To provide effective spiritual instruction for their children, parents need to be very involved with all aspects of their children’s training, especially their academic education. The local church has a responsibility to support and assist member families in providing Christian training for their children. Once the church accepts this responsibility, the question often arises, “What do we do?”
All too often, Christians think the only two choices available for providing K-12 Christian education are limited to either traditional campus Christian schools or Christian home schooling. These two options, however, do not represent the full spectrum of Christian education choices. In truth, many choices are now available to Christian families and churches. Parents and churches may choose from several models and curricula that are family centered, Bible based and Christ honoring.
Local churches, along with their member families, must develop and teach not only a philosophy of Christian education, but also a unity of purpose. Churches need to serve the families of their congregations by assisting in their Christian education responsibilities regardless of the choice each family makes. Parents choosing any of the options discussed here should be encouraged and supported within the local church.
With the emergence of educational services and various curricula offered online and through the technology of the Internet, no limitations and no reasonable excuses prevent families and churches from providing a thorough K-12 Christian education for their children. Assistance in starting a Christian school, DVDs, CDs, books and curriculum materials abound. In fact, so many good choices and alternatives are now available that the large number and variety offer a special challenge just trying to choose from among them.
These choices fall into three basic categories: