Why My Family is Going to Public School

So, here is the culmination of this series. For some reason some thought I was asking advice on where my children should go to school. That is not what the purpose of this series is about. The purpose is for us all, including my family, to revisit why and how we make decisions while on this earth. This last post will put forth why our decision has been made, for now, to put our children into public schools. I want all to remember that this is not a polemic against homeschool or private school, this is merely an affirmation of our decision, not an attack on yours. So, when I say, "We fear the Lord" I am not saying that the homeschooler or private schooler does not fear God. Please catch this so you don't read this and think I am hammering you, but maybe the Spirit is hammering you...you never know.

Here are a few of our reasons why we believe God has put our family on mission in the public school system.

Seeking God's Glory Above My Family's

This is the first question that we should all be living by. Am I saying that I honestly live this out perfectly? No, because if I did I would never sin. The fact of the matter is I honestly probably live this out in some areas and are very blinded in other areas. I will say that the verse that puts our whole lives and our decisions in perspective comes from the famous 1 Corinthians 10:31,33 passage:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God…just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 10: 31,33

This verse dwindles all our decisions to even the mundane. Even the every day drink and food that we enjoy should be done for the glory of God. We do this for the sake of God's glory because we are not seeking our own advantage but for other's, so they might be saved.

So, when making a decision on schooling my child, my first question is not what advantage it will be for my family or for my child. I don't first ask, "what has the best education, what will be the safest, what will have the least temptations, what will be the easiest for our family, what will make my kid the smartest, where will the fight be less" My first question is "what glorifies God the most? Where can I seek the advantage of other's most so they might be saved?" For our family, whether we were in the slums or suburbia we would choose the public school system because we believe this is where we can show off the glory of God the most.

People think that I would change my mind if I were in the ghetto, but what they forget is that the situation or school system is not the first question or insight. My first thought, my first question is simply, "God, how can I glorify you the most through my family so that many will be saved?" All my decisions flow from this, it is a top down approach, not a bottom up approach.

I Want My Family to God's Voice to the Pagan World

Is there many ways that this can be accomplished? Yes, of course. Will the schooling of our children be the only way that my family tries to accomplish this? Of course not. But, my children and my wife and I are going to do what we can to show off the glory of God to those who oppose him. We are going to do our best to emulate the meekness of our Saviour. We are going to do our best to take stands where stands need to be made. We are going to do our best to do as Christ did, befriend those who most Christians wouldn't dare to be friends with. I hope my child becomes friends with those of other faiths, I hope my child becomes friends with the self righteous, I hope my child becomes friends with the self debasing, I hope my child becomes friends with the homosexual, I hope my child becomes friends with the popular and most hated kids in the school. I hope that he does all this to show off Christ, and yet not sin.

Will my children do this on their own? No. We will be there alongside them to show them Jesus and his grace, forgiveness and love. We will be there to show him what Christ desires from those friendships and what he doesn't. We want our child to be in the world but not of it. We want them there to show those friends what it looks like to live for Christ, but not hate the sinner. I want my child to be able to stand for the morals and holiness that God calls his people to even when those around him are living for the sake of self instead of the sake of Christ.

Not only is this going to be the calling of our children, but this is going to be the calling of my wife and I. Because of this, we will get a chance to be a light to the teachers, staff and parents of all those involved. We will be able to show what it looks like to disagree with a worldview but not hate those who oppose us. We will be able to show them the light of the gospel that does not hate them, but desires them to turn to the One who created them for His sake and not their own. We will be able to be there for those who oppose Christianity to be able to talk to us and understand the Christian worldview from the voice of a Christian instead of reading it in a book by an atheist.

This is a whole family calling. This is actually even more tame than what God called Daniel to. Daniel was completely taken from his home and given over to the king in his early teens. Was Daniel taught and trained in the ways of the Lord before hand? Yes, very much so, and this is why he saw everything through the eyes of God and for God's glory. He wasn't transformed to be like the king, but brought truth to the king and showed the king and his servants the true God. He was instrumental in turning the king's heart to God. God used the foolishness of a kid, to bring the wisdom of the king, literally, to its' knees.

We are actually doing something quite less. We are not turning him over to the public schools and asking our children to live with the principle. We are continually training our children every day for the sake of Christ and then asking them to go to school and live out the teachings of Christ every day. This is not only a challenge for our children, but for us. We must continually train in the offensive truths of the gospel and then be defensive with those things that our child learns that are contrary to the Gospel. We must not lose sight of this and we must take this head on daily. We must plummet the gospel deep into our child's heart so that all things flow from the wisdom and love of Christ and not man.

