Introduction to homeschooling,

Christian parents are seeing more and more their responsibility to nurture and strengthen their children in the safety and shelter of the home until the child has gained enough strength and Godly knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to be able to stand alone.

For some, it may be at age 12, for others at age 18. Our children need to be trained for the most hazardous, exacting calling of all - being ambassadors for Christ.

What is your reason for home schooling your child?

Is it any of the following?..........

Everyone around me is doing it.
I feel guilty leaving her in school so many hours of the day.
I can't afford a Christian school but don't want her in a public school environment.
I want my child to excel scholastically above her peers.
I am dissatisfied with the public schools.
It sounds interesting and I just want to try it for a year.

Or, is it a personal conviction and you believe it to be the best you can offer your child?

We need to understand why we want to teach our own children so that when family and friends challenge our beliefs we know what we believe and will not be shaken. It is important to educate ourselves as to what the Lord requires of us as Christian parents. Many of us don't feel qualified. What qualifies us? Do we need a teaching credential to teach our children?

The first requirement is the genuine conviction and desire to teach our own children. Thereafter, the Lord will guide you as you seek Him first. The Lord is the Master teacher. He will give you wisdom, and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)

Remember that nobody knows your child like you do - not even the most educated teacher. As Christian parents we are directly responsible to teach our children our family values. What are your family values?

Let's produce Godly character in our children. Let's love, nurture and protect them. Let's teach them servanthood, obedience, respect, and Christ-likeness. This can be accomplished as it becomes a priority for us above all else for our children.

Therefore, the goal of education is to "bring…every thought to the obedience of Christ (1 Cor. 10:5). The goal is to cause the Christian child to be growing in grace and the knowledge of Christ, pursuing Godliness of character and action (1 Tim. 3:17), and preparing him to exercise that knowledge in service (1 Chr. 28:9). Academics really should be secondary to Godly character values, but nonetheless we do gain dominion over all disciplines in order to bring glory to God the creator of disciplines. When you know where you are going (Godliness of character and action), you can decide how far you have to go to get there. Whatever is lacking in the student's character according to the Scriptures is where you need to begin.

The Bible says to train up a child in the ways of the Lord and when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

"And these words which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently unto 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 up" (Deut. 6:6-9)