Southern Baptists' public schools resolution

[onesimus71]

Are we Christians following Christ, or men?

Anybody who needs to wait for a “resolution” urging them to remove their kids from the public schools is following men and not God. Otherwise they would have got their kids out a long time ago.

At what point did separating from the public schools become a no-brainer for Christians? Long ago, well before the Ten Commandments were taken out of the schools.

Where did Christians get the idea they could put their children under the teaching of a non-Christian? You say there are some Christian teachers in the public schools? Right, and they are barred from doing any Christian teaching. All they can do is “sneak in” their Christianity, between classes, or implicitly, or whatever. Their official teaching position is “secular.”

Besides, you don’t get to pick out the Christian teachers in the public schools. Your kids get whichever teachers they are assigned.

Of course these teachers can teach your kids math and reading and writing. But at best they can only sneak in references to God, and they had better be private references and not public utterances. Is that what you want taught to your kids--the most important subject of all is “snuck in” to their curriculum? And what good is a nice, Christian teacher who can’t teach about God? (He may be useful to unbelievers, but not for the children of believers.)

Do not tell me these kids get their Christian teaching on Sundays. On five of the other six days of the week, they are getting teaching which negates whatever good they are getting on Sundays.

No, it isn’t wrong for Christians to teach in the public schools. (Christian adults are supposed to be salt and light. Christian children are supposed to be learning how to be salt and light.) It’s wrong for Christians to put their kids in the public schools. It’s throwing your kids to the dogs. The closest parallel I can find in the Bible is Lot offering up his daughters to the Sodomites.

Now, Lot only offered his daughters in exchange for peace with the Sodomites. The angels saved him from carrying out this transaction. But his attitude toward his young daughters is very telling. Lot did not spiritually protect his daughters from the world, the consequence being they grew up worldly, and had sexual relations with their father. Genesis 19:33,35. The resulting offspring were progenitors of the Moabites and Ammonites, persecuters of Israel. Is that how we want our kids to turn out?

1 John 4: 1-6 cautions us to test the spirits to see whether they are of God. The test of a spirit is whether he confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Friends, you cannot even make this test in the public schools. The teachers are barred from making such a public confession.

If you think this passage in 1 John applies to only teachers in the church, and not public school teachers, why, you have secularized the education of your children. You have divided “education” into religious and “secular” components. Where is that found in the Bible? Nowhere.

In the Bible, there is just education, period. It is either godly or ungodly.

[sewserious]

:rolleyes

I am so sick of the whole "real Christians don't put their kids in public school" thing.

[sealed]

Well, in our area unless your child is a normally develping honor student with the income to pay the tuition (6,000 year for kindegarted) you can't go to a *Christian* school....except for the Catholic schools, they wave the fee for low income Catholic families, but still cannot offer services for those who have learning disabilities.

[sealed]

:rolleyes

I am so sick of the whole "real Christians don't put their kids in public school" thing.

I TOTALLY agree with you...my son's in public elementary and his teacher is also youth Sunday school teacher of 35 years! She declares that teaching is her 'calling'. Our school has "Teachers- in Touch" where the ones that want to meet every Monday can do so and read scripture and pray....she leads this every week. We also have "Moms-in-touch" and meet every Wed to pray for the kids at the school.

We have been blessed, obviously. We are goin to look into private/ public middle schools for 2007....however, in my previous post, my son has a language impairment and He might not be able to go to private Christian school....becasue of this we had no options for elementary school, yet God has taken care of us.

Sorry to to go on so....:):

[Becky]

:rolleyes

I am so sick of the whole "real Christians don't put their kids in public school" thing.:sad

onesimus71, your post is rather harsh for those who have no other choice. Not every Christian can home school or afford a private school. And if you are a good parent, you can keep up with what is being taught in your child's classroom and equip your child to know right from wrong and what the Word of God says about it.

[SusanM]

The OP is strong and does not take into account individual circumstances, but there is nothing untrue in it. Unfortunately, many cannot afford private school (me :wave ) or have the convenience of homeschooling. But the idea of putting ones children in a place where the command to "train up a child in the way he should go" is forbidden is cause to pause. I homeschool and it is an economic hardship! But it's my calling.

We have some AWESOME Christian teachers in our city school system and I lead a Good News Club in a local elementary school. But the teachers hands are tied in so many ways. Depending on where you live, some places are much better than others.

