I believe in homeschooling--I’m against Christian school and public school, but there’s a movement out there where homeschooling has become like a religion for some people. When parents go overboard in the area of homeschooling it can scare people off, whether it be unsaved people or other Christians. Homeschooling is a means to an end. It’s how we educate our children, but it shouldn’t be all we talk about. When people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m a pastor. I don’t introduce myself as a “homeschool dad.”
One of the gurus of the overboard-on-homeschooling movement is Michael Pearl who is famous for his parenting book, “To Train up a Child.” People who have read the book have actually abused their children to the point of killing them! The reason the book is so dangerous is that Pearl is basically telling people to expect total obedience from their children. This is unrealistic and leads to excessive punishment. He teaches the same garbage as Paul Washer about Romans 7. He twists the scripture and believes that our nature is to do right. I believe in spanking, obviously, but I recognize the sinful nature of man and therefore do not expect perfection from my children.
Not only does Pearl teach false doctrine and a fatally flawed philosophy about discipline, but he, and others like him, encourage a very slow-paced lifestyle that revolves around homeschooling. Yes, your wife ought to get through the curriculum and provide a quality education for the children, but we also need to be involved in church “so much the more as ye see the day approaching.” The Michael Pearls of this world give homeschoolers a bad name to the point where our fellow fundamental Baptists assume we are isolationists or something.
Yes, we homeschool, but our life centers around church. We still believe in “three to thrive.” I realize we are all spread thin at times, but we need to be careful to have the right priorities. It would be better for your child if your family made it to the Wednesday night service of a fundamental Baptist Church even if that means skipping the violin lessons. I am not saying we should neglect our own families for the sake of the ministry, but we should not spend all of our time on childrearing either.
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MIGHT HAVE THE PREEMMENENCE.” Colossians 1:18
I’m sick and tired of hearing these homeschoolers who live in Phoenix, Arizona, talk about how conservative they are, when they go to a church that’s not KJV only and doesn’t have soul-winning. There’s just no excuse for that in Phoenix! If that’s you, get your butt into a fundamental Baptist church with a leather-lunged preacher, and start soul-winning. Keep homeschooling your children, but realize that they learn a lot by example. You think just because you are homeschooling, you are raising a godly family? What about the family down the street that’s going to hell!? Hopefully, your children will grow up to be godly adults, but what are YOU going to accomplish for the Lord today?
Here is a sermon to go with this article.
8 comments:
Too late for me to homeschool my kids, each now with MBA's and thoroughly imbedded in the rat race, but I wish I could do it all over, as the old lament goes. You're doing the right thing in homeschooling yours, no doubt.
Never homeschooled my daughters. One is a doctor and one is an engineer. They turned out fantastic. And I'm sure many homeschooling children turn out great as well.
Thank you for this post. I read Michael Pearl and his book wasn't bad. It's a book that needs to be read in it's entirety, and not just briefly skimmed, or summarised from other people's reviews on Amazon. Most of these reviewers have not read the book.
He doesn't advocate child abuse at all. He teaches a lot on spending time with your children, building relationships and nuturing them as well as disciplining them. He does teach first time obedience, and says we should expect it. He teaches that if a parent is consistent with first time obedience training, then we would expect to discipline less.
Those parent that killed their child and are blaming the book, could just as easily blame the book of Proverbs if they wanted to. His concepts come straight out of it.
As for homeschooling, I meet the basic state needs for documentation. My focus is on getting them to read and learn maths. Once reading is mastered I encourage and expect them to become independent learners rather than spoon feed them. This is the most efficient way.
But yes you are correct that people take Romans 7 out of context. And it's a shame.
That picture says it all! Lol
I did not home school my son either. He graduated in 8th in his high school class of over 400 students and graduated from college Suma Cum Laude with a 3.9 GPA. He is currently employed full time making close to $70,000 per year (to start) and pursuing his Master's degree. He was one of very few students in the church we attended that went to a public school.
In the same boat.
Do you think spanking a 19 year old that still lives at home is appropriate?
Good advice. Homeschooling seems to be becoming a competitive sport.
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