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Christians
Should
be "Salt
& Light" in the
Public
Schools!
(Or So
They Say)
How often
have you heard this statement made as an argument against sending
children to a Christian school? I have found it to be one of the
most common objections raised by those who do not believe in the
value of Christian schools. It is a challenge that should be
answered. Here are my answers:
Schools exist for children, not
the other way around. Our obligation as parents is to
provide the best nurture and education for our children
that we can. We are not called to build schools, but
raise children. Certainly, every citizen can get involved
in the public schools and influence them toward standards
and values which are compatible with Christian thinking;
however, this does not mean we should sacrifice our
children’s education in the process.
The
purpose of school is to provide children with an
education so that parents can fulfill God’s command
to train them up in the way they should go. The
Bible never suggests that children should be sent out as
evangelists.
Our first question should be, "Where will my child
receive the best education, one that addresses the needs
of the whole child: mental, social, physical, and
spiritual?" Usually, the Christian school is going
to be the wiser choice.
If a parent really wants to help
a child share his faith, there are better ways to do it. How about beginning a
prayer project with your child to see how many in your
neighborhood can be won to Christ? How about starting a
backyard Bible study group for kids over the summer? How
about taking them out witnessing with you as part of your
church’s evangelism program? Then you can teach them
how to witness and model it for them.
Are
children really acting as "salt & light"?
How many children are being led to Christ through public
school contacts? Are there other opportunities
for witnessing outside of the school setting? Won’t
students in Christian schools also have these
opportunities to witness?
Which is more influential, your
child or the school? Will your child have a greater
impact on the school than the school and other students
will have on him or her? If you can confidently state
that your child is a leader with a godly set of standards
and values firmly in place, then the public school may
make sense. If not, then the Christian school makes more
sense. The Bible (Dt. 6) calls upon parents to teach
their children the ways of God every day, all day long.
The Christian school provides an ideal way to fulfill
this command.
Christians
should be "salt and light" which is why
we wholeheartedly support the ministry of Christian
teachers and parents in the public schools. In spite of
the severe limitations placed on them by law and school
administrations, Christian teachers and parents do have
some opportunities to influence the direction of the
school for the better. However, what is
appropriate for a mature Christian adult, whose values
are formed and stable, is not at all appropriate for
children whose values are being formed by the school.
Brian
Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A.
Principal, Airdrie Koinonia Christian School
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