Objection # 5 : Parents can unteach and reteach their children after school to counter secular thinking .
Parents who are careful about their child ’ s diet , medications , or media are often far more lenient regarding the mental ideas fed to children in education . Every idea is like a seed placed in the soil of a child ’ s heart that grows over time and produces deep roots that are not easily removed . Parents try to convince themselves that a strong home with Christian teaching can offset the false teaching of non-Christian schools . This perspective ignores the plain teaching of Scripture that what is sown today will be reaped later .
Children spend approximately 16,000 hours at school between K-12 grades , and the seeds sown from atheistic secularism will likely be absorbed , in part or total . As a pastor , I often had parents urgently ask for help in the late middle school or early high school years . By this point , the seeds had become invasive weeds and the student had proclaimed they no longer believed in God , did not want to attend church , hated their parents , or embraced LGBTQ ideas .
If I were to name this approach , I would call it educational bulimia . The child consumes secularism seven to eight hours daily and is encouraged to vomit it up after school . I don ’ t know a single parent who thinks it ’ s a good idea for a child to literally drink poison and then purge it later , yet somehow this is acceptable for the soul and mind day after day . It is questionable if such a method is successful and what lasting impact it will have on the child .
Can an hour or two of discussion neutralize a week of influence on a child ? Will parents fully be aware of what the child is learning from the curriculum , peers , and multiple teachers ? Is it realistic that a parent will read and watch everything to know what is being taught in detail ? Are schools and young children reliable and trustworthy to accurately and regularly communicate what is being taught ? If Christians are spitting out those views and values upon tasting them , why continue consuming them ? If a child were in Christian education , such a radical approach would not be needed . The best choice is to avoid educational poisons and provide healthy educational meals .
Objection # 6 : Christian education is too expensive .
Christian education is expensive , but we must think according to biblical principles first and order our life accordingly . The reality is that the cost of non-Christian education is far more costly from an eternal perspective . We may need to make financial sacrifices , but it is well worth it to know this increases the likelihood of our children walking in the truth and spending eternity with Jesus . For some parents , selfishness and misplaced priorities are the real problems , not the cost of Christian education . Some individuals value a large home , a new car , an exotic vacation , or time at the gym . They don ’ t want to do the hard work of homeschooling or financially sacrifice for Christian education . It is not a money problem but a heart problem . One couple told me they feared what their friends and family would say if they chose Christian education for their children . Christians are allowing the world to educate their children and are now paying a huge price .
My wife and I have sacrificed significantly to homeschool our five children . However , what we first believed was a sacrifice has become a huge blessing in our life . God has provided more richly than we ever could have imagined . This didn ’ t happen overnight . There were some lean years financially , but I cannot think of a better investment in a child than Christian education . For us , choosing Christian education was a step of faith and an act of trust that God has honored .
For the budget-minded family , affordable Christian education options include homeschool , iLumenEd Academy , school choice dollars ( if available in your state ), Christian school scholarships , or financial support from grandparents . Many of you reading this article know the value of Christian education and understand the commands of the Bible . What is needed is a step of faith and belief that God will provide a way . I encourage you to set your objections aside and choose Christian education . ■
42 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW