Christian Home Educators: Please be Knit into a Local Church

I would not be living at any other time in history.

 

As schools grow spiritually darker and the content children are taught becomes increasingly incoherent and ungodly, the Lord has provided a means by which UK parents can teach their children the gospel, “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deut 6:7) Namely, by educating our littles ones at home.

I praise God that we are part of the exodus of families from the school system, yet I keep cycling back to the fact that whilst so many families have rightly removed themselves from governments schools, all too many have also wrongly removed themselves from the local church. To turn a blind eye to colossal error would make for an easier life, but there is no kindness in keeping quiet about this unbiblical characteristic of the Christian home education movement.

 

I recognise that there is generally a story behind a family who has elected to do “home church” away from other believers. Many home educators have been burnt by local churches. There is a wide spectrum between those churches who actively encourage Christian education and those who actively discourage teaching children at home. There will always be quibbles about a point of doctrine, some individuals with whom we might find it harder to worship or a leadership decision that we struggle to support. However, it is alarming to me that so many home educators have literally cut themselves off from the body of Christ and have determined that they can function on their own.

 

If you are reading my article and you are in a situation when you find yourselves doing “church at home”, could I encourage you to reconsider on several counts?

 

Consider Jesus’ command on the night he was betrayed. Jesus takes the cup and passes it amongst his disciples. He then breaks bread and gives it to his disciples saying, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Here we have a clear institution from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers. Fast forward to 1 Corinthians 11 and the apostle Paul gives further directions as to how the Lord’s supper should be held. At the end of the passage is a telling verse:

“So then, brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another – if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home – so that when you come together it will not be for judgement…” (1 Corinthians 11:33-34)

 

Please notice this point: if believers are hungry, they are to eat “at home”, whereas communion takes place “when you come together”. These are clear instructions that preclude any form of “home church”.

 

Indeed, reading through the New Testament it is clear that Scripture assumes attendance at a local church. Consider how many New Testament books were written to churches, think about Paul’s determination to appoint elders of churches wherever he visited. The discipline of wayward believers takes place in the context of a local church (Matthew 18:15-20). The writer of Hebrews exhorts his readers,

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another,” (Hebrews 10: 24-25).

 

How are we to obey Scripture’s command to love and encourage one another if we are not meeting with other believers?

Take a few moments to read through the letters to the churches in Revelation. I want you to notice one point in particular: no matter how ungodly the church, there are always at least a few believers present. To the church in Thyatira, the Lord Jesus says, “…you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality…” (Revelation 2:13) but Jesus also says “But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to this teaching who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan… hold fast what you have until I come” (2:24).

Read through the letters to the churches in Perganum and Sardis and the same pattern is evident: ungodly, unbiblical teaching and behaviour, but a few who are faithful.

 

Why were these godly men and women attending unfaithful churches? The reason must be because they knew that they to worship somewhere on the Lord’s Day and there was no other option available. At least they would meet a few other godly believers where they attended.

 

What messages are we giving to our children when we decide not to worship with other believers? Children learn from our actions as much as our words and if we are not in fellowship with other local believers what might they be learning from us?

Here is a quick list:

• Nobody else is good enough for us to worship with them.

• Some sins and grievances are unforgivable.

• Getting out of bed and attending a church on the Lord’s Day is too much like hard work.

• Sport (or some other activity) is more important than worship.

• All churches are so universally and thoroughly in error that God has failed and there is no hope for the advance of his kingdom.

• We cannot fellowship with other Christians unless we are in 100% agreement on every minor jot and tittle of doctrine.

Children only have to start reading the Bible for themselves to realise that there is a mismatch between the beliefs parents profess and the life Jesus calls us to when we deliberately and consistently refuse to join a local church. If we live in such obvious contradiction to the path we are commanded to take then it becomes much easier for children to questions our other beliefs.

 

When I am talking about church attendance, I am not for one moment describing a situation where a family sits on the back pew with a bad attitude on a Sunday morning, regards the “church attendance” box to be ticked and refuses to involve themselves in church life throughout the week. Again, scripture is clear that we are all gifted differently and to steward the gift God has given us, we are to use it to bless others (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

 

In fact, the beauty of home education is that we are often more available to serve and be present in the church. As a family, we never have to rule out Sunday evening attendance because we are concerned our children will be too tired for school the next day. We simply begin Monday morning a little slower. When a special event is planned during the week, we take the whole team along! Certainly, some acts of service are impossible for home educators, but over the years we have been involved with toddler groups, church cafes and even home ed groups. We just turn up and help out “en masse” (and provide a crowd at the same time!!).

 

Proverbs says:

“Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgement.” (Proverbs 18:1)

It is a foolish action to cut oneself off from other believers. Iron sharpens iron and we grow in our spiritual walk when we walk with others, even when we are not in agreement on every point, because we cannot see our blind spots. Think about this: we can even learn from believers who do not agree with our decision to home educate!!

 

If coal is removed from the fire, it stops glowing. If an arm is cut off from the body it will die and become useless. If a flower is removed from stem, the flower will wither. Meeting with other believers to worship God and sit under the teaching of the Word will bless us in an abundance of ways. In the context of meeting with local believers, we sing and have fellowship, we encourage one another and bear one another’s burdens, we reach out to the lost and we are prevented from falling into serious error.

The reality is that there is an abundance of Bible-believing churches in the UK today. Certainly, there are no perfect churches because they are made up of people like you and me. Whilst I have heard on a number occasions the objection that “there are no local churches that preach the gospel” (or words to that effect), I have never actually known this to be true. There is always an option nearby, even if it is not the best church in the world. Furthermore, we really cannot complain about the state of the church when we refuse to be involved. Strong churches flow from strong families. Let’s not lament the lack of Bible-believing churches whilst refusing to be part of the answer:

 

“…so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10)