SBC Exodus Mandate

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Go Voddie, Go!

I think the Exodus movement is right on track.

There, that out to stir the pot.
 
Most of the Christians I know send their kids to public schools. Most of the Christians I know are unbelievably nearsighted.

They are so enmeshed with American culture that something seems almost cultish if it is out of the cultural norm... They site ridiculous things like the "illustration" of a corn stalk that is raised doors, if later replanted outside it will not survive, as supposed proof of how homeschooling doesn't prepare kids for life in the real world, etc...


And this is why the vast majority of evangelicals I know send their kids to public schools: they're modern Americans, first and foremost.

I'm not talking about people who for some reason have circumstances which make any other option excessively burdensome, I'm talking about people who just blindly go with the culture and look with suspicion on those who don't.
 
Speaking on the topic of decadent fashions, students with hair dyed (colors which are normally only seen on a tropical fish), teenage girls that dress like hookers (wearing less than what a silk worm could knock out on his lunch break), tattoos and body piercings (that suggest they are consorting with the Marquis de Sad), or the fruit of the PS system.

R.J. Rushdoony said the following, "All too many churchmen view the undisciplined and amoral products of statist education as evidences of the failures of these schools. On the contrary, they are evidences of their success." :amen:

**quote from Bruce Shortt's book, The Harsh Truth About Public Schools

They produced what they set out to produce, seculiar humanists.
 
Most of the Christians I know send their kids to public schools. Most of the Christians I know are unbelievably nearsighted.

They are so enmeshed with American culture that something seems almost cultish if it is out of the cultural norm... They site ridiculous things like the "illustration" of a corn stalk that is raised doors, if later replanted outside it will not survive, as supposed proof of how homeschooling doesn't prepare kids for life in the real world, etc...


And this is why the vast majority of evangelicals I know send their kids to public schools: they're modern Americans, first and foremost.

I'm not talking about people who for some reason have circumstances which make any other option excessively burdensome, I'm talking about people who just blindly go with the culture and look with suspicion on those who don't.


You have hit the nail on the head. It reminds me of the old question, "Does a fish know that he is wet?" I have a lot of friends that are in the same boat. They have no idea what is going on. The sad part is I don't know how many times I have seen these very same people broken hearted that their children have gone astray and even then they don't understand that they were part of the problem. I guess I should clarify that I am not picking on these people, often they are people that I dearly love. I do not believe in kicking people while they are down, but loving them.
 
Speaking on the topic of decadent fashions, students with hair dyed (colors which are normally only seen on a tropical fish), teenage girls that dress like hookers (wearing less than what a silk worm could knock out on his lunch break), tattoos and body piercings (that suggest they are consorting with the Marquis de Sad), or the fruit of the PS system.

R.J. Rushdoony said the following, "All too many churchmen view the undisciplined and amoral products of statist education as evidences of the failures of these schools. On the contrary, they are evidences of their success." :amen:

**quote from Bruce Shortt's book, The Harsh Truth About Public Schools

They produced what they set out to produce, seculiar humanists.



I wondered why that book was not on my bookshelf, dear.
 
Speaking on the topic of decadent fashions, students with hair dyed (colors which are normally only seen on a tropical fish), teenage girls that dress like hookers (wearing less than what a silk worm could knock out on his lunch break), tattoos and body piercings (that suggest they are consorting with the Marquis de Sad), or the fruit of the PS system.

R.J. Rushdoony said the following, "All too many churchmen view the undisciplined and amoral products of statist education as evidences of the failures of these schools. On the contrary, they are evidences of their success." :amen:

**quote from Bruce Shortt's book, The Harsh Truth About Public Schools

They produced what they set out to produce, seculiar humanists.

Another Rushdoony fan! :up: We are silver subscribers to his mp3 messages on Chalcedon. They are such a blessing. :)
 
I am just frustrated that there are not more schools sponsored by reformed churches. The only Christian school we have here that goes through 12th grade is supposedly non-denominational, but it is at a pentecostal church and the principal goes to a charismatic church. It has other weaknesses as well. The public schools are not an option because we already tried that with the older two and learned that it was not a good idea. So the youngest goes to a charter school that was started by Christians, and it at least has discipline, a dress code, good academics, and many Christians on staff. I am sorry to say that it is a better school than the local Christian school.
 
I am just frustrated that there are not more schools sponsored by reformed churches. The only Christian school we have here that goes through 12th grade is supposedly non-denominational, but it is at a pentecostal church and the principal goes to a charismatic church. It has other weaknesses as well. The public schools are not an option because we already tried that with the older two and learned that it was not a good idea. So the youngest goes to a charter school that was started by Christians, and it at least has discipline, a dress code, good academics, and many Christians on staff. I am sorry to say that it is a better school than the local Christian school.

