We do not interpret Scripture to say that no one but a parent should teach a child. I’m uncomfortable with getting more specific than that. We believe Scripture is our ultimate authority and that the specifics are the responsibility of parents.

We personally don’t send our children to Sunday School and are part of a family-integrated church. I can tell you, that at least in our experience, those in family-integrated churches believe that people outside the parents are permitted to teach children. Many of our members have their children in Christian schools.

Would I be able to link this post to my blog please????

Praise God for your willingness to teach from His word

Have a blessed day

As far your statement, “then why not just have Jesus very obviously homeschooled by Mary and Joseph to make it all clear to us that that’s the way we must go?”

Even if God’s Word told us that Mary and Joseph homeschooled Jesus, that would not make it clear that Christians should homeschool. It would merely be an example of an educational choice that was made by Mary and Joseph, sinners saved by grace. In order to know what God requires of us in regard to our children’s education, we must turn to the commands of Scripture. While Biblically recorded historic passages can give us insight and example, we should look to the prescriptive passages of Scripture to interpret them.

The purpose of this post is to encourage Christians to consider what the Bible says about the education of children. For that reason, although you seem to think otherwise, I purposefully did not interpret or make applications of the passages quoted. Interestingly several of the points that you claim that I’m making, I’m not. (i.e.”children should *only* have access to you (parents) to ask those questions” and “Even with the Deut. 6 passage, you’re interpreting it in such a way as to imply that kids who are educated outside the home cannot *also* be educated inside the home” . I did not say these things and not only that, they are statements with which I would absolutely disagree. ) Perhaps you are assigning to me something that you are getting from the Scripture quoted? If I have in any way misrepresented, misquoted or omitted Scripture that is prescriptive to the education of children, I would ask that you point that out so that I can change my post to more accurately reflect the commands of God.

Now, let’s go back to the Scriptural commands for education in Deuteronomy 6:7-9

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

and Eph. 6:4

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

I encourage you to read these passages again (along with the many passages in Proverbs) and ask yourself what God is saying to us. Wouldn’t you agree that the primary application of these passages is that parents/fathers should educate their children in the times, places and manner described and that parents choosing to partially delegate some of this responsibility to others would be a derived or secondary application? When parents are honestly seeking to apply these passages we should always exhibit Christ’s love and grace to them and that is our intent.

I appreciate your kindness and concern about discouraging me. I read your comment in the way that I believe it was written, as another mom who loves God, loves her children and wants to obey God and to provide the best possible education for her children. I hope that you will take my response in the same vein because that is how it is meant.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I attended a Christian school from K-12. I believe I had an extraordinary education and a peer group that was a total God-send (though I’m not under the assumption that you cannot have those things with a homeschool education — it’s just a commentary on my experience). What a blessing those years were, and my relationships with those other followers of Christ are still treasured and nurtured today, though I graduated 12 yrs ago. My husband’s education consisted of a little of everything: public school, then homeschool, then Christian school (with a one-semester International School in London, when his family moved there briefly). We are the parents of 4 children (so far). The two oldest (twins who’ll be 5 on Monday) will be starting Kindergarten in the fall at the Christian school where my husband and I attended. However, homeschool has been discussed as an option for our family, so it is beneficial for me to read blogs like yours and consider the opinions of yourself and your readers.