Becky, I respectfully disagree with your statement that And if you are a good parent, you can keep up with what is being taught in your child's classroom and equip your child to know right from wrong and what the Word of God says about it. What makes the secular, left-leaning brain washing in our public schools any different than the xenophobia/hate curriculum of the Muslim schools? They're both wrong. Would you send your child to a Muslim school and then try and counter act the wretched teaching each day at home? I doubt it.

I'm not suggesting that our public schools are on a par with Muslim schools, but a shakey foundation is a shakey foundation.

That said, there are many parents in my church (we're about half and half home school and public school) who have no other choice than to send their kids to public school. These are very good parents doing the best they can and we love them the same as anyone else. Bottom line is, you have to do what the Lord tells you to do.

[kitten]

:sad

onesimus71, your post is rather harsh for those who have no other choice. Not every Christian can home school or afford a private school. And if you are a good parent, you can keep up with what is being taught in your child's classroom and equip your child to know right from wrong and what the Word of God says about it.

:hug Thank you Becky.

[USATeacher2005]

:rolleyes

I am so sick of the whole "real Christians don't put their kids in public school" thing.


AMEN! :clap

edit

[HeartlandGal]

:sad

onesimus71, your post is rather harsh for those who have no other choice. Not every Christian can home school or afford a private school. And if you are a good parent, you can keep up with what is being taught in your child's classroom and equip your child to know right from wrong and what the Word of God says about it.


Honestly I think it takes less of an effort to homeschool your kids then to keep up with everything they are being taught on a daily basis in public school. The fact of the matter is, you honestly can have no way of knowing what all your child is being taught if you are not directly involved in every single aspect of it as you would be by homeschooling.

When it comes to your children, is there really a biblical basis for putting them in public school?

[sewserious]

Honestly I think it takes less of an effort to homeschool your kids then to keep up with everything they are being taught on a daily basis in public school. The fact of the matter is, you honestly can have no way of knowing what all your child is being taught if you are not directly involved in every single aspect of it as you would be by homeschooling.

When it comes to your children, is there really a biblical basis for putting them in public school?

No more so than there is for homeschooling them! People who think others shouldn't send their kids to public school is like saying parents have no influence on their kids. Parents have MUCH more influence on their kids than they have been given credit for in this day and age!

I, for one, cannot afford to homeschool and, NO, we don't live a luxurias lifestyle, but hubby's job doesn't pay enough to cover the utilities, groceries, car insurance, health insurance, homeowner's insurance, taxes, tithes, clothing, GAS, mortgage (very small in this day and age and a very LOW interest rate), power, phone, water, sewage, and garbage pickup. We have 2 older vehicles that are paid for so no car payment. I have to work just so we have a roof over our heads (and we don't pay daycare either!) We also don't have a lot of debt, but we would if I didn't work because we would have to put groceries on a credit card and pay our bills with one too!. We don't eat out and I shop at Walmart and sales at Kohl's for our clothes and I make a lot of them too!)

If you can homeschool, great; but don't put another's decision to do something differently down until you have walked in their shoes for a while! :tape

[onesimus71]

Probably the worst theology I have heard is that Christians should send their kids to the public schools to be “salt and light.” It is tantamount to throwing your kids to the dogs.

The very first thing children need is protection from the world. They need a safe and sheltered environment in order to grow in godliness. As they grow the need for parental protection gradually diminishes until the time they become adults.

A child needs a safe learning environment, and godly teaching. (Godly teaching includes the math, the reading, and the writing; but they are secondary to instruction in God’s Word.) But the public schools are not safe at all, spiritually or physically. How can a child learn in such a dangerous setting? No doubt many if not most kids have trouble concentrating in the public schools.

Lots of people like to pretend the public schools are safe. Everybody walks around smiling at each other in the elementary grades. (But not in junior high or high school.) They have nice classrooms, nice playgrounds. And they aren’t safe at all, spiritually or physically.

People, you do not set out tender plants until they have sufficiently grown to withstand the heat, the wind, and the rain. Then, these plants are set outside for hardening. Eventually they are ready to be planted in the ground. Children are more vulnerable, spiritually speaking, than tender plants!

Obviously Christian adults are to be out in the world. We are to be salt and light. We are supposed to be grown up so that we can stand in the evil day. Are kids supposed to be like this? I think not.

