WHY CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
Training and nurturing
covenant children while
preparing them for
‘works of service’
By Jim Drexler
“I would advise no one to send his
child where the Holy Scriptures
are not supreme.”
M
ARTIN LUTHER’S bold admonition reflects the teachings
of both the Old and the New Testament. Throughout the
Bible, God differentiates between light and darkness, wisdom and
ignorance, saved and unsaved, and Jesus himself clearly teaches that
“he who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather
with me scatters” (Matt 12:30). Whether you have been committed to
Christian education for years or whether you are just now exploring
the possibilities, consider the following from this perspective: How
can Christian parents best fulfill their obligation to train and nurture
their covenant children (Deut 6:4–8)? Specifically, what type of educa-
tion effectively prepares children for “works of service” (Eph 4:12)?
Misconceptions About Christian Education
A Christian school is not a place where a few “ornaments” like prayer,
chapels, and Bible classes merely complement an otherwise secular educa-
tion. Genuine Christian education seeks to integrate God’s Word into every
facet of the curriculum as well as all co-curricular activities. As the Puritan
theologian Charles Bridges wrote in his commentary on Proverbs, “The
religious training must not be the border of the garment, which might easily
be cut off. It must be the pervading substance throughout.”
Second, the phrase “Christian education” should encompass more than
the study of religion. Unfortunately, many evangelicals have too narrow a
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