"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." – Proverbs 9:10
Christian Education
Christian education is such a rare concept in Uganda. So much so that it is not uncommon to find even the most devout Christians taking their children to Muslim schools where they are taught and forced to practice every religious activity related to the Islamic faith. Because sound academics is such a valued commodity as it so often holds the key to a bright future to any child, other values are often sacrificed. The need to bring up our children with a Christian worldview is neglected, not because Christians parents don’t care but because (1) they don’t know, and (2) Christian schools don’t exist. Christian schools in the sense of teaching all the subjects with a Christian worldview are almost inexistent. The few schools that may bear Christian names often are schools started by Christian people but there is zero emphasis on Christian education.
Secular education is fundamentally different from Christian education because the two stem from very different premises. Secular education begins with the assumption that man is born essentially good and remains that way as long as his environment is maintained to be favorable for natural development. The purpose of education is to help the child realize his own potentialities so that he may contribute to the progress of society. To begin with, these premises are self-contradictory because while secular education purports to be neutral and natural, the teachers in-fact seek to impart into the students a set of principles that form a unified worldview. Secularists are insincere in their approach to education. The premises of Christian education on the other hand are sincerely held and are self-consistent. These assumptions are rooted in the infallible and God-breathed truth found in Scripture.
The Bible not only is the source of infallible premises for Christian education but also provides its educational model. The Old Testament records God's teaching of man in person and through human instruments and physical circumstances. The Gospels show the instruction of the disciples by Christ, the Master Teacher. The Epistles are inspired examples of educational content and strategy. Finally, there is the pedagogical model of the Bible as a whole. its goal, to conform redeemed man to the image of God in Christ, is that of all Christian education. Its means are the most suitable and effective tor attaining this goal. Genuine Christian education follows closely the model of Scripture, for as an infallible agency of Christian growth it exemplifies perfectly its own principles. From the statements and examples of Scripture, therefore, come the premises and the model of Christian education, and from these premises and this model this model Christian education takes its shape.
These basic premises include the following.
God created man in his own image (Genesis 1:26-27).
The image of God in man was marred when man fell through disobedience to his Creator (Genesis 3).
God has provided for the restoration of His image in man through the person and work of Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
The purpose of Christian education is the directing of the process of human development toward God's objective for man: godliness of character and action. It bends its efforts to the end “that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17).
So who is responsible for this education?
In the Scriptures God has commanded two institutions to educate: the home and the church. As an extension of either or both of these institutions, the Christian school has a Biblical mandate to educate.
The home—The Bible makes clear that education is to begin in the home (Gen. 18:19; Deut. 6:7; Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4; II Tim. 1:5; 3:15). It makes parents responsible for their children and charges them with an educational task.
The church—The New Testament indicates that the responsibilities of the church include edification as well as evangelism (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:42; II Tim. 2:2). The Scriptural representation of the church as a body an organism that grows and matures—implies a teaching function for this institution. Also, the recognition of the gift of teaching by the New Testament (Rom. 12:4-7; I Cor. 12:28) assumes the necessity of teaching in the local churches.
The Christian school--Christians have a Biblical mandate to educate in their homes and in their churches. In order to reinforce the educational ministries of these institutions or to protect their ministries from secular interference, Christian schools need to be formed.
This is why Lubangakene Ministries Uganda intends to create Christian schools starting at the levels of Kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, and trade schools.