Some of it is due to the mentality described by Ben and others above and the failure of churches to step up to the plate. But many who favor homeschool (I don't know the %) are against Christian schools almost as much as they are against public schools due to opposition to age segregation and in my opinion a misapplication of Deuteronomy 6.
 
AMEN....

Makes no sense to try to live for God and then daily send your children down into Egypt!

My pet peeve is naive parents who speak of their children becoming "little missionaries" to their secular public schools. Usually the only livesbeing "reached" and "changed" are these kids who fall away from the teachings of their parents.
 
Most of the Christians I know send their kids to public schools. Most of the Christians I know are unbelievably nearsighted.

They are so enmeshed with American culture that something seems almost cultish if it is out of the cultural norm... They site ridiculous things like the "illustration" of a corn stalk that is raised doors, if later replanted outside it will not survive, as supposed proof of how homeschooling doesn't prepare kids for life in the real world, etc...


And this is why the vast majority of evangelicals I know send their kids to public schools: they're modern Americans, first and foremost.

I'm not talking about people who for some reason have circumstances which make any other option excessively burdensome, I'm talking about people who just blindly go with the culture and look with suspicion on those who don't.

My only caveat to this is that there are some who have precious little choice (all to the discredit of the church).

When my first wife died, I was well off enough that I could send my children to a private Christian school ... the salary I earned was substantial, and while we did have some life insurance, I was somewhat in debt from three and a half years of cancer treatments that were not all covered by insurance (even 20% of $1 million dollars is a lot of money). The bills were paid, and my children went to a Christian school.

If I had not been as well employed, they would have had to go to public schools. There are women that home schooled their children but then as widows have little to no income. With little to put on the table, and *inexpensive* Christian schools costing $5000 to $6000 dollars a year, it could easily become impossible for a woman to do anything other than send her children to public school.

In my instance, God provided another helper suitable for this widower. Jean even today home schools my 16 year-old son while watching the younger two. (She is a woman worthy of praise in many ways ... I am twice blessed by God!)

Not all in this life have such a blessed providence (from our "under the sun" point of view). For them, I cry out ... have mercy on the widow and orphan. Do not neglect them.
 
Most of the Christians I know send their kids to public schools. Most of the Christians I know are unbelievably nearsighted.

They are so enmeshed with American culture that something seems almost cultish if it is out of the cultural norm... They site ridiculous things like the "illustration" of a corn stalk that is raised doors, if later replanted outside it will not survive, as supposed proof of how homeschooling doesn't prepare kids for life in the real world, etc...


And this is why the vast majority of evangelicals I know send their kids to public schools: they're modern Americans, first and foremost.

I'm not talking about people who for some reason have circumstances which make any other option excessively burdensome, I'm talking about people who just blindly go with the culture and look with suspicion on those who don't.

My only caveat to this is that there are some who have precious little choice (all to the discredit of the church).

When my first wife died, I was well off enough that I could send my children to a private Christian school ... the salary I earned was substantial, and while we did have some life insurance, I was somewhat in debt from three and a half years of cancer treatments that were not all covered by insurance (even 20% of $1 million dollars is a lot of money). The bills were paid, and my children went to a Christian school.

If I had not been as well employed, they would have had to go to public schools. There are women that home schooled their children but then as widows have little to no income. With little to put on the table, and *inexpensive* Christian schools costing $5000 to $6000 dollars a year, it could easily become impossible for a woman to do anything other than send her children to public school.

In my instance, God provided another helper suitable for this widower. Jean even today home schools my 16 year-old son while watching the younger two. (She is a woman worthy of praise in many ways ... I am twice blessed by God!)

Not all in this life have such a blessed providence (from our "under the sun" point of view). For them, I cry out ... have mercy on the widow and orphan. Do not neglect them.

in my opinion it is high time that churches step up and start helping families, whether it is single moms or dads, "true religion is to take care of widows and orphans." One example of those who could help out are the elderly in our churches, unfortunately most of the baby boomers think that it is their God given right to spend their golden years running out the clock on a golf course or in their RV. They could be spending their time enjoying the blessings of serving the body of Christ by coming alongside these parents and helping disciple these children.
 
A thought: what will those of you who agree with Mr. Baucham do about all the Public School teachers & administrators in your churches? What tools will you give the parents with a less than stellar academic history (the ones who graduated with minimal ability to read write and figger themselves) to teach their kids inbetween jobs # 1, 2 & 3 (for both parents)?:oops:
 
“I can see little consistency in a type of Christian activity which preaches the gospel on the street corners and at the ends of the earth but neglects the children of the covenant by abandoning them to a cold and unbelieving secularism.” - Machen
 
A thought: what will those of you who agree with Mr. Baucham do about all the Public School teachers & administrators in your churches?

