“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” — Luke 15:4 (NIV)
In this parable, Jesus highlights the value of a single lost soul. His words offer both comfort and conviction to anyone entrusted with spiritual leadership. Yet in our time, we are witnessing a heartbreaking loss.
According to Barna’s research, nearly two-thirds of young adults in the U.S. (ages 18–29) who grew up in the Church have withdrawn from active involvement. This isn’t a minor slip—it’s a generational crisis. It should no longer be controversial to say that the Church’s current approach to discipleship and stewardship of the next generation is failing. In contrast, Classical Conversations reports that over 90% of students whose families participated in a licensed community remain actively involved in their Church after graduation. Church leaders need to come up with a new strategy for stewardship. When I stand before Christ’s judgment seat—the Bema Seat—I will have to answer for many sins, but the reality that 60% or more of our flock is walking away should deeply sober every pastor, church official, seminary leader (James 3:1, ESV), and elder board (Matthew 7:15–20, ESV; Luke 17:2, ESV). Better programming won’t solve this crisis—it requires a holistic rethinking of education itself. An hour on Sunday cannot compete with 35 hours a week in the Church of secular humanism—what we commonly call public school. The Church must champion Christian Education.
Why Christian Education Matters
Christian education is not just about adding Bible classes to a secular curriculum. It’s about forming a consistent, Christ-centered worldview that shapes how children think, live, and relate to the world. As Colossians 2:8 warns, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (NIV)
Efforts to reintroduce prayer into public schools may offer symbolic comfort, but they fail to address the deeper issue: children are being spiritually shaped by a system rooted in secular humanism. Many Christians are unaware that many students once memorized Protestant catechisms in government schools—yet even then, this effort failed to achieve its desired result. The failure wasn’t in content, but in delegation. God never intended the civil government to educate or fund education. That task belongs to families, supported by the Church. As Jesus said in Mark 12:17, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (ESV) The mind and soul belong to God alone.
For too long, church leaders have remained silent on the vital importance of Christian education for Christian children. By embracing an integrated approach to learning, churches can help fulfill Christ’s command in Matthew 22:37 to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (NIV) This means teaching children to honor God not only with their hearts but also with their minds, forming disciples equipped for every aspect of life.
The Church’s Responsibility
God has long called the Church to come alongside families as they raise their children in the faith. In our time, that calling must include a clear understanding of education’s powerful role in shaping hearts and minds. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 makes this responsibility unmistakable: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (ESV)
Instead, churches should guide their congregations toward a comprehensive approach to education—one that reflects the wisdom of Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (ESV), and upholds the command of Ephesians 6:4, which instructs parents to “…bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (ESV)
Five Ways Your Church Can Champion Christian Education and Homeschooling
Establish Education Scholarship Funds
Churches can establish dedicated scholarship funds to help families access Christian education. This practical step reflects the spirit of the early Church, which prioritized meeting the needs within the body of Christ. As Acts 4:34–35 recounts: “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” (ESV)
The scholarship fund reflects the spirit of 2 Corinthians 9:7, which teaches that “…God loves a cheerful giver.” (ESV) It opens the door for the congregation to joyfully invest in the spiritual formation of the next generation. Unlike compulsory taxation, this kind of giving springs from love, not obligation.
Open Church Facilities to Educational Uses
Many churches have buildings that sit empty during the week, spaces full of untapped potential. Church leadership can transform the facilities into vibrant hubs for homeschool co-ops, Classical Conversations communities, tutoring programs, or even full Christian schools, where faith and learning flourish side by side.
This vision reflects 1 Peter 4:10: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (ESV)
Partner with Existing Christian Schools
Churches can forge intentional partnerships with local Christian schools, building spiritually enriching and mutually supportive relationships. This spirit of collaboration echoes Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (ESV), which emphasizes the Body of Christ working together in unity, each part contributing its unique gift.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us that “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” (ESV)
Serve Homeschooling Families Through Relationships
Churches can become vibrant support centers for homeschooling families by offering co-op classes, sharing educational resources, and fostering mentorship. This support honors the call in Galatians 6:2 to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (ESV)
Titus 2:3-4 calls older women to “…teach what is good, and so train the young women…” (ESV), providing a beautiful model for how experienced members of the Church can walk alongside and encourage homeschooling parents in their calling.
Educate the Congregation on Educational Options
Churches can inspire and equip families by hosting informational sessions that explore Christian education options. Hosea 4:6 warns, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (KJV), reminding us how critical it is that families understand the choices before them.
Proverbs 15:22 adds, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed” (ESV), emphasizing the Church’s unique role in guiding families with wisdom and encouragement as they seek to honor God in their educational decisions.
Why This Is Good Stewardship
Supporting Christian education is a powerful expression of faithful stewardship, and it blesses the Church in lasting ways:
First, it affirms that children are among the most precious treasures God entrusts to His people. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus declares, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (ESV)
Second, it reinforces the biblical order: parents are the primary educators, and the Church supports them in that calling. Psalm 78:5–7 outlines this multi-generational vision—where parents teach their children so that even future generations “set their hope in God and not forget the works of God” (ESV).
Third, it creates harmony between the faith children hear on Sundays and the worldview they engage with throughout the week. This coherence fulfills Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21 “that they may all be one…” (ESV) and guards against the confusion that comes from conflicting worldviews.
Finally, supporting Christian education invests in the local Church and the broader kingdom of God. Malachi 2:15 reminds us that God desires “godly offspring” (KJV). The Church must embrace its role in forming them. After all, pews aren’t empty because we lack children—but because we allowed them to be shaped elsewhere, spending 35 hours a week in the “Church of Secular Humanism” for every one hour they spent in ours.
Conclusion
The Church has a profound opportunity and a sacred responsibility to champion Christian education as an essential expression of discipleship. Through financial support, shared spaces, or educational partnerships, churches can equip families to nurture their children in a way that shapes both soul and mind for the glory of God.
This commitment isn’t merely about preserving cultural Christianity or political values—it’s about embracing the Great Commission to “…make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV) who know, love, and serve God with their whole beings. As Joshua boldly declared, “…As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15, KJV). By investing in Christian education, churches are equipping the family to fulfill this sacred commitment, living out that same resolve with clarity, courage, and conviction.
Scripture Usage Notice
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version. Public domain.
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