Hi, My Name is Seth, and I am a Calvinist

I love God, I love his truth and I love that he alone is sovereign and my life is in his hands. I don't trust in my actions or in what I see, but I put my life, and my family's life in the hands of God. I believe that God has put this mission on the hearts of my wife and I. The question is "do I believe that God is in control or do I believe that what I see and my decisions are what controls fate?" Am I responsible for the decisions that I make? Yes, of course I am. But I will not make decisions because I am fearful of what might happen if I do. I make decisions based on God's glory and the fear of the One who can destroy both body and soul in hell, not based on those who can merely destroy the body. So what if my child is not as smart as he could have been, so what if my child is teased, so what if my child has no friends, so what if my child has to constantly stand against the norm? I say "so what" even though this would be very hard to take, very hard. But what if my child went through all that and someone goes to heaven because of the witness of true Christianity? What if God's purpose was to use my child for His glory? What if God really meant: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16)? We don't expect our missionaries to live in fear, we don't see David, Daniel, Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego, Paul, Peter or Jesus to live in fear...why should we? Why did all these do what they did? They all did it for the glory of God so that others could see their good works and worship God.

I trust in the sovereignty of God's will and understand that his will and his purpose and his glory is far more important than whether or not my child gets a better education or is seemingly safer. I have heard this many times before, but someone who is called to the front lines of war by God is far safer than if he were to deny God's call and be sitting comfortably in his house. Missionaries who go to these dangerous areas of the world understand this.

This is what I am saying to everyone who reads this. You are the safest wherever God calls you, not where stats put forth. Does God put the desires in our heart? Yes of course. He does this so that we live for him, not for ourselves. He does this because he is control, not because we are in control. He does this for the sake of his glory, not for our family's.

I trust that this decision is going to be a very difficult one. I also trust in my God who tells me that he is in control and that my hope is not found here, but in Christ. My hope isn't found in educating my child, but my hope is found intraining my children to be like Christ. My hope isn't found in my family being safe. My hope is found being safe in the arms of Christ.

My hope is not found in man, my hope is found in Christ.

I pray that this series has been helpful in getting back to the root of all our decisions. Don't start with the decision first, that is bottom up. Start with the glory of God. Start with where God has put you on mission and then make your decisions flow from these premises and you will be in safest, most God honoring, place that you can be. This will lead some to homeschool, some to private school and even some to public school.

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Common Misconceptions on Public School: Part II

In my last post I put forth a couple of passages that ultra homeschool only, kind of cultish like Christians use to show why homeschooling is the only way to go. I find their "exegesis" wanting and really, those verses show that it is the parents main purpose and calling to raise their children in a godly way to fear the Lord. It falls on the parents, not on anyone else. I have spoken to many who homeschool, but see why I am going to public school my children and agree fully that the homeschool only crowd really goes overboard in many of their yokes that they place on others. What is interesting is that the same interpretation usage that they impose on these verses, they scoff when applied to other parts of application in the Christian realm. I am glad I have many friends who homeschool, public school and private school. I am glad because I get the opportunity to see and pray for their struggles that they have in trying to live out God's mission in each one of these. What is sad, is that many of my friends who are either public schooling their children or who are homeschooled themselves, have told me that they would rather not enter the fray because they have decided that they don't want to get yelled at or ostracized. They have done it before and have seen the lengths that some of the homeschool only crowd will go to get their point across. That is weird. Sorry, but it is a strange phenomenon that people get so crazed on how others should try and live on mission for Christ and his glory when schooling isn't mentioned in the Bible. At best, this is a grey area and what I have found is that grey areas are often fought harder for than the gospel itself. I am going to give a couple of other misconceptions of public school that I have seen that need to be touched on.

Public School Isn't that Bad

This is actually a fear that I have for those who have chosen to public school their kids, yet do it cavalierly. There are some who just don't want to homeschool, who don't want to private school and just allow their kids in the public school system without care. This is very dangerous and is just as bad as letting the child watch TV, get on the internet, go over to other people's houses, etc. without continual investigation for the child's safety, both spiritually and physically. Public school has much to offer in the way of sinning and being led astray. The reason? It is of the world and doesn't have a Christian worldview. So, your child will be taught and led in odd ways that will require you to step in and know which defenses need to be put up at home, so that the child can carry those on to school. They need to be trained to see through the eyes of Christ and the abiding word of the Spirit so that they can notice and see those things that are contrary to the Word. This is something that starts at home so that they can discern for the rest of their lives. This will carry over to school, college, future jobs, current jobs, etc.

Not only this, but the parent needs to continually inquiry the student, the teacher and the administration. Will it be a fight at times? Yes. But to never acknowledge public school as being a place where battles will be won and lost is crazy and is inviting Satan to trample your child. This is not being a careful, God-honoring parent seeking to train the child in godliness. This is merely sending your child off to Caesar, hoping everything turns out for the best.

Know that public school is a difficult venture. Do not ignore this and seek to win your child's heart with the gospel so they too can see truth from error and show and tell and show the truth of God's indwelling Spirit to others.


We don't know if the child is saved, so how can they be salt and light?

