Shaping Worldview

You homeschool because your child’s faith is important to you. We want to support you in training up your child. These blog posts show how to give your child a biblical worldview of each subject.
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October 22, 2019 by Ben

When I was six, my dad took our family on a homeschool field trip to Patriots Point Navel & Maritime Museum in Charleston, SC. I was awestruck from the moment we drove into view of the Yorktown aircraft carrier. After exploring old navy ships, I was hooked—history became my favorite subject and it was fodder for play. And I still love history.

Joy permeates my history learning. Even in times when it became tedious, the thrill of mastering the subject never left me. That experience with my dad set the tone for my learning.

As homeschool parents, we want our children to have joy in learning. I want my daughters to love history as much as I do.

Joy of Learning in the Bible

Do we have a scriptural expectation to find joy in learning? We should start by looking at our expectation to have joy in our work. Then we can examine the connection between learning and work.

Taking Joy at Work

Most Americans view work as a drudgery, a long slog until they get to what they really want: a weekend full of pleasure. One way to summarize the American Dream is “work hard so you can play harder.”

But that’s not a scriptural view of work. The book of Ecclesiastes tells us three times that “a man… should make his soul enjoy good in his labor” (Ecclesiastes 2:24, see also Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 and Ecclesiastes 5:18-19). And for good reason. The Lord intends that we “enjoy the good of all [our] labor” (Ecclesiastes 5:18). Even better, we should enjoy our labor because God gives us the power to work (Ecclesiastes 5:19).

Best of all, the work itself is given by God. In the beginning, God gave mankind dominion over creation. Even before the Fall, Adam and Eve worked by dressing the garden and naming the creatures. So when we take up a lawful task to meet a legitimate need, we are fulfilling one of God’s original intents for us.

You know, we, as parents, experience this every year at Thanksgiving or Christmas. We invest long hours on our feet in the kitchen preparing a feast. Some parts are fun, like making pie filling. Others are tedious, like peeling ten pounds of potatoes. Then there’s the layer of dust to clean from the fine china. And, of course, we can’t use the dishwasher for that! But what a joy it is to cook with your family and see them delight in the meal! Even scrubbing the grease off the turkey roast pan can be satisfying.

Let’s not lose sight of the joy we can have in the work of homeschooling our children. Some parts may be fun, and others tedious, but the final result is priceless. It is God’s calling for us, and we can and should find joy and satisfaction in it.

Work and Learning

Since God intends for us to have joy in our work, can we apply that to our children’s learning? In Isaiah 28, the Lord makes an important connection between learning and working.

In this passage, the prophet confronts the proud farmers of his day. He asks them a series of questions about the fundamentals of farming. Do they plow? Are they planting seed? What about the careful arrangements they make in planting their seeds? “Of course!” the farmers are thinking. Then Isaiah asserts, “For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him” (Isaiah 28:26). You can imagine these arrogant men thinking: “No he didn’t; I figured that out on my own,” or, “My dad taught me that, not God.” But they’re missing the point. God created His world to work a certain way. When we adjust our lives through careful observation to the way He made the world, we are learning from Him. The learning is coming from His hand.

The learning and the work both come from God’s hand. For our kids, their primary calling—their work—is to learn. It enables them to exercise dominion over creation, just like the farmers from Isaiah’s time. And just as God gives joy to the laborer, we can expect God to give joy to our children while they work at their calling of learning.

I love teaching history to my daughters. My dad inspired a lifelong love of learning about the past, and now I get to share it with his grandchildren. Homeschooling is one of our most blessed callings. What a delight it is to be right there, when the light bulb goes off for our children and we see the joy! What we’re witnessing is our children receiving the gift of joy in learning from God’s own hands.

Biblical Worldview Education: Mind the Gap

October 15, 2019 by Jenna

Many times the Bible calls Christians to be set apart—we are holy, consecrated, chosen, sanctified. But what does it mean to be set apart as a Christian homeschool family? At times, you may feel that you are set apart simply by being a homeschool family, but as more families recognize the impact of public education on their children, secular homeschooling also becomes more popular. If secular families can adopt the homeschool lifestyle, it isn’t inherently Christian. What, then, makes education Christian? It is possible to be a dedicated Christian family that attends church regularly and still miss a vital element of biblical worldview education.

What is that vital element of biblical worldview education? It has to do with how we look at the world—with our worldviews. Secularism has had a profound impact on the Christian worldview, and many of us don’t even realize that we’re holding a secular worldview.

