological issues, and one’s theology is important. Consequently people who take their faith seriously wish to entrust the education of children to those of a similar faith.”

While there were schools started by various denominations, VanderArk states that many of them closed as civil education gained ascendancy and can’t truly be considered the forerunners of today’s Protestant Christian schools. He points out that the rise of secular education that focused students on national citizenship to the exclusion of the consciousness of the kingdom of God was a primary cause for the establishment of Christian schools. While many in the late nineteenth century were enamored by Enlightenment thinking that promoted the concept that “knowledge is power” and that man is the measure of all things, the Netherlands immigrants who began many of the schools in CSI thought otherwise. While they taught their children to appreciate their heritage and to embrace citizenship in their new country (whether Canada or the U.S.A) their focus for their children was on preparation to live and worship God above all in this world and the world to come.

We are linked to those who have gone before us and their story can both enlighten and encourage us. Their struggles are our struggles, just in different clothes. We seek to show students that all of life belongs to God, that no part of it can be understood apart its Creator. It is our turn to share the story. As VanderArk warns: “The distance between a goodly heritage and its extinction is but one short generation.” Let us be faithful!

Young minds full of promise ~ Teachers assume role as models

Sunday, October 24, 2010Originally published in The Walton TribuneBy Pam Krumpach

Watching the leaves change provokes the dreamer in me. It reminds me of the swift passage of time and how, with each passing day, my students grow and change, developing into the men and women of quality and dignity that God intends for each to become.

In scripture, Jeremiah tells us God has a plan for each of these young people and these plans give all of us hope and a future.

Isn’t that what life is about? Think about it. What a gift life is, freely given with plans designed by the Creator and full of hope. What a privilege it is to be surrounded by the promise of optimism which springs from our students as they discover their own futures. It makes even more poignant the events of this past week.

Our family here at Covenant Christian Academy suffered the loss of an amazing man and a wonderful friend. He left a huge impact on everyone who knew him because of his loyalty and compassion. He was a role model for students — a man not afraid to visibly demonstrate his faith through words and actions. And even though he was not a teacher nor an administrator, he was an educator. As I think of this man, I am reminded of the priority of Christian education and our role as parents and educators in the lives of our children.

While the three Rs retain an important role in education, Christian education offers so much more. Christian education takes place in a community setting. Parents, teachers, administrators, staff and even the young people themselves bear the responsibility and privilege of creating an atmosphere in which each child can freely partake in the opportunities of learning and developing as students and as caring members of the “family.” Students have that chance to grow surrounded by love and support.

The Christian school setting provides a fertile ground for that change. Keep in mind that societal pressures have encouraged the disintegration of traditional families, and children now spend far more time in a school atmosphere where teachers assume a primary role as models for their students. David L. Roth said recently, “Christian school teachers must serve as role models. [Therefore] it is important that a teacher model the Christ-centered and Bible-centered mission of the Christian school.”

As members of our Christian family at Covenant Christian Academy, we are particularly mindful of how important that Christian family is and how we need to support, love, uphold and lead our young people, certainly through instruction, but more importantly through deed.

So as we find ourselves grieved, disappointed, angry, hurt or any of the other responses we have to the many stresses in our changing lives, we need only be reminded that even in the midst of the storm,Jesus lived what He taught, that there is a future which God has destined for each us and that no matter what, there is hope. We must strive to live our lives as Christ did. After all, He is our ultimate role model.

Click here for the original post.

Why is Christian Education so important?

The Lion's Tale

A Message from the Dean

April 22, 2010 10:46 AM

Originally published in The Star (click here to see the original post).

Why is Christian Education so important? Is church training enough? Can I teach my children the values and morals they need at home? As familes look at all of the education alternatives today, these are questions that arise quite frequently. I have researched all of these questions from a Christian perspective and would like to offer my view.

Sunday School is a great opportunity for children to learn the mind of God on their own age level and to make friends their own age. Sunday Service is a great place to learn the disciplines of the church. Some churches offer other activities such as Children's Church or Youth Group. This is an ideal social setting for most Christian kids and offers Godly instruction on appropriate levels.

Home is one of the best places to teach morals and values.  Teaching by example gives a very strong message because young children want to follow in their parents’ footsteps, and family devotion time is a great time to discuss spiritual and moral topics.

