Blind Spots in Christian Education?
Christian education is first and foremost about pointing students to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. It’s about inviting them into deep, meaningful learning in a community where God’s Word is present and prevalent. Yet even within Christian schools, we can and do drift from this mission.
Sometimes, we’re so close to familiar practices that we fail to see their flaws. They’re comfortable and they’ve become part of “how we do things.” When someone challenges these practices, they may be accused of “rocking the boat” or being unrealistic. Yet, as history reminds us, even entire communities can develop theological and moral blind spots.
Recognizing Blind Spots
A few years ago, walking through a school hallway, I heard a student praising a teacher. “It’s great,” the student said, “because all he does each day is tell us exactly what’s going to be on the test. I don’t have to worry about all the other stuff. I can just get my ‘A’ and move on.”
It was sad to hear. Is this what Christian education has become? Have we reduced the richness of learning to preparing for a test and playing the game of school? Have we come to see the wonder, curiosity, and deeper questions of faith and life as “other stuff”?
If education only focuses on rating and ranking, testing and grading, we risk losing sight of what actually matters. Christian education is about so much more than meeting academic standards. It is certainly about more than earning grades and passing classes.
A Higher Calling
The heart of Christian education is not found in exams, quizzes, grades, report cards, grade point averages, or making the honor roll. It comes in the daily invitation for students to explore and discover the Truth of God’s Word…across the curriculum, in the hallways, before and after school, in extracurriculars. It is about showing studentx (and sometimes through the students, their families) how all of life has spiritual implications: science, literature, history, English, foreign language study, physical education…everything.
Christian schools, at their best, are places where students are challenged to think deeply, ask hard questions, wrestle with the truths of God’s Word, sharpen and be sharpened by others, and to grow. They are communities where students are encouraged to explore the wonder at God’s Word and God’s world (making sense of that world in light of God’s revealed truth in the Holy Scriptures).
When education becomes too focused on tests, grades, rating, ranking, and sorting we risk missing the meat for the potatoes. Yet, in Christian schools, we are wonderfully and uniquely positioned to resist this temptation. We can remind students and ourselves that our goal is growth in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the church and world.
Doing the Hard Work
Surfacing worldview blindspot can be hard work. Those who resist it might be labeled unrealistic, idealistic, disruptive, a troublemaker, or maybe not a good fit for the community. Yet, as Christian educators, we are not called to conform to the patters of this world, as we are reminded in Romans 12:2. Rather, be “transformed by the renewing of your minds.”
When we prioritize God’s Word and a commitment to deep, meaningful learning, we remind ourselves and those around us of a better way. This is sometimes an uphill battle, but the view from atop that hill is stunning!
Imagine this Future
Imagine a Christian school where test scores and grades take a place of humble service to God’s Word and the core mission. Picture a place where students are encouraged to explore, question, wonder, and delight in the truth, beauty, and goodness of God’s Word and world. Imagine a place where learning is not a simple means to an end, but a way to honor God and love our neighbors.
This vision is entirely possible when educators commit to aligning each part of the school with the unchanging Truth of God’s Word. It does, however, require prayer, courage, intentionality, careful thinking, and a willingness to challenge practices that may no longer serve the mission.
Restoring Full Vision
Let’s examine the blind spots in our schools and classrooms. Are there areas where we’ve become too focused on secular measures and philosophies without a careful consideration o God’s Word? Are there practices that distract us from the central mission? Christian schools are among the few places outside of the church where people are challenged to consider to the timeless truth of God’s Word, and its significance in light of modern life, thought, trends, and events. It is one of the few places where we are equipping to resist marrying the spirits of the age, instead turning to that which is good an true for all people, all places, and all times.
Disclaimer: Did you use AI to write this article? We live in times where it is probably better to just ask and answer this question. My answer is no. I wrote this article, typos and all. I did use an AI-generated image at the beginning