Why is Christian Education so Important?

The Lion's Tale

A Message from the Dean

April 22, 2010 10:46 AM

Originally published in The Star (click here to see the original post).

Why is Christian Education so important? Is church training enough? Can I teach my children the values and morals they need at home? As familes look at all of the education alternatives today, these are questions that arise quite frequently. I have researched all of these questions from a Christian perspective and would like to offer my view.

Sunday School is a great opportunity for children to learn the mind of God on their own age level and to make friends their own age. Sunday Service is a great place to learn the disciplines of the church. Some churches offer other activities such as Children's Church or Youth Group. This is an ideal social setting for most Christian kids and offers Godly instruction on appropriate levels.

Home is one of the best places to teach morals and values.  Teaching by example gives a very strong message because young children want to follow in their parents’ footsteps, and family devotion time is a great time to discuss spiritual and moral topics.

So the question remains… Are these times enough to keep children spiritually strong?   How many times are we as adults bombarded by secular opinions and pressured to conform?  How many days do we go home from the work place spiritually exhausted and cry out to God because we feel weak and alone?   If we as adults feel the strain of the constant pressure of society in our spiritual lives, how much do our children, whom God has given to us to protect and nurture, feel as they fight against the currents of society all day, every day?

Is it possible that education can be neutral?  No, every idea spurs an action and every action has a consequence.  The great reformer Martin Luther penned, "I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth."

Christian education reinforces church and home training and offers families an alternative to secular instruction.  As our society’s moral compass continually veers off course, as Christians we must take every opportunity to fill the young minds and hearts of our children with God’s precepts. 

 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8