Christian Education Defined (pt.4)

Epistemology

Knowledge. How can something thought to be an absolute be portrayed in so many various ways by teachers who are “committed” to giving the truth for the students to learn? Once again, the answer lies in one's philosophy of education. The teacher is in many ways similar to an editor for the news media: he must decide what is to be taught and what must be left alone. Just as important is the level of emphasis placed on the topics that are taught.

Not only is knowledge often threatened by its presentation, but also by its perception. What forms true knowledge? First of all, the Christian must place the Bible and its accounts as absolute, inerrant truth. Neither personal preference nor current theology can be allowed to determine what is Biblical truth. Bible history and prophecy can both be taught as absolute knowledge because of their ultimate author, God, Himself.

Perhaps the two areas of classroom study in which know­ledge has been maligned the most are Math and English. Rules that govern these areas have been discarded by modern educators for a number of reasons, one of which proves the anti-Christian philosophy of secular education. In relation to human nature the Bible and most intellectuals disagree and this spills over into the classroom. Just as man's sinful human nature is inclined to sin,  ignore God, and live in disorder and rebellion (Proverbs 17:11),  so is academics, man tries to please himself and seem well off” by ignoring rules. The Pragmatist believes that truth is truth only as long as it works; therefore, as man becomes less in tune with an absolute God, many guidelines in life are eliminated because modern man cannot work within the context of “old-fashioned” rules (Mullenix 13 February 1990).

How one teaches history, especially government, also demands on his perception of truth. The highpoint of history is not American independence, but the cross of Calvary; the key figure in history is Jesus Christ.

Government and the Christian is an interesting study. I believe that the Christian must refrain from teaching the “advantages” of a democracy. In a democracy, each person does what he feels is right, as seen in Judges 2:11 and throughout the Bible; always it leads to trouble. The Bible does not necessarily condone a specific form of government (except theocracy), but the example in the personal life is that of a master and servant (Baker 1979, 38).

Science is a friend of Christianity that has in recent years been turned into a foe because many scientists try to dis­prove the Bible. True science and the Bible will never disagree, so the Christian educator need not be afraid of science. Evolution can be believed only if the Bible is rejected as truth. As a Christian, I firmly believe in the Biblical account of creation.

With all of the different interpretations of knowledge, how should a Christian educator decide what merits his time? He cannot rely on the title or the style of textbook, he must judge all by the Word of God.

Christian Education Defined (pt.3)

Philosophy of Christian Education, con't.

Metaphysics

Metaphysics is the philosophical term used to incorporate all that is considered to be real. Throughout history the two primary sides in the debate of metaphysics have been on opposite extremes.

Idealists believe that in its most basic sense, the nature of reality is spiritual instead of physical (Mullenix 30 January 1990). They place the emphasis on what we think we see, not on what we see. Because the mental is more real that the material, idealists believe that the purpose of education is to induce greater harmony between the student and the spiritual, or as they prefer, the universe (Oryshkewych 1966, 90). The chief problem with this is that, even if the teacher has a proper concept of the spiritual realm, and that is not very often the case, the education has little or no practical value.

The opposing viewpoint belongs to the realists, who believe that the physical world is all that really matters. There have been variant forms of realism throughout history, but as a rule they are persuaded that what can be seen is truth. Usually they rely on either reason or experience or observation and testing to determine what is to be considered part of reality. Because God cannot be observed or physically experienced, He is not believed to exist. In education, science is stressed as a way to discover what is real. This type of education would tend to lead the students to materialism and a here-and-now mentality because of observation and experience.

Neither idealism nor realism is the proper approach for the Christian educator. I believe that the Bible clearly teaches that both realms, the spiritual and the physical are a part of reality, as such.  John 4:24 says that “God is a spirit;” and therefore, the spiritual must exist because the infallible Word of God simply assumes that He is. God, nor the human writers, felt as if they had to prove His existence. Genesis 1:1 proclaims that God created the physical world as we know it: both worlds, spiritual and physical in one verse.

There are many similar examples of this fact found through­out the Bible. Just a few are the act of salvation, the indwelling of the believer by the Holy Spirit, and the believer's home in heaven, as we cannot see heaven, but we know it exists.

Just as the Christian’s view of metaphysics differs from that of everyone around him, so his view of metaphysics relation to education is different also. I believe that the chief difference between Christian education and public education is the handling of God; is He exalted as Colossians 1:18 commands, or is He ignored as secular humanism demands? A Christian school that is Christian in nature as well as name ought teach the truths of God with all the emphasis of the normal academic subjects. God, creation, salvation, all must be taught as truth in a Christian school, because the Bible gives them as truth, not theory. Above all, the Christian must realize that the Scriptures provide ultimate truth, not reason, experience, observation, or experimentation.

Enjoying the Walk

Grilling outdoors. Relaxing in the calm, cool evening. Reflecting on the enduring goodness of God. It is absolutely beyond my comprehension how much God loves me and cares for me. He has given me a wonderful family, the opportunity to minister with great co-laborers in two locations over almost twenty years. I have friends scattered around the country (some even in other countries). God has given us His Word to read and study so that we might better know who He is and what He expects of us. We have the Spirit, the Comforter, to instruct us as we walk through life.

The family, both immediate and extended, that I have been blessed with is wonderful beyond description. I have a wife that far exceeds anything I could have ever desired. My children, though not perfect, have grown and matured so much in the last couple of years. They are both good students, involved in numerous activites. My parents and in-laws are wonderful people that love God and seek to please Him. There is nothing more I could ask for.

It may not be Thanksgiving, but I am surely thankful my family. God has so greatly blessed and continues to do so. It truly is a wonderful God that I serve.