The Two Stories of the World

At BJU Press, we often talk amongst ourselves about the two-story view. You could also call it a secular disconnect. It’s a worldview that divides the things we encounter into two separate levels, like a two-story house. Each story holds certain aspects of the world. The second story is God’s level. It’s where we attend church and have Bible studies. For Christians, it’s where we keep our testimonies and our morals. Our positions on the major political “hot topics” usually come from here.

The first story is the world’s level. It’s supposed to be a neutral level where religious views don’t matter. That’s the definition of secularism: indifference to, rejection of, or exclusion of religion and religious considerations, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. In the lower level, we aren’t supposed to use our upper-story views to make decisions because they shouldn’t be relevant. Here, you find math, spelling, and grammar lessons. Here are all the science lessons that aren’t related to creation. After all, how can knowledge of the Bible change how we teach math, spelling, or grammar? Isn’t an igneous rock an igneous rock regardless of how it came to be?

Problems of a Two-Story View

Obviously, this view has problems. For Christians, our faith is the foundation for all of our interactions with the world. It’s the basis for every decision we make, whether we’re at home, at church, in the grocery store, or in a courtroom. If we take away the very foundation for our decision making process, then we have no business attempting to influence anyone in the world according to our morals, our principles, and our beliefs.

This view also changes education. If the Bible only belongs in Bible things—at church, in Bible class, or personal devotions—then it can’t be relevant to non-Bible subjects. Sure, you can talk about the Bible in math class, but it doesn’t connect to the lesson. The lesson is as secular as if it were taught in a public school. And Bible integration? It’s just a corresponding Bible verse or devotional that’s been tacked on.

A Biblical Worldview Education

If God’s world is God’s world, then there’s no part of His creation the Bible doesn’t apply to. Christians should not see the world divided into “Bible things” and the world’s things. They should see Christ’s lordship in all things. Christ is lord of the world just as He is lord of the church. This is the reality that a biblical worldview education teaches.

BJU Press materials use the Big Story of creation to teach Christ’s power and lordship, highlighting His intentions for the world at Creation, the brokenness of the world because of human sin in the Fall, and His plan for the world’s redemption.

With this story, we acknowledge not only the beauty of God’s creation, but also its brokenness. For example, God created communication, and it was good. Because we are sinful, we often communicate in twisted ways. But God can sanctify our ability to communicate so we can use it for His glory. We study grammar so we can communicate well without distorting Christ’s message.

If children can learn to recognize how the Fall distorts things that God created good, then they can also learn how to live faithfully in light of God’s redemptive work in their lives. We work through this model in all our subjects so children aren’t learning secular lessons with a verse tacked on at the end. Instead, the Bible shapes their world. We want to equip them to respond to the secular mindset that divides the world.

A biblical worldview education reshapes how your children think about the world. With a strong foundation, they can have biblical discernment and can account for the fallen nature of the world. That is how to set your children apart from the world: by teaching them to think differently from the world.

A Thankfulness Project

October 1, 2019 by Jenna

During the holiday season, we often try to be more thankful. With Thanksgiving in November and Christmas in December, it’s easy to spend two months out of the year being grateful for God’s grace and His gifts to us. But what about the rest of the year? It’s not that we aren’t thankful during the other ten months. But when you’re not actively thinking about and pursuing a certain mindset, it can go by the wayside. Sure, you’ve taught your children to say “thank you,” and you demonstrate that same thankfulness in your own life. But there’s a difference between reflexively saying “thank you” and being grateful enough to recognize the daily gifts God gives us and to thank Him for them as they come.

For example, not long ago I told a friend that my life had become a series of unfortunate events. My air conditioner had died with two months of summer left. Repairs would cost a pretty penny I couldn’t afford to spend. This was just one of the “unfortunate” events, and not even the most expensive one. I had a whole list of problems. But then I stopped and listed out all the blessings I could think of from the year and found that they greatly outnumbered the unfortunate things. It’s easy to devalue God’s daily blessings to us when all we’re looking at is the negatives. So I have a couple of challenges for you.

• Be Mindful about Being Thankful

I don’t have to tell you why you should be thankful. For many of us, however, gratitude is a reflex. We’re grateful when someone gives us something or does something for us. We don’t even have to think about it. But 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” In everything give thanks. I should have been grateful when my AC died. It’s definitely not an automatic response to be grateful when you have no AC during a South Carolina summer.

But if you take the time to think about the things you don’t want to be grateful for, you can see how they can be blessings in disguise. Even if the only thing your trial teaches you is that His grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9), you can be grateful for that. It may take some work, and you may need to reset some of the default settings in your heart, but it is possible to see how God is blessing you when you go through an “unfortunate” event.

