This is a foundational question that demands an answer. Organizations are complex entities with moving and disparate parts. Schools are no exception. Facilities, insurance, safety, technology, admissions, marketing, communications, and development are all essential functions of school operations, and I have yet to even mention academics.

Each department of the school must be aligned toward a singular purpose, what we call the school’s mission. This mission must answer the question: What is the goal of school education?

To consider a response, let us turn to philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff (b. 1932), whom I have interacted with in the past here. In 1992, Christian Schools International (CSI) invited Wolterstorff to deliver the keynote address at the organization’s inaugural international conference. Although the assigned topic for his session was curriculum, the philosopher made the case that in order to make good decisions about educational content, one must first be clear on the aim of the educational process. What are we trying to accomplish? Or, what is the goal of school education?

In this article, I will explore Nicholas Wolterstorff’s observation that there are four approaches to answering this question that are vying for first place in the American educational scene. Although he made this observation over thirty years ago, I believe there is relevance to his analysis today. In order to teach with an aim that is thoroughly Christian, we must be cognizant of competing approaches, and ultimately adopt a framework grounded in biblical theology and shaped by the classical Christian tradition.

The Socialization Approach

The first approach, according to Wolterstorff, is the socialization view, according to which “the fundamental goal of school education is to enable and dispose the student to occupy effectively some combination of approved social roles” (Educating for Life, Baker Academic, 2002, p. 260). These roles typically fall within the range of economical to political. The result is a graduate prepared to function and contribute as a member of society within these spheres.

One example of the economic socialization approach would be author Horatio Alger (1832-1899). An American fiction writer from the 19th century, Alger championed the “rags to riches” genre in which hard-working youths earned access to the security of the middle class. The vision of the good portrayed in Alger’s stories is economic stability. Alternatively, a political socialization approach is exemplified through the writings of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). Like his fellow Founding Fathers, Jefferson heralded democracy as the best political system and that this system could only prevail through an educated citizenry. 

In both examples, the goal of school education is to prepare the individual to successfully inhabit respectable social roles.

The Acculturation Approach

The acculturation approach to defining the goal of school education emphasizes the transmission of one’s cultural inheritance. Those who subscribe to this view assume that “immersing the student in the cultural heritage will imbue him or her with certain fundamental values” (260). For example, teaching Shakespearen plays will promote particular cultural values about the complexities of relationship, love, duty, and courage. Likewise, sharing with students the fascinating life story of Galileo will inspire them with values of scientific inquiry, observational discovery, and the courage to stand up for truth even in the face of punishment. 

A lead exponent of this approach would be Allan Bloom (1930-1992), a classicist and champion of Great Books from the University of Chicago. In The Closing of the American Mind (Simon and Schuster, 1987), Bloom argues that relativism in higher education was disabling students from thinking critically. His solution is to ground moral education in western civilization’s foundational texts, thereby shaping students with the ability to think critically and pursue objective truth.

The Individualization Approach

The third approach is the individualization view, which holds that the goal of school education is the development of the individual. The idea here is that the individual, not society and not one’s cultural heritage, is the ultimate good. Inspired by the Romanticism of the 19th century, the emphasis of the individualist approach is to equip each individual to express herself in a way that is true to who she is inside. 

It should be no surprise to anyone that this view is alive and well today. Though not featured as prominently in education circles per se, it is impossible to escape American culture’s emphasis on the individual. Flowing downstream from this emphasis, the goal of school education becomes to promote the growth of each individual student and steamroll inhibitions to this growth. 

Perhaps the preeminent figure of this approach is Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), a precursor of Romanticism. In Emile, Rousseau spells out his views on education through the fictional upbringing of an aristocratic boy named Emile. Emile is raised in accordance with his developing mind rather than through a standard educational process. The idea here is that a child is basically good and perfected through nature. The chief obstacle to this development is society, which must therefore be kept at bay through a child’s developmental years. 