The reason I asked for clarification about Christian schools is because it does, to me, seem to be an area in which grace should be applied. I think that’s what you’re expressing above, though briefly. Is that right? I was speaking to my husband about this post last night, and his take on your post was that the references you used to justify it as (almost) the only option for Christian parents (almost) leave out the message of grace that IS the good news of Jesus Christ. His ministry was saturated with the message that the *heart* is where our submission to Christ takes place. No doubt, our actions will follow, but there is room for grace in certain areas. There are some things which just aren’t prescribed in Scripture. And if I’m being honest, I’d respectfully say that I disagree with the way you’ve applied those Scriptures above as a mandate (almost) for homeschooling. I agree that the Deut. 6:7-9 passage comes closest to implying that, but the other passages are simply saying that when your children ask you things, be prepared to give them an answer. That’s not the same as saying your children should *only* have access to you to ask those questions. Even with the Deut. 6 passage, you’re interpreting it in such a way as to imply that kids who are educated outside the home cannot *also* be educated inside the home, and that seems to be an unfair characterization of non-homeschooling parents. My husband and I have often discussed the importance of being very active in our children’s education by enhancing it during non-school hours (when they are at home with us). Remember, too, that just because we may send our children to a Christian school during the day (I’m assuming that here because public school is not an option for my husband and me), that does not mean that those times of questioning will not occur with our children. In other words, those Scriptural examples of interaction with our children can and will still take place. So, here is where I think grace should apply: if we (and other parents who choose Christian school education) choose to entrust our children to people whom we truly believe will guide them in the Truth and answer their questions with a Biblical perspective, is that not permissible? I am willing to admit that there are drawbacks to having my children out of my physical presence for several hours each day, but I would submit that there are going to be weaknesses in any educational method that we choose because we are all simply fallen humans who make mistakes and have weaknesses. I’m suggesting that making this decision may not be one that is black and white Scripturally, but an issue of personal conviction by the Holy Spirit in the lives of parents. So that, those of us who do not homeschool should lovingly support and encourage the homeschoolers we know, and those who’ve been convicted that homeschooling is right for their families should allow grace for their fellow believers who’ve not been convicted in that way. Does that make sense?

And in regards to Jesus’ education, I have not found specific information about that in Scripture either. However, I’ve heard some say that simply the fact that He was regularly called “Rabbi” implies there was a formal education, aside from the education He surely obtained from living with His parents (though, I admittedly don’t know much about the Jewish educational system and what that would have looked like practically speaking). So, it sounds like we agree that we simply don’t know exactly how He was educated. I suppose my purpose in asking is just to point out that it really wouldn’t have mattered what style of education He received. He’s an omniscient, omnipotent God who would have been the same God no matter what. So, if that’s the case — and if you believe that homeschooling is (almost) *the* only pattern clearly laid out in Scripture for us all to follow, then why not just have Jesus very obviously homeschooled by Mary and Joseph to make it all clear to us that that’s the way we must go?

Please know, Kimberly, that I’m hesitating somewhat before I post this reply because I do *not* intend to discourage or belittle you, nor do I hope to communicate disrespect to you. I can tell you that, during the short time I’ve been reading your blog (a few months, probably), I’ve greatly enjoyed your writings, and I will continue to do so. I also know that it is sometimes difficult to communicate in writing since we don’t have the advantage of tone of voice and non-verbal communication to assist in relaying emotion. I hope it is understood that this is just a loving challenge to administer a bit more grace toward your brothers and sisters in Christ who may be convicted differently than yourself and your husband.

By the way, yes, we do believe in absolute truth for things that are undeniably clear in Scripture. And then there are, as you mentioned above, those gray areas. The difficulty between Christians often arises when we disagree about which areas are gray, huh? (So sorry this is the longest comment ever)

In love,
Angela

I haven’t posted specifically about Christian schools and the reason for that is found in my response to Gretchen above,

There is certainly a line where parents are sinning by abdicating their God-given responsibilities and while it’s quite clear on the extreme ends of the spectrum, I think that it is less clear as you near the middle ground. I do not claim to know for certain exactly where the line lies.

In our opinion Christians schools fall somewhere in that middle ground.

I quickly dismissed the idea of using Jesus’ education as a model for educating our own children because the method of Jesus’ education is not recorded for us in Scripture. Anything that we do to figure out how Christ was educated requires us to go outside of the inspired and infallible Word of God.

First, would you mind directing me to your blog entry where you’ve addressed the issue of Christian schools? The one you linked above seemed to only address public schools. Did I miss something??