So the question remains… Are these times enough to keep children spiritually strong?   How many times are we as adults bombarded by secular opinions and pressured to conform?  How many days do we go home from the work place spiritually exhausted and cry out to God because we feel weak and alone?   If we as adults feel the strain of the constant pressure of society in our spiritual lives, how much do our children, whom God has given to us to protect and nurture, feel as they fight against the currents of society all day, every day?

Is it possible that education can be neutral?  No, every idea spurs an action and every action has a consequence.  The great reformer Martin Luther penned, "I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth."

Christian education reinforces church and home training and offers families an alternative to secular instruction.  As our society’s moral compass continually veers off course, as Christians we must take every opportunity to fill the young minds and hearts of our children with God’s precepts. 

 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8

School/church/home partnering that encourages discipleship – a model that is working!

Originally posted on "Nurturing Faith" - a blog of Christian Schools International
Click here for the Nurturing Faith blog.

How to best partner with churches has been a true conundrum for CSI Christian schools in recent years.

Cultural changes and shifts in church membership,  coupled with students coming from a broadening number and variety of churches, have left schools confused about how to keep the home – school – church triangle intact, or even functioning at all. At the 2007 CSI membership convention we attempted to highlight the issue and make some progress on the issue of our common connection – the faith development of the students we share.

To read the rest of the article, click here . . .

Christian Education: Investment, Sacrifice, or Obligation?

From Nurturing Faith

Christian Schools International

This is the time of year for budgets, annual parent meetings, and staff hiring.  A lot of time, energy, and discussion are put into financial matters related to the cost of Christian education. What is the language used in our discussions with parents, board, and each other? Let us consider some thoughts around the words investment, sacrifice, and obligation. If our language conveys our values and really matters, then we should choose our words wisely.

It’s wonderful to hear parents talk about investing into the lives of their kids by giving them a Christian education.

When I think of “investment”, I think of these phrases:

·         Seen as a good thing to do with money – ex. The parable of the talents

·         Are a plan for growth and the future

·         Don’t always turn out like we planned, but we still make them anyway

·         Potentially impact future generations

When I hear parents describe their choice for Christian education in a negative tone as a “sacrifice,” I think of these phrases:

·         Something I have to do

·         Sometimes grudging obedience rather than my heart’s desire

·         Something I am giving up, not always cheerfully, to maintain something else

·         Sense of loss rather than choice

·         Sometimes used in “guilting” – “I sacrificed so you can have this”

I realize that the attitude of the heart is what determines how these words are used. I can also be forced to make investments for good (taxes come to mind) and do so with a resentful attitude.  I can also make a joyful sacrifice – the kind that is pleasing to the Lord, such as the Abel offers, or one at the cost of my life, such as Samson. On the other hand if I view sacrifice as obligation it may be like the cheerless Pharisee who tossed into the collection plate in large measure and made sure it was publicly visible. In Jesus’ observation, the widow “sacrificed” but she did so with a grateful and joyful heart as an “investment” in the work of the kingdom.

How we and our staff approach our work is also key. Do we focus on our “sacrifice” to work at a lower salary or do we see our work as an opportunity to “invest” into the lives of the kids and into our community and world?

The language we use and allow others to use really surfaces our values and our level of commitment. The Bible says that “where your treasure is there will your heart be also,” and provides many very clear stories of biblical characters who ran into trouble confusing obedience and gratitude – investment, sacrifice, or obligation.

What attitude does our language convey about how we approach the opportunity for a Christian education that can equip our children to hear the redemptive call of God on their life in personal and corporate ways?

Science and Faith: Friends or Foes?

March 12, 2010 - March 13, 2010 
Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA

Are science and faith at war? Does science undermine or corroborate belief in God? Does faith suppress or inspire scientific research? Explore these questions and more at this two-day conference to be held March 12-13, 2010 at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

Sessions will explore a Biblical view of science and nature; the role of Christianity in the founding of modern science; the impact of Darwinian Evolution on ethics, society, Biblical studies and theology; and the scientific evidence for intelligent design and its implications for theism.

Click here for more information, including the opportunity for Online Registration!

The Master’s College Essay Contest 2010

Please share this information with interested high school students!

Win a $4000 Scholarship to The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California, one of the best Christian colleges in the world and led by president and pastor/teacher John MacArthur.

