Exciting things happen in Christian schools, things that help students develop a Biblical worldview.
Question: In the following 4 scenarios, what exciting things are happening and what’s not happening?
- Tanya, one my students, shared the Gospel with a friend. Tanya took the truth that Jesus is the light of the world and ran with it. She understood a Biblical perspective of photons and used it real life!
- It’s great teaching in a Christian school. Here, I can start my first-period math class with devotions. Just today, Taro led devotions. He read Psalm I. Then we sang “I Love to Tell the Story” and prayed. Daily devotions help my students focus on living for God, which results in them applying a Biblical perspective in the math project they’re working on—making a recommendation of the best way to pay for computer.
- My language arts students demonstrating Christian character in terms of collaborating effectively—they’re functioning like the Body of Christ. That’s exciting, because it means they understand a Biblical perspective of the stories we’re studying, like Miss Nelson is Missing.
- My social students are raising money to stop human trafficking and to feed the hungry. That’s exciting. My students are really getting a Biblical perspective of what we’re studying in class—the American Revolutionary War.
Answer: In the above 4 scenarios, exciting things are happening—students are using object lessons to share their faith, participating in daily devotions, working effectively with each other, and doing service projects. Great! These are good things that we want students doing.
And while good things are happening, please note what’s not happening—students are not making authentic connections between what they study and relevant Biblical principles:
- Tanya, instead of connecting photons and God’s creative power, shares an object lesson: Jesus is the light of the world.
- Math students, instead of connecting payment plans and principles of Biblical stewardship, are participating in the reading of Pslam 1 and the singing of “I Love to Tell the Story.”
- Language arts students, instead of connecting themes from Miss Nelson is Missing with Biblical principles regarding authority and respect, are demonstrating Christian character by collaborating effectively.
- Social studies students, instead of connecting the American Revolutionary War and Biblical principles regarding government and war, are doing service projects.
Again, these students are doing good things. These teachers are having their students do good things, things that help their students develop a Biblical worldview. Another way to help students develop a Biblical worldview is have students find connections between what they study and Biblical principles. However, teachers might not do this, assuming that object lessons, devotions, collaboration, and service projects involve students in connecting what they study and what the Bible teaches.
Bottom line #1: Continue involving your students in object lessons, devotions, character development, and service projects, keeping in mind that these good things don’t necessarily involve students in connecting what they study and Biblical principles.
Bottom line #2: Have your students connect what they study and 1 or more Biblical principles. Today.
Michael B. Essenburg © 2008 • Close the Gap • Web: https://closethegapnow.org