Comments on: Do Missional Families Go To Public School? http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/ Inspiring gospel-centered missional churches Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:03:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Sarah Guild http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-2170 Sarah Guild Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:55:54 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-2170 The debate that rages in my mind about the educational choices I will make for my children has brought me face-to-face with what I believe about God. I claim the Lord's sovereignty but my fears speak a different story of the condition of my heart. I hear home schooling friends rail on the horrors of public schools and public's "anti-God agenda" and I am certain that if I make the wrong choice I'll be signing a spiritual death warrant for my boys. As I've wrestled and agonized with this issue the Lord spoke so clearly to me: "you need to abide in me. Fear is not from me." I need to spend time with my Heavenly Father and be reminded of his character. First, most, and always I need to do this. These children are not something I own. I am on a mission from the Lord as their parent. I am asking the Lord to teach me deeply about his power, his sovereignty, and his grace so that in all things my heart reflects more and more of what my mouth claims. One thing: It isn't just for mission to other people's children/other families that I would send my boys. Learning to love those very unlike me has taught me as much about the Gospel as I've possibly shared with them. May my boys have opportunities to see the heart of our Father through their friendships and interactions with those who think, act and were raised differently. School doesn't allow us (or our children) to run from the challenges as we often can when we don't like the attitudes of others around us. Appreciate all of the thoughts. It is difficult to find reasonable thoughts on this on the lovely www. The debate that rages in my mind about the educational choices I will make for my children has brought me face-to-face with what I believe about God. I claim the Lord’s sovereignty but my fears speak a different story of the condition of my heart. I hear home schooling friends rail on the horrors of public schools and public’s “anti-God agenda” and I am certain that if I make the wrong choice I’ll be signing a spiritual death warrant for my boys.

As I’ve wrestled and agonized with this issue the Lord spoke so clearly to me: “you need to abide in me. Fear is not from me.” I need to spend time with my Heavenly Father and be reminded of his character. First, most, and always I need to do this.

These children are not something I own. I am on a mission from the Lord as their parent. I am asking the Lord to teach me deeply about his power, his sovereignty, and his grace so that in all things my heart reflects more and more of what my mouth claims.

One thing: It isn’t just for mission to other people’s children/other families that I would send my boys. Learning to love those very unlike me has taught me as much about the Gospel as I’ve possibly shared with them. May my boys have opportunities to see the heart of our Father through their friendships and interactions with those who think, act and were raised differently. School doesn’t allow us (or our children) to run from the challenges as we often can when we don’t like the attitudes of others around us.

Appreciate all of the thoughts. It is difficult to find reasonable thoughts on this on the lovely www.

]]> By: Brian Current http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1480 Brian Current Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:14:13 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-1480 i just wanted to mention something to those who think that public school a more missional approach, i.e. that they will be reaching their neighbors/communities, etc - that line of thinking assumes that kids and families at private schools DON'T need mission. Every private Christian school is different, but we cannot assume that a majority of students at any school have genuine Christ-centered homes and family life. My opinion is that *everywhere* is a mission field. i just wanted to mention something to those who think that public school a more missional approach, i.e. that they will be reaching their neighbors/communities, etc – that line of thinking assumes that kids and families at private schools DON’T need mission. Every private Christian school is different, but we cannot assume that a majority of students at any school have genuine Christ-centered homes and family life.

My opinion is that *everywhere* is a mission field.

]]> By: Stretch Mark Mama (@stretchmarkmama) http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1472 Stretch Mark Mama (@stretchmarkmama) Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:13:20 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-1472 *Really* glad you asked the question, and I enjoyed reading all the comments. Both sides. We are a missional family who homeschools--and we've also taken some flack for that. We do have to work at connecting with the community--but we're committed to that. Personally, I've enjoyed living a missional lifestyle *with* my kids right beside me, that way I can walk through each experience with them, training and guiding as needed. Great discussion. *Really* glad you asked the question, and I enjoyed reading all the comments. Both sides.

We are a missional family who homeschools–and we’ve also taken some flack for that. We do have to work at connecting with the community–but we’re committed to that. Personally, I’ve enjoyed living a missional lifestyle *with* my kids right beside me, that way I can walk through each experience with them, training and guiding as needed.

Great discussion.

]]> By: Rik Maxedon http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1319 Rik Maxedon Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:36:31 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-1319 I have three kids in school. One is home schooled because of learning style. The other two are at North County Christian School. Just because the name Christian is in the title does not mean that this cannot be a mission field. There are "elder brothers" everywhere and there are non-Christians everywhere. My olderst daughter is a Senior at NCCS and she gets a chance to challenge the status quo religious thinking on a weekly basis. I have three kids in school. One is home schooled because of learning style. The other two are at North County Christian School.

Just because the name Christian is in the title does not mean that this cannot be a mission field. There are “elder brothers” everywhere and there are non-Christians everywhere.

