A Response

Joseph Backholm’s article “Why Every Church Should Start a Christian School” is a must-read for all Christians. He shares some alarming statistics that should make us question the manner in which we are educating our children. A few important highlights:

1. “Today, though 70 percent of Americans claim to be Christians, 90 percent send their kids to public schools,” (paragraph 9).

2. “Over the last decade, the number of Protestants declined 15 percent and the number of Catholics declined 12 percent, while the “nones” grew 70 percent—from 12 percent of the population to 17 percent in 2019. That’s an additional 30 million people who now claim no religious faith. Of those, 78 percent grew up in the church. The church is losing its own kids,” (paragraph 12).

3. A 2015 study of high school students found that 90% of students from Christian homes did not have a biblical worldview, but rather had a worldview of secular humanism. (paragraph 21)

4. “Almost half of millennial Christians believe it is at least somewhat wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith,” (paragraph 24).

5. “We cannot offset 35 hours a week in a secular culture with 90 minutes on Sunday,” (paragraph 42).

These statistics bring to light many of the issues in our current education system and in the church as a whole. While the article is an excellent read, Backholm does miss one incredibly vital issue- reclaiming the education of our children begins in the home.

Churches should start Christian schools. But a parent who takes their children out of the public system only to put them in a Christian school and remains absent is still missing the most crucial role God has given them. Simply put- education begins in the home.

The public school system, Sunday School, and even the church are not responsible for raising children. Only parents have been granted such a responsibility. The church is meant to come alongside parents and help parents, but parents are ultimately responsible for their children (Deut. 6:4-9 and Eph. 4:11-16).

With this being said, I’d encourage you to consider a few points.

1. Is God the Lord of your life? If your children don’t see you loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, how can you expect them to do so?

2. Do you model for your children a designated quiet time or reading of Scripture? If your children don’t see you valuing time in the Word, how can you expect them to desire time in the Word?

3. Do you prioritize education at home? Do you sit and talk with your children about what they learn in whatever school they attend? If in the evenings, they see you’d rather just watch TV or scroll on your favorite social media platform than invest time in their lives, how can you expect them to want to get off TikTok?

At Fellowship Church, we desire to partner with parents. Our goal is to help you fear God. Through your fear of God, you can raise your children to love and know Him (Proverbs 1:7).

To learn more about Fellowship Academy, visit our website: www.fellowshipacademy.co/info.

Deniece Giovinazzo

Headmaster | Fellowship Academy