Recently a Christian school principal was speaking about the young people in our churches and he said, "We know that whatever gets their minds gets their lives."  It was not the first time I had heard someone say something to this effect.  However, those first two words hit me like a ton of bricks:  "we know."  We know this, and what is our response?  How does it impact our actions or our plans?  Is it just a fatalistic statement of fact?  Or should we look at this fundamental truth as a foundational statement that drives us to march into battle for a cause to which we are committed?  Solomon put it this way, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..." (Proverbs 23:7)  We must never forget that there is an incredible war raging all around us for the minds of men and women, boys and girls.  This spiritual conflict seems to go unnoticed by most.  And I am sad to say that we are losing many of the individual battles in this war, even in our churches and Christian schools!

Hard Times

An honest assessment would lead anyone to conclude that the modern Christian school movement is in serious trouble.  There is no question that a graph of national enrollment numbers would indicate a downward trend.  The question might really be, "How steep is that downward line?"  My experience indicates that most Christian schools across America are experiencing declining enrollment numbers.  More dramatic decreases are occurring as the economic hard-times have hit our country.  No one seemed to be concerned when a school was only down one or two students, even though an annual trend like this has ultimately resulted in many schools closing.  The gradual decline didn't have the impact on the number crunchers that the 10% or 20% drop experienced by many schools this summer has had.  While there are some rare exceptions, state associations of Christian schools are reporting declines in the number of participating schools in their organizations.  Every year schools that have been in the death spiral of budget cutting for years are closing their doors for good.  Where do the kids go?

The voices of concern and solution seem to be few and far between.  Where are the Christian school champions?  Can a generation of leaders who have been trusted with carrying the banner of this noble cause just stand there and watch the Christian school movement die?  Is this a stewardship failure?  What is the message today that is communicated by pastors from the pulpits in our land? Can we say, as the Apostle Paul proclaimed to the erring church in Corinth, "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" (I Corinthians 14:8)

As ministry leaders can we see ourselves like those who were the God-appointed watchmen of Ezekiel's time:

Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.  Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. (Ezekiel 3:17-21)

Will our failure to trumpet the warning result in blood on our hands?  Can we turn a blind eye as the wolves circle the flocks of sheep, and their little lambs?  Isn't one of our responsibilities to "warn?" (Romans 16:17; Acts 20:31; I Corinthians 4:14-16)

As the situation deteriorates to an even lower level, surely someone will stand up and sound the warning!  How shameful will it be for the mature ministry leader who has remained silent on the issue when finally "a young lad" steps from the crowd, and, no longer able to hold back his zeal and concern and with a bold passion cries out to this leadership, "Is there not a cause?"  (See I Samuel 17:29)  Was he the only one that could see the cause? What is the cause?  How would you articulate it?  Is Christian education a noble cause?  Is it a Biblical cause?

Hard Questions

What did Solomon mean when he said, "Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." (Proverbs 19:27)  Does the instruction a child gets at the public school conflict with Bible teaching?  Is it fair to say that the public school advances a godless doctrinal system?  Do we expect Christian students to accurately identify it and stand against it?  Do we really think it will have no corrupting influence?  Can we ignore the verse's clear command to "cease...to hear" and replace it with a gamble that we will be able to undo the damage done by hearing?

What did the prophet, who was burdened by God for revival in a nation that had once been the lighthouse to the world, mean when he said, "Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen?"  (Jeremiah 10:2)  Can a Christian leader endorse the godless doctrines of the government schools?  Are we afraid our stand for Truth might offend some unbelievers in the community (or even some within our own congregations)?

Isn't education about learning-gaining knowledge and discovering how to think for oneself?  How does the public school help our children in these areas?  "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)  Do you see any conflict here?

Does Paul's charge to the Roman Christians have any application for God's people today, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)  Do you suppose it might be a confusing thing to a young person to hear one thing at church, and in his home, then be sent off to school five mornings a week to learn some stuff he knows he will need to have corrected when he gets back home or goes to church?  Are you confident it will get corrected in his mind?

What kind of conflict exists between the educational system that says, "God is not allowed here!" and the Bible command to "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus"? (Philippians 2:5) Which one will win the battle for the mind?

If our "adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (I Peter 5:8), how is he likely to accomplish his work?  Where does most of his work take place today?   What are the primary means of indoctrination he is using in modern America?  Is it not through media and the public school system? Why would we send a spiritually immature child into the devil's workshop?  Is he really going to be a missionary there?  Have you seen a lot of successful examples of this?  Do we know any kids that lost this battle?

Is the child's classroom the one exception to, "...that in all things he might have the preeminence." (Colossians 1:18)  Does a learning environment affect learning?

