Q: Who will teach our children?
A: The public school. Aaaah yeah.
A: The local church. That’s a little bit better answer but it still falls short.
A: The home/parents. At one point in the past we might have said, “Yes!” But recent events and previous events/years show us that is not always the best source.
A: The church and the home together. This is probably the best answer. Not the exclusive one like it used to be. When both church and home are off the rails, that makes for a crazy train ride.
I ask that question because of something I read this morning. It struck home. Psalm 78:4-6 says this: “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them-even the children not yet born-and they in turn will teach their own children.” (NLT)
The admonition there is that parents have been taught to teach so they can teach by passing down the lessons learned. This psalm is pretty clear that the bulk of the teaching is to be done at home, not at the public school (heaven forbid) or even the church (some of that is whacked).
But there is more! Verses 7-8 tell us why we are to teach our children! “So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors-stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.” (NLT)
Methinks that somewhere along the line we missed the target. Just sayin’.
{Note: I’m not saying all public schools are off base. There are some-like my local school district-who, at this point, try hard to teach values I would consider worth learning. That’s the value of a small town school.}
The best teaching begins in the home and has strong Godly influence on the children being raised there. When the home is broken, it’s so very difficult for these kids to thrive and grow in God’s love. I’m reminded of the song from our generation, “Teach Your Children Well.” Let’s pray for all of them!
Blessings, Bill!
That song by C,S,N,Y ran through my head as well Martha. 🙂 Great minds think alike.
Having home-schooled our own children through high school, I don’t disagree.
In our society, I do feel there is a place for public education. Is it ideal, NO, however, home education is not either.
Bottom line, we live in a culture of personal agendas that will often get pushed. We live in a culture of mixed morality and relative truth. We live in a broken world, with broken people in need of a savior.
As A Christian Parent, IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY, to share the Primary source of Truth (The Bible) and the Standard of truth that all other ideas, thoughts, agendas, and opinions should be weighed as part of my children’s education and instruction.
As a “church”, it is the responsibility of the leaders to work to provide the tools, knowledge, explanation, and support when needed to the parents.
As brothers and sisters in Christ, it is our responsibility to lock arms and help remove confusion with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
It is my opinion that when public schools begin pushing social agendas to “normalize/indoctrinate” the children with the ideals of a broken society, it is time to rethink their purpose and strongly encourage a change in policy and leadership.
I don’t disagree at all Ryan. When we were raising our girls, homeschooling was not a very well known entity. I’m not sure if we would have anyway. It takes a special person to homeschool. But I also agree that we need to take an active role if our child is in public school and not allow the “secular” agenda to rule the roost. Christian parents MUST take an active role in their child’s education. And the church needs to equip and supplement the home.
Good point Bill, and I agree with Martha and Ryan’s comments. I belong to a women’s pray group that gets together regularly to pray for owen county. One of our prayers is to have the men in the house to become the spiritual leader that God has asked them to be. Sometimes the lady of the house has to fill that role if there is no spiritual male figure in the house. Everything has to start with reading the Bible, and spending quality time with God, and showing and teaching your children that God is a priority in life not an afterthought. Teach them how to go to the Bible to learn, how to pray, that the answers need to come from God, not the culture. You have to lead by example.
I agree Gail. Sadly, many men don’t want that responsibility or don’t know how or even care. So the woman does the training. And yes, leading by example is important in the church and the home.