The Value of Christian Education

Why would I encourage a student who is a believer to enroll in a Christian education institution?

(1) Gospel-Centeredness

The gospel is the most powerful and transformational message that is continually given to the students

There is no more powerful or transformational truth than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:16

Romans 1:16 KJV 1900

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Why?

In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed: “…we could say that the righteousness of God is his saving action whereby he brings people into a right relationship with himself….” [Kruse, C. G. (2012). Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (D. A. Carson, Ed.) (p. 71). Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England; Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.]

The Saving Message of the Gospel

The Sanctifying Message of the Gospel

Colossians 1:5-6

The Separating Message of the Gospel

Many institutions and organizations are performance driven, but a Christian student should enroll here because we are a gospel-centered.

The implications of a gospel-identity are important for several reasons:

A gospel-identity frees a student to obey the policy and not to find his/her identity in compliance A gospel-identity frees a student to excel academically and not to find his/her identity in a grade A gospel-identity frees a student to perform athletically and not to find his/her identity in athletic accomplishment.

(2) Scriptural-foundation

The scripture is foundational for the school and are the most powerful writings without exception.

Let me first address what this does NOT mean:

This does not mean that every rule in the policy & procedure manual will be found in the scriptures.

This does not mean that since the school is using the scriptures, you don’t have to teach my children - how to live those out.

Why should this value matter to a believer, and how is MCS different regarding the scriptures than other Christian schools?

(I) This value should matter to believers because the scriptures are instrumental in the salvation of souls. II Timothy 3:14

(ii) The redemptive perspective of the scriptures helps to prevent from chunking the scriptures into independent parts that lead to moral imperative weights.

(iii) The Cristocentric interpretation gives hope to Christians that they are able to abide by rules that are set.

While there are Christians institutions who will see the scriptures as one big narrative, this particular point of the Christocentric interpretation is often overlooked or not applied. Luke 24:25 - 27. The moral imperatives of the scriptures are given to point us to God’s holiness, man’s inability, Christ’s fulfillment, and the believer’s enablement.

(3) Biblical Worldview

The biblical worldview establishes the paradigm for all of life [paradigm - a way of seeing based on implicit or explicit rules that shape one’s perspective] [Boa, Conformed to His Image, 60]

Boa, “Our presuppositions shape our perspective, our perspectives shapes our priorities, and priorities shape our practice.” [Ibid, 55]

(a) A solid point of reference for morality

Three dominant world views:

Material (naturalism, atheism, humanism) - Luke 12:20 Spiritual (pantheism, transcendentalism...etc) - Colossians 1:15, 22, 2:8-9, 18 Theism (Creator, creation...etc) - Colossians 1:15 - 16 The point here is that God is the Creator and is the fixed point of reference for what is real. God has revealed Himself in Christ:

This brings eternal stability for students/parents. (especially in a world that is constantly changing).

(b) A picture of man that is consistent with experience

What does this include?

Man’s greatness

Genesis 1:26 Man is created in the image of God

Man’s smallness

Psalm 8 Man is relatively puny compared to the amazing creation of God

Blaise Pascal said, “Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed. The entire universe need not arm itself to crush him. A vapor, a drop of water, suffices to kill him. But, if the universe were to crush him, man would still be more noble than that which killed him, because he knows that he dies and the advantage which the universe has one him; the universe knows nothing of this.” [Boa, Conformed to His Image, p. 28]

(c) A redemptive hope for mankind

A biblical worldview that calls us to consider mankind in light of God leads to a right kind of self-love

Thus,

(1) The picture of man in a biblical worldview is that he is both great and small

(2) The picture of man in a biblical worldview is that man is in need of God’s grace

(3) The picture of man in a biblical worldview is that God’s grace both humbles and elevates man in Jesus Christ

(4) The picture of man in a biblical worldview is that the identity he has in Christ Jesus is superior to all other identities [only accomplished by receiving Jesus Christ].

(5) The picture of man in a biblical worldview is that the self-love is based upon who God says he[man] is in Christ.

(d) A temporal versus eternal paradigm

[Boa, Conformed to His Image, p. 62] A.W. Tozer said, “The days of the years of our lives are few, and swifter than a weaver’s shuttle. Life is a short and fevered rehearsal for a concert we cannot stay to give. Just when we appear to have attained some proficiency we are forced to lay our instruments down. There is simply not time enough to think, to become, to perform what the constitution of our natures indicates we are capable of.”