The Social Criticism Approach

The final approach to answering the question, “What is the goal of school education?”, is what Wolterstorff identifies as the social criticism approach, which holds that the goal is to teach students to be critics of society when it fails to live up to ethical ideals of justice, peace, love, compassion, and democracy. Now, with current news headlines about the ideologization of education through critical theory, it is interesting to note that Wolterstorff observed the emergence of this approach over 30 years ago.

While there is clearly a leftist bent to the social criticism aim of education, which primarily conceives of reality in terms of matrices of power, it is worth clarifying that social critique in itself is not inherently marxist. The British abolitionist William Wilberforce, for example, made it his life’s ambition to improve the moral climate of Victorian English society and bring the Trans-Atlantic slave trade to an end. Likewise, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., famously led the American civil rights movement, referring often to scripture in his efforts to correct the injustice and inequality present in American society in the mid 20th century. 

The difference between the beliefs of these two men and critical theorists today is fundamentally a clash in worldview. Whereas Wilberforce and King believed in objective truth grounded in God’s very existence, postmodern critical theory abandons the possibility of objective truth, reducing all developments in society to a struggle for power.

Which Approach? What Goal?

Interestingly, I see elements of all four approaches in classical Christian education circles today. The socialization approach is present when we hearken back to classical antiquity and the idea of preparing future citizens and statesmen. The acculturation approach is present when we speak about seeking to preserve and pass on the treasures of western civilization. The individualization approach is at work when we seek to cultivate wisdom, virtue, and a love of learning in each student, instilling them with habits and knowledge that will enable them to thrive as individuals. And the social criticism approach is at work when we talk as Christians about impacting the world for Christ, equipping our graduates to pursue professions that will enable them to promote a free and flourishing society. 

Wolterstorff himself admits that Christian education is not a species of any of the approaches above (261). He writes,

The Christian vision, by contrast, sees the human good as achieved only by the right ordering of our relationships–with God, with society, with nature, with the legacy of human culture, and yes, with oneself…Christian education is inspired by the vision of development, healing, and delight in all these relationships.

Educating for Life (Baker Academic, 2002), 262.

Education for a New Community

In the Bible, we see relationships at the center of God’s creative act as well as the primary victim in humanity’s Fall. In the early chapters of Genesis, God commands both plants and animals alike to be fruitful and multiply on the earth. When we read “Let the earth sprout,” “Let the waters swarm,” and “Let the earth bring forth,” we get the sense that God’s newly created world is intended to be a home for life, relationship, and community. Like a family on moving day, there is a sense of joyful urgency to move in and fill the place up, as family members look forward to making new memories together.

When we read about the creation of humanity, we see a similar mandate to be fruitful and multiply with the added instructions to exercise dominion over creation, both creatures and plant life. Adam himself is given the task of naming the animals, that is, to implement meaningful differentiation between the creatures to make it possible to live in community. God even uses His own breath to give life to Adam, an intimate move to be sure, as he becomes a living creature. Soon after, God creates Eve from Adam for “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18). Simply put, activity of relationship and community is all over the place in the earliest days of God’s newly created world.

Soon after, however, the Fall dismantles this community, disrupting relationships between God, humanity, and creation. Adam and Eve are commanded to leave the garden, the home within the home, signifying a new post-fall era of broken relationship and homelessness. The remaining corpus of scripture points to this post-fall reality and the redemptive intervention of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ to repair this ruin and restore these relationships. The first step of repair occurs between God and humanity as atonement and forgiveness of sin is provided, followed by a subsequent movement of repair regarding human relationships and a renewed sense of caring for creation. The church is the seedling of this new community, a small glimpse of what life under God’s rule is like, albeit only a foretaste of the perfection to come.

Conclusion

This all leads me to suggest that the proper goal of school education, from a classical Christian education perspective, is to support the church in its calling to live out its identity as the people of God, seeking to bring healing and restoration to broken relationships through the gospel of Jesus Christ. To achieve this goal, society must be governed and well-supported (the socialization approach), the best of cultural heritages must be carried forward (the acculturation approach), individuals must receive intentional discipling (the individualization approach), and society ills must be combated (the social criticism approach). 

