INTRODUCTORY
REMARKS
It
is indeed an honour I did not covet to be requested to serve as Speaker at this
auspicious occasion. The topic assigned to me is, “Benefits of Christian Education
to Family and Nation.” This is a very
important subject, considering the fact that education is central to the
overall development of persons and their environments. I
agree with an anonymous Chinese poet who lived Circa 400BC. This man knew the
importance of education when he wrote,
If you are thinking a year ahead, sow a seed. If you
are thinking ten years ahead, plant a tree. If you are thinking one hundred
years ahead, educate the people. By sowing seed, you will harvest once. By
planting a tree, you will harvest tenfold. By educating the people, you will
harvest one hundredfold.
Reiterating
his belief in the importance of education, British philosopher, Edmund Burke
wrote, Education is the chief defence of
nations.”
Indeed,
education is a defence of individuals and families. It is a defence of any
people. Generally, education is critical to human capital development. An
educated society is an informed society. An educated community is one with a
future. Epictetus (circa 100 C.E.) observed that “Only the educated are free.”
In
1711, Joseph Addison wrote, “What sculpture
is to a block of marble, education is to the soul.” Knowledge creation and character-moulding are
part of job descriptions of educators and educational institutions. Simply
stated, education helps to shape destinies. It
was said that Socrates’ mother was a midwife. As he grew up, he watched her
help pregnant women give birth to their babies. When he became an adult and
took up teaching as a profession, he adopted his popular midwife-teacher
principles. In his own words Socrates stated,
My art of midwifery is in general like theirs; the
only difference is that my patients are men, not women and my concern is not
with the body but with the soul that is in travail of birth.
There
are different types of education: functional and dysfunctional education.
A functional education is one that serves positive goals and is holistic while
dysfunctional education is one that does not serve its purpose and is
part-focused. A functional education is one that teaches people to be useful to
themselves, their families, societies, nations and humanity; one that teaches
its recipients to be useful in material things as well as in spiritual matters.
A dysfunctional education is one-sided, emphasizing one while de-emphasizing
the other.
Our
Lord Jesus at Luke 16:19-31 teaches need for humanity to strike a balance. In
the above Bible passage we find that there are three categories of people:
people who are earthly useful but
heavenly useless; people who are heavenly
useful but earthly useless, and people who are both heavenly useful as well as earthly useful. This is the goal of
Christian education.
Aristotle,
a Greek sage wrote, “The roots of
education are bitter, but the fruits are sweet.” God’s Word agrees. Revised
Berkeley Version renders Hebrews 12:11 thus,
Of course, no discipline seems at the time
enjoyable, but it seems painful, later on, however, it affords those schooled
in it the peaceful fruitage of an upright life.
In academic communities,
“discipline” is a multifaceted word. If you want to ascertain the course of
study a student is pursuing, you may ask, “What
is your discipline?...” A popular
adage says, “If you think education is costly, try ignorance.” Education is the
meal ticket of the world. It is the access code one needs to walk in and out of
places. It makes you a global citizen with a functional international
passport.
WHAT IS
EDUCATION? Okoro
(1998:11) quotes Cicero, a Roman sage as affirming that, “Any systematic treatment of a subject should begin with a definition
so that everyone may understand the subject of enquiry.” In view of this,
we need to conceptualize education, which would serve as launch pad for our
discourse.
According
to Professor Steve A. Okecha, “Education has been defined in as many ways
as there are cherries in Damascus.” In view of this, I
will not cite a litany of scholars. I would only cite one definition that
encapsulates the concept.
Writing on “Education”
in Newswatch Magazine’s Special
Independence Anniversary Edition published October 6, 2008 Professor Okecha
cites Egbe Ehiametolor who defined education as,
… the acquisition of knowledge,
the aggregate of all processes through which a person develops ability, skills,
attitudes and other forms of behaviours with positive value in the society in
which he lives.
Professor Okecha went on to write
that education is a life-long process, which frees a man from ignorance and, to
some extent, superstition. He believes that education enhances the quality of
an individual and enables him to build up his personality in such a way that he
is able to play an effective role in the development of the society to which he
belongs.
There are three forms of education: formal
education, which one receives in schools; non-formal education,
obtained from semi-formal settings such as being an apprentice in a carpentry
workshop; and informal education, obtained from the streets and peer groups.
These forms of education are contributory factors in an individual’s overall
personality and perception of the world around him.
There
is no age barrier in education. This explains why an old English woman, many
years ago, sat for and passed O’ Level examination at the ripe age of 90. She
performed this feat after her son, a Physics’ Professor had retired from a
British university.
Succinctly stated, education is
schooling, study, instruction, apprenticeship and tutelage (Acts 22:3; cf. Acts
19:9). Until this world is no more education will not cease because many people
will keep devoting themselves to books and to studies (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Education is not only acquired by
attending a conventional educational institution, it can be acquired through
non-formal means. There are people who attended schools but have remained
illiterates, because even though they passed through the four walls of
educational institutions they have nothing to show other than mere paper
qualifications. However, there are people who do not have access to
conventional education but they have continued to enlighten their minds through
reading and unending quest for knowledge. Therefore, continuous reading and
study are keys to beneficial education. Apostle Paul counselled Timothy, “Till
I come, give attendance to reading….” (I Timothy 4:13).
GOD’S PEOPLE AND EDUCATION
In
Biblical times, God’s people recognized the power of education and so took
advantage of it. In fact, some of God’s greatest servants were men and women of
sound academic orientations. Two examples here would suffice:
1. Moses:
“…Moses was learned in all the arts and
sciences of Egypt” (Acts 7:22). Moses was more of a professor. His learning
empowered him for God’s service. He led God’s people for 40 years and wrote the
Pentateuch – Genesis to Deuteronomy and part of Psalms.
2. Apostle Paul: “…born in Tarsus, a city in
Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel…” (Acts 22:3). Paul was
a thoroughbred. He attended Gamaliel University. In fact, great men recognized
in Paul a great academic. When he stood before Governor Felix, and began
speaking with the finesse of a grammarian and erudition of a scholar, Felix was
swept off his feet and so shouted, “Paul, your excessive learning makes you
insane!” (Acts 26:24).
Scripture
investigations reveal that:
i.
Paul was a great lover of books (II
Timothy 4:13). The evidence of his wide exposure to education is there for all
of us to see – he was the most evangelistic (cf. I Corinthians 15:10) as well
as the most prolific (having written about 13 out of 27 New Testament books).
ii.
Physically speaking, Paul was
small in stature but his writings were thunderbolt (II Corinthians 10:10). This
is a powerful testimony to his education.
EDUCATION IS BEAUTIFUL AND
POWERFUL Daniel
9:1-3; 6:3 are important when it comes to appreciating the power of education
and what it can do to and for any individual. Education creates a large storage
space in a person’s mind and spirit to be able to see, analyze, evaluate and
judge issues. It redirects one’s perspective and enables him to see what he
should see.
Daniel 9:2
In the first year of his reign,
I, Daniel understood by books the
number of the years, whereof the Word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet,
that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
Daniel 6:3
Then this Daniel was preferred
above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over
the whole realm.
An
all-round qualitative education combined with an excellent spirit will mark a
person out. God wants His children not to be Heavenly useful and earthly
useless or to be earthly useful and Heavenly useless. Rather, He wants His
children to be Heavenly useful as well as earthly useful, which explains why
Christians must embrace education and posses excellent spirits so that they can
excel in whatever they do on planet earth (Proverbs 22:29). Education
is a sweet experience! Daniel “understood
by books and distinguished himself” (Daniel 6:3;9:2). Moses was “educated in all the arts and sciences of the
Egyptians” (Acts 7:22). Apostle Paul was so educated that a Governor
described his education as “Excessive” (Acts 26:24).
All
of us who are heaven-bound must endeavour not to become “Heavenly useful but
earthly useless” by not becoming educated. On the other hand, those of us who
are educated should avoid being “Earthly useful and heavenly useless.” We must
balance the equation. Education is not intended to make us
proud but to humble us. The goal of education is to make us self-propelling,
self-sustaining, independent, resourceful and visionary. Any education that
makes anyone look down on small beginnings is no education at all (cf.
Zechariah 4:10; Job 8:5-7). True education trains the mind, heart, and hands;
it teaches us to see worth in little things.
Some
Christians after exposure to higher secular education suddenly find the world
alluring enough to leave God’s boat of salvation while some use their education
to change the church so as to suit the world. All these are wrong. Our
education should enable us to serve God by enhancing the corporate objectives
of the Church towards enlarging the borders of God’s Kingdom in hearts and
communities of men. The
epicenter of education revolves around three principles: the principles of Learning to Unlearn and to Relearn!
