Revisionism and our schools

In recent centuries, revisionists have taken on new tasks, with new agendas, and new victims. In our day, it is clear to see how those who wish to see God take not only a back seat, but many times are shown the exit sign in our culture, and secularists continue working in many places to achieve that goal.

But Luther himself would guard against any education that would set itself up against, around, or especially based upon another worldview than Scripture’s. He said this:

“I am much afraid that schools will prove to be the great gates of hell unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures, engraving them in the hearts of youth. I advise no one to place his child where the scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not increasingly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt.”[1]

“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that one point.”[2]

Is it possible that we have seen Martin’s fears come to reality in our day? Is education forming our children in the Word? Is education confessing Christ, however boldly it may say it is professing Him?

These are but some of the questions that are raised when we take a step back from our formative education systems and consider not only what brought us here, but where we need to go. If a key role of Christian education is to disciple children, then what should that look like? Is there a program that could bring about that maturity?

We have all had enough of programs. As good as they have been, they are only tools that all-too-quickly wear out either from misuse, tired context with culture [which changes by the minute], or a lack of general use. What works in one place of the globe doesn’t necessarily work in another, or even down the street for that matter.

What if we took a look at the foundational needs of a person’s maturity in faith with their Savior? What if we asked from Scripture, “God, what is your view of us?” What if He told us?

In my short days at seminary, one phrase I remember quite distinctly came from a man with more pastoral experience around the globe than I had even been living. Dr. Louis Brighton, while taking us through a crash course in Ephesians, said this:

“So, you’ve been baptized, you are saved. So, why are you still here? Why hasn’t God taken you home yet? Because He has work to do through you in making an eternal difference in the lives of those around you!”

God creates, builds and sustains His relationship to us in order to have us be His feet, His hands, His mouth on this earth. We are His missionaries to the world. Here His words to us:

NIV 2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

NIV 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

How does God utilize us to speak to others ‘on His behalf?” Is it not through the Church? Not the church ‘building,’ but His people, the church! They may meet in a building, but they are the church. And how does this church function? God gives gifts to men:

ESV Ephesians 4:8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."

NIV Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

See the Friberg’s dictionary entry for the word the NIV translates “to prepare” in verse 12:

katartismos: a process of adjustment that results in a complete preparedness equipping, perfecting, making adequate (EP 4.12)


If God gave gifts, then maybe it is our task in reproducing disciples [2 Timothy 2.2] to discern the gifts he gave to His Church, teach them, lift them up and empower the saints for their use for works of service. Are we doing that in Christian education, or are we so caught up in the latest phonics model or math table or even smart board exercise that we have forgotten our true role that makes Christian education unique, making disciples? Is there a way to incorporate the latest technology to make disciples?

I pray this book empowers you to understand and discern the gifts God has given to all His Church, including his little people. I pray that through that foundational understanding, you will recognize, teach, uplift and empower your students [and church members] to see their gift and use it as the blessing it is intended to be for the 21st century Church. I pray that you also will further understand the gifts God has given to you. Gifts that come with expectation of fruit in the lives of those you touch. Gifts that build God’s Church and through such, proclaim His good news to those who have not yet received His Word. Gifts that God has given to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around you. May God bless you as you do!

[1] Statement. Robert Flood, The Rebirth of America (Philadelphia: Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation, 1986), p. 127.

[2] Statement. Gary DeMar, 2 (Atlanta, GA: American Vision Press, 1984), Vol. 1, p. 8.