Homeschooling

I was chatting with a good friend of mine yesterday. As always we were taking about all kinds of "important" stuff. The subject turned to homeschooling (she is a fellow homeschooler). She is kind of on the fence about it and we have discussed all aspects of it before. She had mentioned that her pastor had talked to her MOPS group the other day. His topic was the problem of young kids in middle school walking away from the faith. He mentioned he was supportive of private school, public school and homeschooling.

But then proceeded to say, if you choose to homeschool you have to be prepared to never really enter the world. You would then have to do college from home, have a job from home etc. I think what my friend was trying to tell me was that he was conveying that homeschoolers are not engaged in the world and not prepared for the world. My friend went on to say that he felt that kids who were in public school were on the mission field. That those who did not send their kids to school were, I guess, sheltering their kids or keeping them from their purpose in life - to be disciples, salt and light, etc.

Now, I am sure I don't have the exact words right or his exact thought process down. But, it was conveyed to my friend that homeschooling was not biblical. I was very perplexed by that. I understand all the reasons that people give for not homeschooling. I had used them myself. But, here was a pastor, speaking to a group of women with young kids, leading them to believe that homeschooling really wasn't a biblical choice.

Without getting into all the whys and hows of homeschooling I just felt a need to refute that. I really want to send this guy an email with the following information, have him read it, digest it, study it, mediate on it and pray about it and then send me a reply explaining his position.

Yes, I believe homeschooling is biblical. Homeschoolers do it for many different reasons. I didn't start out thinking that way. We started out homeschooling by necessity, really. But, as I grow in my faith and walk with Christ and knowledge of God, my reasoning has changed. About homeschooling and so many other things.

Anyway the following is a list of things that I would like to email to this pastor and get a response back. Just for my own personal edification. I think homeschooling is biblical. But if it is not, I would like to know why not. I am open to change. Open to understanding. Open to growing spiritually.

Anyway here is my list of reasons why I believe homeschooling is biblical:

The best way to fulfill the command to parents to pass on godly values and to instruct our children about life from a Godly perspective. Duet 6:1-7

Matthew 5:13 calls us to be "salt and light." According to Dr. Baucham's study on this verse, "salt and light" are indicatives (indicates what we are) and are not imperatives (expressing what we should be). As we become spiritually mature, we are salt and light.

Matthew 18:6 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." There is a similar verse is Matt 5:19. By sending our spiritually immature children into the world we are causing them to stumble. I, as 41 year old mature Christian, have a hard enough time standing up for Christ and what I know to be true. How can I expect a five year old or thirteen year old or an eighteen year old?

Lastly, Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was in his early 30s when God caused Him to engage the world, start his public ministry. I believe there was a good reason for that. He was a spiritually mature adult.

I don't want to debate whether homeschooling is biblical or not. Obviously I think it is. But what I worry about is this preacher influencing families to not homeschool because he doesn't think it is biblical. That really bothers me. Maybe a family will not be willing or take the time to research it for themselves and miss some really wonderful opportunities for spiritual growth with their children and themselves.

Homeschooling parents have the unique opportunity every minute of everyday to prepare their children for the "real" world. (And strengthen their own walk ;) To prepare their children as arrows (or heat seeking missiles as Dr. Baucham calls them) for the cause of Christ. To continually shore them up for the many spiritual battles they will face. It serves no heavenly purpose to send them out before they are ready. In fact, according to Matt 18: 6 it can have quite the opposite effect.

Maybe I will email him my list, maybe I won't. But it bothered me so much I just had to write it down somewhere. What better place then my own personal podium . . .