You must have an open mind, must be unassuming and must keep abreast of events
in your world and in the worlds around you.
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN EDUCATION?
In
an article, “Educating the complete person” Willard Collins (1990:64) defined
Christian education as “…bringing up a
person in the likeness of Christ.” Christian education is totalitarian. It
educates the mind, the intellect, the spirit and soul of students. It trains
people to be skillful in the uses of their hands and to value people. Above
all, it inculcates in students love and fear of God, to appreciate principles
enunciated in His Word. It teaches students to love the Brotherhood and to
become patriotic citizens of their nations (Romans 13:1f). It lays foundation
for them to become heavenly useful as well as earthly useful. It teaches that
those who want to make heaven must as a matter of necessity be worthy earthly
citizens (cf. Psalms 115:16).
Mission
statements of some Christian schools summarize the goals of Christian schools
across the world. For instance, Faulkner University located at 5345 Atlanta
Highway, Montgomery, Alabama, USA states,
“Our mission is to glorify God
through education of the whole person, emphasizing integrity of character in a
caring Christian environment where every individual matters every day.”
Freed-Hardeman
University’s motto is:
“Teaching how to live and how to
make a living.”
BENEFITS OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
TO THE CHURCH The
Church of Jesus Christ will be benefited if we decide to enhance ourselves by
becoming educated and more educated. Imagine a situation
where God’s children are educated in all the areas of learning, so much so that
you find in the church various kinds of professionals, the influence of the
Church will be greater than is presently obtained. Benefits of Christian education to
the Church of our Lord cannot be overemphasized. Our Lord Jesus set a powerful
example when He took twelve ordinary men and for a space of about three years
schooled them in Kingdom matters. Even though they were ‘commoners,’ a kind of
rag-tag, the confidence they exuded after the training and the boldness that
characterized their ministrations pointed to the direction where they had been
(Acts 4:13). Apostle Paul’s training under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), an eminent
Jewish theologian of his era (cf. Acts 5:34) and his continued education in
Jesus’ doctrines were so impactful that as he stood to speak, he towered
intellectually above his audience. His elocution, carriage and charisma swept
his audience off their feet that one man described him as a man with “excessive
learning” (Acts 26:24). Writing on
benefits of Christian education to the Church, Paul A. Keinel in an article, “The
case for Christian education” (April, 1989:16)
observed that
Christian school education
strengthens the church through evangelism, solid Bible teaching, character
education, strong academics, Christian citizenship, … and Christian leadership
skills. Non-Christian school education cannot provide this kind of
training.
Brethren,
if Roman Catholics could invest heavily in education and encourage her members
to fund their various educational institutions; if our denominational
neighbours could invest fortunes by establishing educational institutions and
encourage their members to fund them, then the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ
would be seen to lag behind if we do not engage in the establishment of
educational institutions where we will educate our Brethren and endeavour to
individually and collectively fund institutions owned by Christians. We must
train and retrain our membership.
BENEFITS OF EDUCATION TO AN
INDIVIDUAL
One
of the greatest inventions of man is education. Education or lack of it is what
makes the difference between an enlightened mind and an illiterate; between a
stone aged man and a modern civilized person. Education is pivotal to mankind’s
general development. It lays the foundation upon which man’s continuous search
for meaning and relevance in a dynamic world is achieved.
Education is man’s response to God’s
injunction to, “…subdue the earth…rule
over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky and over every living thing that
moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Education has led to exploits,
revolutions and tremendous advancements in every aspect of human endeavours –
agriculture, healthcare, space science, technology, and etcetera.
Education empowers. It infuses
self-confidence. It is a door opener. It places you at par with just about
anyone anywhere, providing a common frame of reference.
Do you have opportunity to be educated? Congratulations! That is
all you need to become what you want to be. Then take advantage of personal
development. Keep your mind open. Read books, listen to tapes, listen to news,
attend workshops – in fact, become a knowledge freak!
CHRISTIANS,
EDUCATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDING
The
growth of individual Christians is the growth of the Church. The well-being of
Christians is the well-being of the Church and vice-versa (cf. Jeremiah 29:7).