My olderst daughter is a Senior at NCCS and she gets a chance to challenge the status quo religious thinking on a weekly basis.

]]> By: Jonathan McIntosh http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1226 Jonathan McIntosh Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:14:32 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-1226 Alan - good balance, I think. Don't abandon mission for the sake of the protecting the family... but don't sacrifice your family on the altar of mission. Alan – good balance, I think. Don’t abandon mission for the sake of the protecting the family… but don’t sacrifice your family on the altar of mission.

]]> By: Alan Dueck http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1220 Alan Dueck Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:46:12 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-1220 A Christian parent's number-one duty to his children is to give them a Christian education. Note well that this does not mean our job is done by sending them to school -- any school. This means that we must disciple our children to love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ and him only! This takes time -- years! At some point your training will bear fruit and your children will be ready to encounter the world and carry on the gospel mission. Some may be ready to do this while still school-age (i.e. under 18). If they are ready, then put them in public school to begin their mission work there. Many will not be ready yet, however. The key point is not to get our priorities mixed as Christian parents. God does want us and our children to be salt and light to a dark and dying world. But he requires first of us parents that we teach our children, and prepare them to live God-glorifying lives anywhere in the world. We can't take a short cut, however, placing our children in demanding missional settings before we have done our work, our duty and our responsibility to properly train them. Bottom line: yes, Christian children in public schools -- when you have properly prepared them for their mission! A Christian parent’s number-one duty to his children is to give them a Christian education. Note well that this does not mean our job is done by sending them to school — any school. This means that we must disciple our children to love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ and him only! This takes time — years!

At some point your training will bear fruit and your children will be ready to encounter the world and carry on the gospel mission. Some may be ready to do this while still school-age (i.e. under 18). If they are ready, then put them in public school to begin their mission work there. Many will not be ready yet, however.

The key point is not to get our priorities mixed as Christian parents. God does want us and our children to be salt and light to a dark and dying world. But he requires first of us parents that we teach our children, and prepare them to live God-glorifying lives anywhere in the world. We can’t take a short cut, however, placing our children in demanding missional settings before we have done our work, our duty and our responsibility to properly train them.

Bottom line: yes, Christian children in public schools — when you have properly prepared them for their mission!

]]> By: JR http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1032 JR Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:54:58 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-1032 Cornelius Van Til wrote: "the most basic fact of all facts is the existence of the triune God." I think this statement proves that a public school education cannot be done well. Cornelius Van Til wrote:

“the most basic fact of all facts is the existence of the triune God.”

I think this statement proves that a public school education cannot be done well.

]]> By: Rob Davis http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-851 Rob Davis Sun, 27 Dec 2009 02:02:00 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-851 We've been on every side of this debate. Originally, we put our kids into some lower income schools in a neighborhood where we were trying to be missional. There was much opportunity to do so, and we did as much as we could. When we moved out here to Raleigh, though, the school system was very much "hands-off" for parents. We offered to be involved, but all they wanted was our money. Recently, we moved into a predominantly black neighborhood, and we've decided to homeschool our kids partially because they would very much be a minority. We're still open handed about this, but we think we've made the right decision for the time being. There are some great, honest arguments on all sides. We’ve been on every side of this debate. Originally, we put our kids into some lower income schools in a neighborhood where we were trying to be missional. There was much opportunity to do so, and we did as much as we could. When we moved out here to Raleigh, though, the school system was very much “hands-off” for parents. We offered to be involved, but all they wanted was our money. Recently, we moved into a predominantly black neighborhood, and we’ve decided to homeschool our kids partially because they would very much be a minority. We’re still open handed about this, but we think we’ve made the right decision for the time being. There are some great, honest arguments on all sides.

]]> By: HolliePowell http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-842 HolliePowell Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:56:54 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-842 We live in STL city and home school our children. One of the primary reasons we home school is something Brad Andrews mentioned in his post. It is allows us time and energy to be fully present in our neighborhood as a family. I think this can be done in any educational setting if we are intentional. More about our choice to home school here... http://maravillastl.blogspot.com/2008/09/why-do-we-homeschool.html We live in STL city and home school our children. One of the primary reasons we home school is something Brad Andrews mentioned in his post.
It is allows us time and energy to be fully present in our neighborhood as a family.
I think this can be done in any educational setting if we are intentional.

More about our choice to home school here…
http://maravillastl.blogspot.com/2008/09/why-do-we-homeschool.html

]]> By: Elvin O. Torres http://www.rethinkmission.org/missional-living/do-missional-families-go-to-public-school/comment-page-1/#comment-835 Elvin O. Torres Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:14:34 +0000 http://www.rethinkmission.org/?p=2313#comment-835 Forgot to mention....we also have a 5 year old in public school this year too....which has also helping us be on mission. The end. Forgot to mention….we also have a 5 year old in public school this year too….which has also helping us be on mission. The end.

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