I know more than a few Christian pastors who have their kids in the public schools. I wouldn’t go to their churches for all the tea in China. Wisdom is shown by the kind of life one leads. James 3:13. Unfortunately these pastors are more interested in garnering respectability in the community than in doing right by their children. They “like to be seen in the marketplace.” They say it is for the purpose of saving souls; but they aren’t even discipling the saved souls in their midst.

The net result of putting your kids in the public schools in order to be “salt and light” is that they are trampled under foot of men and lose their saltiness. Of course if they were Christians going in, they are still Christians. If you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot lose that. But these kids emerge from their public “education” as survivors, like plants that just survived a fierce storm.

Yes, we are supposed to survive the storms of life by faith in Christ. Does that mean we should purposely put our kids out in the storm? Does anyone walk out into a storm, or does he seek safe harbor? The public schools are not safe harbor.

The fact that so many Christians have their kids in the public schools is a sign of the apostasy. Of course many of these people aren’t saved. But a sizeable group is saved and ought to know better.

Jesus said, “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” He was referring not only to the unbelief of unbelievers, but to the unbelief of believers, i.e., the lack of sound doctrinal understanding in the children of God in the last days. This is manifested in, among other things, born again Christians sending their kids to the public schools.

[roadrunner570]

Probably the worst theology I have heard is that Christians should send their kids to the public schools to be “salt and light.” It is tantamount to throwing your kids to the dogs.

The very first thing children need is protection from the world. They need a safe and sheltered environment in order to grow in godliness. As they grow the need for parental protection gradually diminishes until the time they become adults.

A child needs a safe learning environment, and godly teaching. (Godly teaching includes the math, the reading, and the writing; but they are secondary to instruction in God’s Word.) But the public schools are not safe at all, spiritually or physically. How can a child learn in such a dangerous setting? No doubt many if not most kids have trouble concentrating in the public schools.

Lots of people like to pretend the public schools are safe. Everybody walks around smiling at each other in the elementary grades. (But not in junior high or high school.) They have nice classrooms, nice playgrounds. And they aren’t safe at all, spiritually or physically.

People, you do not set out tender plants until they have sufficiently grown to withstand the heat, the wind, and the rain. Then, these plants are set outside for hardening. Eventually they are ready to be planted in the ground. Children are more vulnerable, spiritually speaking, than tender plants!

Obviously Christian adults are to be out in the world. We are to be salt and light. We are supposed to be grown up so that we can stand in the evil day. Are kids supposed to be like this? I think not.

I know more than a few Christian pastors who have their kids in the public schools. I wouldn’t go to their churches for all the tea in China. Wisdom is shown by the kind of life one leads. James 3:13. Unfortunately these pastors are more interested in garnering respectability in the community than in doing right by their children. They “like to be seen in the marketplace.” They say it is for the purpose of saving souls; but they aren’t even discipling the saved souls in their midst.

The net result of putting your kids in the public schools in order to be “salt and light” is that they are trampled under foot of men and lose their saltiness. Of course if they were Christians going in, they are still Christians. If you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot lose that. But these kids emerge from their public “education” as survivors, like plants that just survived a fierce storm.

Yes, we are supposed to survive the storms of life by faith in Christ. Does that mean we should purposely put our kids out in the storm? Does anyone walk out into a storm, or does he seek safe harbor? The public schools are not safe harbor.

The fact that so many Christians have their kids in the public schools is a sign of the apostasy. Of course many of these people aren’t saved. But a sizeable group is saved and ought to know better.

Jesus said, “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” He was referring not only to the unbelief of unbelievers, but to the unbelief of believers, i.e., the lack of sound doctrinal understanding in the children of God in the last days. This is manifested in, among other things, born again Christians sending their kids to the public schools.


I'm saved, and studying for full time ministry, and my daughter goes to public school.

Can you provide chapter and verse for this "sin" we seem to be committing?

[Ajani]

I know more than a few Christian pastors who have their kids in the public schools. I wouldn’t go to their churches for all the tea in China. Wisdom is shown by the kind of life one leads. James 3:13. Unfortunately these pastors are more interested in garnering respectability in the community than in doing right by their children. They “like to be seen in the marketplace.” They say it is for the purpose of saving souls; but they aren’t even discipling the saved souls in their midst.


Wow. I really don't even know what to say about that flawed logic. My pastor's kids go to a public grade school and a public Christian high school (we have one here... public system funded, but Christian, not private). So because the younger ones are in the public system and the older ones don't go to a private Christian high school, we should abandon our pastor and our church? Funny, I thought it was more about the heart of the pastor and whether or not he is true to the word and feeds and cares for his congregation and has a heart for the community and a passion to serve God. I must have missed the part about his children's schooling being the main criteria for whether or not he's fit to minister. :rolleyes:

[Byfaith]

I am so weary of these "I homeschool so I am a better Christian" threads. No one knows each individuals situation , heart or community.