As Christians, individually, we are building blocks of the Church (I Peter
2:5). When a congregation is said to be strong, it is because all the component
parts are strong. If a congregation is said to be wealthy, it is because
members of that congregation are wealthy. If a congregation is said to be
educated, it is because individual Christians who make up that congregation are
educated. As go individual members so goes the Church.
The
growth, development, stability or otherwise of individual Christians will rob
off positively or negatively on the Church. Consequently, to speak of enhancing
the capacities of a local congregation tantamounts to building the capacities
of each Christian who make up that local Congregation. Church is simply a group
of Christians.
It
is high time we begin to appropriate God’s purpose for our lives. We must
understand that God delights in the prosperity of His servants. God wishes and
means well for each of us. We are creatures of God – we are not products of
chance but of Divine design. We are all created for certain purposes.
Every
person God created is created to be somebody. God does not take time to create
nobodies. Every person created by God is wired with innate abilities and
potentials. Enhancing these abilities makes the difference between talents that
are well-horned and utilized and ones that are not. Inability to key into one’s
potentials and to maximize them is one of the greatest crimes one could commit
against oneself. Capacity-building is the word.
Building
our capacities is the art of strengthening our giftings towards personal
development, church and national growth. Someone had wisely remarked that, “Who
you are is a gift from God but what you become out of who you are is your gift
back to God.”
The
desire of everyone on planet earth should be to “serve the purpose of God in
his (her) own generation” (cf. Acts 13:36). It is an acknowledged fact that
everyone is endowed. There is a specific mission and task we are all created to
accomplish towards the betterment of our immediate environments in particular
and of the global community in general (cf. Psalms 115:16).
Recognizing
and building your capacity becomes the first task you have towards
accomplishing your life’s goals.
BENEFITS
OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION TO NATION-BUILDING
Christian
education instills good citizenship education into the psyche of its
recipients. Christian education breeds morally-sound, responsible,
goal-oriented and God-fearing citizens – the very foundation for rock-solid
national development.
By
default, Christians are not anti-social, anti-Governments or unpatriotic.
Consequently, the education they provide at all levels do not promote Boko
Haramism of any sort, rather are allies of government. Christian education
breeds generations of nation builders.
Because Christians are major stakeholders in
their various countries, they are commanded to pray for their leaders (I
Timothy 2:1-3) and to seek to promote national interests, knowing that the good
of their countries would assure their well-being (Jeremiah 29:7). Why are
Christians this way? Because of their education and value orientations.
Christian
education is beneficial to every aspect of national development: it is
beneficial to the economy, politics, national security, social integration and
productivity. No Christian worth his/her faith would dip his/her hand into
public till, throw bombs at others, or over heat the polity.
Christian
education is transformational. It seeks to transform individuals to be their
bests and to contribute positively towards national development and meaningful
co-existence. It is a recommended type of education that any nation wishing to
develop should adopt.
SECULAR
EDUCATION AND CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: WHICH IS BETTER?
In
as much as secular education is important, Christian education is better. Dr.
Tim LaHaye in an article, “The need to establish moral values in
public schools,” published in VOICE OF FREEDOM, September 1981, page
118 quoted a former American Senator, Samuel Hayakawa as having observed that, “… public schools have educated an entire
generation of young people without benefit of moral values.” Herman Hughes
(1989:24) quotes one Department of Education in a United States Midwestern
state as admitting that, “It is not in
the purview of public education to propagate moral values.”
Men and Brethren; Ladies and
Gentlemen, we are cognizant of the fact that here in Nigeria Christian
Religious Studies (CRS) is taught in our public schools. Unfortunately, CRS is
not Christian education, neither is it moral education. There is a world of
difference between learning about Christianity and being taught Christian
principles; there is a world of difference between of being taught about Christ
and by Christ.
Secular education is biased towards moulding
the physical person to function in a physical secular world without the
benefits of educating other aspects of the human personality.
On
the contrary, Christian education seeks to develop the total man (I
Thessalonians 5:23). Secular tertiary institutions have become moral and
spiritual slaughter houses; where moral deformation and spiritual prodigalities
are norms, not exceptions.