Mother's Day

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Exodus 20:12


God has been so very good to me. He has given me both a mother and a mother-in-law that are worthy of honor. My life has been greatly influenced by these two wonderful ladies. Both of them take the talents that God has given them and use those gifts to be a blessing to others. Whether it is at the sewing machine, in the kitchen, or elsewhere, they have helped teach me how to use my gifts and talents for others. I truly feel blessed to have the families that I have; the Christian heritage established by my families, and especially by my mother and my mother-in-law, is a heritage that I can look at and see God working through others. I can use that model as an example for service and as an illustration to teach my children.


I am thankful for both of my moms. May God richly bless you as you have been a blessing to so many others.

Senior Trip, 2011

Well, another senior trip has come and gone. We left for the Wilds Christian Camp in Rosman, NC at 4 a.m. on Apr 18. We spent 3+ days at the Wilds. The kids had a great week involved in a variety of activities, spending time with kids from across the country and Puerto Rico. On Wed, we went whitewater rafting. That was a blast! While the activites were great, the preaching was even better. If someone was willing to allow God to speak, He was ready to be heard.

We left to return home Thur night and then traveled through the night, arriving home around 11:30 a.m. Fri.

We left again at 6:30 a.m. on Sat to spend the day in DC. The ENTIRE day.
We arrived back at home at 1:05 a.m. While in DC, we visited the Old Post Office Pavilion (and clock tower), Ford's Theater (1 act play), Union Station, Archives, Chinatown, American History Museum, Natural History Museum, and Pentagon City Mall. We finished with a late dinner at Red, Hot, & Blue - a Memphis-style BBQ place. It was a full day, but a great day. God gave great weather and allowed an enjoyable time for the senior class.

Walking at 100 mph

What a weekend. Justin and I went to the Nascar Sprint Cup race in Martinsville, VA on April, 3. The trip was Justin's birthday present for his 16th birthday. We left mid-morning on Saturday and pulled back into the driveway at 11:30 Sunday night. We covered some miles and had a great time together. We have been to races before, but neither of us had been to a short track for a Nascar race before this trip. After a brief moment of reflection, it was decided that I will make this trip again sometime. It was a blast.

Probably the best part of the weekend was the many ways that we saw God meet needs and provide.
(1) Only a few days prior to the trip, the weather report was calling for rain. We had bright, sunny skies until we were within 100 miles of home.

(2) We had absolutely NO traffic problems at all, going or coming. There is a section of I-81 in VA that is undergoing major construction, but there were no delays on the weekend. We arrived at the track without sitting in traffic. We found parking with no trouble close to the track. After the race, we had a short walk to the van, were allowed into the traffic line quickly and began the slow drive to the highway. Once there, we had quick travel toward home. I have spent hours in traffic at other races.

(3) We were able to see and do practically everything we wanted. Our seats were great, allowing viewing of the entire track. We had plenty of time to wander around the souvenir trailers. We had passes to go out on the front straight and watch cars finish inspection and then get rolled onto the starting grid. We were able to see part of Speed Channel's pre-race show live and we saw part of Fox Sport's pre-race show being broadcast live. We even tried the "famous" Martinsville hot dog.

(4) We spent significantly less than I expected. First, Martinsville offers a special deal to encourage kids (0-16) to attend. Justin's race ticket was all of $10, allowing me to get seats a touch higher in the stands and still spend less than at other tracks. The race tickets for both of us were less than what I usually spend for one ticket at other Cup races. The tickets and the track passes totaled less than 2 tickets at other events. Too cool. Also, the van ran great and actually got almost 23 mph. The hotel in Roanoke was inexpensive, but only 1 hour from the track. It cost me $75 less than a hotel in Martinsville would have. Overall, the price was right.

(5) We saw a great race. It had action throughout, especially if you were able to see the track and were not locked into watching one car at a time. My race scanner allowed us to listen in and hear some of what was happening. We had all of the items needed to watch and hear the race. I did not need to purchase anything as far as equipment. We have all that we need.

God was so very good. We had a wonderful, memorable weekend with much time together. The highlight of the entire weekend was having the opportunity to spend time with my son. It was a blast to have the weekend "alone" with him. He is growing up and developing into a fine young man, even if he does cheer for Jeff Gordon. I guess I will allow him that one issue to deal with. I simply rejoice in the goodness and graciousness of God to me and my family.

Walking Forward, Looking Back

As I was reading in Philippians 1 this morning, I was reminded about God's faithfulness in accomplishing in us the work that He calls us to do. Paul was facing a variety of challenges, not all of which were bad. In some cases he was faced with two seemingly good choices, yet decisions needed to be made.

• Early in the passage Paul comments on his prayer for the Philippian believers. He gives thanks to God for them and mentions them often in his prayers. As I read that statement, I was reminded of my need to pray for those who have influenced my life. Though God may have moved me on, my responsibility to pray for them remains unchanged. Paul's prayer included a desire for the church to have a love that grew in knowledge and in judgment. Part of Paul's desire for the believers was that they gain discernment and live a life above reproach.
• Paul makes note of the fact that the same God who calls us enables us. God will not call us to a task without giving us the ability (daily) to complete the task.
•  Paul understood that though he faced many difficulties, those difficulties were all ordained of God and were intended to accomplish a purpose that was the will of God. It was his place to live obediently, not to try to solve the problems.
• Paul dealt with people who sought to serve God and he dealt with people who sought to discredit him; his response was that the gospel was being preached, regardless of the motive of the preacher.
• We need to understand, as Paul did, that this world is not to be our focus and it is not our highest priority. Whether we live or die, we live for Him. What is really important in life? If His will is done, should we not be satisfied?