Stronger Communities

1. A Parent-directed Process – “…which He commanded our fathers…”

The Bible places a clear and specific responsibility on fathers to disciple their children (Prov. 4:1, Is. 38:19b, Deut. 6:4-9, Eph. 6:4, Col. 3:21, Prov. 22:6). Both parents must take on the role of home school superintendent, guiding their children's education and even personally teaching academic subjects if needed.

When parents fulfill this duty with faithfulness and reliance on Christ's strength, the faith is effectively passed down to future generations. For this reason, parents must have their children's hearts (Prov. 23:26) and be in a state of heart-turning from God (Mal. 4:6) to effectively raise their children in the ways of the Lord (Eph 6:4).

It is crucial for parents to be true disciples of Christ themselves and to lead by example in their own walk.

Single mothers and home educating mothers with uninvolved or disinterested husbands face additional challenges in fulfilling these responsibilities. However, with God's grace and strength, mothers can still successfully disciple their children.

Gatekeepers Academy wants to support and encourage these brave women through every means possible.

2. A Multi-generational Vision – Psalm 78:6 "That the generation to come might know them ..."

Next, home discipleship is multi-generational in scope. There are four generations in scope:

1) the grandparents,

2) the parents,

3) the children, and

4) the grandchildren

Christian home education demands a long-term perspective and mindset. We are not merely discipling our children to walk with the Lord. We must also be training them to be disciplers of our grandchildren and discipler-trainers for our great-grandchildren. We must disciple our children as if our great-grandchildren’s temporal lives and eternal destinies depend on it, because they actually do.

God's call is not just for individuals, but for families and generations. Just like God called Abraham's descendants to be His own special people and the sons of Aaron to be priests and the sons of David to be kings, God calls our children too. This means that the promises and blessings of God extend to our children's children as well.

It's important for parents to guide their children in choosing a marriage partner in a Biblically-based way, rather than relying on the often flawed practice of modern dating. This requires preparing children beforehand and teaching them what qualities to look for in a potential mate, then guiding and overseeing the process leading to a lifelong commitment. This will result in the establishment of a new Christian home that will raise the next generation of disciple-makers and community gatekeepers.

Grand-parenting is also a valuable and joyful opportunity for investing in the spiritual lives of our grandchildren. Retirement from discipling duties is not an option and having several generations living together and attending the same church fellowship is a worthy goal for every extended family.

3. A Focus on Character Development – John 14:15 "…keeping His commandments."

Christian home schooling must start with the development of Godly character within the child. This foundational aspect of education prepares the child not just for academic success, but for life itself. The child learns to regulate their thoughts and actions, show respect to those in authority, use their energy and efforts wisely, demonstrate proper etiquette to others, and live peacefully in accordance with God's laws. This kind of life blesses not only the individual, but also their family and the larger society.

The fall of Adam brought about spiritual death for all humans, which can only be remedied through faith in Jesus Christ. It also brought about physical decay and death in the world. However, living a life that aligns with God's image can mitigate these consequences and bring healing and restoration to both the individual and the world.

Biblical discipline must also be incorporated into the child's upbringing, teaching them self-control and encouraging them to willingly follow God's commands. This discipline begins with external boundaries and loving corrections at home, and as the child grows, they learn to make conscious and consistent choices to follow civil and moral laws. With faith in Christ, the child can then submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, overcoming sinful attitudes and thoughts. Character-focused home discipleship cultivates the fruit of the Spirit within the child and serves as a model within the family.

A child who has developed moral integrity and self-restraint has a lifelong advantage over those who cannot conform to Biblical and societal standards. This is crucial for a successful life, building a happy marriage and home, and maintaining a civil society.

4. A Pursuit of Academic Excellence – Psalm 78:7 “…not forgetting the works of God…”

The next objective of Christian home discipleship is to instill in each child a knowledge of God and of His intervention in time and space. This requires academic instruction in every subject to proceed from and to be encompassed within a thoroughly Christian worldview, aspiring to the highest academic standards within our grasp and within each child’s God-given capability.

We reject both the teaching of evolution as valid truth and its influence in education as manifested in age-segregated classes, especially for instruction in spiritual matters. Our Creator designed growing young minds to respond to challenges and to rise to meet high standards and expectations. To teach down to a child’s perceived level is very often counterproductive.

Since God is Truth, the teaching of all intellectual truth is encompassed by this objective, including both natural law as discovered by man and revelation as spoken to man in the Word of God. It is an integrated understanding of these two areas of truth and an acquired skill in their consistent, practical application which permit the student to know God, to live in harmony with Him and His creation, and to then effectively carry and shine the light of God that dispels the world’s darkness and blesses all humankind.

5. The Spiritual Objective – Psalm 33:18 “…setting their hope in God…”

Each parent’s ultimate goal is to perpetuate a personal faith in their children. We believe it is a parent’s God-given duty – specifically a father’s – to first evangelize and then disciple his own children. This is again a call for parents to be true disciples in their own right, to learn to know their children’s hearts, and to strive to acquire the skills of an evangelist and spiritual mentor, enabled to lead their children to a saving personal faith in Jesus Christ and to a daily walk of continuous and life-long sanctification.

Our hope and prayer is that every home educated child will grow to love our Lord Jesus Christ and to personally trust Him for temporal needs as well as for salvation, being equipped and motivated to use his energies, talents, and skills for God’s glory, for the expansion of the Kingdom, and for the progress of mankind.

6. Priorities – Deuteronomy 5:33 “…He has commanded…”

The idea of teaching our children to have faith in God and follow His commandments is important to those who believe that the Bible is the right guide for life. However, this doesn't mean that our status before God is based on whether we choose to home school or not. God's grace is available to all believers no matter what.

Just like how the laws of electricity bring blessings when used correctly and misfortune when not, this God-given law will bring blessings when followed and misery when ignored.

It's important to remember that being committed to home schooling should not be a reason to feel proud or judge others. Home schooling families should always show humility and respect towards everyone. Home schooling is a way to learn to live a God-honoring life, but it doesn't guarantee spiritual progress.