#2179 0913 15P

            Our church operated schools—here and in West Africa—are more important than they have ever been.  The spiritual value and blessing of being able to educate our children in a Christian atmosphere, with teachers who share a common faith in Christ, would be difficult to express in words.  Proverbs 22:6 “Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.” 

            But we could not effectively show them a right path, if the children are not educated in a Christ-like atmosphere—five or more hours a day.  The importance of educating our children in a scriptural environment, with teachers who are trusting and serving God in their own personal lives, becomes more necessary than ever with public schools rejecting Bible reading, prayer, and the Lord Jesus.

            We want to thank and praise God every day for enabling us to operate our own church-run private schools for the benefit of the families who support His church and Truth.  God told us Psalm 78:6 to teach our children “So the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—that they in turn might teach their children.”

            There are many issues to consider concerning the schooling of children in a Christian atmosphere, but reading the Bible and saying the Lord’s Prayer at the start of classes, is an essential issue for sure.  There are three key institutions for training children in spiritual matters—the home, the church, and the school.  This spiritual training is most effective when all three point in the same direction, to the same God—to trust in faith on the Atonement sacrifice of His Son.

            It is vitally important to have classroom instructors who trust and serve God in their own lives—which enables them to explain scriptural responses to the children regarding various situations that arise.  Advising the students to forgive each other; to not hit back; to share their lunch with a student who has none; and to treat others as they would want to be treated, is not heard in a public school.  Instead, the children would be advised to strike back and to get back at anyone who wrongs them—opposite to Bible teaching.

            Books, readers, and studies within the parameters of God’s Word is also an important concern, because public schools include many subjects and curriculum that are totally unscriptural, and do not have God’s approval, because they do not follow Bible teaching or example—alternative lifestyles and evolution—that has never been proven, but is still taught in public schools—despite the outcries of many who are opposed to its wrong ideas of how life began.

            There are many other concerns regarding the education of children.  Trusting God for divine protection every day and during all school activities, is a very important prayer—but a prayer that is not said by most parents and teachers of public school children.  We must thank God every day for the opportunity to educate the children in a Christ-like atmosphere, and completely separate from worldly influences of public schools.

            A leader in Nigeria said: It is the work of God Himself who has made these FCG Church schools possible.  We must remain committed to the support and progress of the schools—which are for the spiritual benefit of each child and family.  We praise God for establishing the new schools in Nigeria and we place them into His hands for continued progress—academically and otherwise.  To God alone be the glory and praise.

            What a blessed gift from God it is, that parents who teach spiritual values to their children at home, have classroom teachers who give the same scriptural advice to their children at school.  Students are in class for over five hours a day and five days each week, so there are many opportunities during that time to teach them and to advise them on how to conduct themselves scripturally.

            The selection and purchase of books is a very important matter.  The majority of those who purchase books and set the curriculum for public schools, do not trust God in their own personal lives.  Selecting textbooks that do not include unscriptural material is not even considered by those who do the purchasing for public schools today.  This matter is becoming more of an issue every year.

            School readers today include alternative and deviant lifestyles that are portrayed as normal—but God says they are not normal and are an abomination.  Romans 1:26-27 “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections;”—both men and women, the Bible says, “did change the natural use into that which is against nature.”

            Why is this accepted as normal—is because God’s Word, Bible reading, and prayer is banned from public schools—therefore, any lifestyle or any perversion can be called normal, when it is actually detestable, and repugnant in the sight of God.  Isaiah 5:20 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.”  Or Romans 1:25 “Who changed the truth of God into a lie.”

            Since the truth of Creation is rejected, and the lie of evolution is accepted, public school classrooms have become the breeding ground for every type of evil lifestyle, corrupt thinking, and abominable actions.  John 16:3 “These things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.”

            By rejecting God and His Truth, they forfeit their soul to the devil.  Luke 10:16 “He who rejects [despises] you [despises] Me, and he who [despises] Me [despises] Him who sent Me.”  It is against government law to pray and read the Bible in a public school today, so it is no mystery why the world is in such a horrible spiritual condition.  John 12:48 “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.”

            There is no excuse for the unbelief and wickedness in the world today, because the existence of God as the Creator of everything, is evident to anyone willing to accept the overwhelming evidence.  Psalm 19:1-3 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the [firmament] proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard”—except maybe in public schools.

            The lie of evolution has destroyed the faith of many.  Romans 1:18-20 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen.”  There is no excuse.

            Children in public schools may never hear God’s Word, and may never be told of the Savior who died on the cross to save their soul—that is why we must continue to maintain our own church-run schools.  What a blessing; what a gift; and what a God-given privilege it is for the children to hear God’s Word before classes begin, to pray together, and to ask God for wisdom.

            There are many issues involved in educating children.  Hearing the Bible read, and saying the Lord’s Prayer at the start of classes, is a huge privilege God has given us.  Public schools have removed the Bible from the classroom, so Satan immediately took its place.  Crime, violence, drugs, wickedness, and immorality of the city streets have moved into the halls and classrooms of public schools.

            All over America, families decide to have their children educated in a non-religious atmosphere—one that is void of Christian training, attitudes, and godly advice, but the families of our church have made the willful choice to educate their children in a school that emphasizes Christ-like attitudes, and gives scriptural advice to the children.

            Teaching, training, and educating the children for many hours every day makes it essential that the teachers be as committed to doing God’s will in their own lives, as those in the homes of the children are committed.  The home, the church, and the school form an important partnership.  Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” 

            Priority #1 is to teach children in the way God wants them to behave—at home and all through their school years, so when they graduate, they take Christ-like attitudes and godly behavior with them to be applied to the next chapter of their life. 

            It is all part of loving God, and letting the children see that in us!  Deut. 6:6-7 “These words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”  We could not effectively do that, if the school will not cooperate.

            Christian teachers would be the foundation for operating a Christ-centered school where children hear scriptural advice.  A teacher in charge of a classroom has the opportunity to explain godly values to the children as they educate them in other studies.

            Even when explaining geography, science, history, math, or economics, the teacher has the opportunity and responsibility, to include God’s plan in trusting Him for health and finances—pointing out to the students how differently the world thinks about healing, money, or the origin of life.

            Keeping our Christian schools operating becomes ever more important as we hear of increasing violence, serious crimes, drug abuse, immorality, and corrupt curriculum resulting from Satan’s control of those involved in public school systems.  From teacher labor union strikes, to violent crimes against students, we can see how far from God’s Word public schools have gone.

            Our reply to a West African church branch said: Teaching children in a church-run Christian school is indeed a high-calling, and a duty that only God can enable each teacher to live up to by His grace, strength and ability.  We trust that each teacher can realize how far-reaching their nurturing will be, when the children leave school to join the workforce or keep the home.  Only God alone can enable the teachers and students to be successful in their duties or studies, as they humbly seek His guidance each day.

            The only way to enter God’s kingdom is by His grace, through a believing faith in the Blood of Christ; and since faith comes from hearing a message of truth Romans 10:17, it is necessary that the children hear the Truth from the Bible, and to say the Lord’s Prayer at the start of each day.  It is a high-calling and great responsibility, with definite eternal rewards.

            1 Peter 4:11 “If any one renders a service to others, let it be in the strength which God supplies; so that in everything glory may be given to God in the name of Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the might [for ever and ever].  Amen.”