I have close friends that are public school (high school) teachers and still educate their children at home.

For some reason that post struck me as funny. It made me think of a Ford dealership owner who drives a Chevrolet.

Question I've heard asked by some people at church who would like to homeschool their kids but don't have the time, What church resources can help with this? How do we get the church as a group to help those who would like to, but cannot due to financial obligations? I was thinking along the lines of a "Reformation Club", but instead a "Homeschooler's Club", where those who can help out those who can't. Anybody know of any organizations or resources like this?
 
A thought: what will those of you who agree with Mr. Baucham do about all the Public School teachers & administrators in your churches? What tools will you give the parents with a less than stellar academic history (the ones who graduated with minimal ability to read write and figger themselves) to teach their kids inbetween jobs # 1, 2 & 3 (for both parents)?:oops:

Actually, there have been several studies proving that the level of education the parents received had little to no effect on how well the children do. There are many cases where a woman with no more than a high-school degree had better educated children than a couple with several PhD degrees between them! Basically, the success of children in school is related to the amount of time and energy put into it by the parents. :graduate:

Also, as regards the public school workers. As much as I loved being homeschooled, homeschooling is not for everyone. I plan on doing it with my kids, but some people don't have the resources necessary. A large scale exodus from public schools would require the creation of many new private Christian schools. Why not invite those teachers who are qualified to teach at the Christian schools? :2cents:
 
A thought: what will those of you who agree with Mr. Baucham do about all the Public School teachers & administrators in your churches? What tools will you give the parents with a less than stellar academic history (the ones who graduated with minimal ability to read write and figger themselves) to teach their kids inbetween jobs # 1, 2 & 3 (for both parents)?:oops:

Ben already addressed this, but I'd like to add some to it. It is a mistake to think that you must be an academic to be a good home educator. I know families in which both parents are high school drop outs that have educated children at home that now are in very high level post graduate programs. I also know of several other families in which the parents are only marginally 'educated' and have done phenomenal jobs home schooling their children. It is also wrong to see that the goal of home education is to create scholars. It is not. The primary goal is to create solid disciples of Jesus Christ. The secondary goal is academics. And, it should also be noted that not every child is equipped to be a scholar. Some are more gifted toward trades. The public school system fails these children almost completely.

Add to this that the vast majority of modern education, both public and private, is geared toward teaching children facts rather than teaching them to learn. This is woefully evident in the universities of our nation. That trend of education style has been adopted by most universities as well. In universities where critical thinking and rhetorical skills are demanded is a severe wake up call for most students. My father can tell you story after story of people who were honors students from respected secondary schools who upon entering college were unable to form and articulate logical reason in writing. I remember when I was a tutor in the writing lab while in college that one of my students was a Senior business major. He had been an honours student in high school and carried a 3.97 GPA to that point in college. He was taking a sophomore level rhetoric course that was a graduation requirement for all students. (He had somehow not been enrolled in the class at the proper time in his studies.) He was failing the class. He was unable to put together a cogent paragraph. His grammar was flawless. His reasoning was atrocious. He admitted one day that he had never had to do any writing during his entire education from 10th grade until that moment. Every test he had taken was a Scantron.

He was not the only case that was in that boat either.
 
The biggest disadvantage I can think of with homeschooling is that homeschooled kids tend to be more nervous about socializing with strangers--maybe a good thing, maybe not. I know I was terribly introverted until I attended college, and most of my brothers are the same way.

However, this disadvantage is considerably outweighed by the fact that we as homeschoolers are leagues ahead of our contemporaries in the public school. My social deficiencies were (partly) remedied during my college years; I'm much better about speaking with strangers, which is nice when it comes to evangelism. :)
 
There are Christian homeschool curricula on CD's. Switched-on-Schoolhouse starts at grade 3 (or at least it did when I bought the CD's). There are on-line Christian high schools. Obviously, CD's and on-line education are not ideal, but they are far better than losing one's children to secular humanism. Even a full-time employed parent can put in 2 hours daily on weekdays to supervise such a program.
 
There are Christian homeschool curricula on CD's. Switched-on-Schoolhouse starts at grade 3 (or at least it did when I bought the CD's). There are on-line Christian high schools. Obviously, CD's and on-line education are not ideal, but they are far better than losing one's children to secular humanism. Even a full-time employed parent can put in 2 hours daily on weekdays to supervise such a program.

Sounds like a perfect way for other church families to help out as well.
 