This pluriform goal of school education requires educators to make use of all resources available to them, both in terms of breadth of curriculum and scope in historical development. Modern education’s prioritization on the practical for future job security simply will not suffice in the light of the aims above. Nor will its preoccupation with the here and now at the expense of teaching the great wisdom of the past. Thus, my thesis: a truly Christian goal of school education will be cognizant of the varying approaches described in this article, while utilizing a framework grounded in biblical theology and shaped by Christian tradition.

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“Child,” said Aslan, in a gentler voice than he had yet used, “perhaps you do not see quite as well as you think. But the first step is to remember. Repeat to me, in order, the four signs.”

Teaching a Bible lesson can be a teacher’s most intimidating class of the day. On the one hand, the biblical text is probably quite familiar, leading to great confidence. But on the other hand, the weight of the responsibility–teaching truths from the Word of God to children–can be overwhelming. 

One cannot help but think of Jesus’ caution in the Gospel of Matthew: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). Or, consider the warning from James’ letter: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).

The Bible is clear that teaching is a high office, and that teaching children is especially weighty. When it comes to teaching the Bible itself, teachers ought to take special care that their lessons are reverent, edifying, and biblically supportive. One way they can do so is through the teaching tool of narration.

In this article, I will offer four types of emphasis a teacher can make when designing a Bible lesson and then walk through how a teacher can use narration to cultivate reverence for holy scripture in students and unlock opportunities for students to encounter biblical truth for themselves.

Four Emphases of a Bible Lesson

In my experience, there are four general types of emphasis a teacher can take when designing a Bible lesson. These four are: Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, Spiritual Formation, and Discipleship. It is worth pointing out that these emphases are not mutually exclusive, and there is overlap between the categories. But as a teacher plans a Bible lesson, my encouragement is to choose one or two of the emphases rather than try to cover all four every time.

Here are brief descriptions of each:

Biblical Studies

The purpose of a lesson focused on biblical studies is to help a student grow in his or her understanding of how to uncover the original meaning of a text, what biblical scholars call exegesis. The tools at hands are word studies, historical-cultural backgrounds, literary elements, and more. These lessons will elevate a student’s biblical literacy and enable them to approach the biblical text with care for what the author was originally trying to communicate.

Theological Studies

A theology-focused Bible lesson moves at a quicker pace through the exegetical work of biblical studies in order to lead students to reflect theologically on the passage. What does the text teach or imply about our understanding of God, creation, and humanity? These lessons may underscore classical doctrines like God’s triune nature and the hypostatic union of Christ. Or they may broaden a student’s canonical understanding of scripture: how all the books of the Bible fit within a single narrative of God’s providential action throughout history. 

Spiritual Formation

A lesson with spiritual formation aims is interested in helping shape a student’s spiritual life and relationship with God. As God granted young King Solomon with a discerning mind (literally a “hearing heart”), this approach to scripture develops in students a a sensitivity to the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. Through discussions on the character of God and prayerful readings of scripture (e.g. lectio divina), teachers can help foster an intimacy with their Heavenly Father. We want students to know God personally, not simply know about Him propositionally.

Discipleship

Finally, a Bible lesson with a discipleship emphasis focuses on the practical application of being a follower of Jesus. To be a disciple is to be a student, sitting under the instruction of a teacher. For Christians, our teacher is Jesus himself and we are called to submit our lives to His instruction and authority. Christian discipleship is, therefore, the goal of putting all of life’s challenges, doubts, decisions, and relationships under the lordship of Christ. 

How do you know which emphasis or emphases to use when teaching a Bible lesson? It primarily depends on the biblical passage the class is studying. Some passages require more biblical studies setup in order for students to understand the original meaning of the text. Others lend themselves more toward the practical application aims of discipleship. 

Secondarily, it depends on the sort of balance you aim to strike as a teacher. As you create your pacing chart for the year and map out units of lesson plans, analyze the frequency of the four emphases. If you notice that you tend to focus on the practical, balance out your plans with a word study or theological discussion. If you can feel that your lessons have been overly academic, create a lesson in which students reflect in a prayerful reflection exercise. 

