THE WHY OF HOME SCHOOLING: A THREE-TIERED DECISION
by John W. Thompson (Revised 5/00)
If you DON'T home school, have you ever investigated the biblical
ground for doing so? And if you DO home school, do you do so for
distinctively biblical reasons? Or, do you educate your children at home
for the same reasons as the non-Christian family down the street--
academic superiority, educational flexibility, closer family
relationships and healthy social development, to name a few? Make no
mistake, these are certainly worthwhile considerations. But is there a
more uniquely Christian basis for home schooling, something rooted in
biblical beliefs? As I have studied the principles, precepts, practices,
promises and prudence of the Scriptures, I have become deeply convinced
that God's intended model for our children's education is arrived at
through a three-tiered decision, like creating a three-layer cake. See
if this makes sense to you.
MAKING EDUCATION "CHRIST-CENTERED"--
THE MOVE FROM SECULAR TO CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
The first tier, or layer, of our decision to home school involves
making our children's education completely and continuously
"Christ-centered." This requires that we move our children's schooling
out of the domain of secular education and into the realm of Christian
education where our children are taught only truth, i.e., knowledge from
God's point-of-view (Ps. 25:10; 40:4; Prov. 21:28; Col. 2:8).
Secular education, which by definition leaves God out, does not "tell
the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." Education in
truth views all knowledge through the lens of Scripture (Jn. 17:17) and
teaches all subjects from God's point-of-view (Col. 2:3). Since God is
the Source and Standard of all truth about everything, knowledge which
does not correspond with God's point-of-view (as revealed in Scripture)
is not truth but is false knowledge. That is, apart from their relation
ship to God, facts cannot be rightly perceived, interpreted or applied.
In addition to teaching only truth, a Christ-centered education must
attain the biblical purpose of education. What is the target toward
which we are aiming our young arrows? The preeminent, overall goal of
education (as well as all else that we do) is to bring glory to
God--literally, to make God "weighty" in one's own sight and in the sight
of others. "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all
to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). So, when we teach His
truth--whether math, science, geography, or whatever--we must teach it
(and have our children practice it) in such a way that His splendor
shines through, it bears witness to Him and He is given all the credit
(Ps. 19:1; Rom. 1:20; Gen. 1:28).
Lastly, a Christ-centered education of children must be continuously
godly. According to God's instructions through Moses in Deuteronomy 6:7,
our child training in His truth and for His glory is to be taught "when
you sit in your house and when you walk by the way" and "when you lie
down and when you rise up." Moses uses here a common Hebrew figure of
speech called a "merism" in which two extreme opposites denote all
activities in between. This is a very graphic way of saying that godly
child training is to be continuous, including everywhere and always. How
can that take place when our children sit in a public school classroom?
Obviously, it cannot! But what line of reasoning convinces a Christian
parent to move his children out of the traditional classroom (even a
Christian school) and into the home?
MAKING EDUCATION "HOME-BASED"--
THE MOVE FROM CLASSROOM TO HOME EDUCATION
The second tier, or layer, of our decision to home school involves
making our children's education "home-based." This second conclusion
requires that we move our children's schooling out of the injurious
environment of the classroom and into the nurturing habitat of the home
where responsible parents, not classroom instructors, are the primary
teachers and socializers of their own children (Deut. 6:1-9; Prov. 6:20;
Ps. 78:1-8; 1 Cor. 15:33; Prov. 13:20; Jer. 10:2; Luke 6:40).
As I understand the Bible, a God-honoring education of children in all
subjects of God's truth must be exercised primarily by the parents and
is, on the whole, not delegable to a secular or even a Christian school.
Why? Because of the relational, discipleship model of biblical education
(cf. Ex. 18:13ff for a biblical model of delegation). The father is
personally responsible before God to see to it that his children are
given godly discipline and instruction through his daily oversight and
hands-on involvement as he sits at the window of their heart, a
privileged position given specifically to parents. Thus, the Bible
throughout pictures the father himself frequently with his children,
teaching them both formally and informally (Deut. 6:1-9; 11:18-21; 2 Ki.