The
goal of Christian education is to equip students to be “worthy in learning and
character.” In an article, “Your
children and state universities,”
J. Terry Wheeler (1984:49) observed that “… many who attend secular universities never return alive in the faith
of Jesus Christ.” He went on to state that secular universities are not
havens for God’s people. Rather, they are frontlines of battles between
philosophies and ideologies. He wrote,
Of course, rarely is greater hostility evidenced
toward any belief as the educational elite exhibit against true-to-the-Book
Christian principles. Stand for Buddha and you are interesting. Stand for
Darwin and you are enlightened. Stand for Jesus Christ and you are a naïve
laughable buffon who gets in the way very quickly. Added to this hostility …
are the problems of substance abuse, fornication and cultic assaults. This conflict
is no small skirmish; it is a major warfare notorious for its casualties.
UNDER WHAT ENVIRONMENT ARE YOUR CHILDREN LEARNING?
Environment
is critical to the overall development of our children. Enrolling your children
into Christian schools is a vote for the future: future of our children, future
of our families, future of our congregations and future of the global
community. It ensures effective transference of ideals of our Faith and of the
Restoration Heritage. It ensures the weeding off of denominational and apostate
tendencies.
When
we send our children to secular institutions, we should be ready to contend
with secular philosophies and of a secularized church in the future. What we
sow is what we will reap. Today, American Brethren are contending with New Age
philosophies and doctrinal insurgents because, overtime, efforts of the fathers
were abandoned when brethren began to send their children to secular
institutions and liberal theological seminaries. When they returned, a generation that knew no Joseph
emerged, “speaking perverse things,”
leaving the church worse than they met her.
Bob
Rigdon, a Professor at Western Carolina University Graduate School, an Elder
and Minister of the Sylva Church of Christ, USA
writing on, “The Christian Student on a secular campus” (Gospel Advocate, November, 1988:39) wrote,
For 25 years, I have taught at a
state university. I wish I had kept records of all the Christian students I
know who have enrolled here, a record of their attendance, and my subjective
evaluation of their Christian lives. My estimate is that 75 percent did not
attend faithfully any Church of Christ while at the university, even once a
week.
I
agree with Professor Bob Rigdon. Having preached at the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka for fifteen years, I can tell you without equivocation that 50% of young
people who enroll into secular universities never identify with Congregations
and those who do, a certain percentage do not remain committed. We have to
continuously seek them out with minimal success. This is not so in Christian
universities.
Writing
on the need for Christian education, Paul A. Keinel in an article, “The
case for Christian education” (Gospel Advocate, April, 1989:14)
observed and suggested that,
Tragically, Christian schools are
being ignored by a large number of the very people they seek to serve. ….
Non-Christian education, taught by unbelievers, which undermine Scriptural
values is not an appropriate training ground for the Lord’s people. Keep in
mind Luke 6:40: “A student … who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”
Christians should feel strongly about the kind of teachers who will influence
their children.
…so I hope you will choose a school for your
children on the basis of its character and not on the basis of what is popular.
You surely want a school that will reinforce the Christian values you teach in
your home, not one that tears them down.
…I believe the words of Martin
Luther: “I would advice no one to send his child where the Holy Scriptures are not
supreme. Every institution that does not increasingly pursue the study of God’s
Word becomes corrupt.”
WHY SEND OUR CHILDREN TO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITIES?
“Our young people are the
foundations on which the Church will stand in the future” wrote Gene Johnson. In an article, “Private
vs. Public Education,” Herman Hughes (Gospel Advocate, April, 1989,
page 24) cites an anonymous writer who observed that, “There are two lasting bequests we can give to our children – one is
roots, the other, wings.” He writes that as,
Christian parents, we are deeply
concerned that our children put down their roots deep into God’s Word. We want
them to develop a faith of their own that will not only be saving but also
liberating. And we want our children to reach their full potential for a happy
and successful life.
He
asked,
Where do these roots and wings
come from? From parents of course, and the church. But what about school? Is
the school working with or against the home and church? The Christian school is
committed to supporting parents and church in developing Christian values, not
countering them at every turn.
…Christian school advocates
believe that each child deserves the best education possible in a disciplined
and loving environment where each individual is encouraged to to achieve, where
ethics are just as important as academics, and where God and country are honoured.
J.
Terry Johnson, President of Oklahoma Christian College, Oklahoma, USA in an
article, “College is not the real world” (Gospel Advocate, 1988:41)
cited a recently completed study by Gallup
Organization of Princeton, New Jersey as confirming that:
Christian college graduates are
more content with life, happier in personal relationships, and more active in
their service to the Church than their public college graduate counterparts.
