 |
|
|||||||||||||||
Back in 2004, I received a copy of a resolution concerning Christian education that Texas attorney Bruce Shortt and retired general T. C. Pinckney planned to present at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. As I read the resolution, I realized that it supported what Christian Liberty had been saying for over 35 years about the necessity of providing a distinctively biblical education for our Christian children. It was literally a call to Southern Baptists to get their children out of the public schools and to homeschool them or enroll them in Christian schools. Michael J. McHugh and I immediately began to draft an email supporting these gentlemen and their resolution. We have followed with interest the successive education resolutions offered at the SBC convention each year since 2004. The resolutions make it abundantly clear that our children, God’s children, must not be left in the nation’s public schools. I encourage you to read this most recent Christian education resolution which will be presented at the 2007 Southern Baptist Convention in June. I further encourage you to pray that its message will deeply impact its intended audience, and that more Christian parents will, for the sake of their children and the glory of God, “come out from among them.” Sincerely, Mark L. Beuligmann, M.S. Ed. Administrative Director Christian Liberty Academy School System RESOLUTION SUPPORTING SBC PRESIDENT’S CALL FOR SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES TO CREATE MORE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS AND ENCOURAGING CHRISTIAN EDUCATION EVANGELISM May 2, 2007 Submitted by Dr. Voddie Baucham and Dr. Bruce N. Shortt Whereas, Dr. Frank Page, President of the Southern Baptist Convention, has courageously called upon Southern Baptist churches to expand greatly opportunities for all children to receive a Christian education, stating that his prayer is that more churches will begin offering Christian schools, both for families who can and for those who cannot afford such education (Agape Press http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/8/72006e.asp); Whereas, the Great Commission demands both evangelism and discipling; Whereas, education is not theologically neutral, and for generations the vast majority of Christian children, including the children of Southern Baptists, have been discipled primarily by an anti-Christian government school system; Whereas, the fruit of our government school habit is unregenerate children, as shown by numerous surveys, and congregations containing many unregenerate members; Whereas, event and personality driven methods of evangelism are ineffective, unscriptural, and fail to overcome our failure to disciple our children; Whereas, Christian educational alternatives to government schools are an effective means for evangelistic outreach and discipling, and, as Dr. Page recognizes, such alternatives are desperately needed immediately by orphans, children of single parents, and the disadvantaged; Whereas, the Messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention’s 2005 Annual Meeting urged parents in Resolution No. 1, On Educating Children, to embrace their responsibility to educate their children by choosing a means of education that would “…ensure their physical, moral, emotional, and spiritual well-being, with a goal of raising godly men and women who are thoroughly equipped to live as fully devoted followers of Christ”; and Whereas, in light of government school curricula, court rulings, and the influence of the NEA, parents cannot satisfy the criteria for the education of Christian children set forth in Resolution 1 by educating Christian children in today’s government schools; and Whereas, article XII of the Baptist Faith and Message states, “the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches. An adequate system of Christian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christ's people”; and Whereas, the next clause in article XII states that this education is to be provided through ‘Christian schools, colleges and seminaries’; and Whereas, Southern Baptist congregations can draw upon many existing buildings and other resources to provide an alternative to educating children in government schools; and Whereas, Southern Baptist congregations have many adults, including pastors, who can assist in the education of children as a ministry; and Whereas, satellite, DVD, internet-enabled multi-media computer technology, and other more traditional forms of self-paced learning are effective ways of providing Christian education and are now very affordable; and Whereas, churches can collaborate in providing alternatives to the government school system; and Whereas, continuing to fail to repent about our unfaithfulness in the education of our children will lead to justified charges of hypocrisy: BE IT NOW RESOLVED that the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention urges each church associated with the Southern Baptist Convention to heed Dr. Page’s call to create more Christian alternatives to the public schools; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that 2007 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention urges each church associated with the Southern Baptist Convention to support Dr. Page’s call for particular attention to be given to the needs of orphans, single parents, and the disadvantaged in the development of Christian schools; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention urges that the agencies of the Southern Baptist Convention to heed Dr. Page’s call to expand Christian education by assisting churches in the development of Christian schools and help coordinate efforts, including partnerships with churches in low income areas, to provide a Christian educational alternative to orphans, single parents, and the disadvantaged; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention commends Dr. Page for speaking forthrightly on the need to expand Christian education; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention applauds the many adult members of our congregations who teach in government schools, and this resolution should be construed to encourage adult believers who are truly called to labor as missionaries to unbelieving colleagues and students to continue their missionary work in the dark and decaying government school system. |
||||||||||||||||
