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Welcome Attendees of The First Online Homeschool Convention!
Below is my "workshop" contribution. As a sponsoring vendor, don't forget to check out my convention specials at the end of this post. The Goal of Education Why Do You Want to Educate Your Children?
Several years ago my wife, Karen, received a call from a woman who wanted to learn more about home schooling. She was considering pulling her children out of the public schools and had been referred to us for advice. Her entire focus was on academics -- what books to buy, what curriculum to teach, how to get her children ahead in life. The questions came fast and furious.
Before Karen would discuss these issues, however, she asked the woman to answer one question. Karen’s question was, “Why do you want to educate your children?” The woman was perplexed. What kind of question is that? Isn’t the answer obvious? Don’t we all want the same things? They bantered back and forth over the relevancy of the question.
Karen insisted on an answer. At last the woman answered, “I want my children to be smart and happy in life.” Karen pressed the issue. “So, let’s assume your son grows up to be a wealthy doctor with a big mansion and a vacation home on the beaches of Hawaii. He even pays your nursing home bills. However, he’s so busy with his successful practice and enjoying his vacation home that he never bothers to make time to come visit you. Will you consider that success?” The woman paused and slowly replied, “Well, no, I wouldn’t.” “Why not?” asked Karen, “He’s obviously smart and happy. Isn’t that what you wanted? If not, then you must go back and determine why you want to educate your children. You must have a vision for what your children will become. Otherwise, there is no point in discussing curriculum and techniques.”
The conversation continued along these lines and the woman eventually became frustrated. She finally blurted out, “Okay, so why do you want to educate your children? What is your goal for them?” Karen replied, “To love God and serve others. If my children don’t love God and serve others, then there is no eternal point to their education.” The woman responded, “Well, I don’t have that.” The call, unfortunately, ended shortly thereafter.
The above story highlights the critical issue faced by every parent. We must all answer the question, “Why do you want to educate your children?” Our answers dictate the course of action we follow. The education of our children must be understood within the context of God’s purpose for our children. What is God’s purpose in instructing children? What does He want to accomplish through us as parents in training them? These issues must be clearly understood in order to educate our children in biblically.
“For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26
Education apart from understanding God’s perspective is simply the pursuit of information which profits nothing in eternity.
Our Life Calling
Our highest calling in this life is to be a disciple of Christ. We are to conform to the image of Christ and have the life of Christ replicated in our hearts and lives.
“By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” John 15:8
Paul put it this way,
“Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1
Our obedience to and fulfillment of this call to discipleship is manifested through the Great Commandment.
“And He said to him, ‘’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 22:37-40
We live out the Great Commandment as we grow in our relationship with God and by serving others. This includes the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
The Great Commission includes our children. As Christian parents, we are responsible to make disciples of our children and partner with God in training the next generation of faithful saints.
“For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” Psalm 78:5-8
Setting our sights on anything less than the discipleship of our children for Christ is a recipe for failure. Oh sure, we may still raise very bright children. We may raise very successful children. We may even raise moral children. But we won’t be raising God’s children.
Putting Education in Perspective
The Goal of Education
Simply put, the goal of education is to facilitate the transformation of our children into disciples of Christ. All teaching and training should be grounded on this understanding. This doesn’t mean that we only teach the Bible, but that we teach all things in light of the Bible.
“But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” Ecclesiastes 12:12-13
Knowledge and information are only a blessing when subjected to God’s purposes and applied for His glory. They profit nothing if our children do not “fear God and keep His commandments.” Making disciples is the goal.
The Levels of Education
The following diagram illustrates the levels at which education can occur and how they relate to one another. It provides a loose framework to help us address the most critical aspects of teaching and training our children. This framework is a general tool and is not intended to cover every possibility or detail of life. I created this diagram to help me grasp and teach the overall concept of the goal of education. It’s not perfect but it should help you see the big picture.
Worldview is the foundation of our existence. Our worldview is what we believe and hold dear in our innermost being. This is how we perceive ourselves in relationship to God, His creation, other people, and the world around us. Our worldview is primarily forged through our relationships and experiences. We believe and imitate those we love and admire most. Our life experiences also help develop and reinforce our worldview. Ideally, a worldview is developed through a relationship with God, our parents, and the godly teaching and training they provide. (See Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and Psalm 78:5-8.)