Parents who have become enlightened to the differences are influencing their
children to select one of the Christian colleges. The cost may – or may not –
be slightly higher, but the value received cannot be beat at any price.
In
an article, “The case for Christian education,” Paul A. Keinel (1989:18)
quoted a US Government-funded Coleman Report as revealing that Christian
schools are better than public schools using the following benchmarks:
1. they
produce better cognitive outcomes than do public schools with comparable
students.
2. they
provide better character and personality development than do public schools.
3. they
provide a safer, more disciplined and more ordered environment than do public
schools.
4. they
are more successful in creating an interest in learning than are public
schools.
5. they
are more efficient than public schools, accomplishing their educational tasks
at lower cost.
6. they
have smaller class sizes and thus allow teachers and students to have greater contact.
Writing
on “Parents,
Churches and Christian Schools: Partners in Education,” John Waddey
(1987:358) observed,
For a hundred and forty years we
have known the value of Christian colleges for the training of our children. In
recent years with the deterioration of public schools, multitudes of private
‘Christian’ elementary and high schools have sprung up. In these schools young
people have the advantage of Christian teachers, numerous Christian peers, all
classes being taught from Christian perspectives, daily Bible classes, and
devotions. Beyond the advantages, they have a higher standard of discipline and
are spared the teaching of evolution, humanism and hedonism by their teachers.
They are also sheltered from the scourge of drugs, the filth of profanity, and
other common vices found in public schools.
We must resist the pressure to
lower our standards to please the non Christians who enroll their children. A
Christian school must be more than a place where the Bible is not banned. It
must be taught. Christians need to study the Divine Book with the same
thoroughness and discipline as they do Math or history. Teachers need to be
more than nominal “Sunday morning” church goers. They need to be living models
of true Christianity since they have such a powerful influence over their
students. Children will follow their good examples to the Savior (I Corinthians
11:1).
The three most powerful
influences in a child are his parents, his church, and his school. When a child
is so fortunate as to have all of them faithfully leading him in paths of
righteousness, he will almost certainly dwell in the House of the Lord all the
days of his life (Psalms 23:6).
CHRISTIANS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Acts
19:9 tells us that Apostle Paul established a training institution, which he
operated for about two years. This institution was a training ground where he
nurtured budding preachers of the Gospel and then unleashed them upon the world
to proclaim the undiluted Word of God. No wonder, Acts 19:10 declared “…that
all who dwelt in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and
Greeks.”
“…School
of one Tyrannus” may refer to a school owned by a person called Tyrannus or a school located in a place
called Tyrannus. Whatever be the
case, a school was operated where preachers of God’s Word were trained. The
school may have operated for two years and closed shop or may have operated a
two-year curriculum of training, which today serves as a model for two years
program of schools. Whatever may have happened, training occurred: churches
were involved and preachers were trained!
WHY
THE CHURCH MUST BE INVOLVED IN EDUCATIONAL PROVISIONS
The
distinctive nature of New Testament Christianity makes her a lone voice in the
wilderness of modern day religious confusion and cacophonic ministrations.
Proliferation of religious houses have taken centre-stage where story-telling
and entertainment of the like of Athenians’ experiences are replicated (Acts
17:16-23). Today people flock to religious houses to “hear something new.” We
must take Holy Spirit’s injunction to Titus, an evangelist, seriously. In Titus
1:10-12, Paul wrote,
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and
deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped,
who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy
lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The
Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
Nothing
best describes our modern day religious environment than what we find in the
above Scripture passage. There are many empty talkers on various media of mass
communication and in various religious houses whose mouths must be shut because
they teach and preach things they are not permitted to for the sake of
financial gains.
We
live in an age of advancements in virtually every area of life. Ministry is
becoming increasingly challenging as human societies move from simple to
complex. Human beings are becoming more and more enlightened. Therefore, those
who must minister to them in spiritual matters must endeavour to keep pace. As
a rule of the thumb, pulpit is supposed to be above the pew not the other way
round.
Training
raises the human capital of our Ministers and Members to be more proactive and
responsive. Divergent voices which are trying to weaken the Church’s voice
would be properly coordinated if we meet on training grounds to cross-pollinate
Biblical ideas and moderate our differences.