[carmen]

Probably the worst theology I have heard is that Christians should send their kids to the public schools to be “salt and light.” It is tantamount to throwing your kids to the dogs.

The very first thing children need is protection from the world. They need a safe and sheltered environment in order to grow in godliness. As they grow the need for parental protection gradually diminishes until the time they become adults.

A child needs a safe learning environment, and godly teaching. (Godly teaching includes the math, the reading, and the writing; but they are secondary to instruction in God’s Word.) But the public schools are not safe at all, spiritually or physically. How can a child learn in such a dangerous setting? No doubt many if not most kids have trouble concentrating in the public schools.

Lots of people like to pretend the public schools are safe. Everybody walks around smiling at each other in the elementary grades. (But not in junior high or high school.) They have nice classrooms, nice playgrounds. And they aren’t safe at all, spiritually or physically.

People, you do not set out tender plants until they have sufficiently grown to withstand the heat, the wind, and the rain. Then, these plants are set outside for hardening. Eventually they are ready to be planted in the ground. Children are more vulnerable, spiritually speaking, than tender plants!

Obviously Christian adults are to be out in the world. We are to be salt and light. We are supposed to be grown up so that we can stand in the evil day. Are kids supposed to be like this? I think not.

I know more than a few Christian pastors who have their kids in the public schools. I wouldn’t go to their churches for all the tea in China. Wisdom is shown by the kind of life one leads. James 3:13. Unfortunately these pastors are more interested in garnering respectability in the community than in doing right by their children. They “like to be seen in the marketplace.” They say it is for the purpose of saving souls; but they aren’t even discipling the saved souls in their midst.

The net result of putting your kids in the public schools in order to be “salt and light” is that they are trampled under foot of men and lose their saltiness. Of course if they were Christians going in, they are still Christians. If you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot lose that. But these kids emerge from their public “education” as survivors, like plants that just survived a fierce storm.

Yes, we are supposed to survive the storms of life by faith in Christ. Does that mean we should purposely put our kids out in the storm? Does anyone walk out into a storm, or does he seek safe harbor? The public schools are not safe harbor.

The fact that so many Christians have their kids in the public schools is a sign of the apostasy. Of course many of these people aren’t saved. But a sizeable group is saved and ought to know better.

Jesus said, “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” He was referring not only to the unbelief of unbelievers, but to the unbelief of believers, i.e., the lack of sound doctrinal understanding in the children of God in the last days. This is manifested in, among other things, born again Christians sending their kids to the public schools.Onesimus, as Becky noted on another thread you posted on regarding the same topic, not every Christian can afford private school :):. Christian parents sending their children to public school is not a sign of apostasy, nor are all Christian parents that do so lacking in knowledge of sound doctrine. You cannot know the hearts or the motives or the cirucumstances of every parent that sends their children to public schools. If the Lord is convicting you to send your children to private school and you are in a circumstance where you can do so, then you must follow that leading. But not every Christian must follow what the Lord leads you to do in this matter. They receive their own leading from the Lord. Accordingly, please note the following from our board rules (http://rr-bb.com/rules.php):Do Not Judge In An Unrighteous Manner - Determining that someone is less of, or not truly a Christian because of a perceived lack of spiritual gifts, worship style, observance or non-observance of holidays, because they are divorced or remarried, because of their political affiliation, they are experiencing various trials, or because you feel that someone who confesses they are saved by grace through faith in Christ, isn't, is not judging righteously. All members are encouraged to examine and judge doctrine held by other members in light of Biblical truth, but their salvation is a matter to be judged by Christ. (Jhn 7:24; Mat 7:1-2; Jhn 5:25-29)Please keep this in mind in future posts. Thanks :):

[Mom2Three]

I agree with Becky as well. These are very harsh and even judgemental statements, Onesimus.

Many do not have the option of homeschooling or putting their children in private schools. Many people are single parents trying to keep their household together, and some need two incomes in order to survive! Until you have walked a mile in their shoes, what right do you have to tell them that they are throwing their children to the dogs by putting them in public school???

I know many wonderful parents who have their children in public schools and their children are very STRONG followers of God. They have remained in the church and they love God with their entire being.