Lastly, the biblical worldview calls us to accept that there are two value systems and to live by one of these value systems. The two value systems are the temporal value system and the eternal value system.

Psalm 90, Isaiah 40:6 - 8, James 4:14 are passages that confirm the eternal versus the temporal. How is MCS different from other Christian institutions in emphasizing value systems? There are five areas which we will focus on:

(1) Pleasure - Psalm 16:11

Psalm 16:11 KJV 1900

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

(2) Recognition & Approval - Galatians 1:10.

Galatians 1:10 KJV 1900

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

(3) Popularity - Luke 16:15, I Thessalonians 2:5-6 [Boa, Ibid, p. 66] “Today’s sensation becomes tomorrows irrelevance.” Rather than seeking accolades, we are called to service.

Luke 16:15 KJV 1900

15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:5–6 KJV 1900

5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: 6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

(4) Wealth & Status - [Boa, Ibid, p. 66-67] C.S. Lewis wrote, “Prosperity knits a man to the World. He feels that he is ‘finding his place in it,’ while really it is finding its place in him. His increasing reputation, his widening circle of acquaintances, his sense of importance, the growing pressure of absorbing and agreeable work, build up in him a sense of being really at home in earth.” - Luke 12:16 - 23

Luke 12:16–23 KJV 1900

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

(5) Power - Mark 10:41 - 45 The eternal value system is one that promotes humility in recognition of the mighty hand of God. I Peter 5:6 - 7.

Mark 10:41–45 KJV 1900

41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

(4) Consistent Christian Influence

The consistent influence of confessing believers

How do you begin to quantify the importance of consistent Christian influence? Why would this make MCS to be distinct from other local private schools? In order to answer this question, we will take a fly over of I Corinthians 15:33 which says, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

1 Corinthians 15:33 KJV 1900

33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

(a) If Jesus bodily rose from the dead, then God does care how we use our bodies

The exhortation then is that we see the bodily resurrection as that which calls us to yield our bodies for the express purpose of the moral good of others....

(b) Christians have a moral obligation to spread the gospel:

(c) Consistent Christian influence is about the kind of influence that leads to good habits/morals/ethics.

Consistent Christian influence is influence the informs and shapes the beliefs of the students

Consistent Christian influence is influence that calls a student to belief in the supremacy of

Christ Consistent Christian influence is influence that connects good morals/habits with the power of the Resurrection

[In this context, is continually showing how what Christ has done is sufficient and has physical, bodily implications for Christians.]

Imperative: In the end, consistent Christian influence is a reminder to the teachers/leaders that their inner man needs to be growing in Christ; and you must take heed to care for your souls.

(5) Missional Influence

(LOCAL CHURCH ATTACHMENT) - commanded to be missional

Teachers are cultivating them to be more like Christ so that their entire life is one of evangelism.

In like manner, it is critical that we have a clear target. While we know that the purpose of each student is to glorify God, we also know that there are legs on this race that present goals until our lives are concluded. One of these legs is the fact that God intends that the church/believers are missional. It is your privilege as teachers to see that one of these goals is that there is a consistent missional influence.

What is means to be “missional”

So what exactly do I mean by “missional”? Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson defined the term:

In its simplest form, the term “missional” is the noun “missionary” modified to be an adjective. Missional churches do what missionaries do, regardless of the context. . . . If they do what missionaries do— study and learn language, become a part of the culture, proclaim the good news, be the presence of Christ, and contextualize biblical life and church for that culture— they are missional churches. [Reid, Alvin. Evangelism Handbook (p. 6). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.]

Missional believers, missional institutions focus as much or more outside of their institution as they do inwardly.

(a) our view of scripture influences our understanding of what it means to be missional (Example: of Rahab versus Achan)

(b) our view of Christ influences our understanding of what it means to be missional

Practically:

(i) Intentional Community Involvement - looking for opportunities to live, speak, and demonstrate Christ in the community.

We don’t just want to be known as a Christian school who paints walls, but we should be known as a Christian school who is on mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

(ii) Contextual Communication - looking and learning the most effective ways to communicate the gospel to those they serve.

(iii) Purposeful Evangelism - not compromising the opportunity to share the gospel because of the means. Always looking towards the ultimate goal.

Recap:

(1) Gospel Centeredness

(2) Scriptural Foundation

(3) Biblical Worldview

(4) Christian Influence

(5) Missional Influence