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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