4:17-18; Ps. 78:1-8; Prov. 1-9; Eph. 6:1-4). And the content of the
father's instruction, according to Psalm 78:1-8, encompasses both God's
Word and God's works--including math, science, language arts, history,
and all the other school subjects.
When the father is legitimately unavailable due to other biblical
responsibilities, the Bible pictures the mother, NOT some school teacher,
as his primary assistant for the child discipling/education task (Prov.
1:8; 6:20; 31:1). And when both Christian parents are genuinely unable
to upgrade their ability in a particular subject, a father may, according
to the biblical pattern for delegation in Exodus 18, delegate minor
responsibilities to a private tutor (minor meaning less in quantity and
significance). But that tutor, standing in loco parentis (in the place
of the parent), must accurately represent the parents by teaching only
truth, by imparting the father's values and by submitting to the father's
will (1 Chronicles 27:32). Still, the vast majority of the children's
education comes from Dad and Mom. So, except as the Scriptures allow, we
cannot delegate or hire out our child training responsibility any more
than we can hire out our responsibilities to witness or to pray.
Delegation of responsibility may never be assumed, but must always be
based upon patterns of godly living found in the Bible. That is why Paul
exhorted in Philippians 3:17, "Brethren join in following my example, and
observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us"
(cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; 10:11 Phil. 4:9; 2 Tim. 3:10).
In addition to the parents being our children's proper teachers, a
second argument for changing from classroom to home-based education
pertains to our children's proper social environment. As I read the
Scriptures, a God-honoring education of children must be carried out
primarily in the home, i.e., in the context of an obedient, Christian
family. "Do not be deceived," warns the Apostle Paul, "Bad company
corrupts good character" (1 Cor. 15:33; Prov. 13:20; Jer. 10:2; 1 Cor.
14:20; Rom. 16:19b). Christian children should not be molded by the
sinful and destructive values, attitudes, philosophies, vocabularies,
behaviors and lifestyles of other immature children (yes, even in
Christian schools), but by mature, responsible, godly parents. That is
why God created the family. So, parents must remain the key social,
spiritual and academic role models as God intended (Deut.6:6; Lk. 6:40).
But what if home-schooling parents need assistance and encouragement
for this overwhelming task? Has God designed home schooling to be
carried out in isolation? Or is there some sort of network or support
structure in His plan?
MAKING EDUCATION "CHURCH-RELATED"--
THE MOVE FROM INDEPENDENT TO INTERDEPENDENT EDUCATION
Whereas the first tier of our decision made our children's education
Christ-centered and the second tier made it home-based, the third tier
(layer) of this biblical decision to home school addresses the issue of
the "church / home-school relationship." This final component of God's
education model concerns moving our children's schooling out of the
posture of self-sufficient independence and into the position of
self-giving interdependence within the local body of Christ--home
schooling under the umbrella of the local church's assistance,
encouragement, accountability and protection (1 Cor. 12). The home is
still the classroom, and the parents remain the teachers of their
children. However, the local church is welcomed as God's appointed
agency for equipping, encouraging, and assisting dedicated parents in
their most crucial disciple-making task, namely, their own precious
children (Eph. 4:12).
Through the church's built-in framework of body life and spiritual
gifts, all Christian parents can be successful in discipling their
children in all the necessary subjects of God's truth (language arts,
science, history, math, and so forth). God has not intended us to be
self-sufficient and independent of each other, resulting in failure,
frustration and falling away of some (Mark 12:31). Instead, our Creator-
God has designed His body members to assist one another interdependently.
Where parents lack the necessary knowledge, skills, gifts, organization,
or self-discipline, GOD WILL SUPPLY through His built-in framework of
body life helps. We simply need to be faithful in pursuing His intended
design for child discipling through church-assisted home schooling.
As we said at the outset, this Christian perspective on home schooling
is rooted in biblical beliefs, not mere pragmatism. Academic
superiority, educational flexibility, closer family relationships and
healthy social development are not, in my opinion, the REASONS for a
Christian to home school; however, they are the blessed RESULTS of
faithfully following God's intended model for child discipling. Making
your children's education Christ-centered, home-based and church-related
will produce fruit beyond imagination. I know. I have tasted the fruit.
[For how these biblical convictions apply to higher education, see my
article, "College at Home for the Glory of God"].
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