If
our denominational and religious neighbours of the likes of Roman Catholic,
Anglican, Assemblies of God, Presbyterian, Methodist, Redeemed Christian Church
of God, Living Faith, Baptist, etcetera are investing heavily in education by
floating world-class higher institutions, which would serve as training and
conversion grounds for their members and would-be members, then the Church of
our Lord should not be found to lag behind in this direction.
Congregations
must be in the vanguard of advocating for the education and retraining of her
most critical workforce. If there are no pools of intellectual and theological
resources, the Church of tomorrow will become endangered. We must continue to
re-sharpen our focus by continually equipping those who will take the baton of
our Congregational leaderships by reminding them to hold forth the core
elements of our message (cf. II Timothy 2:2).
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN CHURCHES OF CHRIST AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Relationship
between Church and educational institutions is such that one lays the
foundation upon which to build superstructures of the Faith while the other
builds; one plants the message while the other waters the message. It is a
perfect arrangement of Town and Gown. It is so symbiotic that the absence of
one will be greatly felt by the other. While congregations financially support
educational institutions by making endowments, sending their children to attend
institutions owned and operated by Brethren, these institutions will in turn
become feeders of congregations because the people they train will at the end
serve with existing congregations as well as many who will chart new paths by
going to virgin areas to plant new congregations (cf. Romans 15:20).
Our
American Brethren know the importance of partnering with schools established by
Brethren. Universities and preacher training institutions litter America’s
geographical landscape. Universities such as David Lipscomb, Abilene Christian,
Faulkner, Bear Valley, Brown Trail, Freed-Hardeman, Harding, Heritage
Christian, Lubbock Christian, Memphis School of Preaching, Ohio Christian, Oklahoma
Christian, Pepperdine, Sunset International, Tennessee Bible College, York
College, etcetera were all set up by members of the Lord’s Church in America
and are heavily sponsored by Congregations of the Lord’s Church all across
America. Some were purely for preaching purposes while others combine
ministerial training with secular education.
Training
institutions exist for the Church. Therefore, the Church should support these
institutions. It is in her best interests to do so. To do this, Brethren should
send their children to be trained and support them fully; they should make
occasional as well as regular donations of money and materials; take lead in
securing lands and construction of permanent structures for these institutions.
Today,
health and educational institutions such as Obong University (OU), Obong Ntak,
Akwa Ibom State; Nigerian Christian Institute (NCI), Uyo, Akwa Ibom State;
School of Biblical Studies (SBS), Jos, Plateau State; Western Nigerian
Christian College (WNCC), Ogun State; Nigerian Christian Bible College (NCBC),
Abak, Akwa Ibom State; Nigerian Christian Seminary (NCS), Asa Nnentu, Aba, Abia
State, Nigerian Institute of Arts and Theological Studies (NIATS), Nlagu, Abia
State; School of Biblical Studies (SBS), Awka, Anambra State; Carl and Merle
Acuff Comprehensive Academy(CAMACA), Umuopu-Agu, Igbo-Eze North Local
Government Area, Enugu State as well as Comprehensive
School of Management and Technology (CSMT), Abakaliki, Ebonyi State
are all testimonies to institutions owned and funded
by members of Church of Christ. How well these facilities are funded are largely
unknown.
If
we as a church family must be relevant in the scheme of things today and
tomorrow, we must put our hearts where our mouths are: we must put our hearts
where our collective future is. Leaving a legacy for the Church’s posterity
entails that we must be futuristic in our plans and programs by ensuring that
our gains in the present are consolidated by strategically empowering our
educational institutions to continue to serve the educational, theological and
spiritual needs of the Church.
The
spillover effects of the Church’s supports and funding of our educational
institutions are enormous:
1. It
will ensure a continued pool of theological and intellectual resource for our
Congregations.
2. Our
capacity as a church family to contain divergent voices will increase.
3. Our
capacity to contend earnestly for the Faith will also increase as we will have
in abundance not only men who are well equipped but men whose confidence in themselves
and in God’s Word cannot be in doubt.
Congregations
MUST SUPPORT our training schools. We must empower our educational institutions
as individuals and body corporate with our financial resources and expertise in
different areas of life to ensure that our present is consolidated and our
future guaranteed. To do so is akin to what Samson did: he took three hundred
foxes, bound them tail-to-tail, set them on fire to set afire the land of the
Philistines (Judges 15:4-5).