Elements of a Narration-Based Bible Lesson

With these four emphases of a Bible lesson in mind, let us now examine how we might teach a Bible lesson using narration. As Jason here at Educational Renaissance puts it in A Classical Guide to Narration (Circe Institute, 2020), narration, simply put, is “a teaching practice in which students are asked to communicate back the substance of content they have learned” (11). It has two core components: the exposure of students to content and the students’ narration of that content.

When a teacher commits to teaching the Bible using narration, she ought to include some core elements. These elements can be found in Charlotte Mason’s writings, especially in Part 5 of Home Education, as well as in other places. In what follows, I will distill the core elements of using narration when teaching Bible based on Charlotte Mason’s writings and my experience using the tool myself in the classroom.

Text in the Center

The first element of a narration-based Bible lesson is to keep the text in the center. So often in education today, lessons are child-centered (what does the child want to learn?) or teacher-centered (what do I want to teach?). But a narration-based lesson is ultimately about the text. What does the text say and how can I help my students walk away with a greater understanding of what it means? Additionally, how can my students walk away with an affinity toward the text in a way they previously did not? In order for narration to be used, both teacher and student most approach the text with an attitude of reverence and willingness to hear.

A Strategic Setup

As one plans a text-centered, narration-based Bible lesson, the next key element to consider is how to prepare students to narrate the text as fluently as possibly. This will vary greatly depending on the biblical passage being studied. As I prepare to teach a Bible lesson, I often ask myself, “What road blocks do I anticipate might get in the way of a student narrating smoothly?” Here the emphasis on biblical studies described above can be helpful. As biblical scholars will tell you, there is distance between the Bible, as a collection of ancient documents, and our 21st century vantage point. In order to bridge the gap, consider these questions as you plan your pre-narration setup:

• What words or phrases can I define that are essential to the passage’s meaning?
• What assumptions does the biblical author make about what the reader may know or believe?
• Would a map be useful to put a concrete picture before students of geographical locations referenced in the passage?
• What characters need introducing? What other literary techniques are being deployed that could help a student latch on to the text better?

It is also important to note that one need not limit their setup to an emphasis on biblical studies. There are other setup questions one can ask that prepare students for an enthusiastic encounter with the text so that students are “animated by expectation,” as Charlotte Mason puts it. For example:

• What theological ideas do you plan to draw out later on in the class discussion?
• What current events or topics that students are dealing with will be directly addressed by the passage?
• How can I set a tone for the reading that will prepare students for a spiritual encounter with God through the reading of the text?

A Dramatic Reading

A third key element for a narration-based Bible lesson is a dramatic, or intentional, reading of the text. By ‘intentional’ I mean a deliberate attempt to read the text in a way that will capture the attention of students while faithfully convening the meaning of the passage. I use the word ‘intentional’ rather than ‘enthusiastic’ because not all biblical passages ought to be read with high energy or cadence. But they should all be read with intentionality in order to match their voice to the drama of the text. When a passage is read well, students tend to be much more engaged and then go on to narrate with heightened lucidity. It is worth noting here the rich history of public readings of scripture, especially in pre-literate cultures. When students read the Bible aloud with reverence and drama, they are participating in a perennial traditional of the church.

A High Expectation of Telling

A fourth key element for the lesson is a high expectation for the narration itself. What I have found fascinating over the years is the relationship between quality narrations and classroom culture. When teachers have no or low expectations for what their students can actually narrate, the lesson can fall flat on its face. To set up a passage strategically and then read it with flair, only to see students tell back very little, is deflating. In order to avoid this problem, communicate clearly your expectations for the narration: details, author’s vocabulary, accurate order of events, etc. Then, when engaged in the narration exercise, do not settle for less than your students’ best. “What else?”, I can often be overheard asking when teaching using narration. Why? Because I know my students are capable and believe there is more that they know and remember if simply given the opportunity to stretch.

