G.A.C.E. Notes & Quotes

Part 3

The following is a series of posts I sent to our GACE study group from my personal study of A Guide to American Christian Education.

Introduction - Pages 111-117

Message 1 - Christian Home Education

I want to share with you is some encouragement from the pages just before the "How to Begin" outline on page 118 that we are following. These pages are particularly written for Home Educators. I am much more picky in my terminology here than our author, who entitles it "The American Christian School at Home". I don't believe that is what we want. We are not looking to turn our homes into "schools". We are teaching and training our children in our homes. But I digress.

Here are some gems from these few pages:

"The swift growth of home schools, rooted in Christian convictions, may be God's way of quickening parents in the task of restoring the home as the first sphere of government and education, and to subsequently insisting that the Christian school and finally the church begin to reflect the governmental and educational integrity of the godly home."

Ladies (and gentlemen, if we have any here), as parents, we have an earthly calling higher than you may realize. It is the home that is the foundation for all of society and all other institutions. Mal. 2:15 tells us that the foundational of all human relationships, marriage between one man and one woman, was ordered of God to live in Covenant (voluntary union) for the purpose of creating "godly seed". We have been given the stewardship of these little ones, that we may bring them up "in the instruction and discipline of the Lord", so they will have the light of the Lord within them, so they will be a light to society. They will have internal liberty in Christ, so they can help bring external liberty in society.

Home educators come to this realization in many ways. More than likely you've said or thought (as many others have, and I quote here) some of the following:

"I have a desire to train my children in the ways of the Lord,..."
"Through our own Biblical research, we became aware of our role and responsibility for the education of our children."
"We changed our philosophy about how to teach, the nature of accountability, and academic success."
"We were uncomfortable with the character produced in [the] school's students."
"We saw disturbing signs in our [child]."
"I [looked] up every Scripture related to education, teaching instructing, children, parents, etc. What I found left no doubt in my mind as to who was responsible for education His children."
"As I compared the teachings of the Word of God with the public school...I felt that I was sacrificing my children to ...the god of humanism."
"At first, like many other Christians today, I felt that the involvement of believers would change the public school system. now a realize that it can never be changed until individuals are changed internally."

As Parents seeking to glorify God in all our lives, we have an awesome calling.

Message 2 - Why we choose to educate by Biblical Principles

Most of us came to this place knowing that we wanted our children to have a solid Biblical education. We desire for our children to learn of God and His ways. But, "many parents [are] not at all sure at first what is a comprehensive, sound Christian philosophy of education. " They only know that they want their "children's education to have the Bible as its source."

We've begun this process of renewing our minds to know what God's thoughts on education are, what a Christian philosophy of education looks like. This renewing will show us that Biblical education has "God's Word as the basis for every subject", and that as the child learns this he sees that he is a "vital part of God's providential plan for this earth," and that he can "take dominion for God's glory."As we see that God's Word can be applied to every area of life and living our excitement for Biblical education will grow. We see "that the Lord is in each subject naturally", that in true education "children learn to deduce things on their own and discover how to reason correctly," and that we need that education ourselves. Most of us have an education that was truly lacking, in fact at odds with Christian education. "Education comprehends much more than the facts pertaining to reading, writing, and arithmetic. It includes all instruction necessary to prepare our children for their adult life" as a Christian living for God's glory. We will see how education must "move out from inward Christian convictions into the subject matter," This is why "the whole of the subject is imparted from the heart of the teacher to the heart of the student." As Deut. 6 tells us, "these things shall be in your heart and you shall teach them diligently unto your children." The Lord requires all of us to love Him with all our hearts, souls, MINDS, and strength. Both student and teacher are required to think.

We have chosen to teach our children by Biblical principles because it is "clearly Biblical", it adheres to the above Biblical ideas, and it is a "way that proved itself, most convincingly, in educating earlier generations of American Christians, in literacy, liberty, and local self-government."

