FAM:Ten reasons why you should send your child to a Christian School  by Paul A. Kienel

   The author, Paul Kienel, is the Executive Director of the
Association of Christian Schools International.

   p.d.-chapter 1 of REASONS FOR CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS (c) 1981 (for the
remainder of the book) by Mott Media, 1000 East Huron Street, Milford,
MI 48042, for Paul A. Kienel.

   * Note:Find:* 	The Christian school movement is the fastest growing
educational movement in America today. The U.S.NEWS AND WORLD REPORT
and CHRISTIAN LIFE magazines have referred to the rapid proliferation
of Christian elementary and secondary schools as the "Boom in
Protestant Schools" and "The Christian School Explosion." Christian
schools are currently being established across the United States at the
rate of two new schools a day. In California we average one new
Christian school each week. Obviously parents by the thousands have
opted to send their youngsters to Christian schools as opposed to
secular public schools. As a parent who sends my children to Christian
schools and speaks to thousands of parents on the radio and on tour,
permit me to share ten reasons why you should send your children to
Christian schools:

   ONE: You are accountable to God for what your children are taught in
school. Proverbs 22:6 is a direct command to parents. It says, "Train
up a child in the way he should go..." What your children are taught in
school should be a direct extension of your parental views. The
teachers under whom your children are taught should be the kind of
teachers you would personally hire if your children were being educated
in your home.

   TWO: Christian schools offer a better level of instruction. There is
no question about it. The test scores over a long period of years are
conclusive. The annual Stanford Achievement Test administered to first
through eighth grade Christian school students in the western states
shows these students to be seven to nineteen months ahead of the
national norm in reading, and seven to thirteen months ahead of the
national norm in all subject areas.

   THREE: The Bible does not teach that children should be exposed to
all kinds of sin. We are to train "up" a child, not point him downward.
Children do not grow spiritually stronger in a negative non-Christian
environment. Students do not become stronger Christians by being taught
non-Christian thinking, but by being taught Christian thinking, and
there is no such person as a "neutral" school teacher who neither
advances nor inhibits religion. School represents 16% of your child's
time. It is prime time, a training time, and Christian school education
represents a positive Bible- centered form of instruction that will
build a child up in the faith- -not tear him down. Proverbs 19:27 says,
"Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the
words of knowledge."

   FOUR: The Christian school is right for your child because the
Christian school has not cut itself off from the most important book in
the world--the Bible. Without the Bible, education is nothing more than
the blind leading the blind. Standards for morality must be taken from
Scripture alone, not from situations as often taught in secular
schools. As Theodore Roosevelt stated, "To train a man in mind and not
in morals is to train a menace to society."

   FIVE: The Christian school provides an opportunity for your child to
witness for Christ. This surprises some people because they assume all
students in a Christian school are Christians. In most cases a majority
are Christian; however, in every Christian school there are always some
students who need the Savior. Christian students are trained and
encouraged to reach these youngsters for Jesus Christ. Witnessing in a
Christian school has the support of parents, students, teachers,
administration and the school board. Presenting Christ as Savior is not
illegal in a Christian school.

   SIX: Christian school educators teach all subject matter from a
Christian context. They put the Bible at the center of the curriculum
and ask students to evaluate all they see in the world through the eyes
of God. To quote Dr. Roy Zuck, The secular vs. Christian school issue
is really a question of whether a child will learn to view life from
man's perspective or God's perspective. From man's viewpoint, history
is purposeless; from God's viewpoint, history has meaning. From man's
viewpoint, science is the laws of "nature" at work; from God's
viewpoint, science is the outworking of His laws.

   In a Christian school, a student is exposed to the centrality of God
in all of life. In public education, a student is legally "sheltered"
from this important dimension of education.

   SEVEN: Christian schools support the family as the number one
institution of society. Christian school educators train students to
respect their parents. These educators agree with the early American
patriot, Noah Webster, who said, "All government originates in
families, and if neglected there, it will hardly exist in society."

   EIGHT: "The atheists have, for all practical purposes, taken over
public education in this country." Shocking words, yes, but they were
spoken by a prominent public school educator, Dr. W.P.Schofstall,
former Arizona State Superintendent of Schools. Paradoxically, many
public school personnel openly support Christian school education. As a
matter of fact, the largest group of parents who send their children to
Christian schools are public school teachers and principals. I
conducted a nationwide survey among these public school educators. The
following statement is typical of the responses I received: 	I prefer
to send my children to a Christian school because Christ is central to
all information taught and caught. The public school is basically
humanistic and materialistic in its approach to life and the
fundamental questions of human existence and purpose. The Christian
school holds a unique position with the home and the church.

   NINE: Christian school educators maintain discipline in the
classroom and on the playground. Without a reasonable standard of
discipline, the process of education is severely hampered. "For whom
the Lord loves, He disciplines..." the Bible teaches. And it is within
that context of love that discipline is carried out in a Christian
school. This important feature of education is rapidly disappearing
from the public school education. According to the recent GALLUP POLL
OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS EDUCATION, 	Lack of discipline in the
public schools again heads the list of problems cited most often by
survey respondents. Discipline has, in fact, been named the number one
problem of the schools in seven of the last eight years. New evidence
of its importance comes from the special survey of high school juniors
and seniors. An even higher percentage of this group names discipline
as the leading problem faced by the public school.

   TEN: "We believe that our children are gifts of the Lord. We are
responsible to train them according to His Word not only at home and in
church, but in school as well." This statement was made by a parent in
response to a question on an application form for enrollment of his
children at Delaware County Christian School in Newtown Square,
Pennsylvania.

   More and more parents, especially Christian parents, are coming to
the conclusion that secular public education and most of its teachers
and principals no longer represent their personal parental views. These
parents are exercising their freedom of choice and sending their
children to Christian schools and colleges. * Note: The first chapter
of this book has over the past two years been published in newspapers
and national magazines for a total circulation of more than one million
copies. It first appeared in 1975 in Dr. Clyde Narramore's magazine
PSYCHOLOGY FOR LIVING. Then Dr. Jerry Falwell secured permission to
publish it in his national publication FAITH AFLAME. It appeared later
in several denominational publications and a variety of newspapers.
Because of its wide circulation I do not claim copyright. This of
course does not pertain to the remaining chapters. Most chapters of
this book have appeared in recent issues of a one page publication
called CHRISTIAN SCHOOL COMMENT. They were originally written with this
book in mind. Each chapter has been updated, rewritten and rearranged
to fit the sequential needs of this volume. 	The TABLE OF CONTENTS of
the rest of the book: 1) Ten Reasons Why You Should Send Your Child to
a Christian School (p.d.) 2) Monday School vs. Sunday School 3) Should
Parents Shelter Their Children from the Real World? 4) Questions
Reporters Ask About Christian Schools 5) The Day the Ohio Supreme Court
Voted Yes for Christian Schools 6) Christian Schools Train Youngsters
to Think 'Christianly' 7) Ten Ways to be a Super Parent 8) Seven Keys
to Family Discipline 9) How Important is the Christian School to the
Church, the Christian College and to the American People? 10) Should
Christian School Parents Get Involved in Political Matters? 11) Six
Reasons Why Christians Should Give to Christian Schools 12) Education
Beyond the Three "R's" 13) Trends in Public Education 14) Trends in
Christian School Education 15) Statements from Prominent Americans
About Christian Schools

   Recommended further reading from Mott Media, 1000 East Huron,
Milford, MI 48042: 	Four Trojan Horses of Humanism, by Harry Conn. 	The
Separation Illusion, by John Whitehead. Refutes the commonly-held
belief that religion must be separated from government and applies this
discussion to the court decisions on prayer and Bible reading in public
schools.

   Are Textbooks Harming Your Children?, by James Hefley. Shocking
quotes of the materials discovered by the Gablers in their reviews of
public school texts. Information is given on how you, parents like
themselves, can take action to improve American Education. 	How To
Tutor, by Samuel L. Blumenfeld. The book is divided into four parts;
how to qualify as a tutor, reading primer, writing primer, and
arithmetic primer. Useful for tutoring children at the preschool level
as a preventive measure during the first two grades of public school as
a supplement to the child's instruction, or for use in remedial
instruction at any grade level.

   A Christian Approach to Education, by H.W.Byrne. An outstanding
survey of the basic theories of Christian education. This is a new
approach based on Biblical principles and compares the secular and
Christian views of education prevalent today.

   Asking Questions: A Classroom Model for Teaching the Bible, by
D.Bruce Lockerbie. Each question leads to a variety of responses
intended to teach, first, what the text says; then, what it means; and
finally how its principles apply to Bible readers today. 	Handbook on
Athletic Perfection, by Wes Neal. "The perfect athletic performance can
only be experienced by the Christian athlete controlled by the Holy
Spirit who has been sent by God to develop Jesus Christ's attitudes and
actions in your athletic performance as well as your entire life."
Biblical premise for every principle stated and practical applications
of those principles.

   Handbook on Coaching Perfection, by Wes Neal. Thesis is "use me Lord
to draw recognition back to you." Emphasis is on seeking what Scripture
says then doing things (even coaching) God's way. Excellent gift for
coaches, athletes. 	Teach Them Diligently, A Devotional Guide for
Teachers Who Care, by Arthur Nazigian. Presents concisely many ways to
identify the blessings of God in your educational ministry. You will be
blessed each time you meditate through the book.

   Teacher's Report Card, by Mary Vandermey. A collection of short,
warming and insightful vignettes about children and real teachers. Each
chapter provides the reader with encouragement and inspiration from the
Scriptures.

   FACS--Fundamentals for American Christians, by Russ Walton, Basic
Biblical principles of government that should be fundamentals for
American Christians.

   THE SOWER SERIES OF WORLD HEROES, Character-building Christian
Biographies for Young Readers:

   Christopher Columbus, by Bennie Rhodes. An exciting book about a
Christian explorer who sought to discover new lands to spread the
gospel at the risk of shipwreck, disease, and personal failure.

   Robert E. Lee, by Lee Roddy. A Christian of impeccable character,
Lee became one of the most respected men in America--even in the face
of defeat.

   Abigail Adams, by Evelyn Witter. The story of the wife of America's
second President whose personal faith in Christ kept her strong in a
young war-torn nation.

   George Washington, by Norma Cournow Camp. The story of the first
President who was not a great preacher or Bible scholar, but who
patterned his own life around the Bible lessons he studied daily. He
was a sower of seeds of faith and courage.

   Johannes Kepler, by John Hudson Tiner. This giant of faith and
science considered his scientific studies to be another way of looking
into God's creation.

   Isaac Newton, by John Hudson Tiner. Here is the life story of the
astronomer and mathematician who discovered the law of gravity and who
was a devout, Bible-believing Christian.

   Abraham Lincoln, by David J. Collins. A true sower of faith and
freedom, this biography describes Abe's experiences in his search for
an understanding of God.

   AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE OR FROM MOTT MEDIA,
toll-free phone, 1-800-521-4350 (or in MI 313-685-8773).