A Discussion and Response

Finally, in a narration-based Bible lesson, the narration is the climax of the lesson, but it is not the ending. Students narrate the text in order to assimilate the knowledge, to make it a part of themselves, if you will. But once the knowledge is assimilated, the question becomes “How should we respond?”. One idea is to draw out a moral or spiritual principle from the text for class discussion. This allows students to really chew on the knowledge and make connections. Another is to take the opportunity for students to transcribe a particularly beautiful passage in their journals. I have also seen teachers lead students to create intricate illustrations from a biblical scene of say, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, or produce a hand-drawn map of Abram’s journey from Ur to Canaan. The opportunities for students to interact with the text are practically endless and allow them to connect the knowledge they narrated with other facets of their education.

Conclusion

I began this article with a quotation from the Narnian Chronicles. In The Silver Chair, Aslan, the Great Lion, calls Jill Pole out of our world in order to complete an important task to save Narnia. Aslan gives Jill four signs that she is to follow in order to successfully complete her assigned task. Jill’s initial response to the information is one of hubris: “Thank you very much. I see.” Aslan, in his wisdom, however, perceives the actual limits of Jill’s understanding and proceeds to use a form of narration to teach her.

The point is this: So often in Bible classes, teachers put together great lessons and share wise insights with their students, but in doing so, they fail to give students the opportunity to see for themselves. Through the teaching tool of narration, teachers can empower students to encounter biblical truth for themselves through assimilating the knowledge of God’s Word and then engaging with it through deep interaction, all under the wise tutelage of the teacher.

As the church continues to navigate passing on the faith to the next generation in a growingly post-Christian world, narration can be a valuable tool for engendering reverence, intimacy, and the prospect of “true sight” in our students.

If you were inspired by this article, you can go deeper by registering for Kolby Atchison’s upcoming live webinar, Teaching a Narration-Based Bible Lesson, on Monday, April 24 at 4:00 PM (Central) live on Zoom.

Gain practical skills to help your students flourish in their study of God’s Word. You will have the opportunity to ask questions as you aim to implement narration in your own Bible lessons.

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With the widespread availability of public education over the last hundred years, the conventional option for some time now has been public schooling. Here the cost for admission is free and the overall education they receive is, generally speaking, adequate. However, more recently, some parents have developed concerns about this option as secular and progressive principles have increased prominently within state legislation. For example, the Illinois State Board of Education recently passed rules requiring teachers to align their lessons with “culturally responsive” standards, some of these standards pertaining to gender identity and sexual ethics. Nevertheless, the low-cost and ease of enrollment, as well as strategic opportunities for Christian witness, keep it a popular option.

A second option, which has gained momentum over the last 60 years or so, is Christian schooling. Here students receive, again, a generally speaking, adequate education, but with a Christian worldview injected into the curriculum and Christian teachers in the classroom. In recent times, a classical form of this education is growing, with its focus on the cultivation of virtue through a liberal arts curriculum. While the cost of tuition is a deterrent for some families who would prefer the option of private Christian schooling, many believe the benefits are well worth the price.

A third option on the rise, especially among Christians today, is homeschooling. In this setting, parents take it upon themselves to educate their children in a way that best aligns with their values as a family (some looking to Charlotte Mason for guidance). This option has been further augmented recently with the rise of co-ops, groups of families coming together once or twice a week to expand their family’s educational community and capacity, while preserving the foundational benefits of homeschooling. Homeschoolers have the advantage of choosing their own curriculum, many choosing the classical, Christian approach described above.

There are a number of factors present in the important decision parents must make about where to send their children for school. Economic, political, pedagogical, and theological concerns are at play as parents think through how they can best steward the gift of children they received from the Lord.

In this article, I will reflect on the relationship between education and the church, demonstrating specifically that the calling of a Christian is bound up with the calling of the church, and how Christian education can support the one for the other.

The Church as the Starting Point

It is tempting in our age of expressive individualism to begin with the individual child. But as we think about educating Christianly, we need to resist this temptation and think corporately instead. To do so, it is helpful to begin with a proper theology of Christian corporate identity.