GRAND PRIZE: One $4000 tuition scholarship to The Master’s College PLUS free airfare, lodging, and meals to College View Weekend, March 25-27, 2010 at The Master’s College.

ENTRY PRIZE: All who submit a valid essay will receive a free copy of John MacArthur’s excellent book, Right Thinking in a World Gone Wrong.

ELIGIBILITY: All high school and college students who could attend The Master’s College starting in the Fall of 2010.

ESSAY TOPIC: Write a letter to Charles Darwin explaining why you believe biblical creationism is more plausible and reasonable than Darwin’s theory of evolution.

ESSAY LENGTH: 900 – 1200 words

DEADLINE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Click here for complete information:  The Master’s College Essay Contest 2010

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Another Year is Dawning

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

Frances R. Havergal, 1874.
She wrote these words as a poem for her New Year’s greeting cards. The hymn was subsequently included in her Under the Surface, 1874, and Life Chords, 1880.

The New Gospel ~ A Call for Discernment

A note from DiscoverChristianSchools.com co-founder Dr. Tim Sierer:

Satan is tricky!! He is looking for anyway to gain a foothold both in our schools, homes and churches. One of the ways he will strive to accomplish this is in the watering-down of the Holy Scriptures. It is our responsibility to remain diligent in guarding against becoming a victim of the 'slippery slope.' Take a few minutes to read this very pertinent blog by Kevin DeYoung.

The Intro:

Have you heard the New Gospel? It’s not been codified. It’s not owned by any one person or movement. But it is increasingly common.

The Conclusion:

This is no small issue. And it is not just a matter of emphasis. The New Gospel will not sustain the church. It cannot change the heart. And it does not save. It is crucial, therefore, that our evangelical schools, camps, conferences, publishing houses, and churches can discern the new gospel from the old.

Click here to read the complete post.

Wagging the Dog

Challenging the Backward Thinking of Parental Surrender
By Jonathan Nazigian
The King's Christian School (Cherry Hill, NJ)

There is a reason we don’t let 12 year-olds vote.
There is a reason we don’t let 15 year-olds join the army.
There is a reason we don’t let 13 year-olds drive.

Children are an incredible blessing from God, and we love them, but let’s face it, they are not the pinnacle of sound judgment.Ask any parent who has seen that glazed, deer-in-the-headlights look staring back at them after they’ve asked, “What were you thinking?” and you’ll know. There is a reason God did not say, “Let the child train himself up in the way he thinks he should go…”

Why? Because God, who created and designed us, knows we come into the world under the curse of sin. We are born in ignorance with our hearts bent toward rebellion. We are not, because of our sin nature, naturally prone to seek out God’s best over our own selfish desires. Just like us, adolescents struggle with many things, but the difficulty of their struggle is compounded with a profound lack the maturity and an absence of real-world experience that helps put those struggles into a better perspective. A few things we know . . .

1. Adolescents have little idea who they are (their true identity).

2. Adolescents do not successfully delineate between what they want and what they truly need.

3. Adolescents have lots of energy but are flooded with hormones. Hormones do not make judgment clearer.

4. Adolescents often have dreams not based in reality.

5. Adolescents are perpetually ungrateful and think the grass is so much greener anywhere else but where they are at the time.

And yet, even knowing all of this, many Christian parents will take the one parental decision that will have the greatest bearing on their child’s future—the decision as to who, aside from them, will most shape the worldview of their impressionable, searching, and vulnerable children for 40+ hours every week—and hand that decision over to the child to make.

As someone who has been involved in Christian Education as a student, a teacher, and an administrator for 33 years I have seen what used to be a rare occurrence grow into an astounding trend. Christian parents who leave the ultimate decision for their child’s schooling in the hands of their child.

Some parents do this directly. “Johnny, where do you want to go to school next year?”

Others do it indirectly; they cave in to their child’s constant complaining often directed at “the school” when, ultimately, the school is not the real issue, just the easiest target.

Others, who want to move their children from the public school system into Christian school, take an approach that is sabotaged from the start, “Susie, let’s just try Christian school for a few months, and if you don’t like it, you can go back to public school.”

It seems the tail is wagging the dog.

Where are the Christian parents who will make a decision in the best interest of their children and then fight for it, despite the external pressures and internal doubts that inevitably come? Where are the Christian parents who will stand their ground and fight for their children’s best future, even if it means fighting with their children in the short term?

