Educating Children Pt 1: The Goal of Education

In this, my first post on 'Educating Children', I thought I'd start by asking the question, "What is the goal of childhood education?", then giving what I believe the bible says is the answer to the question.

How we answer this question will set the course for how we will go about educating our precious gifts from the Lord. And remember Men (and Ladies reading) we only get one chance to raise and educate our little ones. When it's done, it's done. You can't start over!

To preface my answer let me first turn to scripture, as this is good to do being a Christian!

Let's see what the bible says about education:

Genesis 1:1 1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 2:16-17 16 ¶ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 4 ¶ "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 "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.
8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (emphasis mine)

Ephesians 6:4 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (emphasis mine)

So why all the scripture on a Christian blog you ask? Good question. Let's try and answer it.

Obviously, if this were a sermon or lecture, I could systematically expound on each verse, support it, sustain, etc., etc.. This being a blog, I don't have that liberty. But let me at least say that I chose these from among the whole bible because they begin the process of laying a foundation for the the fact that God cares deeply how we as parents think and act and how we as parents teach our children to think and act. This is called orthodoxy (what we believe), and orthopraxy (how we act based on what we believe).

We see from the very beginning that God had an ideal in mind for his creation when it came to right belief and right conduct. He wanted them to obey Him and see the world as He sees it. When they didn't and that ideal was compromised, the result was mankind's loss of God-consciousness and him becoming self-conscience. One minute he's eating fruit in his birthday suit with his lovely wife Eve, the next minute he's hiding from God with leaves covering up his nakedness that only became an issue after he became a sinner, then began blaming his wife for his sin. Sharp contrast and poor headship!

So what about us and this post? OK, here's my answer. I believe the goal of childhood education should be to help our children see the world as God sees it, and help our children to act in this world as God intends for them to act. Any educational system that doesn't lead our children toward this goal is leading them down the wrong road in the wrong part of town and only the most diligent of parents will be able to overcome what is being taught to their children. It's Eden revisited; "Hath God really said?"

Can children who are being taught at Government Schools grow up to be Godly individuals? YES they can, and I know many who have. In fact, I'm a product of the Chicago Public Schools educational system myself. But more importantly, I'm a testimony of God's grace as well! But does this educational system make raising Godly individuals more difficult? The answer again is YES! I'm just being honest. If we Christians can't speak openly and honestly on these vitally important issues, then who can? If you don't hear this from someone who loves you as a brother in the Lord, then who will you hear it from?

As Christians, we cannot, and I repeat, we cannot separate education from our faith. A good education will help to strengthen our faith, not weaken it! All that we do in this world is an act of worship unto the Lord, including how we educate our children. Consider this question: Is acceptable worship rendered when we educate our children with an educational philosophy that at it's core, teaches that God is irrelevant and that all gods are equal? I'll let you wrestle with the answer to that. But remember, God doesn't stand at the top of the list of acceptable gods. Besides Jehovah there is no other God!

So let us consider whether or not the method we've chosen for our children to receive their education will in fact accomplish the goal of educating children. Regardless of what method you choose for your children; government schools, private schools, home school, or some other, God will still hold you as the parent, and Father's especially, responsible for how your children turn out!

So let us think deeply on this issue, and when we've all made our decisions, let us pray for one another and seek to help one another in raising up a Godly generation of young people!

Educating and Discipling the Next Generation

With the school year around the corner for my family, and having just begun, for most others, I find it a good time to consider the topic of educating children. Few things are going to be as important to parents than what type of education they give their children, so I think it's worth discussing, at least for the next week or so.

I wrote a series of posts on this topic that I'll be 'reposting' this week, and will post some new material on the subject as well, so be sure and check back often. The best posts are those that spark conversation, so be sure and leave a comment, agreeing, disagreeing, or just observing!

Feedburner Glitch

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Mark Driscoll on 'Twilight'

If you've bought into the whole 'Twilight is alright' mentality, you may want to reconsider. Dad's, have you been passive about allowing your children to see the movies from this series, thinking they're harmless because "everyone else" is watching them? If you have, consider what is said during this sermon snippet...

The World Is Filled With Boys Who Can Shave

(From time to time I'll come across an article and/or video that is a good fit for the The Male Domain, and share with my readers, as in this case. The following article was taken from The Mars Hill Blog, and written by Mark Driscoll.)