By
supporting our educational institutions we will be gathering men together, set
their spirits on fire to set our communities afire by God’s Word.
Paul
did that at Tyrannus, supported by congregations and the result was tremendous.
More congregations were planted and nurtured all across Asia. The people our
Lord left behind to ensure that the message He had brought to the world and the
Vicarious Sacrifice He had made on Calvary’s Cross were properly propagated by
the men He had spent three years plus training and equipping.
Supporting
Christian education is a vote for the continued growth of the Church. As
Christians, especially members of the Restoration Heritage, we must put our
hearts where our mouths are and should be. One of the greatest legacies anyone
faithful and meaningful Christian can leave behind is to ensure that the Faith
continues after him/her. To ensure this, two primary institutions must be
empowered: Church and Schools. Supporting the Church materially and spiritually
will ensure that existence of the Faith of our Lord Jesus will be guaranteed
for generations yet unborn. Supporting Christian schools will reinforce what
the Church does. The relationship between Congregations and our educational
institutions should be mutual, aware that they have complimentary roles. Our Lord is
depending on His Church to take the message of salvation to the world
(Ephesians 3:10). Christian schools are willing to assist Congregations of our
Lord achieve this objective. Therefore, let Congregations partner with our
schools to ensure that this is realized. When this happens, it will become Partnership that Works!
In
an article, “Problems facing Christian education” J. Walker Whittle
(1984:165,169) observed,
“If Christian higher education is
to continue the progress in recent decades, Christians must be financially
involved. There are many ways for this to be done – direct donations, wills,
trust, annuities, estate planning, charitable insurance and others. It is truly
the work of God…. Generally, our Christian colleges are providing a tremendous
service to the church, Christian young people, and the nation. You could be
part of the solution to the problems within Christian education. How?
1. Be
sure that your children (even grandchildren) attend a Christian college.
2. Be
so committed to Christianity that it would lead you to sacrifice.
3. Speak
positively to your family and friends about Christian education.
4.
Become
involved in every possible way.
5.
Pray
for those who lead our institutions.
CONCLUSION
I
would like to close this presentation by quoting the words of Paul A. Keinel,
I believe that Christ and the
Word of God placed at the center of education can only accrue to stronger
families, better Congregations and quality of life that will please the Lord.
Help us spread the word about Christian-school education.
Thank
you and God’s blessings continue to be our lots and portions in Jesus’ name!
HILARY JOHNSON CHUKWUMA CHUKWURAH (Evangelist
Grand-Heritage
Global Communications
37,
Market Road, P. O. Box 351, Nsukka, Enugu State.
PHONE: 08039596919; 08182820677.
E-MAIL:hilaryjohnsonc@yahoo.com,
References
Collins, Willard (1990). “Educating the complete
person.” Gospel Advocate Magazine. Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Gospel Advocate
Company.
Hughes, Herman (1989). “Private vs. Public
Education.” Gospel Advocate magazine.
Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Gospel Advocate Company, April, p.24.
Johnson, Terry (1988).“College is not the real
world.” Gospel Advocate magazine.
Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Gospel Advocate Company, November, p. 41.
LaHaye, Tim. (1981). “The need to establish moral
values in public schools,” VOICE OF
FREEDOM magazine, September, p. 118.
Paul A. Keinel (1989). “The case for Christian
education.” Gospel Advocate magazine.
Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Gospel Advocate Company, April, p.14
Okecha, Steve A. (2008). “Education” Newswatch Magazine. Lagos: Newswatch
Media Ltd., October 6,
Okoro, N. M. (1998). The Business of Advertising. Enugu: ACENA Publications.
Rigdon, Bob (1988). “The Christian Student on a
secular campus.” Gospel Advocate
magazine. Nashville, Tennessee, USA: Gospel Advocate Company, November,
p.39.
Waddey, John (1987). “Parents, Churches and
Christian Schools: Partners in Education.” Christian
Bible Teacher. Quality Publications, Abilene, Texas, USA, September, p.
358.
Whittle, J. Walker (1984). “Problems facing
Christian education.” Gospel Advocate
magazine. Nashville, Tennessee: Gospel Advocate Company, pages 165, 169.
This paper was presented by Hilary Johnson Chukwuma Chukwurah at OBONG UNIVERSITY, Obong Ntak, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria on May 24,
2014.