The biggest disadvantage I can think of with homeschooling is that homeschooled kids tend to be more nervous about socializing with strangers--maybe a good thing, maybe not. I know I was terribly introverted until I attended college, and most of my brothers are the same way.

However, this disadvantage is considerably outweighed by the fact that we as homeschoolers are leagues ahead of our contemporaries in the public school. My social deficiencies were (partly) remedied during my college years; I'm much better about speaking with strangers, which is nice when it comes to evangelism. :)

That may have been your case, but it is not the case of any homeschooled children that I know, save one family that hold to a very strange mixture of anabaptist and messianic Christianity and have chosen to be reclusive. And, I know a LOT. They are the most socially well adjusted children and young adults that I have ever seen. The relate very well to others of all ages. That is more advantageous than being lumped into a room of age peers and learning to only relate to them.
 
The biggest disadvantage I can think of with homeschooling is that homeschooled kids tend to be more nervous about socializing with strangers--maybe a good thing, maybe not. I know I was terribly introverted until I attended college, and most of my brothers are the same way.

However, this disadvantage is considerably outweighed by the fact that we as homeschoolers are leagues ahead of our contemporaries in the public school. My social deficiencies were (partly) remedied during my college years; I'm much better about speaking with strangers, which is nice when it comes to evangelism. :)

That may have been your case, but it is not the case of any homeschooled children that I know, save one family that hold to a very strange mixture of anabaptist and messianic Christianity and have chosen to be reclusive. And, I know a LOT. They are the most socially well adjusted children and young adults that I have ever seen. The relate very well to others of all ages. That is more advantageous than being lumped into a room of age peers and learning to only relate to them.

:ditto:
 
The biggest disadvantage I can think of with homeschooling is that homeschooled kids tend to be more nervous about socializing with strangers--maybe a good thing, maybe not. I know I was terribly introverted until I attended college, and most of my brothers are the same way.

However, this disadvantage is considerably outweighed by the fact that we as homeschoolers are leagues ahead of our contemporaries in the public school. My social deficiencies were (partly) remedied during my college years; I'm much better about speaking with strangers, which is nice when it comes to evangelism. :)

That may have been your case, but it is not the case of any homeschooled children that I know, save one family that hold to a very strange mixture of anabaptist and messianic Christianity and have chosen to be reclusive. And, I know a LOT. They are the most socially well adjusted children and young adults that I have ever seen. The relate very well to others of all ages. That is more advantageous than being lumped into a room of age peers and learning to only relate to them.

:amen: My "Thank you" button is gone thanks to all these great posts lately! :)
 
A thought: what will those of you who agree with Mr. Baucham do about all the Public School teachers & administrators in your churches? What tools will you give the parents with a less than stellar academic history (the ones who graduated with minimal ability to read write and figger themselves) to teach their kids inbetween jobs # 1, 2 & 3 (for both parents)?:oops:

I have to walk a tight line on this one. As a pastor of a mainline congregation, we have several teachers in the congregation from the local school district and almost all of our families are in local public schools. Yet, my family has decided to use our home as our childrens' school. We are using the Pennsylvania state-approved curriculum K-12, but we did pull our daughter out of the local school.

I have to be honest in my interactions with others in the church: I am a strong advocate of the home school, yet there are most parents in the congregation that are either not ready to hear this or are unable to do so. So, imperfect as it is, I take the goal of humble, respectful modeling of how we can choose to depart from the culture's expected model of how children are to be raised.

Being prideful or argumentative, or choosing to lecture other families on this sensitive issue does not seem to be fruitful to me. I take the path of example and let people ask me when they are curious as to why my household has chosen to be strange.
 
I know with our children, we have the opposite problem with socialization. Ours tend to be overly friendly. I have to keep reminding them sometime they shouldn't talk to strangers. However, I do know some families, dispensationalist, who believe that God has called them to hide out in a hole, hold hands, and sing the old Tim McGraw song, "Don't take the... Mark":lol:
 
Speaking on the topic of decadent fashions, students with hair dyed (colors which are normally only seen on a tropical fish), teenage girls that dress like hookers (wearing less than what a silk worm could knock out on his lunch break), tattoos and body piercings (that suggest they are consorting with the Marquis de Sad), or the fruit of the PS system.

R.J. Rushdoony said the following, "All too many churchmen view the undisciplined and amoral products of statist education as evidences of the failures of these schools. On the contrary, they are evidences of their success." :amen:

**quote from Bruce Shortt's book, The Harsh Truth About Public Schools

They produced what they set out to produce, seculiar humanists.

It really is a shame that the American Church has flat out ignored what R.J. Rushdoony was preaching 40 years ago. The man was nearly 100% right in forecasting what would become of the Church.
 
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