Fourteen years ago, a study by America’s Research Group revealed that the church was losing an entire generation. The basis of this conclusion came from studying 1000 young adults in their twenties who no longer attended church after consistent attendance in their younger years. The details of this study can be found in Already Gone: Why Your Kids Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It (Master Books, 2009).
A June 2023 study of adult churchgoers by the Barna Group shows that less than half of church attenders believe the basic doctrines. If a child’s greatest influence is their parents, how will this generation develop a biblical worldview, live with a focus on eternity, or grow up to fulfill the Great Commission?
According to Barna, a child’s worldview is substantially established by age 13 or grade 7. Without passing on a living faith in the basic doctrines, how will families succeed in discipling their most valuable treasure – their children? How can they fulfill God’s command to teach them diligently (Deuteronomy 6:7-9)?
The Impact of Education & Need for #ProBible Curriculum
Every education comes with a worldview. What is the impact of your child’s current education and its philosophy on their faith in God and desire to follow His Word? Will the worldview of those choosing their curriculum ensure or diminish their ability to trust in the One true God?
With a master’s degree and 13 years of experience, John Stamper left his dream job of coach and teacher because his Christian values conflicted with what he was expected to teach his students. In his book, Conflicted: Pulling Back the Curtain on Public Education (Master Books 2023), Stamper sounds the alarm to parents and teachers revealing the destructive ideologies influencing students today.
In a recent podcast interview, Dr. Jason Lisle – Christian apologetics author and founder of the Biblical Science Institute, shared these thoughts on the dire need for a biblical worldview of education.
“The most important thing you can teach a child is to understand the Bible, to have respect for it and to obey God, to repent of your sins and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. It is not an academic game for me. Souls are on the line.”
“We are NOT to embrace educational systems that are contrary to God's Word."
"Education is supposed to be training people to think in a way that is consistent with God's character and act in a way that is consistent with God's character."
"Know the risks of having a Chrisitan homeschool curriculum that does not honor God as He truly is."
"Public schools teach that God is irrelevant to knowledge."
Do you agree with these statements? When evaluating the worldview of your child’s curriculum, what have you found?
"Every subject should be rooted in the character of God."
Family Discipleship and a Firm Foundation of Faith
A parent’s choice to intentionally disciple their children will greatly impact the child’s worldview and how they influence their own generation. Consider the global and generational influence of the apostle Paul’s letters to the churches. Think of eternal consequences of the work of Billy Graham and Corrie Ten Boom. While their work was very different, the outcome of their commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ is immeasurable.
While your parenting role may seem much smaller than the work of the great missionaries in Christian history, your decisions based on your own worldview will bear fruit for generations. Your choice to disciple your family could have an amazing impact on heaven and earth in the same way that the young boys’ offering of his loaves and fishes fed thousands of people. (John 6:1-14) His sacrifice is known all over the world today.
The vital knowledge of biblical doctrines Barna referred to in his research are the basics of what Christians have held true throughout history. They were written by leaders of the faith to help Christ followers cling to the authority of God’s Word and to avoid the pitfalls of believing heresies promoted within the church.
You can create a firm foundation for your family’s faith in the God they read about in the Bible. Foundations in Faith (Master Books, 2023), authored by author and speaker - Israel Wayne, is a unique curriculum designed to teach Bible doctrine to teens and preteens. As a Christian parent, you can renew your mind with these biblical truths while teaching them to your children.
Foundational Truths: A Modern Catechism (Master Books, 2023), also written by Israel Wayne, is designed to impart the fundamental teachings of God’s Word through a question-and-answer format. Structured into 52 weekly lessons, this resource aims to equip you to live a deeper life with God every single day. It is versatile and can be used by individuals, families, study groups, and more.
Master Books, a #ProBible book and homeschool curriculum publisher, is dedicated to helping families trust the Word of God as the ultimate authority, know Jesus as Savior, and share the gospel. Discover additional biblical educational tools and resources to help your family build a life of faith at MasterBooks.com.