This is true. We don't know who is saved and who isn't. But, if we carry this logic out, you should never allow your child to move out of your house. A parent's responsibility to their child doesn't end until the parent, or the child dies to be with their Creator and Saviour. Just because the government says that 18 is when a child becomes an "adult" does not remove the biblical standard of a child to honor their parent. I still go to my parents for advice and understanding and I still desire to honor them with my words and deeds. They are my parents. Kids get into their heads that once they leave the home that all bets are off. It never says that in the Scriptures. The closest it ever comes is when the child is married and they are to become one flesh submitting one to another. But, that still doesn't remove honoring the parent. Will there be times that a child has different convictions of the parent outside of the home? Yes, of course. But, the overarching way that a child can honor God, is by honoring their parent.

So, with this in mind, can my 6 year old, who loves Jesus in words, but not really in deeds be salt and light in his classroom? Yes. He is in a Jesus loving family. From the Scriptures, the family was always a unit, called to glorify God. When the father sinned against God in a way that caused the punishment to be death, who died? The whole family, including children. Why? Why would the children be killed for their father's sin? Because as a family they were a unit that was to sing and show the praises of their King, King Jesus. God sees the family as a unit. This is why God tells us that sin in the family usually carries over from generation to generation and why those who love God will carry that fruit from generation to generation.

How is my child going to be able to witness to others if he doesn't truly know it himself yet? He shows Jesus by deeds as well. He shows Jesus by listening to his teacher, honoring his teacher, helping those children in need, befriending the nerds, the jocks and the dorks. My child shows Jesus more than just standing up and giving a sermon about heaven and hell. In Matthew 28:19 we have the "Great Commission" where Christ calls us all to "Go, therefore." This term in the Greek is like saying, "As you go, make disciples". In other words, it speaks of as you go everyday make disciples of Christ. Sometimes it will be with words, sometimes in deed.

Because I am a child of God and called to show my children Jesus and tell them to follow Jesus, I will always speak and teach my child the ways of Christ and tell them to follow Jesus and do what he did and run to him when they fail because he died for them. I can't imagine telling my child, "hey, you don't need to be salt and light because you don't know Jesus, you're off the hook."

But, my child can be salt and light to the unbelieving world by honoring his parents. Will this develop through time to become "his own faith?" Yes, of course. But, before then, I don't excuse him because I don't know if he is saved or not, that is a copout.

I wonder if those that use this defense allow their children to pray, allow their children to ask Jesus for forgiveness, or what they say if their child says that they love Jesus or call God Father? Are we to correct them and tell them, "well, we don't know if you are saved, so please don't do these things." Logic says that if your child can't be salt and light because you don't know their heart, then you can't expect them to do anything godly and certainly shouldn't allow your child to call God their Father or say that they love Jesus. This becomes a theological beat down.

Jesus welcomes the children and loves their faith. I will never tell my child to deny their duties that Christ calls them to, including being the salt and light to a world that needs Jesus and his hope. I desire to always call them to love Jesus and I pray that their desire will be to show off the glories of God to all those they come across, no matter their age or maturity in the faith.

I am sure there are other misconceptions or questions people have for me concerning public school. I welcome any questions or comments, but know that if you decide to call me a heretic or a pagan, or a secular humanist that puts God on top, I will take offense.

God has called his people to do all things for the glory of Him alone. When we decide to put anything before that, whether it is fear, comfort, or out of love for others, including our children, we make an idol. We must make decisions, not that are best for our families, but what is best for the glory of God. Will this be a struggle at times? Yes, but why is this surprising? God tells us through Paul that those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, hated and mocked. I am not saying that then all should be in public school, but to not see why some have felt the calling of God to do so is ignorant, misguided and is a shame.

I have spoken to a lot of people who are on mission in the public school, and find it disgraceful and have questioned their decision because of the hyper homeschool population. They haven't questioned it because of the great arguments put forth, but because of the great scorn they have received. Let me be blunt:

No matter how you school your child, you are not a more mature believer and Jesus is not pleased with you any more than others. But, if you make the decision of schooling your child apart from asking God where you can show off his glory most, you are making an immature decision and God is not pleased with that sort of decision making.

I don't care if you homeschool, public school or private school, you should be making this decision for the sake and the glory of God alone. Any other reason is stealing God's glory and giving it to another.

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Common Misconceptions on Public School

What a whirlwind this series has been. I have been very surprised that I have had to defend making all our decisions, specifically schooling our children, for the glory of God. This is very odd for me. I thought this was a basic understanding within the orthodoxy of Christendom, but have found that living this out is often put to the side for the sake of the family and for the sake of the child. This is something that is concerning for me as a Christian, and concerning for me as I look to others for wisdom in making decisions. But, this is for a different time and a different discussion. In this post, I want to answer some common objections put forth by those who are advocates of homeschool only for families. Or, those who just don't understand how anyone could put their child in the public school system and call themselves a Christian.