Where is the Christian parent who will sit down with their child, look them in the eye, and say,..

…To the child who’s being picked on…

“Susie, I love you. And I know you do not like school right now. I know your friends are being mean, but just changing schools will not resolve the real issue. Mean girls are everywhere and you will face unkind people throughout your life. The best place to learn how to deal with them is in a school where the Biblical truths of peacemaking and reconciliation are taught.”

…To the child who has dreams of playing sports at the local public school…

“Tommy, I love you. And I know you want to play football. But much more important in your life is your spiritual and academic future. I cannot sacrifice that for anything. I love you too much to put you under the influence of teachers, coaches, and friends who have other agendas and do not have your best interest in mind. We can explore township football, but when it comes to your schooling, Christian Education is a non-negotiable.”

…To the child doesn’t like the rules…

“Mary, I love you. And I know you would prefer to wear other clothes and that you don’t like some of the rules at school. But your true character and integrity aren’t revealed by how well you obey rules you like. True character is revealed by how you respond to authorities and rules you don’t like. No place is perfect, but your spiritual formation is not something I’m willing to sacrifice to a public school.”

…To the child whose friends are leaving for public school…

“Eddie. I love you. And I know several of your friends might be leaving for public school. But God does not hold me responsible for the choices other parents make. God holds me accountable for you. And I know that Christian school is the best thing for you. And I also know what real faith means. It means that despite how it feels right now, choosing to be obedient and to live God’s way will bring blessing, and that God probably has other and newer school friendships waiting for you.”

In the end, it all comes down to how we view what’s most important in the battle for the hearts and minds of our children.

Some parents view Christian Education like Karate classes or swim lessons—a nice little “extra” in their child’s life, so long as it is affordable and the child enjoys it. But if the finances get tough, or the child begins to complain, Christian school can be replaced with cheaper alternatives. Why pay so much for something my child doesn’t seem to like?

I choose to view Christian Education like food or immunizations. These are necessities to my family. I don’t care how much my children complain about having to eat balanced, healthy meals or the momentary prick of the doctor’s needle; my decision is firm, and it is for their best interest. And I will take a third job, do without vacation, or sell my furniture before I place my child in the furnace of an educational system centered on humanism, relativism, and cultural idolatry. You see, God did not call me to a life of comfort, free from struggle. God called me to train up my children in the most Biblical way possible and to give them every opportunity to turn their hearts toward Him.

I refuse to surrender in this war.

Jonathan Nazigian is Minister of Spiritual Life at The King’s Christian School in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He is the undeserving husband to a beautiful wife and the proud father of three wonderful sons. He may be contacted at jnazigian@tkcs.org.

Another Year of Blogging

Welcome to another year of blogging with DiscoverChristianSchools.com. Our desire is to post articles and information that will be helpful to you. Please feel free to comment on our posts - we would love to have your feedback.

In addition, we would love to tell "your story" regarding Christian schooling in your life or in the lives of your children. We welcome your submissions. We would also welcome the submission of articles regarding Christian schooling. Please contact Nancy DeHaan (ndehaan@macsaonline.org ) if you have something that you would like to submit.

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Back to School

A note from DiscoverChristianSchools.com co-founder, Dr. Timothy Sierer:

"We are about to embark on another year that is shaping up to be full of challenges in light of the current economic atmosphere in our country. Yet we are able to take heart because we know that we serve an awesome God who has not been caught off guard by current circumstances. I wanted to take this opportunity to share this article with you as a means of encouragement as we seek to train our students in a manner pleasing to the Lord. May God richly bless your efforts during the coming year."

Things are Different This Year
Bruce Etter

It's that time of year...the time of year when we all start to think of going back to school. Teachers are thinking of setting up classrooms, home-schooling families are planning their year, parents are buying supplies, and students, well, some are getting excited and others are desperately wishing for more time. This year is different, though. We are starting this year with a burden.

When the recession hit around October 2008 the school year had already begun. Most people could finish out the year without worrying about how it affected our children's education in the long term. Things have changed drastically for many people for this coming year. Schools have had to downsize or even close, families have had to begin home-schooling because they cannot afford tuition, mothers have had to go to work and cannot be as involved in their children's education. Things are different. Several men who are close to our family have lost their jobs.