“We are left with indefinite adolescence and a Peter Pan Syndrome epidemic where men want to remain boys forever.”

 

 The world today is filled with boys who can shave.

Historically, a guy would go through two life phases: boy, then man. The transition from boy to man was comprised of five sociological variables that happened almost simultaneously or in very close succession: Leave your parents’ home (Gen. 2:24); finish your education or vocational training; start a career-track job, not a dead-end-Joe one; meet a woman, love her, honor her, court her, and marry her; have children with her.

But here’s what’s happened. Rather than moving from boy to man by this succession of sociological transitions, we’ve created something called adolescence. It’s a third life stage in the middle between boy and man. We don’t know what to call them so we just call them “guys.” These are boys who can shave.

Today, adolescence starts somewhere in the teen years and continues indefinitely. There is no foreseeable end. The problem with adolescence is guys don’t know when they’re ever going to grow up and be men, and no pressure is exerted on them to do so.

Is it when you’re 16 and you can drive? Or 18, when you can vote and join the military? Or 21, when you can drink? Is it when you graduate from college after you’ve worked on your undergrad degree for seven or eight years? Is it when you get married? Is it when you have kids? Is it when you buy a house? No one knows. So, we are left with indefinite adolescence and a Peter Pan Syndrome epidemic where men want to remain boys forever.

“You men are the glory of God, and God wants his glory to shine through you.”

So where do you go? Go to Scripture. Go to Scripture. First Corinthians 11:7, Paul says a man is “the image and glory of God.” He is to reflect the truth and the goodness and the love and the mercy of Jesus, his God and Savior. He is the glory of God. And I still have hope for the guys. When I see a guy, I don’t see a porn addict, an Internet junkie, a World of Warcraft freak, one of those guys who gets, you know, an apartment with 27 other guys and they all share a studio and pay five dollars a month and split a pizza and call that their bar mitzvah.

I have hope for those guys because they are the glory of God. They are the glory of God. Now, it needs some work, to be sure. But you men are the glory of God. And God wants his glory to shine through you. God wants his kingdom to be made visible through you. God wants you to be his sons. God wants you to follow, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the example of Jesus and in the example of John.

I don’t care if you buy a truck, and you can play some video games and rock out on your guitar. I don’t really care. But the issue is when those are prevalent, predominant, and preeminent in your life. Some of you guys would argue with me on this and say, “It’s not a sin.” No, but sometimes it’s just stupid. It’s just dumb. You got fired because you were up trying to get to the next level and become a guild leader. That’s dumb. That’s totally dumb. You work one part-time job so you could play more guitar. That’s dumb. That’s really, really dumb. You spend all your money on a new car or truck, or toys, or gear, or gambling, or fantasy football. Dumb. Some of you say, “Well, it’s not a sin.” Neither is eating your lawnmower. It’s just dumb. Just doesn’t do anything. There are a lot of things that guys that are Christians do that aren’t evil, they’re just dumb.

“You’re not looking for the path of least resistance. You’re looking for the path of greatest glory to God. You take that path like John did.”

You’re the glory of God. What does it mean to be a man? John is a great example. He doesn’t waste his teens and his 20s downloading free porn, racking up his credit card debt, spending seven years to knock out his undergrad degree, trying to be the king of the fantasy football or baseball league, determined to pound more beers at happy hour and conquer more women than all the other guys to show he’s a real man. That’s no man at all. It’s a boy who could shave.

John shows us what a real man is: He’s filled with the Spirit. He humbly prepares the way for Jesus. He’s an evangelist who makes it his life work to introduce others to Jesus. He’s a man who ultimately is a giver and not a taker. He’s a producer, not a consumer.

Men, you are to be creators and cultivators. If you want to image God, your God is a creator and a cultivator. You create a marriage and you cultivate that woman. You create a child with her and you cultivate that child. You create a new family legacy for generations and you cultivate it. You create a business and you cultivate it. You create a ministry and you cultivate it. You want to be a man? You’re a creator and a cultivator. You’re a producer, not a consumer. You’re a giver, not a taker. You bring life, not death.
You’re not looking for the path of least resistance. You’re looking for the path of greatest glory to God. You take that path like John did.

Pastor Mark is the preaching and founding pastor of Mars Hill Church. This post is adapted from the sermon, “The Birth of John the Baptizer,” preached at the Ballard campus in October 2009.