A Christian, fundamentally, is a member of the people of God. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, she has turned away from a life of autonomous rebellion against God and toward a life of trustful obedience underneath his rule. In doing so, the Christian has died to herself in order to receive a new life in Christ. This process occurs through faith in the sufficiency of the death of Christ and the power of his resurrection.

When someone becomes a Christian, it marks the end of one identity and the beginning of another. The convert is now a member of a new community, the people of God. This community, first made manifest as the people of Israel, took new form with the followers of Jesus. This band of disciples evolved into the church, a transnational community committed to the teachings of Christ and the supremacy of his kingdom over the kingdom of darkness.

God’s intention is for the church, led by the Holy Spirit, to serve as his agent of renewal. It is not primarily a group of social moralists on the one hand or spiritual isolationists on the other. When the very first humans rebelled, all of creation was thrown off track into a dark shadow. Indeed, Paul reminds us that all creation groans with longing for creation to be reconciled with its Creator. The calling of the church, therefore, is to act as this reconciling agent, serving as microcosms of Christ’s kingdom in its various locales across the globe. 

The Calling of the Church

In an article entitled “A Return to Basic Christian Education,”published back in 1978, Nicholas Wolterstorff, a reformed philosopher who first got his start at Calvin College, discusses three dimensions of the calling of the people of God (Educating for Life, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002).

First of all, thinks Wolterstorff, Christians are to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. Simply put, they are to put verbal expression to the inward reality that has become part of them. This good news of redemption through Christ is to be proclaimed for all people everywhere.

Second, Christians are to act in loving service to all people, regardless of social status, ethnicity, or background. They are to work for shalom, the ancient Hebrew, multidimensional concept referring to peaceful, harmonious, and joy-filled community. In order for shalom to be established, the church must specifically work toward the lifting up of society’s downtrodden, for in God’s kingdom there is no want or need.

Finally, Christians are to bear fruit, leading their lives with wisdom and in ways that give testament to the new life found in Jesus Christ. Here Wolterstorff envisions Christians living in such a manner that their lives serve as signposts of the coming kingdom. As they work for shalom, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and serving as contributing members of Christ’s covenantal community, the world witnesses the firstfruits of the coming harvest.

These three dimensions, according to Wolterstorff, sum up the biblical vision of the church. He writes,

The church is the band of Christ’s followers. She is an alien presence within every nation and is called and committed to be God’s agent for the coming of God’s kingdom and for the institution of shalom. The church is, and is called to be, the revolutionary vanguard in society serving the cause of ushering in a new order…it is in this new community that Christians find their fundamental identity (52).

If Wolterstorff is right about the threefold calling of the church, then Christian parents ought to intentionally reflect on how the children they are raising are being prepared to fulfill such a calling. Here is where education comes in. Education serves as the transformative link between the calling of the individual and the calling of the church as it prepares young men and women to serve as God’s agents of renewal.

We must now consider how education can begin to prepare young people to live into the calling of the people of God.

Equipped to Proclaim 

Students don’t become proclaimers by accident. A proclaimer is a herald, someone who prophetically communicates great truth amidst challenging circumstances. In order to proclaim, a person must be confident, knowledgeable, and winsome. Ideally, she is trained in a school of rhetoric, experiencing full immersion into the craft of persuasive communication.

This is one reason, among many, why Christian schools should consider a classical curriculum. In the classical tradition, students were trained in the liberal art of rhetoric. This art fuses together the very best of concept and skill in order to produce strong rhetoricians, or agents of persuasion. 

In Fool’s Talk (IVP, 2015), author Os Guinness argues that Christians have all but lost the art of Christian persuasion. In order to address the issues of the hour, Christians need to focus on not merely winning arguments, but winning people (18). In the introduction to his book, Guinness lobs out a grenade of a question:

How can we speak for our Lord in a manner that does justice to the wonder of who God is, to the profundity of the good news he has entrusted to us, to the wily stubbornness of the human heart and mind, as well as to the wide-ranging challenges of today’s world and the mind-boggling prospects of tomorrow’s? (19)

The answer is through education. If Christians are to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, including the doorway to the kingdom through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, they must be taught how to do so with “wisdom and eloquence,” as Augustine put it. Unfortunately, in our modern educational landscape, the liberal art of rhetoric has been all but eliminated from the curriculum. Students aren’t trained in the means of persuasion, despite how crucial this skill is for everyday life.

