Deuteronomy 6:6f) indicates that it should be focused — to the life of the Christian family in the home. While other pursuits in Christian edu cation are doubtless worthy of our attention, the task of preparing adult believers to function suc cessfully as molders o f truly Christian homes in which correct learning may occur must be recog nized as of crucial importance. Some Christians of course will recommend that we try to reconstruct the family life situation which existed in the homes of our parents and grandparents. The “halo effect” always tends to make us nostalgic about the past. Yet this cannot be done. We live in a dynamic, rather than a static, society. Societal changes are bound to occur. And with the metamorphoses which take place in a dynamic society like ours there are inevitable and irreversible transformations in the institutions of that society, including the famliy. Regression to the past is not the answer. Yet there are certain characteristics of family life which are contemporary in any age, including our own, which seem to represent such a radical break with the past, if a home is to be truly Chris tian and if it is to provide the kind of learning for its children which will be profitable to them and pleasing to God. In the first place, such a home must be a place where God is revered. Several years ago, a cartoon appeared in a popular magazine which showed a boy kneeling by his bedside on the eve of his family’s departure for their annual vacation. His prayer was: “Goodbye, God, we’re going on our vacation.” This lad recognized a significant differ ence in family practices between the usual home routines and those which would be followed at the beach or in the mountains. His awareness of this difference taught him — by indirect learning — that God was being left behind at home while the family vacationed. Too many Christian families unfortunately also teach their young that God, who is acknowledged during familiar worship routines in a building set aside for that purpose, is apparently left behind there when the family returns home after the Sunday service. How can a child observe the great difference in family deportment between church and home and not conclude that God is somehow locked up in a church building and is not relevent to life as it is lived day-to-day and moment-by moment throughout the week? If we are to counteract this harmful, even though unintentional, teaching and help our chil dren learn that God is to be revered at all times and in all places, believing parents must take what ever steps are necessary to give God His place of primacy in home life. Whatever else may serve as curriculum for such learning, it would seem that collective family worship of God on a regular daily basis, coupled with an open and sincere attempt THE KING'S BUSINESS
cleansing and healing her so that her final state is that of a virgin bride rather than a prostitute, as described in Ephesians Chapter 5. The weakness and ineffectiveness of the present-day church on earth shows clearly the prostitution of her cor porate life, her love of the world and rejection of the Lordship and authority of Jesus Christ the Head. As a man’s true masculinity, strength, integrity and effectiveness in the world are a result of chaste inner “ femininity” in relationship to God, so the Body of Christ is a militant army of godly soldiers triumphant over evil only when her inner character towards God is that of a virgin bride. The world will take the church seriously only when she herself takes her marriage to God seriously and begins to walk in faithfulness and implicit obedience to her living Lord. *Dolphin, L.T. and Gallivan E.C. “ Sex Through the Look ing Glass” Good News Publishers, Westchester, 111. 1968. H b I M u s t B eg in by J. Edward Hakes C h u r c h e s a r e u rg ed t o r e v a m p e d u c a t io n read the headline in a widely-circulated metropoli tan daily newspaper. Under this eye-catching caption was an article which began: “Churches should completely revamp their religious education programs and put primary emphasis on teaching adults rather than children.” The rationale for such a change was given: “ . . . a child gets most o f his religious training, for better or worse, at home, and his parents inevitably have a greater impact on his values and beliefs than any teacher.” Thus we are reminded that children, even those who have records of perfect attendance at tradi tional church-sponsored Christian education agen cies, are by far more affected in their growth, including that phase of their development labelled “ religious,” by their own parents. No one ever frees himself from the influences of his home and family. The impressions which one receives dur ing his early years are etched indelibly on the personality of the child who is the “ father o f the man” he will become. Practically all empirical research on record supports this. In the light of this, the community of evan gelical Christians must turn its attention educa tionally to the place where God in His Word (e.g., 20 W h e r e C h r is t ian E du ca t ion
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