How much weight does the Lord's prayer to His Father carry with us?  He prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (John 17:17)  We are to be separated from sin unto God.  And it is through the Truth that this will happen!  Would we intentionally undermine the Truth?  Sure, we are in the world, but we are to be salt and light there-not just one of the crowd sitting at the feet of its philosophers for instruction.  What impact will our silence have on post-secondary Christian education?  If we de-emphasize Christian education in the primary and secondary levels, are those graduates likely to see any value in attending a Christian institution for college?

We all know there will be some conflict and contention when this subject is brought up-especially in church.  What will the parents of the public school kids do?  How will our public school employees feel? Will this create a rift in the church?  Can we let, "The fear of man bring a snare" (Proverbs 29:25a).  Or will we believe that "whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."  (Proverbs 29:25b) Are we willing to be uncomfortable?  Are we willing to engage the enemy's giants?  Will we stand for righteousness even though we are now a significant minority?  Or will we be content to retreat to the comfort and safety of the study?  Perhaps there needs to be some one-on-one work done by pastors in the homes of families with children.  A good Biblical dialog will prevent the shock and anger that can be created when the pastor "drops the public school bomb" from the pulpit.

Hard Preaching

Pastor, is your silence speaking loudly?

I have heard from the lips of far too many preachers in recent years, "I don't want a church ministry where there is a Christian school."  The implication is that it brings far too many problems into the pastor's life.  Are they problems or opportunities?  I remember hearing a frustrated pastor jokingly say, "Lord, give me a big ministry with no people!"  I knew what he meant, and he made his point.  Wherever there are people there are problems.  But isn't ministry about redemption and change?  Look, I know the added burden of a school is great.  But pastor, you were never intended to do this alone.  You are, however, tasked with the leadership responsibility to rally the people who can get the job done.  Get your team together!

An honest, heart-searching assessment may reveal a failure by us as leaders.  The lack of vision, direction, leadership, conviction building, and the adoption of youth ministry philosophy that says "entertain and amuse" are all weakening the people of God. We must not settle for mediocrity in ministry!  We serve an excellent God.  We must operate with purpose, guided by a Biblical philosophy.  We need to be proactive and strategic in advancing the Gospel.  We can no longer tolerate a self-centered, single generational focus by leaders and boards.  We cannot lose our passion for Christian education because our kids may have graduated and are no longer in the school.  We must prepare the way for the next generation.  We must be on the offensive, advancing the cause.  Why couldn't your Christian school have the reputation of being "the model of quality education in your community" period?  And on top of that, it is based on Truth that, when tested or challenged, will never fail!

Hard Choices

Many parents are making choices that demonstrate that Christian education is a convenience to them, not a conviction.  Often their flawed parenting goals reflect that they want to give their children what they want instead of giving them what they need.  During perhaps the most important time of a child's life, as their values, habits and faith are being formed, what influences are they exposing their children to?  No doubt they will learn much from their parents.  We are careful about who their friends and peers are because we understand how powerful those influences are.  What about their teachers? They likely spend more time in a week with their teachers than they do with their parents or peers. As one writer asked, "Does God want your child to attend a school where creation is thought of as a fairy tale, where the concept of sin is mocked, where salvation is considered a figment of the imagination, where secular textbooks are used, where Christian teachers are told to keep their faith to themselves, and where God and His Son are treated as though they are dead, or at best, irrelevant?"  How much of this fire can our children handle with no destructive impact?  How much could you handle as an adult?

For millennia Christian parents have had to stand against the pressures of society in order to train their children to serve and glorify God.  How, in good conscience, can a Christian parent entrust the mind-shaping, life-changing experience of classroom instruction to the state's educational system for 6 to 7 hours a day?  We know that this system is not pro-Christianity-not even neutral-but anti-God in its policies, practices and doctrines.

Think about this.  There is a great deal of difference in the training camp of a pampered major league ball team preparing for an upcoming season and a basic training camp for soldiers who are preparing to go to war.  The cause for which they are training makes all the difference.  Most of us know that how people view the world will have a profound impact on how they live their life.  Do you view the world as a playground or a battleground?  Is there a spiritual warfare taking place or are we simply engaged in religious games?

God commands fathers to, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."  (Ephesians 6:4)  The Psalmist declares, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."  (Psalm 127:3)  What will a parent tell the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ was the reason they rejected the opportunity for a Christian education for their child(ren)?  Money?  Missing extra-curricular activities? The lack of God's provision? 

Hard Future

As ministry leaders, and as Christian parents, consider these three significant issues as we look to the future of the Christian school movement:

Quality - There is no question that the limited resources most Christian schools have operated with have greatly diminished their perceived value.  The make-shift classrooms, the antiquated technology, and the limited offerings of extra-curricular activities have contributed to the perception that a Christian education is a lower quality or a second-class education.  Because of the inability to invest in the teaching staff, or to provide "head of household" wages, many schools experience a high turnover in teaching staff.  The school settles for "good people" with sacrificial spirits, but who lack teaching ability and credentials in their field. Administrators regularly pursue single young teachers who will be "graduating from college in the spring" to replace faculty that "will not be returning in the fall."  They do so because they can get them for a small salary, little or no benefits, and they can have them live with a family from the church to save the expense.  Have you heard this story before?  All these issues have an impact on quality, and the perception by most is that it is a negative impact.  Whether it really is or not isn't even the issue.  If the perception of low quality is there it will impact the decisions and actions of the parents.

When quality is perceived to be low, parents will not be willing to pay the tuition.  They want what is best for their children and their perception is telling them that this Christian school is not the best. Think about the serious choice confronting them?  Should they forsake what they perceive to be a quality public school education for a mediocre Christian education?  Really, we shouldn't put them in that position.  Should a Christian school settle for mediocrity?  Does it have a responsibility to manifest excellence?  I think so.

Conviction - Conviction is rooted in Scripture.  It simply means that one is "convinced of error or compelled to admit the truth."  When someone lacks conviction about Christian education it is because they do not see it as a Biblical issue.  It would be fair to conclude then, that either they have not been exposed to the Truth, or they have rejected the Truth to which they were exposed.  Christian parents develop Biblical conviction about Christian education when they hear Biblical preaching and teaching about the responsibility they have to train their children to live for and glorify God. They need to know why they should have their kids in a Christian educational program, and they need to know why they shouldn't subject their kids to the state's educational program.

The existing lack of conviction has really been exposed by financial hardship.  For the family, it is often the first thing to go when they feel some financial pressure.  An interesting test of one's conviction would be to make a list of the things that "did not go" when the kids were pulled out to attend public school.  What expenses were we willing to keep, even though we were dropping the expense of Christian education?  That may speak volumes about priorities, and it would certainly reveal a lack of conviction.  Still have cable TV, two cars, and three cell phones?  Perhaps the Lord asked the most probing of questions, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26) What are you willing to pay to keep the soul of your children?  What will you give in exchange for it?  How will you explain these choices to the Lord?

Will history record that the modern Christian school movement was merely a 20^th century passing fancy or a trendy fad for a small religious sect that lasted only one generation?  It won't last long if Christian education is merely a convenience!

Cost - We must acknowledge that there is a significant financial cost to a private Christian school education.  And when one realizes that a good portion of the income and property taxes parents have already paid, in a sense has purchased an education for their children through the state schools, it may be difficult to swallow the fact that they must pay again for an alternative education.  But are we willing to lose a soul in order to save some money?  Who entrusted you with that soul?  Where does the money come from?

There are two significant issues that are worth mentioning here regarding the extra financial pressure.  First, the parents must make good financial choices, in fact, excellent choices.  How high is the priority of investing in the education of their children?  Have they made their other lifestyle choices based on this priority?  Are they living within their means?  Do society's peer pressures thrust them toward the American Dream?  Or does their Biblical understanding draw them to the will of God?  Are they practicing Biblical financial stewardship?  Are they demonstrating wisdom in this area? 

Second, the ministry must recognize the need for a significant tuition-assistance program and pro-actively promote its funding.  In order for the school to charge the tuition rates it really needs to operate, and to provide an honorable wage for an adequate size staff, they must have a major income stream from something other than the tuition.  It can't come from simply raising tuition rates.  That carries a high potential of pricing families out of the school.  The ministry should not desire to become exclusive by only serving the "rich folks."  It should do what it can to make a Christian education possible for every responsible family within its ministry influence.  The ministry leadership should champion the cause. 

Ministry leadership should understand the opportunity a program of assistance provides to those who have the financial ability to help.  It gives them an outlet to be a blessing through giving; and to receive a blessing by their giving. It is one way they can obey the Lord's command to "Lay up for yourselves treasure in Heaven." The leaders in the ministry should facilitate the fundraising and coordinate the scholarship awards.  This won't be an intrusion on people; it will be an opportunity most people would love to hear about.  It is a cause in which they believe. 

We are in a real battle.  We may be at the most critical tipping point our nation has ever seen.  So, what do we need?

Pastors who understand the times
Protecting the flock of God
Preserving righteousness in the world
Preaching the whole counsel of God
Proclaiming the virtue of Christian education

Parents re-examining their values
Planning their financial stewardship
Prioritizing their spending choices
Preparing their children to serve God
Protecting the learning environment of the children

Prospering believers
Practicing Biblical stewardship
Positioning money into ministry
Providing scholarship assistance for responsible families
Planting seeds of leadership for future generations

And Praying People!

My heart in writing this article is not to be critical, but rather to raise a voice in the hopes that others will hear and take courage to act.  I have concluded that as a ministry leader I cannot be neutral about this issue.  You cannot be neutral on this issue either! Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."  (Matthew 12:30). Are you going to just stand there and watch her die?  What will that do to your conscience?    And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. (Romans 13:11-12)  Get up, step out, raise your voice, and lead with courage and conviction, by the grace of God.

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