Always Learning: Stealing Our Children

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Stealing Our Children

We need to send our children into the public schools to be witnesses for Jesus. I have heard this reasoning many times from parents who send their children into public schools.

However, in order to prepare missionaries for the mission field, it takes lot of time, sometimes many years. They have to be taught the ways of the culture they are going to and they need to be strong in their faith. Our young children are not strong in their faith and do we want them to know the ways of their peers? Besides, if they speak about Jesus or pray, they will be kicked out. They are not to be open about their faith in any way.

Here are some words written by Nancy Campbell, a woman I greatly admire. She has been an older woman teaching me for many years. Ponder her words carefully ~

How can it be that parents living in USA,
who love God and confess they believe the Bible,
send their children into the public education system
that does not believe the Bible?

How can parents who believe in prayer,
send their children into schools where they are not allowed to pray?

How can God-fearing parents who love to speak about
Jesus send their children into schools where,
by law, they are not allowed to confess that Jesus is Lord?

Why do they send them to be educated by the ungodly
who scorn the existence of God and the truth of biblical family?

Why do they want them to be daily brain-washed in humanism and socialism?

Why do they want their children to receive an
opposite message to what they receive at home?

Perhaps it is because we are like sheep and we follow along with what everyone else is doing. We do not stop to think of the outcome. We want to assimilate into society rather than change society....The humanists and socialists are educating the next generation and stealing the minds of children from godly homes.

Teach them {God's ways} to your children,

talking about them when you sit in your house

and when you walk along the road,

when you lie down and when you get up.

Deutoronomy 11:19

Bring them {your children} up in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4

Comments (29)

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Cynthia Swenson · 636 weeks ago

I agree! I'm not sure all Christians have to agree with this point of view though. For some reason, I thought your children attended public school Lori? Have your views changed over the years? Very good post! Love & prayers, in Jesus, Cynthia

1 reply · active 632 weeks ago

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Sara · 636 weeks ago

Hi Lori, it is easy to say. Private schools aren't cheap for some families. We are very strong believers, engaged at church and youth groups. So many kids look up to my kids, because of their integrity and trust worthy. Even the kids don't believe in Jesus, they always know they can depend on our kids. Mission is where your community is, we prepare them how to stand agains Satan. Our kids are allowed to pray as long as they don't ask microphone. If you make good friendship, there is always time to talk about Jesus. It also depends where you live, the neighborhood. I respect your opinion. I do believe in training the child in the way the lord would want us. Blessings!

1 reply · active 636 weeks ago

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Karen · 636 weeks ago

I love this post and I will be home schooling my daughter starting in the fall. It was not my plan to raise another child into retirement, but God blessed us with a child very late in life and we feel very strong that God is leading us into that direction. Will it be hard and trying somedays? Absolutely! I just cannot imagine putting a child in the public school system in these last days.

1 reply · active 636 weeks ago

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ayearinskirts 66p · 636 weeks ago

I agree with this overall. But I also know education often comes down to the nuts and bolts of Can I really DO this day after day? Homeschooling is a calling, it is really difficult! And for a family that it just isn't working for, then it's important to be honest about that. God gave us the authority to make these decisions. It's not fair for her to name-call "Sheep" all of the parents out there who send their children to school. It implies the decision was not heavily discerned and shows a disrespect for the family.

1 reply · active 636 weeks ago

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Stacie · 636 weeks ago

My daughter attends a public middle school. She is actively involved in our local church and youth group and was baptized about a year ago. A youth leader in our church stopped both of us a few Sunday's ago. This woman had been subbing in my daughter's class and she wanted us to know that she was proud of my daughter's testimony in the school...they were reading an historical fiction novel that uses the word "damn" and my daughter was reading aloud. Instead of reading the word my daughter skipped over it. She wasn't made to feel bad or uncomfortable. She didn't have to "shout from the rooftops." She was able to quietly and meekly show others that she is different. (And please, don't judge the book--as a Bible believing Christian English teacher in a public school I firmly believe that there is a time and a place. If it isn't used to grab attention, but is rather used in a realistic setting I am ok with "damn" and "hell")

As a Bible believing Christian English teacher I regularly have a chance to share the Bible with my students. While I can't openly preach salvation, literature often contains Biblical references that we can, and do, discuss in my class. In fact, today I had a chance to read the story of creation and share the birth of Christ with my seniors. I encourage them to read the Bible, even if only as a literary reference. If it gets them in the Word it can change their lives. That is a pretty awesome responsibility, and I pray about it every day while I am in my classroom. I thank God that I have been given this opportunity and I have never had a principal, a parent, or a student complain or question.

3 replies · active 636 weeks ago

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Amy · 636 weeks ago

Wonderful post! God spoke to me about a year ago when our oldest turned 3 to homeschool our children. I really didn't understand why because I always said that I would never homeschool. Then God started showing me the importance of raising our children to know and be like Him rather than the godless world we are in. I knew homeschooling would be the right move regardless of what others thought. God later moved on my husband's heart as well. We are so excited to begin this journey!
I also want to add that I love reading your posts. They are always so full of wisdom!

1 reply · active 636 weeks ago

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Brit · 636 weeks ago

I love this! We are planning to homeschool our children for this reason. I can't imagine letting someone else have 8 or more hours of influence in my children's lifes 5 days a week. I don't think it's impossible to raise Christian kids that attend public school (I'm on of them), but I do think it makes the job a lot harder on parents.

Also, even if my kids attend a Christian school or would be blessed with Christian teachers in a public school I feel like the Bible teaches that PARENTS should teach their children... not someone else. As our children's parents we desire for our kids to hear and witness the gospel through us, their parents, who love them more than anyone else in the world (besides God, of course).

1 reply · active 636 weeks ago

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@Ssomerskys · 636 weeks ago

LOVE love this blog! Mrs Cambell is a wise women.

1 reply · active 636 weeks ago

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Kath · 636 weeks ago

We just started homeschooling this fall. I wanted so badly to homeschool a few years ago, but my husband was not convinced (mostly because I was a hormonal, unstable, emotional wreck) but after I had a revelation about true submission when I read Created to Be His Helpmeet, I started acting out my role properly and my marriage was transformed. Subsequently, my hubby encouraged me a year later to homeschool if I should still desire to do so. We are homeschooling now and I like it, but it is challenging. Often, I would like to quit and send them to school so that my life would be easier! Anyways, I am homeschooling with the purpose to take the direction of our family in a way that differs from our previous generations. To sacrifice my life to truly train up our children in the ways of the Lord. It is hard, but the truly valuable things in life cost something- time, energy, prayer, even bodily sacrifice at times. Go for it, especially if you've had a nudging to do so and your husband blesses you to do so.

1 reply · active 636 weeks ago

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Former Teacher · 636 weeks ago

I am a former public school teacher who is now a SAHM with two young daughters. I taught for 3 years before getting pregnant with my first child. During that time I taught grades 5 through 8 (no, not all in e same year). I can tell you that in my experience, greater than 90% of the time, it is not the Christian children who are leading others to Christ, it's the unsaved children that influence the ones from Christian homes. Many times, children from Christian homes and even those professing to be Christians themselves would basically walk a razor thin line of trying to fit in without getting in quite as much trouble as their classmates. Those who really attempted to live out their faith even in school were thought of as "nerds" or "goody goody" by the other kids. Bullying was disciplined, but it still happened. I realize that Christians need to learn to stand alone when necessary, but that is an awful lot of pressure and temptation that they are being exposed to for 7 or so hours per day, 5 days per week. My husband and I are planning on me home schooling our children. I understand that private or home school is not a possibility for everyone, but these are things Christian parents should be aware of before they send their children to a public school. Also, I live and taught in the southern "Bible Belt." I can't imagine how much worse things might be for children where there is not such a high concentration of Christians.

1 reply · active 636 weeks ago

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KM @lessonsfromivy · 636 weeks ago

It was very telling for me when a Christian public school teacher wouldn't even allow his own children in public schools. A quote I love is children aren't missionaries, they're disciples.

Great post I hope you'll share it with my Friday link up : )

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tbg · 636 weeks ago

Very much agree with your Lori. The other thing to consider is it is not just the other kids. The other kids in my mind are the least of the problem since they will run into that unfortunately even in a Church youth group. This issue is that the adults, authority figures, curricula and entire agenda is intentionally set up to destroy your child's soul. So to tell a child that is still growing in maturity (mentally, emotionally and spiritually) to parse and deflect the wickedness that they are being indoctrinated into is not appropriate.

I do agree that we adult Christians should be involved in our schools, working there, teaching, volunteering, praying, etc.

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Melissa · 636 weeks ago

Part 1 (due to restrictions on comment length):

My children (I have six) have thrived in their public schools. Their principal is actually a former pastor. I volunteer regularily there, as do most of the parents. My children's elementary school motto (written on their school tee shirts and present in every classroom) is: Honor Responsibility Character. Homeschooling is not for my family, but I absolutely respect homeschoolers. It's unfortunate that posts like this make it seem like that is a one-way street. God is everywhere - He is too great be taken out of any physical place by human efforts. Jesus instructed us that his yoke was light and too often I see Christians recoiling from the world, indeed condemning it to hell, and demanding that other Christians, across the board, must do the same to somehow be a "good enough" Christian.

to be continued...

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Melissa · 636 weeks ago

Part 2

I'm sure that *some* public schools are not good places for children to be. I'm just as sure that *some* homeschooling parents are failing their children in terms of education. This is not the black and white issue that your post makes it out to be: "good" Christians parents homeschool their kids, "bad" Christian parents send their kids away to school.

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Melissa · 636 weeks ago

Part 3

I think the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer are apropros (and note that there is no exclusion, anywhere in Scripture, for the young - in fact Jesus himself scolded those who would say that children are not good enough to seek him as Christians in the fullest sense of the word):

“Jesus Christ lived in the midst of his enemies. At the end all his disciples deserted him. On the Cross he was utterly alone, surrounded by evildoers and mockers. For this cause he had come, to bring peace to the enemies of God. So the Christian, too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes. There is his commission, his work. 'The kingdom is to be in the midst of your enemies. And he who will not suffer this does not want to be of the Kingdom of Christ; he wants to be among friends, to sit among roses and lilies, not with the bad people but the devout people. O you blasphemers and betrayers of Christ! If Christ had done what you are doing who would ever have been spared' (Luther).”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community

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Frances · 636 weeks ago

I teach English at a public high school, and I think some of your ideas about public school are stereotypes, not necessarily the truth. Christian students in public schools can pray and talk about their faith; that is not illegal, nor is it discouraged in every public school in the country. Most pieces of classic literature that I teach (out of our approved textbook) contain some reference to the Bible, giving us the opportunity to discuss those allusions (seems like Stacie, who commented above, also noted this). In fact, one day a student pulled his Bible out of his backpack to look up the exact verse that was being alluded to. Students in public schools do have the right to practice their faith. .

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J. Beth · 635 weeks ago

I am Jewish and I went to public schools as a child. If one of my Christian classmates tried to act as a missionary to me, I wouldn't be happy. How would you like it if I had told my Christian classmates about Yom Kippur?

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