By Dr. David M. Berman

http://www.wakeupandsmellthetruth.com

Over the last number of years there has been an argument about the value of placing Christian children in public schools. The argument goes like this:
"God has called us to be salt and light and therefore we need to have our children in the public schools as a light to the world."

This sounds good on paper however there is a limit to its logic. The argument assumes that children at every age are given the same call of God that adults are. Anyone who knows me will testify that winning people to Jesus is the top priority of my ministry. I take Jesus' command to spread the gospel very seriously. That commitment has caused me to be involved with three church plants and preach the gospel to millions of people through events, radio, and television. It is clear from the history of my ministry that winning people to Jesus is of extreme importance to me.

However, there comes a point when the risk to our children is simply too great. The public schools are hostile to Christian teaching. They are constantly attacking parental authority. Christians have been singled out as some sort of threat to America in the public school system. Why do I say this? I say this because every possible trace of our Christian heritage has been removed from the public schools. At the same time, eastern mysticism, pagan earth worship, Native American religion, and Islam are allowed to be explained and sometimes practiced in the public schools. The "multi-cultural" crowd embraces all culture except Christian culture.

Every day that a Christian parent sends their child to the public school is like throwing the child to the wolves. They are being constantly bombarded with a world-view that is contrary to Christian thinking. This pressure has intensified beyond measure in the last ten years. Many schools now have Gay clubs and open displays of "romantic" actions between members of the same sex. The pressure to embrace this lifestyle is overwhelming to many young people. The public schools work hard to undermine the Christian teaching of creation and replace it with the secular humanist doctrine of evolution. Anyone who dares to stand up for the principles of Scripture is ridiculed and ostracized for their stand. Anyone who has the courage to declare that Jesus is the Christ and the only way to salvation is called intolerant. The politically correct mantra of "open-mindedness", in truth, excludes Biblical Christianity and those who proclaim it.

At this point, some of you are now probably thinking: "that's the price for standing for the gospel." I agree with that thought, yet we must distinguish between the price paid by adults and the price paid by children. As an adult Christian man I have the emotional strength to stand for God in the midst of ridicule and persecution. A child is a child. They are in their formative years. There are many things we protect children from based on their inability to think and act from an emotional maturity perspective. Why do we think that they are emotionally and spiritually mature enough to not be influenced by the satanic attack against Christian teaching in the public school? Kids are highly susceptible to various influences around them. Even the best behaved child can be swayed by the power of peer pressure. Kids think short term and therefore find it very difficult to stand against the tide of liberalism they experience all around them. Of all responsibilities given to society, the education of its young is the most important for long-term prosperity. To allow government to indoctrinate children with philosophy contrary to the Christian family is of the worst violations of Christian responsibility, and one of the worst usurpations of parental authority. We must no longer throw our children to the ravenous anti-Christian public school system. As a whole, public education is a catastrophe morally and academically. The statistics clearly show that we are losing many of our Christian children to the world. The Bible tells us of our responsibility in the following passage:

Psalms 127:3-4 "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth."

This passage clearly teaches that children are given as a "heritage of the Lord." The word translated "heritage" (nakh-al-aw') implies a responsibility likened unto the example of family heirloom. The idea of this passage is that children are given not only for the purpose of furthering the natural human race, but also for the furtherance of the Faith. When this passage says "as arrows in the hand of a mighty man", the implication could not be clearer. Christian parents have the responsibility to see that their children are sent out on the straight path of God's word when they have become adults.

When we allow our children to be constantly bombarded by secular humanists, and the purveyors of all manner of evil teachings, we are not being responsible. We also know from the following passage that being around bad influences can have corrupting affects;

1 Corinthians 15:33 "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."

At this point some of you are saying "right on!", but some of you are also battling with a few tough questions. Let's look at those:

"How can I afford to send my child to a private Christian school?"

This is a reasonable question and as a father of five children I am keenly aware of the costs of raising a family. There are many options available in many Christian schools for financial help. You may also need to cut expenses including vacations or other non-essentials in order to put the needs of your child ahead of comforts. If you simply can't afford private Christian
schooling, you have the option of homeschooling.

"How can I home school when I am not a trained teacher?"

This is a question that many people have, however it is an unnecessary concern. There are wonderful home schooling companies that now make it easy to do with great results. It is no accident that home schooled children are on average much farther advanced academically than public schooled children. This will take commitment on your part and it is not as difficult as you may think.

"What about socialization of my children if I home school?"

Ask yourself what kind of socialization you want your children to have. Do you want them to be socialized by peers who do drugs, drink, are rebellious, and are blasphemers? Get together with other home schooling families in your area, and Church youth programs. This will provide the proper socialization your child needs.

"What if I am a single parent and have no time?"

I understand that dilemma however a bit of creativity goes a long way. For example you may want to partner with another homeschooling parent in the same situation and work together in teaching thus increasing the teaching time available.

"How will my child learn to be a witness for Christ if I remove him from the public school?"

It is good to be concerned about this question. There are many community things that your child can be involved with without saturating them in an environment of corruption. Sports teams are an example of where they can learn to be a witness for Christ.

"What if I just don't want to bother with this since I pay taxes already for public education?"

If that is your position I suggest you repent of your attitude. Life is not always about what you want to do. As a parent there are times when you must do what you must regardless of what you may desire to do.

Now let me make myself clear. This is my position based on raising five children. All of my children have either been in Christian Schools, or homeschooled. A few of those years we had some public education. It is a disaster waiting to happen. I since have pulled them out and I will never have them there again. It is my job as a parent to make sure that the "arrows" that God has given me remain a "heritage unto the Lord." I will send them from my home when they are all adults with an understanding of Biblical Christianity and a Christian world-view. That is my responsibility, and it is yours too.

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates"

This is my opinion as a Senior Pastor, Biblical counselor, and a father. If you do not agree with me that is your choice perhaps you will at least pray and think about what I have written here. I am not saying you are a bad parent if you disagree with me. I am simply attempting to help you understand just how bad the public school system is morally, and my hope is that you will act in the best interest of your children. It is my opinion that the only hope for America is a return to Christianity. If we can't lead our children in Christ, if we do not raise them with the Christian world-view, if we do not reproduce the Christian faith within our own Christian homes, there is no hope for America!

Dr. David M. Berman
Senior Pastor, Author, Convention Speaker
211 Whitcomb Road
P.O. Box 10357
Swanzey, NH. 03446
Phone 603 352 9471