Lessons Learned From Years of Homeschooling

The second movie, The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry, was more overt in its proclamation that we are all sinners in need of God’s gracious forgiveness. It was beautifully filmed and conveyed the message that people in every stage of life, regardless of their circumstances, are in need of Biblical salvation. By the time the movie ended, I was sad to leave the characters I came to enjoy.

I am convinced that God will use both films to further His Kingdom purposes. I believe that both will have the greatest impact on Christians who desire to share their faith and only need some larger than life examples showing them how. There were aspects of each film that I would have handled differently, and some theological points about which I could quibble. Yet, I walked away from both glad that these Christian filmmakers had put their faith into practice.

This Sunday at church, a young man of the congregation was walking up and down the fellowship area screaming aloud and expressing anger at the injustice in the world. I waited to see if someone would approach him to see what was wrong. No one did. Most were “politely� looking the other way as if to shield him from embarrassment. After having seen two films whose purpose was to encourage and exhort believers to put their faith into action, I could not be silent. I called to him and even though he shouted back that he did not want to talk, I pressed the point and got him to come back and talk with me. Before long, he was calm and sharing with me the reason he was upset. My husband joined us and before our conversation was over, we agreed to share some books and tapes that he might find helpful, and we exchanged contact information so that he could talk to my husband if ever he wished to talk. The three of us prayed together before we left and today I will be sending him some books and tapes to help him better understand God’s justice.

I hope that I would have intervened in this situation even if I had not heard some “movie� sermons earlier in the week. However, it is evident to me, that the Holy Spirit used the impact and message of both to propel me to address the hurting young man in front of me. As both films powerfully portrayed, you do not have to go looking for people to minister to. If you are available to God, He will bring them to you!

Often Christian parents who in obedience to God's Word teach their children at home or send them to Christian schools are admonished for isolating their children and failing to have them experience the socialization process that public school allows. The correct answer to such accusations is "Yes, that is exactly what I'm doing. I have no intention of my child absorbing the norms and attitudes of godless education and the results of exposure to it." However, a real question faces Christian families endeavoring to separate their children from the world and to Jesus Christ. That is, how will they function in the world as salt and light if they have not been exposed to it?

Before tackling this question, it is important to note that virtually no Christian family in our culture can totally succeed in preventing external, non-Christian influences from affecting their families. Most children are exposed to non-Christian people, along with attitudes and philosophies just by accompanying their parents to the supermarket, going to the doctor’s office, or interacting with neighbors and non-Christians in their extended families. Therefore, to assume that in 2010 we can ever achieve an isolated environment is naive at best. The ubiquitous nature of mass media also makes it a virtual impossibility.

Many Christian parents are aware that television is a major factor contributing to a morally bankrupt generation that has little respect for itself or life in general. The deliberate non-Christian/anti-Christian themes of most programming are a good reason to boycott the medium altogether. The same could be said for movies, modern music, the local public library, let alone the internet. However, the diligent parent can make use of selective programming and use it as a teaching tool in explaining the antithesis between godliness and wickedness. Films and programs also can serve as windows into the world of our humanistic culture, acquainting Christian children with what others are being seeped within their learning environments.

Family viewing can be an opportunity to apply worldview criticism to various aspects of programming content. Back when my son was nine, The Cosby Show was a popular weekly situation comedy, just as it remains today in rerun syndication. We would analyze and discuss certain episodes from a Christian perspective and I would ask him to identify the philosophy of life he thought the writers were putting forth. We discussed how, for example, the fifth commandment of honoring one's parents was presented. We would analyze how the various characters, when faced with depression or disaster, would resolve their conflicts. Did they draw on God and His Word or on their own ability to cope? Were the children excused for their disobedience or were they required to make restitution for their offenses? Was God’s Word even a factor?

This may seem like a good way to destroy an evening's entertainment; however, if you fail to comment on the contents of a show, you may leave the impression that you agree with what has been stated. This is especially so during the “holiday season� when attempts are plenteous to define Christmas in humanistic terms. Is Christmas a holiday when everyone should forget his or her differences like so many shows suggest? Or, should it be the time when we remember what makes us different?