Through this series I have been told that I am a secular humanist putting God on top, I have been told that I am completely ignorant, lacking wisdom and also been told that God would never tell someone to put their child in the public school system and that I am blinded in many ways. All this by those who also profess to love Jesus and me. So, what I want to put forth in the next couple of posts is a defense of the common objections and then write why my family is going to public school. I hope this has been edifying and I really hope that in the end, we will all ask ourselves if we are doing ALL things for the glory of God alone, and not ourselves or our families.

How can you train your child in godliness if you public school them? Haven't you ever read Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and Luke 6:40?

These are usually the first places that a homeschool only advocate will go to, to try and make their case of why God commands homeschooling. For one, there is no where in Scripture that says how one must school their child. No where. In case you didn't catch that...no where. The first passage, Deuteronomy 6, is speaking to the second generation of Israelites that are about to take their families into the promised land and in no way is instructing the Israelites how to teach their kids how to read, write or do math. This passage is specifically speaking of training our children the things about God. To be diligent to train them the understanding of how God's glory is reflected in all things and in all that we do. This is not some hidden idea on how to school your children. Notice it says specifically, "when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when lie down, when you rise up". The "when" is going to happen at different times and at differing proportions. The point being, when you are with your children, speak Christ into their lives and continually train them in all things concerning God. Moses is basically saying, there is no time that you shouldn't try and train your child about the things of God. So, if you are out golfing, train your child, if you are coloring with them, train your child, if you are at the grocery store, train your child, if you are going on a road trip, train your child, if they are playing sports, train your child. In other words, take every opportunity to speak to your child about glorifying God. So, they will be able to understand 1 Corinthians 10:31

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God

But, for those who think I am full of it, shouldn't we then see how the Jews took this command?

Nathan Busenitz explains it this way:

The Jews did not understand this passage as a mandate to home school. Alfred Edersheim, in Sketches of Jewish Social Life in the Days of Christ (specifically chapter eight) explains that while children (primarily sons) did receive some education at home (from ages 3 to 5), they were sent to the synagogue for their education starting at age 6 or 7. There they would attend formal classes with the other boys from their community.

Not only this, but if we want to continually ask what was commanded of the Jews at this time, then it would be the command of the father to school the child, not the mother. Most homeschool only advocates, have the mother teaching the children, not the father. To live out how the Jews saw this passage would force the father to stay at home and teach the child.

Again, when we read passages we have to be careful not to take them and use them to push a conviction that isn't an imperitive.

So, then, how do I live out this passage with my family? I live it out by training my children the best way I know how to always see Christ and his glory in everything that they do. So, whether it is honoring their parents, obeying their parents, loving their friends, loving each other, doing their chores, reading the scriptures, praying, etc. It is all done for the glory of God. What homeschool advocates have to remember it isn't as though they are spending 24 hours a day speaking specifically on theology. They do the best they can to teach and train their children, and then when the child is on their own, they utilize the principles learned to glorify God in all they do, even when they are away from the home. This is the exact same thing that I do as a public school parent. I pray with my children, I discipline my children, I train my children, I study the word with my children and I teach them that when they are at school that they are to also be witnesses of the manifold graces of God.

To say I can't train my child in godliness because they are learning math, reading and writing from someone who doesn't love Jesus is far fetching, unbiblical and tying a yoke around people's neck that goes further than Christ, any of the Bible teaches, or how the Jews at the time of Christ took it.

The school gets my child from the age of 5 to 18 for about 14,000 hours, I get them for about 84,000 hours. During that time I will train and teach them diligently to understand how to handle the 14,000 hours they are away from us and the 84,000 hours that they are with us.

What about Luke 6:40?

A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

Voddie Baucham loves using this verse and believes he has an open and shut case when using it when defending a homeschool only agenda. I really respect Baucham in other areas and wonder why he misses the point of this verse so badly. Again, I respect the man very much.

In the Greek, the term "teacher," or "didaskalos" used in Luke 6:40, and from the rendering throughout the NT and the Hebrew equivalent in the OT, is speaking of "one who indicates the way of God from the Torah.” (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament). Jesus is called teacher, John the baptist is called teacher and also we have false teachers mentioned in the NT as well (Nicodemus, a Pharisee, was called teacher by Jesus in John 3). What one finds with this verse is that it is speaking of someone who teaches the spiritual things concerning God and his will. This is not speaking of a teacher like we would define a public school teacher as. Now, if I were to send off my child to be trained by one person, as Samuel was given over to Eli, that would be different. But, the person who will be training my child in the things of God is not going to be some public school teacher, not a youth leader, not a children's church teacher, not a Sunday school teacher and not a pastor. My child will be trained and taught by me. This is the calling of the parent in both Deuteronomy 6 and Luke 6:40: Parents, train your child in the way of the Lord and when they grow up they will not depart from it.