Also, I find it interesting that you so quickly dismissed the idea of using Jesus’ education as a model for educating our own children. How would you characterize/describe His educational experience?

Thanks!

To me it seems that one of the main things you are saying is that deep and vital relationship with each of our children is absolutely necessary for true biblical education to take place in our homes. This thought clarifies things for me immensely. I have longed for things to be different in our homeschool, and have looked at so many different curriculum catalogs and read so many people’s opinions on the “best” education. I have thought, perhaps I need to read more to the children, or our school day needs to be shorter, or longer, or more fun, or whatever. But relationship is what I have been looking for. I have felt for a long time that the curriculum we have used for years gets in the way of developing relationships, but I didn’t realize that was what I was struggling with. I have told my husband multiple times that it just doesn’t work for us anymore but I haven’t been able to put my finger on why. That is it. That is what my heart is crying out for — room in the day to really live with my kids, to walk through life with them, to love them — each of them. Room to talk about the things that God is doing and has done. Room to talk! What a thought.

I loved the quote from your pastor about geometry and Proverbs. Mulling that one over.

Thanks again.

I have a question – do you have a post on how your family schools year round? I did a search and didn’t find what I was looking for. In the middle of all the sweeping changes I am trying to make, it occurs to me that part of my too-high stress level has to do with the yearly calendar and the ever-looming end-date by which everything is supposed to be finished.

On Thursday when I post what curriculum we’ll be using, you may understand what I mean.

I don’t have all the answers, but a few things seem clear (and I’m very open to hearing where I’ve misunderstood, misrepresented or misinterpreted God’s Word). God commands parents to educate their children. He tells parents what they are to teach their children. He tells parents how they are to teach their children.

Christ is His perfect life here on earth lived for us an example of how the method taught in Deuteronomy 6 should look.

There is certainly a line where parents are sinning by abdicating their God-given responsibilities and while it’s quite clear on the extreme ends of the spectrum, I think that it is less clear as you near the middle ground. I do not claim to know for certain exactly where the line lies.

Ultimately each parent is responsible before God for the education of their own children.

I have posted our thoughts about Christians and government schools.

I often feel like I’m the only Homeschooling mom who drowns in all things curriculum. I agree with the likes of Beechick and Sampson (HOW). Less is more…we could do it with God’s Word and a Family Following hard after him alone. I really do believe that. But I’m still a newbie at both Homeschooling and Christianity (the real kind), so what do I know?

This post is not attempting to apply Christ’s training of His disciples specifically to homeschooling, but rather to show the validity of and a perfect example of the method that God lays before us in Deuteronomy 6 which is specifically directed to parents and children.

It is also in no way my intent to imply that our children should not have a “top notch” education. I believe that a top notch education and an education dictated and guided by the Scriptures are one and the same. Our children should have “astute arguments from Scripture and apologetics- using nature or whatever point of common ground (they) (can) find with (their) audience.”

I do not see that Scripture teaches (in the passages I quoted or elsewhere) that the there is never a time nor place for education outside of the home (per your example of Paul and Luke). I mentioned in the post that church leaders are given responsibility of instructing and teaching the body of believers and Christ obviously taught His disciples in a setting “outside” of the home. Also, in 1 Chronicles 15:22 it says,

Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was in charge of the singing; he gave instruction in singing because he was skillful.

Perhaps you are assuming that I mean to apply the commands, that God directs toward children and parents, to older children and adults. That is not my intent. In this post I’m speaking about the Bible’s prescriptive commands in regard to parents and children as they prepare them to go out into the world and possibly receive more specialized instruction elsewhere as older children or adults.

In regard to Gamaliel and Paul, the passage is in no way prescriptive, but rather a testimony of God’s faithfulness. Acts 22. Gamaliel was an unbeliever and Paul came away from his teaching and began persecuting the followers of Christ.