Character is the fabric of our life. It is a matter of the heart. “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) Character is who we are morally. Character is built into us upon the foundation of our worldview. “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence (i.e., virtue or character), and in your moral excellence, knowledge.” (II Peter 1:5) What we believe dictates who we become.
Principles are the guiding truths of our behavior. They show us how to turn our character and worldview into specific actions. Principles are about what we do. “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” (James 2:17) Principles lead to the works which complete our faith. “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26) Principles are the hands and feet of our faith.
Facts are the mechanics of life. Facts are the “how to” manual of our principles. Based on what we want to do, facts show us how to get it done. This is the academic stuff. Facts are just raw knowledge or techniques that can be used for good or bad.
How the Levels Work Together
As previously noted, worldview is the foundation. Each succeeding level is built upon those underneath. Worldview shapes our character, which influences the principles of our behavior, which determines how we use facts. Here is an example of how it fits together:
· Worldview – God owns everything · Character – I am a generous person because God owns everything of mine · Principle – I give some of my income to help feed the homeless · Fact – I calculate 2% x $50,000 = $1,000 given to the local soup kitchen
Because I believe that God owns everything and that I am merely a steward of His riches, my heart is transformed by the Holy Spirit to yield the character fruit of generosity. My generous character opens the door for me to obey God’s prompting to help the poor. My mind then works through the mechanics of executing this action by calculating the amount to give.
Implications of the Pyramid
The point of the pyramid is not to explain all of life in a simple diagram, but to help us understand how we need to approach the education of our children. It helps us clearly see the extent of our task so that we focus on doing a complete job. In order to do that, we need to grasp the full implication of the pyramid as it relates to how most education is handled today.
It is impossible for a person to learn only on one level. As moral beings, we are created to evaluate everything at all levels. We do not learn in a vacuum. We filter every scrap of learning through these levels. There is tremendous internal interaction as we experience life. Thus, even if we are being presented pure facts, it is impossible for us to ignore our worldview, character, and principles for implementing these facts. Education is a complete package from the student’s perspective.
It is possible, however, to teach only at one level. This presents us with a great dilemma. Our society places tremendous value on academic achievement and so we are tempted to place great significance on the mastery of facts in order to earn high grades and test scores. Yet we know intuitively that such an education is incomplete without a Christian worldview, moral character, and solid biblical principles to guide our actions. Thus we must be diligent to teach our children at all levels and keep our eyes on the big picture – raising disciples of Christ.
The Results of an Academic Education
An education skewed toward academic achievement based on the mastery of facts is pure folly because it teaches children that the other levels of education are not important. It sends the subtle message that there is no absolute worldview (God is irrelevant or nonexistent), character is a matter of preference (selfishness rules), and principles for action are based on expediency (do whatever feels good or gets the desired results). Such an emphasis is a critical mistake. It is precisely the opposite of God’s focus. He is much more concerned with our worldview, character, and principles. Facts do not make any sense without a worldview through which to interpret and apply them. Facts require underlying character to direct how information will be used and solid principles that dictate how they are applied to specific situations.
To illustrate this point, consider what is commonly called “white collar” crime. Periodically corporate scandals or fraud make the headlines – embezzled funds, cheating investors, pyramid schemes, bogus accounting, etc. This should not surprise anyone holding a Christian worldview. Solomon told us plainly why these things happen in Proverbs 28:21:
“To show partiality is not good, because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.”
If a man will transgress for a piece of bread, then we can only imagine what he will do for millions of dollars!
The men and women involved in such scandals are very intelligent and successful people at the top of the corporate ladder. They represent the best and brightest our educational institutions have to offer – an education which taught there are no absolute moral truths or worldview, only absolute facts. The mastery of these facts gave these individuals the upper hand in manipulating the system and bending the rules while fooling everyone else. What they lacked, however, was a Christian worldview, godly character, and biblical principles to guide their sharp minds into productive action.
“Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.” (Proverbs 24:1-2)
“Surely Thou dost set them (the wicked) in slippery places; Thou dost cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!” (Psalm 73:18-19)
In the end, they are almost always discovered and brought to justice, but not before most of the damage is done.
We do not want our children to learn their lessons the hard way. That being the case, we must be ready to focus their education on all levels and willing to put the time in to make sure the lessons stick.
"For he delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14
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