I wanted to take a whole post with these two verses because they are the ones that are always brought up by homeschool only advocates. I love them for their zeal for God, but I fear that what they are doing is taking these verses and going too far with them. Training our children does not have to equate homeschooling them and always watching over them and never letting them out of my site. Again, the early Jews didn't even take this verse to mean this. My children will know who their teachers always are: their father and mother. These commands are seen also in Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

This is the calling of the parent, to bring up the child, to train the child in the discipline and instruction of the Lord so that when they see false teaching they can discern it and know the truth, and seek God's glory in it.

Homeschool is not the only answer to this. Private school isn't the only answer to this. Public school is not the only answer to this. Training your child will take a lot of time, a lot of effort, but we should all have known this before we had children.

So, when looking at the Bible, know that the early Jews didn't see specific commands on how to school their children, and we shouldn't put those on others either. We should simply ask one another, "Are you doing everything necessary to raise and train your whole family in the ways of God for his glory alone?" If the answer is yes, we should stand behind them and diligently pray for each other that God's greatness would be seen through the mission that he has put each of us on. To say God commands only one way of schooling our children is ignorant and not reading the whole of Scripture, but reading something INTO Scripture and is putting a yoke on other's neck that is heavy and Pharisaical.

Reformers love using the term exegesis and hate the term eisegesis. When one reads these Scriptures and puts forth a homeschool only agenda, welcome to the world of eisegesis.

This post, and the others I have written is not to divide the family of God, but to bring us together. It is to give the homeschool only agenda the understanding of why some of us public and private school. It is also to give public and private school parents the understanding of why some people homeschool for the glory of God. But, in the end, I hope it brings us together so that we can pray for each other, not that we would be converted to one type of schooling, but that we would be converted to the gospel call of glorifying God in all things.

May God be praised.

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Should I Public School My Kids?

From what I have found with this series is that the answer to the above asked question, is simply "no" and then people move on. What I will be doing is writing three posts on this topic. The first two are the same as I have done with the other two schooling convictions, but I will also include "common questions" to the Common Misconceptions post and I will also have a post where I will put forth "Why My Family Has Decided to Public School". I will put most of my reasons in the last post for us personally. Also, please remember that just because I see a pro for something doesn't necessarily mean that I believe the opposite about homeschooling or private schooling...if you want...try asking and I will answer my thoughts on the other schooling options if you want clarification.

Pros

Diversity

Some parents find this to be a big negative. But, I find diversity in race, thought, culture and personalities to be a huge positive. With the public school system you have others around your children with amazing stories of where their family is from and why their families believe what they believe. America is now a hotbed for diversity in races and religions and this doesn't go unnoticed in the public school system. I heard one missional speaker say that where we once had to go overseas to preach to the Muslim and Hindu, now we just have to attend a block party in our community to reach these same people. The public school system will give the child a good understanding of other races and convictions in front of them every day. They don't just read about other races and cultures in books but their friends and school mates become a living example of who these people are and what these cultures are all about.

Critical Thinking Through Training and Practice

The public school system is definitely an interesting one. The child will be confronted with things like the big bang theory, alternative lifestyles, differing religious beliefs, atheistic beliefs, challenges to Christianity and lots of temptations. I don't think anyone is surprised that these things happen and are far reaching in the public school system. What this allows the parent to do with the child though is to train them at home and allow them to practice their critical thinking in real life with real teachers and real friends. What is also great about this is that the kid then comes back home to the parent, where the training is continued and critical thinking challenged.

When the child comes home and has befriended a Mormon or Muslim that live a seemingly holy life and are very friendly, the parent has the opportunity to speak to their child about the hardships and differences that this friendship will pose. When these friends challenge the faith or convictions of the child, the family stands there ready to help and aid in a loving defense of orthodox Christianity. This is part of training a child, for them to hear the other side, see the other side, be challenged by the other side and still know why they believe what they believe. The parent, if involved with the child, gets the opportunity to aid the child every day with these challenges as they live in their house and train the child with these daily challenges to the faith.

I have seen it many a times that when the ultra homeschooler or ultra private schooler gets out on their own and are challenged by loving people of other faiths and convictions, and they are not sure how to respond. They think, "these people love God as much as I do, live a life better than I do and have great arguments against my convictions and great reasons why to follow theirs...what now?" I am not saying this happens all the time, but I have seen it happen over and over again, where the faith of the child is not theirs at all, but the parents. The parents have told them what to believe, instead of why to believe. Meaning, the heart has been left out of the equation...it was a conversion of the mind only. When only the mind has been converted, the mind can change its decision when seemingly better argumentation is posed. The child has walked the way of the parent because they know no other way personally. Then, when they get out on their own, they aren't sure how to respond or critically think through issues themselves. Hear me again...this doesn't always happen, but I have seen it happen enough to where I definitely worry for those who shelter their children so much that they have very little or no contact with the secular world. A soldier that is only trained and never allowed to enter war, does not really know how to fight.

The Lost are at the Public School

The public school is filled with those who need Jesus. Jesus went to where sinners were, and I want my family to go where sinners are and live like Jesus lived. In Matthew 5 as Jesus is speaking to the crowd he tells them that they are the salt of the earth and like a city set on a hill, a light to the world. You might notice that Christ is speaking to the crowd and starts showing who a real disciple of his is. What is interesting is that he is speaking to them in a group context. We should gather that since Christ uses the simile of a city, that he is first speaking to the universal church as a whole being a light (the representatives of the City of God), then the individual churches in each region, then families in those churches and then the individual. We are collectively called to be the light of the world, and this doesn't excuse the children of those under the New Covenant. My children are called to honor me, notice it doesn't say, honor your father and mother, unless you are a non-Christian. My children show the light of Christ by obeying me and honoring me. Now will this continue to grow in a child who then has his/her own belief in Jesus? Yes, of course. But, sometimes we are also a light when we have a non-believing child and we show how a loving Christian parent responds in these circumstances. This is exactly what God put forth with the people of Israel...there were both believers and non-believers in Israel, but all were expected to show off the glory of God. So much so, that if the parents sinned, the children died too. So much so, that if the child was in a pattern of disbelief and dishonoring to the parents, they were stoned to death.

When I send my children to the public school they are witnesses of the glories of Christ, whether they specifically mention Christ or not. Actually most of our lives are spent showing off Christ in our actions, not in our speaking the specifics of Christian orthodoxy. Not only do the children get to be witnesses to those at the public school, but us parents get the opportunity to be around other parents and teachers and live out Jesus for them as well. They get to see that we are just like them, sinners, but sinners who trust in Jesus for our righteousness.

We, as a family, are confronted with those who hate Jesus and don't live to glory God every day when we go to the public schools. What an amazing opportunity. So, when the child wears the lame "WWJD" bracelet, I get to tell them, "Jesus would go to where the sinners are and show them love and redemption every day for the glory of God."

Cons

Very Hard Fight

This is the greatest con, in my opinion. When one decides to public school their child, it is going to be a battle (but so is all of life). This won't be in every classroom, but in some you will have some battles on your hand as some things will directly come against your own convictions. This comes by way of books the English class will read, the negativity that can be met against creation in science, the diversity of the family make up in health class and of course, just the day to day encounters with students with all kinds of opinions and weird understandings of life. The parent needs to know that the fight isn't one where you just play defense, but you play offense. You are always training the child truth, so when they hear or see a derivation of that truth, they see it clearly. When the FBI studies how to spot a fake dollar, they spend more time examining the real thing than all the counterfeits. This is the same with the child and the parent. The parent must be involved in the training of the child.

Not only this, but the parent should also be prepared to read textbooks, literature and homework assignments to know what the child is being taught so that they are up to date with what the child is being confronted with. This can get tiring, but if you feel as though God has placed your family on mission in the public school system, this is a step that must be taken. I have a very good friend who has made this decision and has had two children go through the public school system and has two more going through it now. Their family is an amazing example of how to be involved as a parent. I will talk to them incessantly as we take on this challenge as a family and continue to look up to them as a Christlike family on mission for God's glory.

Also know though that it's not like the math teacher will be having story problems that say, "When Jesus died and never rose from the grave, and Peter started running at a rate of 5 miles per hour and left at 2pm, how fast did Thomas have to run to catch up to him if he left at 5pm to write false gospels?"

The Crazy Teacher

Some teachers are nuts. If a parent runs into one of these, it can be very daunting. Some teachers have an agenda to push and desire to destroy the conservative Christian convictions. You have to know that this might happen if you are in the public school system. I personally had a science teacher in high school like this, so I used to make fun of him and call him a liar when he taught something contrary to the Bible. I literally yelled, "liar" when he spoke something opposite of the biblical truths. I wasn't the best example, but he took it like a champ and we used to make fun of each other a lot. The point is that there will be teachers that are literally trying to convert your child to their form of teaching. It could be teachers who are atheists, polytheists or agnostics. They will desire to try and convert and demean your child. Know this going in and work with that teacher, but also teach your child not to be like me when I was in high school. Humility and meekness are attributes that win most debates in the eyes of others. Tell them to listen often and talk when the Spirit leads. But, don't leave your child to fend for themselves, you must, as a parent, stand up and defend your child to the teacher and the administration, but you must do it in a way that is Christlike and shows the glory of the One who redeemed you.

This is a huge con, but one that can be worked with and in the end, can actually build great character, strength and conviction within your child as they watch how you respond and defend the faith.

Those Stupid Sinners

A pro of public school is that they are filled with sinners, and a con of public school is that they are filled with sinners. What is interesting is that your child and you are sinners too. The difference is Whom you love and trust. But, this is a con for your child to be around influences all day that you don't have control over. I already put why this can be a great pro, but there are some scary cons as well. Your child will probably be confronted with sex, drugs, violence and immorality that the bible prohibits and this can happen sooner than you might like your child to be exposed to these things. This happens with the kids who are there. Know that your child will be around darkness as he walks the hallways and talks and has fellowship with the other kids. This is why a parent must discipline with the gospel and not like a Pharisee. You want your child to be able to come to you to offer up his challenges and struggles at school without the fear that you will ground him or spank him the first chance you get. I have told my 6 year old that if he comes to me with a sin that he is struggling with, that he will never get a spanking for it. I told him that if he struggles with lying or anger towards others to come and talk to daddy and know that I am here to aid and love him, not to act as if I have never struggled with those things and treat him like I am some sort of saint.

If you continually show this to your child and show that you are there to aid in their struggles and temptations, they will be more apt to come to you when they see or hear things that concern them instead of keeping them from you. Does this mean that it will always happen this way? Of course not...but God tells us that if we train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. So, although most schools hand out guns and porn at the door, you will be able to teach your child that those things should be thrown away, or at least sold for a good healthy profit. ;)

More will be discussed in the Common Misconceptions and Often Asked Questions in the next post. I will cover things like Deuteronomy 6 and also Luke 6:40 and how I can read and study these things and still send my child to public school.

Until then, may God's grace abound, may His will be perfected on earth as it is in heaven and may I follow Him wherever he leads.

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The First Reason to Public School Your Kid

Alright...so I am kidding, but this is funny, so I thought I would share it so you get to laugh at me and my public schooled kids.

Fifty Years of Math 1959 - 2009 (in the USA )

Last Week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $ 2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters , but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:

1. Teaching Math In 1950s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit ?

2. Teaching Math In 1960s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

3. Teaching Math In 1970s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
4. Teaching Math In 1980s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

5. Teaching Math In 1990s

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes?(There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it's ok. )

6. Teaching Math In 2009

Un hache ro vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?

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A Pause On Schooling Before We Continue

This has been very interesting so far and has been one to where I hope that those who have commented will go back and look at my original post on why this series it being put up. I am not putting this up to convince anyone of a specific way to school their children. I am not sure why it has come across this way or why people aren't reading my qualifiers when they go through my posts or understand how much I know many different home, private or public schoolers and many have done it for wrong reasons and right reasons.

Again, my reason for this is not because I haven't made up my mind on what I will do for my family, but is to show the different perspectives on schooling to aid others in what they will do or why they are doing it. This is the whole reason, and I stated this in my original post. I want myself and the readers to always get to the reason of "why" more than the means of "how". Also, for whatever reason, poeple don't believe me that when I have said that my family will be public schooling and this is the choice for my family, they take that as an attack on home schooling. Not true at all and I have said this so many times I don't know what else to say.



My choice and your choice in all we do should also first be looked throught the lens of on glorifying Christ and then from there, taking that and seeking God's will on how to do that most for you and for your family.



Like someone said, I have many home school children in my church and I love them dearly and have enjoyed watching their mission for Christ. What I have also found interesting is that some of them have read my posts and have believed them to be spot on and enjoyed them thoroughly. I am not questioning the means of what people are doing, I am hopefully driving people to the why of what they are doing. If you read this blog, heard me teach or preach that is what I have always tried to do, get people to look into their heart for why they are doing things.



The reason is because we can make things that God has created and commanded to become meaningless idols that God detests. We can make our children idols, we can make money an idol, we can make our possessions an idol, we can make studying/reading/memorizing the Bible and idol, we can make praying an idol, we can make serving others an idol, etc. The real question sometimes has nothing to do with the outworking that we all see, but the inward of what our works are doing...glorifying God or glorifying the flesh.



David says this specifically about something he commanded...which is sacrifice and meal offering, yet says that God did not desire these. Why? Because the heart was not focused on the glory of God, but just focused on the means of sacrifice and forgiveness. Notice that David's focus is on the will of God.

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.
Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”
Psalm 40:6-8

Again, the reason for these posts is not to start a fight, to divide or to "stir up trouble". I have simply laid out what I have seen, read, spoken to others about and my convictions of the Scripture on the reason to home school and some of the cons that could come up if you decide to do so. If one were to see that I said that "these could happen but won't always happen" they would see that I was being balanced with warning.

The last post received 36 comments. I put up 4 of those and most of the comments were made by homeschool advocates. You will notice that most public school advocates just stayed silent on the posts, but have emailed me privately because what they have seen on the blog is what has happened privately and they are exhausted in trying to show the reasons of why they are convinced that public school is where THEIR family has been put to be on mission for the glory of Christ.

I have also had the priviledge to speak with Todd privately and we both decided to remove our comments towards each other for reasons that are going to stay between him and I.

I think people also forgot that this is a series in which I will show the cons of private and public school as well and the challenges that those parents will face as well. This isn't a series on homeschooling, it just happened to be the first post.

I will also say that if I am attacked personally, I have tried to just stay out of that, because I don't want to go into ad hominem attacks and get emotional with others. For those who think I am being dramatic or have some sort of matyrdom complex, I have had many others read the posts, the comments and one other place that comments were being made and they were amazed to see how I was treated and how this subject was handled by a certain few.

