This past weekend my family and I had the privilege of attending a conference in Winston-Salem, NC at the Benton Convention Center. Exactly six years ago at this same convention center and at this same (annual) conference, Jesus Christ spoke to my life in what was the beginning of my understanding of His desire for me to preach and teach His Gospel. What was the conference? It was a homeschool conference. My family and I have had the privilege of homeschooling for eleven years now. It is truly a privilege and yes, a “calling” on our lives.
I seldom mention anything about our lives as a homeschooling family. As a pastor, my job is to preach and teach and equip people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Eph. 4:12) However, I would like to use this blog post to make mention of why my family desires to do what we do as homeschoolers. Why do I choose to do this or share this, if you will? Honestly, I’m not even sure. In fact, I’m not even sure if anyone would even care to read this post outside of my own family. But, for the person that may read this and wonder why the Browns choose to disciple our children at home…I will briefly explain. I will do so, mainly because, once again, I’ve been inspired by this conference…the same conference that the Lord used years ago as the catalyst for placing His call to preach the Gospel on my life.
Well, here it is. Why do we choose to home disciple our children? You may say, “Wait a minute…I though it was homeschooling you were talking about.” Well, actually I feel more inclined to use the term “home disciple.” And it’s this term that I choose to use that sums up why we feel called and impressed to live the lifestyle that we do. For you see, “home discipling” is a way of life, more than it is “just” another form of education. It’s simply that I believe the main way that I may pass along my faith in Jesus Christ to my children is through the method that was used for 5,800 years on this earth, just prior to the last 200 years…home discipleship. Anyone that knows me must know that I am desperate to make sure that my children know and understand who Jesus Christ is even more than if they learn that x plus y = z or the Periodic Table or the “present past future tense.” I do not want my children to be a part of the 92% of young adults that drop out of church and abandon their faith by their 20th birthday.
You see education is very important to me and my family. We have plenty of it. My wife has a Master’s Degree in Education from Appalachian State University with a minor in Spanish, as a matter of fact. I have a BSBA in Marketing and Management and graduated number one in my Marketing Class from Appalachian State University in 1990. However, with all of that said, education is not the “be all-end all” for my family, nor is it our desire that our children be the “brain-iest” people who have ever lived. You see our greatest desire is to know that our children are walking in the truth. (3 John 4). My greatest desire for my family is one of a vision of what the “Kingdom of God” should and can look like in their lives. This is a multi-generational vision that will transfer to my grandchildren and beyond. I literally believe in Matthew 6:33…”Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” It’s my life verse. We must seek God first in all that we do!
Why? Because one day when my children stand before God, He’s not going to ask them what college they went to, what their grade point average was, what they majored in, how much money they made or how large their house, car or 401-K was while they were on His earth. He’s going to ask them, “What have you done with Jesus, my Son and for my kingdom?” That kingdom (God’s kingdom) is what matters. Believers, we are just pilgrims passing through on this earth. This is NOT our home. This is a motel stop on our way to our final destination, our eternal home in the Father’s house. You see, I no longer live for this (earthly) kingdom. That’s what changed in my heart and mind six years ago at the Benton Convention Center in Winston Salem, NC. What changed is that I saw that I was living for my kingdom and I truly didn’t even understand exactly why, we as a family, were even doing what we were doing as home disciplers. I understand now that my job is to be a baton-passer of the faith of Jesus Christ to my children.
With all of this said, today, I must tell you that by no means have I, or my family, arrived. We struggle like everyone else in this sin-wracked world. But, I will tell you this. I’m convinced that the greatest way for me to reach my children and to teach them (and that is my first responsibility as ordained by God…I’m to reach and teach my children first and foremost with the gospel) is through home discipleship. Deut 6 tells us:
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deut 6:6-9 (italics added)
The Psalmist implores parents:
1 O my people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter hidden things, things from of old-
3 what we have heard and known,
what our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers
to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their forefathers—
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him. Psalm 78:1-8 (italics added)
And the Apostle Paul encourages, and yes mandates, the responsibility for raising children to the fathers…not the schools, churches, coaches or anyone else for that matter:
4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 (bold, italics added)
The Bible implores me as a pastor (the Scriptures call me an Elder):
4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 1 Tim. 3:4-5 (italics added)
I was reminded this past Friday and Saturday why my family does what we do. Home discipling is the way of training, teaching and discipling that was known in this world until the industrial revolution and it was the way, lest we forget, that the majority of our founding fathers were discipled (educated) in their “compulsory years.” While we live in a culture today that may not understand what families like ours are doing…my prayer is that folks will understand and trust me when I tell them that I’m just as called to home disciple my family as I am to preach the Word…for they are both callings on my life and that of my family’s and we deeply love both privileges and thank the Lord for them.
