In every ministry that I’ve had a part of we’ve had a Christian School. These schools have ranged in size, from less than 30 students to over 1200 students. They have ranged in philosophy, from a very closed local church enrollment, open only to the members of local church that the Christian school was a ministry of; to a very open enrollment with the idea of the Christian School being an outreach ministry. Without a doubt, the Christian School movement is not what it was 20 years ago. Like the bus ministry, it has seen better days. Every church isn’t starting one like they were back then. Someone told me a while back, if you want to get back at a preacher and make his life really tough, all you have to do is get him to start a Christian School. I believe that to be true. So why have a Christian School? What are they really for anyway? What can one do anyway? Do we need them?

Why have a Christian School? If we have a Christian School because we want it to produce a church full of kids on fire for God, we are in for disappointment. I have to say I get a little exasperated when critics of the Christian School attack its validity because of kids who come out of them, who don’t love the Lord. Christian Schools cannot replace Christian homes. Backslidden carnal parents will have backslidden carnal kids. Even if those kids are in Christian Schools. It’s not the absence of the world that makes a great Christian! It’s the presence of God on them that makes the difference! Does our Christian School reinforce the doctrine and convictions of our local church? It should! Perhaps a great deal of the disappointment surrounding the Christian School is related to false expectations. God didn’t intend a school to replace a mom and a dad.

The Scriptures teach us to count the cost before going into battle. What’s it going to cost to have a Christian School? It will probably cost several good families, a lot of peace, and much time and effort that could be spent evangelizing our communities and building our churches. Yet the Public School system is full of more hell and wickedness than it’s ever been. Violence, drug use and open immorality are rampant in the government school system. I cannot imagine sending my kids to that system for 35 hours a week. I don’t want my daughters going to Sodom to be hit on. I don’t want my boys going to a school filled with flesh and wickedness. If we needed Christian Schools 25 years ago when it was popular to start one, think of how much more we need them now! It’ll cost a lot in many ways to have a Christian School, but I believe we need them. God help us to understand their purpose and potential.