This is what I am asking as you comment and make your voice heard. Please read the qualifiers that I put out there. Know that this isn't a book or a polemic against or for any type of schooling. These blog posts are to start someone in understanding some basic things and understanding of choosing God's glory above everything else. I am not going to tell someone how to school their kids, but continue to support them as they support the cause of Christ's glory.

Also know that those that you are talking to are real people, making real decisions and will probably be in heaven alongside you praising Jesus.

I have found it interested that I have been told that I am "ignorant" "a secular humanist throwing God on top" and someone who is "divisive." I have taken these charges seriously and have asked others that I know who love Jesus, will tell me if I am being retarded in my thinking, if I am being overly critical, or if I am being a biased jerk, they have all came back with the same response...no.

I pray that the rest of the series will be challenging and fair and that all those involved will again, read the intro to understand why I am writing these. I have already gotten great response from others who have said that it has helped them understand the reason behind the decisions they make and not just the means that should be considered. That really has excited me to hear that.

I will also put one final note. I have said that I will "never homeschool." I will say, that is exaggerated and has been something that has hit me well. I believe in doing God's will and believe that homeschooling is a viable option for families, so I could never say "I will never homeschool." Point taken.

It also saddens me to see people say that they would rather talk to homeschoolers than public schoolers, that Christians don't belong in public schools and the exaggerated comments made against public schools. It saddens me because I also have many students who are public schooled, and they have read the comments and feel as though they are stupid, pagan and God haters for going to public school. Not only students, but teachers that are Christian have felt this way as well. They aren't commenting because they do not want to get in the fray and start a fight...this is also why my comments have been few after my posts. I am not here to battle. I am here to contend earnestly for the faith and for the glory of God, not for a specific way to school a child.

May God be praised.

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How Should I School My Kids?: Introduction

I have always known that schooling was a big issue when it came to Christian parents and their children. I have been intrigued by it ever since my mom was told that she wasn't a good mother for being a public school teacher herself, and also sending me and my youngest brother to public schools our whole life. The crazy thing is that my mom was well educated, so was my dad, and I was still public schooled. There were many things that my parents could have improved on, and many things my children will say that I should improve on, but the decision to have me public schooled was not one of them. I grew up for the first 12 years of my life in Oklahoma, dreadful place, but the people are cool. In Oklahoma the only people that I knew who were home schooled looked like they came straight off the covered wagon and land rush. Seriously. Not kidding. I never knew that kids could be even partially normal and be homeschooled, they were just a strange bunch.

After 12 we moved up to the great Northwest just outside of Seattle and I have been here ever since. My father was a tent maker and was a youth pastor for parts of those years, I was the youth director for my church for the past 5 plus years, public schooled my whole life until college, so I come with much experience even if my own children are quite young (6 and 3). I am guessing it is my age, involvement in church, etc. but it seems nowadays that a small minority of true Christian parents send their children to public schools. Today I simply asked the question of what people preferred, and it quickly turned to a heated debate with close to 200 comments (click here for page view). What was shocking is that the minority of people would even consider public schooling their children. It seemed like those who are broke and holding down two jobs were the only ones, besides a select few, who had a distinctive reason for public schooling their children. Very interesting to say the least.

I will be quite honest. I cannot foresee any reason that I would ever homeschool or private school my children. I am pretty set on public schooling them. I know all the ins and outs of this, have my whole life and still very involved with those who public school their kids. So, I come in this with some conviction already. But, I don't want you to think that I believe that this means that the other means are then a sin and shouldn't be pursued. Not at all. What I want to do, like I try and always do when I blog, is for you to seriously consider why you are choosing or advising others on choosing what to do for their children.

I am going to set this up in three different posts that will give what I believe are the strong and weak points in each of the categories. I hope to not draw any straw men or unnecessary reductio ad absurdum arguments into the mix. What I simply hope to do is get my thoughts down, and then have a healthy discussion on the topics at hand. I know, especially after today, that the blood boils hot on this topic. So, as you read these posts, remember that I can get tongue and cheek, I will destroy bad argumentation when I feel it necessary, but I still love those who challenge me in my thoughts. So come ready to comment, challenge me, be challenged, etc. Remember that I am usually an equal opportunity basher of all. So, if you start laughing at the posts, you probably will be quickly yelling at them too. But, that's cool, as long as these get you to look more to Jesus and his glory, I am good with you screaming at your screen and looking like you have tourettes syndrome.

In the end, I want you to really understand that the answer to everything we do in this life, including our schooling decisions with our children, is not about ourselves, but is about what glorifies God and his risen Son the most. If you do not believe that is the question that should be asked, you will get very frustrated at some of these posts.

So, the outline will be as follows: Each will include pros and cons

Home School
Private School
Public School
Why I am choosing Public School for my children

I hope you will find this proactive and not destructive in decisions when it comes to our schooling. Because our children are the most important things in this world...oops...no they're not, God's glory is.

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