Education Matters :
WHY EDUCATION NEEDS TO BE PART OF YOUR CHURCH ’ S MINISTRY TO THE NEXT GENERATION
By Dr . Josh Mulvihill
Education matters . That ’ s a phrase that just about every Christian agrees with . Education matters because it influences what children believe , who they become , the choices they make , the friends they choose , and it demands thirty-five hours a week of a child ’ s time for eight months of the year .
Yet , you wouldn ’ t know this at most churches . Education is overlooked and undervalued . The topic is ignored with a fervor so as not to offend parents . To speak about education is equivalent to blasphemy in many churches . An elder from a church I pastored told me , “ You are not allowed to talk about education .” The common sentiment is to respect all educational choices as there is no single right decision for all parents .
Nicole Fulgham , author of Schools in Crisis , embraces the idea that there is no Christian view on education . She states , “ There is certainly not a monolithic viewpoint that represents the ‘ Christian ’ point of view on public education .” 1 Tim Challies shares a similar perspective : “ I find myself grappling with this thought : What if God doesn ’ t care a whole lot about how we educate our children ? . . . One thing I ’ ve never heard anyone suggest is that maybe it ’ s just not that big of a deal . And , honestly , I am beginning to lean that way .” 2
What if Fulgham and Challies are wrong ? What if God does care about how we educate our children ? What if there is a biblical perspective on education ? If so , wouldn ’ t it be good for parents to know this and for churches to address the topic ?