I have found that going through this process helps children to obtain a biblical perspective on issues, providing them with the opportunity to ponder relevant matters, long before they are interacting in environments predominantly non-Christian. Once a particular program’s worldview is identified, a child is better able to see whether it is really worth viewing or should be abandoned. I saw this occur with my son, who at about age six could no longer bear to watch the Smurfs with their worship of "Mother Nature." Once he identified the ungodly premise, he had no desire to be entertained by it. Later on, he became adept at spotting humanistic premises and presuppositions in much of what he watched. He was able to identify programs that typified definitions of good and evil that were contrary to God’s Word and depicted the "heroes" or "good guys" solving their problems in a thoroughly ungodly way. In this way, I made use of all the resources at my disposal.

I am not advocating that families make television viewing a central part of their day. For those who do not have a television or who do not watch it regularly, learning about sin and its repercussions can be accomplished in a variety of other ways. However, many do watch television and, as with many other activities, television viewing can be utilized as a learning experience. Good Christian education prepares children for their calling under God, and faith gives them the ability to face up to that calling. Watching selected shows and discussing them allows parents additional opportunities, in the privacy of their homes, to teach the application of God's Word to all areas of life and thought. However even the most "innocent" shows often will come up with situations and subject matter that are inappropriate. If you find yourself inadvertently in such a circumstance, use it as an opportunity to discuss topics such as adultery, fornication, or homosexuality, or whatever else, in light of God’s Word.

There are those who criticize this approach as being too "real" with children — not letting them be children — not giving them time to grow up apart from the harsh realities of a fallen world. The same could be said about the book of Proverbs, and Solomon criticized in a like fashion. He made sure his sons knew and understood the ways of a fallen world and used examples from his culture to establish the Word of God as the only path that leads to life. Teaching your children God's Law-Word and instructing them to measure all that they encounter by God's standard will prepare them to let their light shine before men, that they may see their good works, and glorify their Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

College football star Tim Tebow is under attack by pro-abortion feminist groups after CBS agreed to air his 30-second Super Bowl ad celebrating life.

The commercial, paid for by Christian group Focus on the Family, tells the story of his mother, Pam Tebow, and her 1987 pregnancy with a theme of "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life." The ad is scheduled to be aired on the Feb. 7 broadcast of the Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida.

Pam became sick during her mission trip to the Philippines, contracting amoebic dysentery. She took strong antibiotics to rescue her from her coma. Pam's doctors warned that her baby would be stillborn or seriously ill. They suggested she abort the baby, but Pam refused. She gave birth to Tebow, who would later win the 2007 Heisman Trophy and help his Florida team to two national championships. (more)

Twenty years ago, California experienced the Loma Prieta earthquake. I remember vividly sitting in a karate studio watching my daughter’s class when the ground began to shake. I gathered the children and moved them under the doorframe just in time to avoid being hit by all the trophies that were on a shelf above where I had been sitting. It was obvious that this was not your run-of-the-mill quake—something significant had occurred. In October of 1989, there were no cell phones so I was unable to contact my husband or find out how my elderly mother-in-law, who lived with us, had fared. Instability ruled the hour. (more)

...[C]hristian education emphasizes that freedom is through Christ’s salvation and in obedience thereafter to the whole Word of God. Instead of teaching freedom as a radical independence from God, the Christian school teaches freedom as a radical and total dependence upon God. It insists on the interdependence of all men under God and in terms of God’s law. It is thus a liberal arts curriculum for which Scripture is the key book, and in terms of which every subject and area is principled and informed. Teacher and student alike are under that binding word; and are free in terms of their faithfulness to it.

…For the Christian, man is responsible to God, and to man under God and according to the Word of God. Freedom is from sin, and therefore it is freedom from ourselves and from other men, and from slavery and bondage to ourselves and to men, to become the covenant people of God in Christ, our Redeemer and King.

Christian education is thus not the curriculum with the Bible added to it, but a curriculum in which the Word of God governs and informs every subject. Only the Christian school, when it is faithful to Scripture, can have a truly liberal arts curriculum.

(Excerpted from The Philosophy of the Christian Curriculum by RJ Rushdoony)

Years ago when I was new to the Christian faith, I was resolute that I needed to be direct and forthright with people when I saw an area of life they were not living according to Biblical standards. At the time I was sure that I was doing the Lord’s work well by pointing out the failings of my fellow man. Later I came to realize that my zeal for the truth was entangled with areas of sin in my own life that needed sanctification.

