Making the Distinction Clear About Christian Education

In many of our Christian schools, parents are members of the church, classroom teachers are professing men and women of God, and students identify as not only “saved” but actively involved in different ministries within the church. Most Christian schools offer Bible classes at every grade level and Chapel Assembly each week. In my experiences, even several academic subjects are taught by Ministers; yet these questions still prevail.

For children, the home and the Church are instrumental in forming the first perspective and mindset about God and His love for us. Although many students in Christian Schools seem to excel academically during their K-12 years and are successfully completing colleges and universities, too often they return with a more secular worldview about life and succumb to the pressures of the world. They too are included in the mental health challenges that have overwhelmed our young adults. According to U.S. government statistics report on the mental health of 18 to 24-year-olds (from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration):

• One out of three 18- to 24-year-olds (33%) has some kind of diagnosable mental disorder
• One out of four (25%) has some kind of anxiety disorder
• One out of five (20%) has a major depressive episode each year
• One out of eight (12%) has serious suicidal thoughts
• Almost three of 10 (30%) suffer from alcohol or drug disorders
• Overall, 50% of college-aged individuals say they often experience feelings of anxiety or depression, fear, or suicidal thoughts.

Parents of Christian students have their own thoughts and expectations regarding Christian education and the school they select. Occasionally, it appears as if they are relying on the Christian school and not themselves to instill beliefs, morals, principles, and values into the students. In a Barna Group and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) Study entitled “What Parents Look for in Christian Schools” (2017), parents outlined a range of priorities that extended far beyond academics and acquiring wealth. The top of the “look for” list included:

• Strong principles and values
• Love for God and people
• Wisdom (ability to apply knowledge)
• Leadership Skills

Today in the United States, Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study indicated that 40% of surveyed parents who are raising students under the age of 18, say they send their kids to religious education. About 42% of those same parents say they pray or read scripture with their child/children (July 2023-March 2024). Among some of their reasons for choosing Christian education were:

• Children are provided a moral and ethical foundation
• Smaller class sizes which enable personalized learning
• Safer environment
• More supportive staff
• Reinforcement of home and church values
• A Biblical worldview curriculum instead of a secular worldview curriculum

Twelve Administrators from 10 member schools in a different qualitative ACSI study (Aug. 2024) shared that faith in Jesus Christ and demonstrated Christian virtue, as well as professional and pedagogical skills, were the top priority when seeking and hiring staff. Parents and Christian educators in these studies seem to assume these qualities are automatically established in Christian educators and schools. The expectation is that parents, educators, and students are living as “true” Bible believing, sanctified, and saved Christians. Parents, administrators, and staff agree that to educate our Christian children we must collectively love and believe in God, have faith in Jesus Christ, and be led by the Holy Spirit in all our ways. With such shared agreement between the Church, home, and school, why do we still have these compelling questions that cannot be ignored? Why does it seem like so many of our Christian students are struggling spiritually?

When I decided to leave public school education to become the principal of my church’s Christian school, I genuinely expected an environment completely different from public schools in every way. I expected the Christian school climate to be totally opposite my public-school experiences. Of course, I expected the Christian staff, Christian parents, and Christian students to be loving, kind, respectful, and friendly. I soon learned that expectations are not reality and staff, parents, and students often do not conform to our expectations.

Since the pandemic, widespread emphasis has been placed on mental health concerns impacting people’s lives. Great strides have been made in establishing programs, school curricular, and various organizations for building resilience, reducing stress, and improving the overall well-being of those struggling to cope. I don’t seek to minimize this work, but as a follower of Jesus Christ I am reminded to rely on the promises of God (Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalms 55:22; Jeremiah 29:11) and the power of the Holy Spirit that lives on the inside of every believer. The Word of God still works!

Christian research has shown that when parents and their community churches are rooted and cemented in the Word of God, as well as in agreement with how children are being taught and raised, children are more engaged and active in the church, volunteering in their communities, and many other areas of family life. “Spiritual development is closely tied to moral development phases,” Evergreen Parenting Course developer Hettie Brittz says. In an interview for the Guiding Children report, she states, “When we as parents demonstrate both God’s justice and his forgiveness in consistent ways… it is the best spiritual gift we can give our children.”

Having Christian parents and attending a great church does not guarantee children will have a deep personal relationship with God the Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Active participation in church alone, will not produce a deeper relationship with God. The Bible teaches that a personal relationship with God begins in the heart of the believer (Deuteronomy 4:29, Matthew 14, Luke 10:27). We must teach our children how to … love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might (Deuteronomy 6:5). An intimate and personal relationship with God comes through spending time with Him through prayer, reading His Word, and obeying His instructions.

In John 17:3, Jesus Himself, prayed that all who would call on His name would come to know Him and the only true God. ³ And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. In the book of Ephesians 1:17, Paul prayed that God would give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. He sought a relationship with God that went beyond having others sharing what they knew about Jesus. In Philippians 3:10 and 3:14, Paul wrote to the Philippian church: ¹⁰ That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; ¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Christian education is about intentionally reflecting the character and conduct of Jesus Christ in every environment and without compromise or apologies. While reading this, you may be asking yourself, “How do we as instructors and administrators help children to have a close and personal relationship with God in the classroom and in the school?” For our children to sincerely embrace a deeper more intimate relationship with God, our own personal relationship with Him must be evident in the home, Church, and school environment. Our demonstrated faith and lifestyles serve as an authentic example and indisputable testament, allowing them to see that a life entrusted to God is far better than anything this world can offer.
Once they see a demonstration of God’s love in the home, Church, and school then the students must get to know the God they will have a relationship with. Reinforcing God’s love and Christian principles during classroom instruction, activities, and assignments allow the students to practice and express what they have been taught and learned.

Several years ago, I taught a second-grade social studies class. Prior to teaching about the Earth, I began the unit with God’s creation found in the book of Genesis. This enabled me to share with the children God’s awesome power and love for mankind. Throughout the entire unit, students were encouraged to marvel at God’s power and His great love for all people in the Earth. When subjects are introduced and taught, a Biblical worldview should be presented first to establish what God’s Word has to say about the matter. Subjects such as math and science should always discuss God’s attention to detail, His instructions to prophets and leaders that demanded order and precision, and the use of numbers and concepts. Science enables students to see the awesomeness of God in so many ways. From the intricacies of the human body to the intelligence of a community of ants, students have an opportunity to learn and get to know the God that created and made them.

In my previous blog entitled, Christian Education Is…(March 2023), I shared my pursuit of distinguishing the difference between Christian and secular education. The obvious difference that Christian education provides is the Biblical knowledge and wisdom that encourages Godly application of Christian values, beliefs, and spiritual principles. However, I also recognized that,

Academic success will assist our students in making a living; however, Spiritual success will enable our children to have a life worth living.

References

Barna. (2020, January, 30).
58% of Highly Engaged Christian Parents Choose a Church with Their Kids in Mind. https://www.barna.com/research/children-church-home/

Religious Landscape Study. (2025, February, 26).
Decline of Christianity in the U.S. Has Slowed, May Have Leveled Off
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in-the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/

Johnson, A., Djita, R.R. & Swaner, L.E. Christian school leaders’ perspectives on identifying and hiring high-quality teachers. j. relig. educ. 72, 183–201 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-024-00233-4

Barna. (2017, August, 22).
What Parents Look for in Christian Schools
https://www.barna.com/research/parents-look-christian-schools/