• Start a Year-Long Thankfulness Project

If you really want to focus on thankfulness for the entire year, you’re going to need to turn it into a habit. Find some way to record the daily blessings you experience, whether the blessing is a safe field trip or a friend’s support during a hard time. You can fill a jar with slips of paper covered in blessings, or you can dedicate a journal to your family’s blessings. You could even start a OneNote notebook of blessings. When the jar is full, or you run out of pages in the journal, or you just need to remember God’s blessings, reread what you’ve put down. Then empty out the jar, get a new journal, open a new OneNote file, and start over.

Worry can’t tear you down if you’re buried in blessings!

Motivational Scripture for the New Homeschool Year

August 20, 2019 by Guest Writer

It’s hard to believe another homeschool year is under way already! Doesn’t it seem like just a few days ago we were putting away last year’s textbooks? Maybe you’re thinking, “School? Bring it on!” Maybe (like me) you’re thinking, “School? Not yet—just a couple more weeks of summer vacation!” Whether we feel ready or not, we can find encouragement and motivation in Scripture as we embark on this new year of learning.

Nothing else has the power to inspire us the way God’s Word can, especially when homeschooling (and life) becomes challenging. These are just a few verses that can help us keep our focus on God as we strive to educate our children for His glory.

Motivational Scripture for Giving Our Best

These passages can encourage us to do our best for the Lord, not just at the beginning of the academic year but all throughout.

Colossians 3:23—Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.

1 Corinthians 10:31—Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Romans 12:11—[Be] not slothful in business, [but] fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 9:10—Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.

Gaining Wisdom, Not Just Knowledge

As we seek to help our children grow in academic knowledge, let’s also endeavor to teach them God’s wisdom for life.

Proverbs 1:7—The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 2:6—The Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Colossians 4:5—Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Proverbs 4:7—Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Proverbs 8:11—Wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

Motivational Scripture for Maintaining Order

Being organized is not only conducive for learning, it’s also a biblical principle.

1 Corinthians 14:40—Let all things be done decently and in order.

Defeating Discouragement

Without a doubt, there will be times we struggle with despondency during this year. Unexpected obstacles, interruptions, disappointment, and tiredness will threaten to steal our God-given joy. One of the best verses to combat discouragement is Galatians 6:9, “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Looking Ahead

As we begin this new season, let’s follow Paul’s example in Philippians 3:13–14, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” It’s a new opportunity for us and our children to grow in our knowledge of Christ, and His Word is always sufficient for us!

• • • • •

Jennifer is a pastor’s wife and mom of two young girls and loves homeschooling them. During her own twelve years of being homeschooled, Jennifer developed a passion for reading and writing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and relishes writing during her free time.

Family Bible Time: The Habit Families Need Most

July 9, 2019 by Guest Writer

The most important pattern we can establish in our families is a consistent Bible time together. From the time our children can communicate until they leave home, we must be continually teaching them God’s Word. Deuteronomy 6:6–7 exhorts, “And these words . . . shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” All throughout the day we should be bringing up Bible conversations with our children. Every opportunity we have, we are to point them to Christ. But it’s important to schedule a specific time during the day to put aside everything else and gather as a family to study God’s Word and pray together.

Why Family Bible Time

It’s a time to learn more about our great God! It’s a time to teach our children how to effectively study God’s Word. It’s a time to share close fellowship in the Bible and prayer. Maintaining this mindset will help keep us from viewing devotions as a chore or duty. If we are passionate about God’s Word, it will encourage our children to get excited about it as well.

When and Where

Try to have your family devotions at the same time and place every day. We like to have our family devotions in the evening, just before bedtime. Usually it takes place in our daughters’ bedroom on one of their beds. Perhaps mornings or afternoons work better for your family. Whenever it is, try to have everything done and put away before devotions so no one will be distracted.

What to Read

Scripture itself is always the best choice! Choose a book of the Bible to read through, such as one of the Gospels or the book of Proverbs. Depending on your children’s ages, you can read just a few verses or an entire chapter. Recently our family started reading through the book of Psalms.

How to Get Everyone Involved in Bible Time

Every family member should be engaged during family devotions. One way our girls participate is by taking turns reading Bible verses aloud. If your children are too young to read, you can involve them by asking them simple questions about some of the verses you read. After reading a psalm, my husband asks our daughters specific questions about what we just read. For example, from Psalm 1 he asked questions like these:

“What does the word blessed mean?”
“How do we delight in the law of the Lord?”
“What does it mean to meditate?”
“Why does God compare the righteous person to a tree?”

After discussing the passage, we sing some songs together. We quote a memory verse and then close with prayer. We like to use “prayer sticks”—craft sticks with names of loved ones, missionaries, and church members written on them. We keep them in a jar and each of us draws one prayer stick and prays for that person or family.

Let’s make family Bible time the most special part of our day!