How does this affect the education of our children? First, this does not change the calling God has given us to provide our children a Christian education. Second, as we observe the reaction of our government to the recession-a reaction that appears more and more socialist-it is more important than ever to educate our children in such a way that enables them to be the generation who can bring about godly change. Whether you are a teacher in a school or a home-schooling parent, never forget the importance of giving your children a distinctive Christian worldview.

When asked how he could afford to spend several hours a day in prayer, a wise theologian responded, "I cannot afford to NOT spend these hours in prayer." We can apply this well-known story to education. These times tempt us to conclude that we cannot afford a Christian education. The question we must entertain is, "Can we afford to NOT give our children a classical and Christian education?" The hard reality is we have to think about the future. Our nation is a mess, and if we are not producing committed, Christian-thinking students, where will we be in twenty years? Riddled with both fiscal and moral dilemmas, more than ever we need thinking minds which are submissive to the Word of God. Let me encourage you, regardless of your situation, to continue to find creative ways to inculcate your children with a thoroughly Christian mindset.

But, you might say, we are living in an economy that has taken its toll on many families. You can't get blood out of a turnip, as my father used to say. If there's no money, there's no money and a quality education is not cheap. Let me respond to this valid concern with a few thoughts. First, the truth is, we tend to find creative ways to get what we want. We spend money on the things we truly desire. When it comes to providing enriching and educational experiences for our children, we often conclude that something else less important has to go. It's simply a matter of weighing priorities and choosing to spend money on things that have eternal consequences as opposed to luxuries that we can do without.

Second, I know that many are blessed to have grandparents who are involved in the process. I have talked to homeschoolers who make a point of getting grandpa and grandma in on the teaching of their children. What a wonderful way to experience the multi-generational nature of education! But it doesn't have to stop there. I challenge grandparents to recognize the struggles that their children are having in this economy and step up to lend financial aid as they are able to do so. I cannot think of a better gift that a grandparent can give than to play a role in providing a Christian education for their grandchildren. Now would be a great time to commit to paying for a portion of your grandchildren's tuition and school uniforms or curriculum if they are homeschooled. All grandparents are not in a position to do so, but many are and should consider the value of assisting in this way.

Finally, education should not be viewed as something that takes place only in the 8:00-3:00 time slot, Monday through Friday. There are activities that we should be doing with our children that do not cost anything (or very little) that get to the heart of what it means to provide them with a Christian worldview. Are we having a regular time of family worship? Are we praying together as a family? When you see a TV commercial or any type of advertising do you use it as a teachable moment to challenge worldly, illogical thinking? When you are having family movie night do you discuss worldviews that fall short of being thoroughly Christian? When you observe ungodly behavior by others in public do you discuss what causes and perpetuates these kinds of actions? Are you taking opportunities daily to provide your children with a mindset that is distinctly Christian?

Remember the words of Deuteronomy 6:6-9: "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

This economy has affected us all in one way or another. Whether it is our common plight of paying more for groceries or gas, a great loss in the stock market, or the loss of a job, you are in the minority if you are not affected by these stressful times. My prayer is that despite the tough circumstances God would allow us to see the fruit of our labors and sacrifices in the hearts and minds of the next generation.


Bruce Etter is the head administrator and teaches online with Veritas Press Scholars Academy. He lives in Lancaster, Pa., with his wife Julie and their five children.

Log in and Listen!

In case you missed it - click here to listen to Harold Naylor, co-founder of DiscoverChristianSchools, interviewed on the The Christian Worldview Radio program.
http://thechristianworldview.com/tcwblog/listen


The Christian Worldview Radio program featured an interview with Harold Naylor, co-founder of DiscoverChristianSchools.com.

Guest: Harold Naylor, co-founder, Discover Christian Schools

If God has given you children, you're sure to be confronted with the question of how and where to educate them. Should you pay to send them to a private Christian school where a biblical worldview will be woven into coursework by Christian teachers?

Should you send them to a state school down the street for "free" (i.e. paid for by your taxes) where their peers and teachers will most likely not have a like-minded Christian worldview? Or should you home school or send them to a private non-sectarian school?

It's a difficult choice that every parent or guardian faces. Issues of finances, peer-influence, academics, apathy, socialization, and proximity all frame the decision-making process.

Discover Christian Schools is a dynamic website and non-profit organization that helps parents find answers to difficult questions about educating their children and a school that meets their needs.