Over time, I have seen the aftermath of much of my enthusiasm and in many cases, it is not a pretty picture. Instead of showing the patient love of Christ as I talked to people, I wanted to impress them by demonstrating my knowledge of orthodoxy. In other words, my focus was seriously misplaced and often had a detrimental effect.

I remember hearing Dr. Rushdoony answer questions at the end of a talk he gave not long before his death. He was on the platform with two other speakers. Someone asked a question that involved the difficult situation of children being taken from their parents by social workers when it was determined the parents had neglected their children. The other men answered first. Both gave somewhat polarizing answers that left little room for disagreement. When it was Dr. Rushdoony’s turn, he gave a thoroughly orthodox answer but without the divisive tone of the other men. His answer drove his listeners to greater faithfulness to the Scriptures and did not create unnecessary enmity.

Often when Christians embrace a greater understanding of the faith they fail to abstain from firing verbal shots at their brothers and sisters in Christ who seem to lag behind them in knowledge. Many seem to make it a sport, as though they have served the Kingdom by shooting at their listeners. Instead of finding a way to kindly share a point of view, they relish the opportunity to say something theologically biting to demonstrate their greater knowledge and understanding.

Let us never forget that whatsoever we do to Christ’s brethren, we do to Him.

Everyday before my husband leaves for work we have a time of family prayer, culminating in the Lord’s Prayer. Often the particulars of the day’s events are prayed for and we go to our various activities. Yesterday’s prayer asked for traveling mercies since my daughter and I were driving to the Monterey Bay area so she could practice for an upcoming golf tournament.

Despite the cold and rain, we were blessed by a pleasant day together and were on our way home when a bad judgment call on my part resulted in me backing into another car. So, exactly where were those traveling mercies? Very nearby, as you will see.

I got out of the car, as did the driver I backed into. He had a look of dread on his face, which was surprising since I was clearly at fault. I apologized and let him know that I was taking full responsibility for the fender bender. I asked what he wanted to do, since we were on a public road. Quite sheepishly, he said, “I think we need to call the police.â€� Since he didn’t have a cell phone, I did the honors and informed the Highway Patrol operator that I had just backed into another car and we needed the police to come. She assured me one would be there soon.

Both Jimmy (my new friend) and I were standing in the rain waiting for the police to arrive. He kept saying, “I don’t see what’s taking them so long. The station is right around the corner.� I suggested that we move our cars to the side of the road, but he wanted no part of that. Because he looked quite vulnerable, I accommodated his request. I soon discovered the reason for his skittishness. It seems that two years prior, someone had backed into his car, but reported that Jimmy had caused the accident. Jimmy was not about to have that happen to him again. I assured him that despite the fact that the only other witness was my daughter, I was taking responsibility for the accident. I told him, “Don’t worry, we may have no other witnesses, but I have to answer to Jesus Christ.�

We continued to wait and I suggested that we exchange information. The only paper that he had in his car was one that said, “Sermon Notes.� I knew that I had backed into a church-going man. I said, “Jimmy, I see you go to church; I do too.� He was not overly impressed with my confession of faith and proceeded to write down my info. Before too long an officer from the nearby state university arrived to let us know that the “real� police were on their way. They suggested we exchange information, checked our licenses and registration, and told us we could wait or we could leave since there was no contest as to how the accident took place.

Jimmy still wasn’t so sure. The campus police, after hearing what had occurred, informed us that I could possibly be cited with a vehicle code infraction if a police report was filled out. I kept silent, and Jimmy perked up, “No, we’re good.� He told me he was fine if we let our insurance companies handle it.

I went home, contacted my insurance company, and did all that was necessary to obtain a claim number. In order to put my new friend’s mind at ease, I called and told him that I could give him the claim number if he wanted. He was astounded. He refused saying that he trusted me. He then apologized profusely for all that happened and told me how sorry he was that this was going to cost me money. He then reminded me what had happened to him two years prior. I let him know that God had been looking out for both of us. We both were the recipients of His traveling mercies that evening, since we both were dealing with a member of the family of God.

In looking back at my day, I see how faithful God was – we had indeed been granted traveling mercies. In addition, I witnessed the effects of years of teaching and discipling my daughter. On the way home, I told her what had happened outside the car during the forty-five minutes we were detained. When I told her about his concerns of blame shifting, she said conclusively, “He doesn’t need to worry. He’s dealing with you.� What a great vote of confidence from a daughter who has experienced through her growing years parents who hold her responsible for her actions – both good and bad.