Message 3 - The challenges and rewards we face

In endeavoring to educate our children Biblically, we are going to face obstacles. Do you really think the devil is going to leave you alone to do this? Prabably the most often heard complaints about teaching and training our children in these Biblical ways are "It's too hard." and "It takes too much time." I heard a great quote at convention this weekend. The speaker said, "If you are burning out. You are doing something wrong. Jesus' yoke is not heavy." Think about this. You are walking in bondage to the law if you are constantly burning out and losing your joy." God wants you to walk in His liberty. He wants you to live under His grace, which enables us to do everything He has called us to do. Learning does take work and time, but these are no reasons to shun it. They are reasons to embrace it. It is in the trials of life that God develops our character.

Let's take a look at some of the challenges of home education by Biblical principles that you may feel:

"a lack of time to do the research"
"finding time to be able to read and study enough to develop a correct philosophy of education and to really comprehend what we had read."
"an intense desire to use [this Biblical approach] NOW, when I had an incomplete understanding of it."
"my children lacked a solid foundation in basic skills"
the responsibilities of "raising... children, preparing meals, helping a husband..., and keeping up a home" plus allowing "time for study and writing."
"trying to teach... children of different grades"
"mastering ahead of time whatever I taught, rather than hand the student a work-book and then go on to other activities of my own."

No one would deny that these are all real challenges. The question is, are they reasons to quit? I firmly say, "NO." "Nothing reaches a child's heart like another person, especially father and mother." One mother put it this way, "My own sense of responsibility would not let me give my children a prepared or packaged curriculum."

"Any parent who conscientiously perseveres [in this] will develop his or her own capacity to think in a deeply Christian way about a vast range of subjects, including current political and economic issues, and he will also experience significant growth in Christian character." We become "equipped with the Christian character [we] need to learn any subject and it will be the kind of character [we] want to see in [our] children." Parents, this isn't just about your children growing up to be good Christians. This is about your own growth as a Christian, and your responsibility to disciple your children. We have some great reasons to persevere!

Because we are reasoning our education "from a sound foundation of the Word or God, from Biblical absolutes which put God in control and make the parent an effective steward, with this approach we can govern our children's education, we can exercise control over the methodology, content and character we want to see produced."

We do this, not because it is fast and easy. Nor do we do it because we think we are some sort of super-parents who can do it all, better than others. We do it because we are "convinced that the Lord, who wants [us] to do it, will enable [us] to do it." We know that "I can of mine own self do nothing", yet "I can do all things through Christ which stengtheneth me." As we "advance a little each day in the right direction," "the Lord will compensate for [our] inadequacies with His adequacy." Get this parents! "Line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little there a little." That is how we accomplish this!!! It is the perseverance that counts.

The parent who "[fears] nature's God, [is] an avid reader, [is disposed] to teach himself, and always [keeps] a healthy curiosity about things and how they [work]" is the parent who has a healthy view of education. "This is an attitude toward learning that can readily be communicated to a child."

As the beloved Master Teacher, Katherine Dang says, "Only teach what you know." and "You don't have to teach a lot to teach a lot." It is the steward who is faithful in little that is rewarded with much. We are not called to know it all today. This isn't about mass amounts of knowledge. This is about the seed of education. It is about leading our children, teaching them to "follow me as I follow Christ." It is about starting where we are and taking one step at a time to where God wants us to be. It is about the journey, as much as the destination. For it is in the journey that we will learn, and grow to be more Christ-like.

Message 4 - Overcoming the Challenges

Let's get practical here. What can we do to face and overcome these challenges?