I myself homeschool, and I have seen some really awful parenting on the part of a few homeschoolers. They are judgemental, hypocritical, and I would even say abusive to their children. Just because someone homeschools or has their children in private schools does not mean that those children are going to get a better "spiritual" education! I can tell you stories about homeschooled children that would make your hair stand on end. Spiritual and emotional abuse at the hands of "religious" instructors (whether that be a private school teacher or a parent who homeschools) is MUCH WORSE than any teaching they will get in public schools, I can assure you!

[carmen]

I am merging the two posts you opened, Onesimus, on the topic of Christians and public schools, as they seem to overlap quite a bit a:):

[Mom2Three]

No more so than there is for homeschooling them! People who think others shouldn't send their kids to public school is like saying parents have no influence on their kids. Parents have MUCH more influence on their kids than they have been given credit for in this day and age!

I, for one, cannot afford to homeschool and, NO, we don't live a luxurias lifestyle, but hubby's job doesn't pay enough to cover the utilities, groceries, car insurance, health insurance, homeowner's insurance, taxes, tithes, clothing, GAS, mortgage (very small in this day and age and a very LOW interest rate), power, phone, water, sewage, and garbage pickup. We have 2 older vehicles that are paid for so no car payment. I have to work just so we have a roof over our heads (and we don't pay daycare either!) We also don't have a lot of debt, but we would if I didn't work because we would have to put groceries on a credit card and pay our bills with one too!. We don't eat out and I shop at Walmart and sales at Kohl's for our clothes and I make a lot of them too!)

If you can homeschool, great; but don't put another's decision to do something differently down until you have walked in their shoes for a while! :tape

:clap Well said.

So far, my DH and I have been able to do the homeschooling route, but I don't know how much longer we will be able to go on. With the cost of living constantly rising, we have too much month at the end of the money!

Each of us do the best that we can by our children. And you are RIGHT! Parents have MUCH MORE influence over their kids than the original poster gives them credit for!!!

You keep up the good work! :thumb

We may not be blessed with material wealth, but God gives us other blessings that no man can take away! Right, Sewserious?? :nod

[frisian1970]

In the Bible, there is just education, period. It is either godly or ungodly.
How did you learn to connect to the internet?

[Mom2Three]

:hug Thank you Becky.

:hug Huggers for you, Kitten. Don't let these posts discourage you! You are an EXCELLENT mother, and you are doing a good job! Love you, Andi! :hug

[kitten]

:hug Huggers for you, Kitten. Don't let these posts discourage you! You are an EXCELLENT mother, and you are doing a good job! Love you, Andi! :hug

:hug Thank you Trudy Love you too.

[imfree]

As a homeschooler myself, I really wish these militant homeschooling threads would cease. They are divisive and if anything cast a negative light on homeschooling as a whole.

In the past, on this board, I have encountered what I would classify as animosity, and even sarcasm, from those outside of the homeschooling community. This has been hurtful to say the least, as I have never given anyone any reason to react that way (that I know of). As a result, I have tried to stay away from these types of threads. I will venture in only if I am certain that other homeschoolers are participating or if the thread in question pertains to a specific question about hs'ing or curriculum.

Homeschooling is not for everyone. And it is a decision that is made after much prayer and seeking God's will for your family. It is not something anyone should shove down anyone elses throats.

I'm quite sure I might have been turned off to homeschooling had I met someone with your approach and attitude onesimus. Please let me remind you that you are not the Holy Spirit.

For everyone else: Please do not let the harsh opinions of one homeschooler lead you to come to the conclusion that all homeschoolers are the same. We are not. And I'll just leave it at that.

God bless.

[Becky]

You are right, imfree. Homeschooling is great if God called you to do so. Sending your kids to public or private school is great if God called you to do so.

onesimus71, a am simply appalled that you would EVEN suggest that Christian families who have kids in the public schools are part of the "apostacy". Here, let me remind you of your rude comment:
The fact that so many Christians have their kids in the public schools is a sign of the apostasy. Of course many of these people aren’t saved. But a sizeable group is saved and ought to know better.

This comment is simply uncalled for and no one will take you seriously if you continue to attack others around you. God's Will is involved here, not yours.

BTW, my Mother in Law was a teacher for over 25 years. She is now retired and she has people walking up to her thanking her. They are all grown up with their own families and they go to church. I haven't seen one yet that is into Satan worship...

Thread closed.