Christian educators serve the people of God when they prepare their students to proclaim the gospel. Without proclamation, the good news is drowned out by bad news, or worse, plastic surrogates of the real thing.

Eager to Serve

It is not enough to proclaim the good news, however, to fulfill the calling of the church. As the apostle James reminds us, words must be accompanied by deeds. Christians must be prepared to get their hands dirty in the concrete matters of the world. They must descend the spiraling staircase of the ivory tower and meet their neighbor where he is. Our example is none other than Jesus himself: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 ESV).

The reality is that our world is full of people subject to great need and chronic suffering. Social issues of our day include human trafficking, child starvation, broken homes, abortion, racism, substance abuse, and more. Each of this issues affects real people in real places on an everyday basis. Sadly, American culture today has become polarized over divisive concepts that have resulted in a paralysis of service. On the one hand, Christians who focus too much on social issues may be accused of being “social justice warriors” or imbibers of critical race theory. On the other hand, churches who focus exclusively on evangelism may be guilty of turning a blind eye to the earthly dimension of Christ’s ministry.

The truth is that sometimes we make things too complicated. In this case, scripture clearly calls the people of God to lift up the oppressed, to serve them with compassion and self-sacrifice. Raising Christians who care for the oppressed requires hearts of service. And hearts are formed by habits. Christian educators need to view a substantial part of their work as cultivating habits in their students of humility, service, and compassion. They need to make time in the school day to intentionally serve others, which can include their fellow classmates and members in the community.

Through the development of the habit of service in the classroom, educators equip the people of God, training a generation of Christians eager to serve others in the name of Christ.

Cultivated to Bear Fruit

“Veritas Pro Vita.” Truth for Life. This is the motto of the school where I work. The church is called to proclaim the gospel, serve those in need, and finally, to lead lives worthy of the hope that they have in Christ. How said is it when tragedy strikes the church, such as when a renown leader of the faith falls into disgrace. It not only discourages those inside the church, it further pushes away those outside. The third dimension of the calling of the church, as Wolterstorff sees it, is often overlooked. It is to lead lives in such a way that an unbelieving world cannot help but be intrigued and attracted. The church is to be a community of shalom, a harmonious existence of peaceful completeness.

A well-lived life doesn’t come by accident. It is the result of the tireless pursuit of wisdom. It entails dedicated cultivation of virtue and practice of the fruit of the Spirit. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” Paul urges the Philippians, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12 ESV).

So often in education today we separate the mind from the heart. We focus on inflating heads, meanwhile hearts and hands are left wanting. Authentic Christian education refuses to choose one at the expense of the others. It is a lie from the pit of hell to suggest that one can be educated without spiritual and moral formation. As Lewis warns us, and Plato before him, education’s ultimate aim is the training of the person to behold all that is good, true, and beautiful, and gain mastery over one’s carnal appetites.

Educators serve the people of God when they view young people holistically as persons of head, heart, and hands. They expose them to a wide variety of subjects and ideas, widening the world in which they live, and cultivating within them a desire for wisdom. They prepare their students for not merely an approach to learning, but a style for life.

Conclusion

To educate Christians, we must reimagine what education is and who it is for. For Christians, education is a project by and for the Christian community. It exists to support and promote the calling of the people of God through educating its individual members. This includes a way of a thinking as well as a way of living. As Christian parents navigate the difficult decision whether to public school, Christian school, or home-school, they need to keep this vision for the calling of the church in mind. This calling has implications for how they raise their children, the youngest members of the people of God.

In his divine wisdom, God has ordained the church to serve as his agents of reconciliation in a world under shadow. May Christian educators take seriously their role in equipping the next generation to better proclaim the gospel, serve the downtrodden, and bear testimonial fruit to the kingdom Christ inaugurated and will one day return to consummate.

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