Here's what some other home educating parents, facing the same challenges you have, have done and said:

• "To study at least thirty minutes daily is a goal for which I am striving, as 'line upon line' I identify and reform my philosophy of education."
• using "evening hours after the children are in bed to study, and most of Saturday and Sunday afternoon."
• "Just before retiring for the night we spend some time in Bible study and reading from the F.A.C.E. books."
• "As we see evidences of the seven principles of America's Christian history, and signs of God's providence, or discover aspects of the Biblical basis of certain subjects in the world around us, we point these out to our... children, and thereby deepen our own understanding."
• "The foremost method of comprehending [this approach] has been through verifying its elements from the Bible."
• We can meet the challenge of teaching children of differing ages, "by mastering Biblical principles, and allowing [our] own natural gift of communicating with [our] children to lead [us] in interpreting each principle in ways most appropriate to each child,"
• teaching "the same basic principles of the subjects to [all grade levels] in response to the age and abilities of each student."
• "As parents have patience in studying this method, the child will learn that same patience from them."
• Take just "one subject at a time and 4 R it." You will "naturally move out of interest, curiosity and understanding on to the next subject and 4 R that!"

If your children have already begun formal education through other philosophies and methods they may need a transition time, just as you need a preparation time. One mom took "a year to wean them from workbooks, worksheets and fill-in-the-blanks." while she mastered "the red books" herself "with the help of the Rudiments Handbook" from Pilgrim Institute.

Many parents fear "not [having] enough time each day to prepare and teach the lessons. Just as God can give us dominion over our fears about the adequacy of our own formal education, so He can give us dominion over our anxieties about time. GOD IS GIVING US THE TIME to do whatever He wants us to do, and as we draw closer to Him, He will show us how to make increasingly better use of our minutes, hours, and days."

As one mom reminds us, "A little correct philosophy of government and education [can] take [you] a long way through [your] subjects."

Message 5 - Beginning to develop a Christian philosophy of education

We begin by laying this foundation of a Biblical philosophy, which will dictate our methods, curriculum and goals. "Many of the prevailing ideas and materials about teaching and learning are a mixture of Christian, secular, and pagan views." Every time we buy a packaged program or curriculum, or even a "Christian" resource, we are buying the philosophy of the author. "Unbiblical presuppositions prevail in so much of... the views of education today and are passed along as true and beneficial." It is vital that our views of education are truly Biblical "lest Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."

Our philosophies of history, government and education are vitally linked together. A Biblical viewpoint of all of these are important for these reasons:

1) "Your view of history, 'events in the order they happened, with their causes and effects,' will reveal God's power for good, today as well as in the past."
2)" Your concept of government is really your idea of who, or what , is the supreme authority in your life, either man and the state, or God and His Word; [it] reveals WHERE you receive your direction, regulation, control and restraint for teaching and learning how to think and act."
3) "Lastly, your idea of education - of instructing, disciplining, enlightening, correcting, forming and fitting your children for life and living - will reflect either the sovereignty of Christ, His story and government, or man's story and rule instead.

This study we are endeavoring to work through, beginning this week, will help us develop this correct philosophy. It is important that we develop this philosophy AND write it out, for at least 3 reasons:

1) "It will be a memorial to remind you or WHY you are teaching what your GOALS are."
2) "It could help other parents to understand the "reason for the hope that lies within you."
3) "If necessary it could help define and defend your convictions legally"

I close with some thoughts of a Biblical philosophy of education. I have shortened, changed a bit of sentence structure to match the shortening, and paraphrased this, you can read the entirety on page 117 of GACE. It is taken from Miss Dang's school :

"[Our] educational goal is to build the Christian character required for Christian self-government and Christian civil government, to enable one to rule himself by godly principles and extend them into the home, church and state, and into his business and the various fields of the arts and the sciences. The rudiments of individual subjects are introduced in the earliest years and expended upon... Reflection and reasoning from the rudiments are developed according to the natural capacities of the students. Subject content and teaching methods conform to those principles which instruct and inspire [Christian character]. This philosophy of education is predicated upon Biblical principles of self- and civil government so that individuals are equipped to lay Christ, the Truth, at the foundation of every sphere of their lives, [with the hope that] America may once again promote and support the Gospel in its institutions, and send forth into the world effective ministers and missionaries of the gospel."

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