The Vision of Christian Education

In our society parents are expected to consider so many important factors when choosing a school for their children.

  • Location and transport are obvious ones.
  • Are there opportunities for sport, or creative expression in drama, music, art.
  • Can a school be too big or too small?
  • What are the class sizes, teacher qualifications, facilities and use of technology?
  • Is there a caring atmosphere?
  • What are the costs including uniforms, camps and excursions?
  • Are there enough electives?
  • Will my child do well enough academically for university and career choices?
  • Will they make good friends?

These are all important considerations. Yet the founders of many Christian schools felt these were not the most important factors. They opened their Bibles…

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Letting their children be conformed to this society’s patterns of life through school was not something these parents wanted. They understood the powerful role schools have. Schools help children decide what is and is not important. At home these parents taught their children their beliefs, values, and how they saw the world around them. Yet this was on occasions being undermined in the classrooms. Most of all Christian parents were concerned they were not fulfilling their responsibility to raise their children. Instead they were entrusting their children into the care of people who saw life and the world very differently. The founders chose to create new communities of partnership between parents and Christian teachers. They desired a partnership where Jesus Christ, God, and the Bible, as well as their own role as parents, would be honoured.

They wanted their children to both recognise and discover God in every aspect of life. Christianity for them was not something limited to Sundays, the home or church. It impacted every area of their life. When asked “why have Christian schools” the simple answer was, and still is, we want our children to be taught the truth. Apostle John said of his spiritual children, 3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”