“ There is no such thing as religious neutrality in education .” they are going to be out of sight and not in a situation where they are getting your input on a regular basis . I want to place them in a wholesome environment where they are going to be encouraged to go to church and pursue the Lord .”
Andy and Karen are been-there , done-that grandparents who have experienced the value of Christian education in helping their children find godly spouses , form lifelong friendships in Christ , and solidify faith . True , there are children who go to non-Christian schools and secular colleges who grow up to love Jesus Christ . But this is becoming the exception rather than the rule . Public schools have slowly shifted away from teaching children how to think . Instead , they are teaching children what to think . That is a big shift . Unfortunately , in many places , public education has become hostile toward Jesus Christ and the truths of Scripture , making it all the more imperative for grandparents to do what they can to see that their grandchildren are not in these environments .
Lastly , Psalm 78 informs grandparents that they are educators themselves . God has given every grandparent a teaching role in the life of a grandchild . Psalm 78:5- 6 states that God “ commanded our [ grand ] fathers to teach their children that the next generation might know them , the children yet unborn , and arise and tell them to their children .” In case you weren ’ t counting , that ’ s a fourgeneration vision , and it revolves around grandparents teaching children and grandchildren “ the works of God and his commandments . . . so that they may set their hope in God . . . and not be a stubborn and rebellious generation ” ( Ps 78:5-8 ). One of the applications to this passage is to teach grandchildren through home education . If your grandchildren are homeschooled , consider how you could become an adjunct teacher for them . What subjects do you know ? What expertise could you share ? How could you support homeschooling parents ? We homeschool our five children , and our children ’ s grandparents have done book and Bible studies , call in by video weekly to work on Bible memorization and have taught extracurricular subjects they know and are passionate about .
GRANDPARENTS , DO YOU WANT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN TO TREASURE JESUS ?
Regardless of how your grandchildren are educated , you should teach them the mighty works of God , tell them the commands of God , and share with them the hope you have in Jesus . This is Christian education . Regardless of whether a grandchild attends public , private , or homeschool , they need this more than ever . Your role is to teach them the core truths of the Bible and help them embrace a biblical worldview rather than a secular one . A few resources that you might find helpful toward this end : The Gospel for Children by John B . Leuzarder , Bitesize Theology by Peter Jeffery is good for young teens , and 100 Essential Truths of the Christian Faith by R . C . Sproul is valuable for older teens .
Grandparents can have a hands-on role in passing on a life skill , reading and discussing a book from a reputable Christian author , or leading a grandchild through a Bible study . If a grandchild is home educated , grandparents could help teach an academic subject they enjoy . If you live a long distance from your grandchildren , technology such as Skype makes all this possible . Most adult children would be delighted if grandparents wanted to read , study , discuss , and teach grandchildren the truths of Scripture . Most grandchildren would be excited to spend additional time with Grandma or Grandpa doing any of these activities .
I ’ ll end with a question : How can you use your financial resources , godly wisdom , and incredible influence to give your grandchildren the gift of a Christian education ? ■
Dr . Josh Mulvihill is the Executive Director of Church and Family Ministry at RenewaNation . He served as a pastor for nearly 20 years , serves on the board of Awana , and helps to provide leadership to the Christian Grandparent Network . He holds a Ph . D . from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary . He is the author of Biblical Grandparenting , Preparing Children for Marriage , Biblical Worldview , and 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home . Josh is married to Jen , and they have five children . Josh blogs at GospelShapedFamily . com .
40 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW