One Family’s Journey in One Family’s Journey in Christian EducationChristian Education

Michael GoheenMichael Goheen

Burnaby, B.C., CanadaBurnaby, B.C., Canada

Preliminary CommentsPreliminary Comments

•Asked to tell our storyAsked to tell our story

•One family’s storyOne family’s story

•Not perfect exampleNot perfect example

•Each family’s story is uniqueEach family’s story is unique

•Home-educating familyHome-educating family

Four early stepping stonesFour early stepping stones

• Deep sense of obligation: covenant Deep sense of obligation: covenant and baptismand baptism

Preface to Westminster Preface to Westminster Confession of Faith and Confession of Faith and Catechisms Catechisms

"To the Christian Reader, especially "To the Christian Reader, especially Heads of FamiliesHeads of Families"As we cannot but with grief of soul "As we cannot but with grief of soul lament those multitudes of errors, lament those multitudes of errors, blasphemies, and all kinds of blasphemies, and all kinds of profaneness, which have in this last age, profaneness, which have in this last age, like a mighty deluge, overflown this like a mighty deluge, overflown this nation; so, among several other sins nation; so, among several other sins which have helped to open the floodgate which have helped to open the floodgate of all these impieties, of all these impieties, we cannot but we cannot but esteem the disuse of family instruction esteem the disuse of family instruction as one of the greatest...as one of the greatest...

"If, therefore, there be any spark in "If, therefore, there be any spark in you of love to God, be not content you of love to God, be not content that any of yours should be ignorant that any of yours should be ignorant of him whom you so much admire, or of him whom you so much admire, or any haters of him whom you so much any haters of him whom you so much love. love. If there be any compassion to If there be any compassion to the souls of them who are under you the souls of them who are under you care, if any regard of your being found care, if any regard of your being found faithful in the day of Christ, if any faithful in the day of Christ, if any respect to future generations, labour respect to future generations, labour to sow these seeds of knowledge, to sow these seeds of knowledge, which may grow up in after-times. which may grow up in after-times. That you may be faithful herein, is the That you may be faithful herein, is the earnest prayer of ...signed [authors]”earnest prayer of ...signed [authors]”

Four early stepping stonesFour early stepping stones

• Deep sense of obligation: covenant Deep sense of obligation: covenant and baptismand baptism

• Understanding the gospel as a gospel Understanding the gospel as a gospel of the kingdomof the kingdom

‘‘For me, for me, for me …’For me, for me, for me …’

Gospel of individual salvationGospel of individual salvation

‘… ‘… Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1.14-15)news!” (Mark 1.14-15)

Four early stepping stonesFour early stepping stones

• Deep sense of obligation: covenant Deep sense of obligation: covenant and baptismand baptism

• Understanding the gospel as a gospel Understanding the gospel as a gospel of the kingdom of the kingdom

• Deepening understanding of gospel Deepening understanding of gospel in a biblical worldviewin a biblical worldview

Two poles of biblical Two poles of biblical worldviewworldview

CreationBattle forcreation

Domain Two kingdoms

Deepening through Deepening through worldviewworldview• Creation as God intended it to beCreation as God intended it to be

– Very goodVery good– OrderedOrdered– Cultural task part of being humanCultural task part of being human

• Struggle for creation between kingdom Struggle for creation between kingdom of God and kingdom of darknessof God and kingdom of darkness– Sin and salvation affect more than Sin and salvation affect more than

individualsindividuals– Struggle for all cultural activityStruggle for all cultural activity

Four early stepping stonesFour early stepping stones

• Deep sense of obligation: covenant Deep sense of obligation: covenant and baptismand baptism

• Understanding the gospel as a gospel Understanding the gospel as a gospel of the kingdom of the kingdom

• Deepening in a biblical worldviewDeepening in a biblical worldview

• Implications for educationImplications for education

Education . . . for what?Education . . . for what?

•Christian education!Christian education!

•Not (in the first place for):Not (in the first place for):– Academic excellenceAcademic excellence– Character buildingCharacter building– Moral trainingMoral training– Protection from evil worldProtection from evil world

•No Icing on the CakeNo Icing on the Cake

No Icing on the CakeNo Icing on the Cake

Relating the gospel to education is not Relating the gospel to education is not simply a matter of putting religious simply a matter of putting religious icing on an otherwise secular icing on an otherwise secular educational cake. Those who confess educational cake. Those who confess the Name of Christ are called to the Name of Christ are called to develop learning and teaching which develop learning and teaching which is based on the Word of God. is based on the Word of God. Recognising Christ’s creation-wide Recognising Christ’s creation-wide redemption, Christians will produce redemption, Christians will produce fresh and new approaches in fresh and new approaches in education: a brand new cake!education: a brand new cake!

Aiming for Christian Aiming for Christian EducatEducationion

• Alternative kind of education to public Alternative kind of education to public school systemschool system

• Rejects cultural idolatry that shapes Rejects cultural idolatry that shapes these schoolsthese schools

• Based on distinctive and Based on distinctive and comprehensive philosophy of comprehensive philosophy of educationeducation

• Christian approach transforms the Christian approach transforms the whole enterprise: goals, curriculum, whole enterprise: goals, curriculum, pedagogy, evaluation, structure, etc.pedagogy, evaluation, structure, etc.

Settling for Christians Settling for Christians EducatEducatinging

• Christianity-enhanced public school Christianity-enhanced public school educationeducation

• Adds moral integrity, devotional Adds moral integrity, devotional piety, and biblical insight to select piety, and biblical insight to select topicstopics

• Maintains status quo about educationMaintains status quo about education

Educational implicationsEducational implications

• Lectures and discussions: How do we Lectures and discussions: How do we bring the gospel to bear on why we bring the gospel to bear on why we educate, what we teach, how we educate, what we teach, how we teach?teach?

• Parental responsibility (Deut. 6.4-9; Parental responsibility (Deut. 6.4-9; Eph. 6.4)Eph. 6.4)

• Priority and sacrifice (cf. Prov.31.28)Priority and sacrifice (cf. Prov.31.28)• ‘‘Serviceable insight’Serviceable insight’• Education for witnessEducation for witness

Education for witnessEducation for witness

• Identity: People sent on a mission (John Identity: People sent on a mission (John 20.21)20.21)

• Given Given foretasteforetaste of salvation of salvation– Actual taste of salvation of future kingdom Actual taste of salvation of future kingdom nownow

– Promise of salvation in Promise of salvation in futurefuture

• Charged to be Charged to be previewspreviews of kingdom of kingdom– Actual footageActual footage– Interest viewer of coming attractionInterest viewer of coming attraction

• All of lifeAll of life

Our Place in the Story: WitnessOur Place in the Story: WitnessThe Spirit thrusts God’s people into worldwide mission.The Spirit thrusts God’s people into worldwide mission.He impels young and old, men and women, He impels young and old, men and women, to go next door and far awayto go next door and far awayinto science and art, media and marketplaceinto science and art, media and marketplacewith the good news of God’s grace. . . . with the good news of God’s grace. . . .

Following the apostles, the church is sent— Following the apostles, the church is sent— sent with the gospel of the kingdom . . .sent with the gospel of the kingdom . . .In a world estranged from God, In a world estranged from God, where millions face confusing choices,where millions face confusing choices,this mission is central to our being . . . this mission is central to our being . . .

The rule of Jesus Christ covers the whole world.The rule of Jesus Christ covers the whole world.To follow this Lord is to serve him everywhere,To follow this Lord is to serve him everywhere,without fitting in, as light in the darkness, without fitting in, as light in the darkness, as salt in a spoiling world. as salt in a spoiling world.

Witness to Lordship of Witness to Lordship of Christ Christ • ‘‘There is no thumb-width of the entire There is no thumb-width of the entire

domain of our human life of which the domain of our human life of which the Christ, the Sovereign over everything Christ, the Sovereign over everything does not proclaim: ‘It is mine!’ (Kuyper)does not proclaim: ‘It is mine!’ (Kuyper)

• ‘‘There is no neutral ground in the There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.’ (CS Lewis)counterclaimed by Satan.’ (CS Lewis)

Creating a home Creating a home environment for Christian environment for Christian educationeducation

•Family worshipFamily worship

Family worship: Sending roots Family worship: Sending roots down into soil of gospeldown into soil of gospel

• Commitment to a timeCommitment to a time

• SingingSinging

Luther composed ‘German psalms for Luther composed ‘German psalms for the people; that is, spiritual songs, the people; that is, spiritual songs, whereby the Word of God may be whereby the Word of God may be kept alive among them by singing.’kept alive among them by singing.’

Family worship: Sending roots Family worship: Sending roots down into soil of gospeldown into soil of gospel

• Commitment to a timeCommitment to a time

• SingingSinging

• ScriptureScripture

• PrayerPrayer

• Catechisms and Contemporary Catechisms and Contemporary TestimonyTestimony

Creating a home Creating a home environment for Christian environment for Christian educationeducation

•Family worshipFamily worship

•Discerning use of technologyDiscerning use of technology

Technological Technological ImpoverishmentImpoverishment

• BoredomBoredom

• Short attention spanShort attention span

• Separation from creation/peopleSeparation from creation/people

• Shaping worldviewShaping worldview

• What can ______ give and what does What can ______ give and what does ____take away?____take away?

Creating a home Creating a home environment for Christian environment for Christian educationeducation

•Family worshipFamily worship

•Discerning use of technologyDiscerning use of technology

•Critical evaluation of cultureCritical evaluation of culture

Critiquing cultural contextCritiquing cultural context

•Develop skepticism toward Develop skepticism toward advertisingadvertising

•Discuss moviesDiscuss movies

•Discuss musicDiscuss music

•Discuss current issues Discuss current issues

Stepping up intentionalityStepping up intentionality

• Exodus of youth from Christian faith Exodus of youth from Christian faith in the Westin the West

• Need for serious intentionality in Need for serious intentionality in nurturing childrennurturing children

• Our families, our future!Our families, our future!

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