Homeschooling

[soliloquy]

I and my siblings have been homeschooled since day 1. I guess the basic reason there are so many Christians homeschooling is that that's the way the Bible says to do it. This is why we do it.

Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 And 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.

Isaiah 38: 19 The living, the living man, he shall praise You, as I do this day; the father shall make known Your truth to the children.

Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

The training that these scriptures speak of is spiritual training and not academic training. Although they are not necessarily mutually exclusive, a person who does not have the ability to home school is not violating scripture by sending their child to private or public schools. However, all Christians have a responsibility to give their children spiritual guidance and raise their children to serve the Lord.

There are a few things that Christians agree on and the Bible is abundantly clear. There is nothing ambiguous about the deity of Christ, the reality of heaven and hell, and salvation by grace through faith. On some issues it is important to avoid being dogmatic where Scripture is not.

There is nothing more important than praying for our children and raising them to have hearts that love and desire to serve God. Each parent will have to answer for how they reared their children. However, for different reasons, home schooling may not be God's answer for every family and there is no one "right" way to educate children.

[soliloquy]

I'll say something. I find it annoying when some Christians say that some laws in the Old Testament don't apply to us while others do. I eat pork and shellfish and I don't believe in tithing; I believe in giving as much as your heart compels you to give as it says in the New Testament. A lot of Christians seem to take issue with me saying that tithing does not apply to us all while eating pork and shellfish.

I was going to explain this to you but I found an article that will make it easier to cut and paste since I'm on my phone. Before I cut and paste it, there are some Christians who are very legalistic. The apostle Paul warns us of legalism in Colossians 2:20-23: “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” Legalists may appear to be righteous and spiritual, but legalism ultimately fails to accomplish God’s purposes because it is an outward performance instead of an inward change.

The key to understanding this issue is knowing that the Old Testament law was given to the nation of Israel, not to Christians. Some of the laws were to reveal to the Israelites how to obey and please God (the Ten Commandments, for example). Some of the laws were to show the Israelites how to worship God and atone for sin (the sacrificial system). Some of the laws were intended to make the Israelites distinct from other nations (the food and clothing rules). None of the Old Testament law is binding on Christians today. When Jesus died on the cross, He put an end to the Old Testament law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25; Ephesians 2:15).

In place of the Old Testament law, we are under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), which is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). If we obey those two commands, we will be fulfilling all that Christ requires of us: “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40). Now, this does not mean the Old Testament law is irrelevant today. Many of the commands in the Old Testament law fall into the categories of “loving God” and “loving your neighbor.” The Old Testament law can be a good guidepost for knowing how to love God and knowing what goes into loving your neighbor. At the same time, to say that the Old Testament law applies to Christians today is incorrect. The Old Testament law is a unit (James 2:10). Either all of it applies, or none of it applies. If Christ fulfilled some of it, such as the sacrificial system, He fulfilled all of it.

“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). The Ten Commandments were essentially a summary of the entire Old Testament law. Nine of the Ten Commandments are clearly repeated in the New Testament (all except the command to observe the Sabbath day). Obviously, if we are loving God, we will not be worshipping false gods or bowing down before idols. If we are loving our neighbors, we will not be murdering them, lying to them, committing adultery against them, or coveting what belongs to them. The purpose of the Old Testament law is to convict people of our inability to keep the law and point us to our need for Jesus Christ as Savior (Romans 7:7-9; Galatians 3:24). The Old Testament law was never intended by God to be the universal law for all people for all of time. We are to love God and love our neighbors. If we obey those two commands faithfully, we will be upholding all that God requires of us.

Read more: Do Christians have to obey the Old Testament law?

[Leebo]

Yeah, it's probably a good thing people aren't following the Old Testament.

[sklineho]

A very unsettling documentary. I know some homeschool parents and they've commented to me about how the entire movement has taken a very hardline religious tone. The concern is that it might lessen the acceptance of homeschooling. One lady told me that the conventions she attends have become VERY religious in nature. Obviously there is nothing wrong with being evangelical in and of itself but trying to make it a key part of homeschooling could do some damage that a lot of people want to avoid. The bigger issue though isn't even the religious angle, it's the hardline idea that homeschooling somehow protects kids from the evil government. to me that's the bigger concern.

[Kintsukuroi]

For the record I am a Christian but that is not why I chose to homeschool my children. I homeschooled my oldest child through 4th grade and I would still be homeschooling if were not for the fact that I became a single mom and I, myself, had to go back to school for my degree so I could get a job to support my children. Public school just cannot match the flexibility that homeschooling offers both in regards to academics and personal time. Homeschooling has the flexibility for a child to work at their own pace both at subjects they excel at as well as struggle. Homeschooling has the flexibility to teach to a child's individual learning style so a child can grasp material in a way that helps them to learn best. In short, homeschooling is a tailor made education whereas public schooling for the most part is a one size fits all. And when you have a one size fits all only the people that "fit" get the best education they can.

[sanantone]

I was going to explain this to you but I found an article that will make it easier to cut and paste since I'm on my phone. Before I cut and paste it, there are some Christians who are very legalistic. The apostle Paul warns us of legalism in Colossians 2:20-23: “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” Legalists may appear to be righteous and spiritual, but legalism ultimately fails to accomplish God’s purposes because it is an outward performance instead of an inward change.

The key to understanding this issue is knowing that the Old Testament law was given to the nation of Israel, not to Christians. Some of the laws were to reveal to the Israelites how to obey and please God (the Ten Commandments, for example). Some of the laws were to show the Israelites how to worship God and atone for sin (the sacrificial system). Some of the laws were intended to make the Israelites distinct from other nations (the food and clothing rules). None of the Old Testament law is binding on Christians today. When Jesus died on the cross, He put an end to the Old Testament law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25; Ephesians 2:15).

In place of the Old Testament law, we are under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), which is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). If we obey those two commands, we will be fulfilling all that Christ requires of us: “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40). Now, this does not mean the Old Testament law is irrelevant today. Many of the commands in the Old Testament law fall into the categories of “loving God” and “loving your neighbor.” The Old Testament law can be a good guidepost for knowing how to love God and knowing what goes into loving your neighbor. At the same time, to say that the Old Testament law applies to Christians today is incorrect. The Old Testament law is a unit (James 2:10). Either all of it applies, or none of it applies. If Christ fulfilled some of it, such as the sacrificial system, He fulfilled all of it.

“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). The Ten Commandments were essentially a summary of the entire Old Testament law. Nine of the Ten Commandments are clearly repeated in the New Testament (all except the command to observe the Sabbath day). Obviously, if we are loving God, we will not be worshipping false gods or bowing down before idols. If we are loving our neighbors, we will not be murdering them, lying to them, committing adultery against them, or coveting what belongs to them. The purpose of the Old Testament law is to convict people of our inability to keep the law and point us to our need for Jesus Christ as Savior (Romans 7:7-9; Galatians 3:24). The Old Testament law was never intended by God to be the universal law for all people for all of time. We are to love God and love our neighbors. If we obey those two commands faithfully, we will be upholding all that God requires of us.

Read more: Do Christians have to obey the Old Testament law?

I'm not the one who needs the explaining. That article just said what I already know. That's why I eat pork and shellfish and don't tithe. Too many Christians want to cherry pick what they want to follow. For example, I was surprised that, as conservative as they were, the church in Jesus Camp had a woman pastor. The New Testament is very clear in saying that women are not to be ministers. I have yet to hear a good non-BS excuse for ignoring this. It doesn't personally bother me; I used to attend a church with a female pastor. But, the type of people in this movie claim to be strictly following the Bible when they aren't.

[sanantone]

Yeah, it's probably a good thing people aren't following the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy also says to stone to death our unruly children.

[soliloquy]

I'm not the one who needs the explaining. That article just said what I already know. That's why I eat pork and shellfish and don't tithe. Too many Christians want to cherry pick what they want to follow. For example, I was surprised that, as conservative as they were, the church in Jesus Camp had a woman pastor. The New Testament is very clear in saying that women are not to be ministers. I have yet to hear a good non-BS excuse for ignoring this. It doesn't personally bother me; I used to attend a church with a female pastor. But, the type of people in this movie claim to be strictly following the Bible when they aren't.

If that didn't clarify anything for you, perhaps it will clarify some things for someone else. I agree with you that too many Christians want to cherry pick out of convenience, dogma, tradition, or whatever else the case may be. I agree that women should not be the head of a church - the Bible is clear on that. The Bible does instruct women to counsel other women so I believe that a woman can be over the women's ministry of a church but not the entire church.

[Westerner]

Besides the Bible's telling us that parents teaching their children is the best way, there are other common sense reasons to homeschool. And when I talk about "public school" here, I mean public and private schools, as I work at a private school, and I see so much there that makes me glad I was homeschooled.

Academic -- Topdog covered this. Homeschoolers match or outperform their public schooled peers academically. Plus, parents know their kids. They can provide the specialized care that a teacher with 30 kids in the class can't. The teacher-student ratio in homeschool is excellent, and teaching and discipline can be carried out so much more effectively. And thanks to all the amazing resources out there, there is plenty to help the parents teach their kids. Christian teachers and schools produce curriculum that homeschoolers can use, and be taught by professionals in the fields.

Social -- This is brought up as a drawback to homeschooling, but it really isn't. Public school is the unnatural way to socialize, with 30-some kids of the same age together for most of the day. In homeschool, you get to really know and bond with your family. You get to learn how to interact with people of all ages. So many schoolkids want to spend so much time with their friends but hate their siblings When we get together with friends, we gather the whole families, and spend time together. This way, parents get to know their kids' friends instead of worrying who their kids are spending time with the whole day.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

The social interaction in schools is actually often a detriment to their learning. The boyfriend-girlfreind, fighting, tattling, are you my friend or not -- all that stuff pervades their whole time at school.

Our family did and still does extra-curricular things like music lessons, orchestra, sports, karate, volunteering, and more. There are lots of opportunities we are blessed with in America.

Doctrinal -- Many things taught in public school do not line up with the teachings of the Bible. Christian homeschool parents want their children to have a solid Biblical foundation when they are young, training "up a child in the way he should go, so that when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6). We don't want our kids to be taught a postive view of evolution or homosexuality, or sex education. We want to teach them what the Bible says.

Obviously, this is not a salvation issue. And people have the freedom to choose what they want to do. But raising kids is a big responsibility. Best to go about it God's way.

Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.

[Devanna]

I noticed there are a lot of people on this forum who either homeschool their kids, were homeschooled, or advocate homeschooling.

I was thinking about it and realized I don't think I've ever talked to someone who was homeschooled.

What reasons did you have for choosing it?

My parents chose to homeschool because my Dad grew up in a terrible public school environment and he didn't want my siblings and I to experience the same. He also wanted us to have a more faith-based curriculum.
We used to live next to a homeschooling family where the Dad was an atheist and the Mom was......into Buddhism, I think. They were very mistrustful of government institutions, I think that was the big factor behind their decision.