Lessons From Across the Pond

January 18, 2013 

Written by board member Dave Johnson

In Two Generations

Taking advantage of a work assignment, the Johnson family moved to Europe for two months this fall. We saw ourselves as missionaries. We found a great international church, but did not meet a single faithful Christian outside of those four walls. We never even met someone who knew a faithful Christian. Though we planted some seeds by both declaring and demonstrating the Gospel, there was no reception to invitations to the church or its outreach events.

In talking to the nominally Christian people we encountered, we were surprised how many had a grandmother who still religiously attended Mass. In just two generations, the churches were emptied and the grandchildren had no interest in attending church. Note, the grandmother did not change, but her faith failed to pass to the subsequent generations.

We all worship something, and the god of Europe became clearer with each passing day: government. Of course European socialism has been growing for years, including government-run health care, the welfare state, and so forth. What isn’t reported is the public school system.

Public Schools Teach god

Overview of public schools in the Netherlands:

  • Compulsory education starts at age 4
  • No one we met could name a private school, though they thought they were legal
  • Homeschooling is illegal
  • For just $125 per month, you can send your 2 and 3 year olds to all-day child-care, so most people do

While playing with the neighbor kids, the moms were talking. The neighbor mentioned that her daughter had just told her about a field trip the next day. My wife asked where they were going, and the mom said she had no idea; the teachers didn’t tell them what goes on. All she knew was what her four-year-old shared: “they are taking us away on a bus to the forest to eat an apple.”

It was clear parents had no control and little insight into what their children were being taught, except at Christmas time. For the three weeks before the arrival of “Sinterklaas” (like Santa Claus), the schools engage the parents. In addition to significant time during the day spent learning about Sinterklaas, the children were to watch the news each evening with their family to learn the latest Sinterklaas “event.” The schools, the media, and the parents were all engaged in lying to their children. If what was true for a child one year is no longer true the next when they learn Sinterklaas is not real, then all truth becomes relative. When we spoke of absolute truth found in the Bible, it was rejected by relativism before we got to the next sentence.

Now, what the schools did teach was that government was good, but people and corporations were not to be trusted. Even the multiple Germans we met were in favor of giving their government more control over their lives and the lives of their children. History was forgotten and socialism reigned with the schools teaching the children to worship the god of government.

So What

1)    Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me

God created government, families, and the church. As Christians, we must study the Word to discover the distinct role of each. We should never expect one of those to fulfill the God-given role of another. To do so, is to violate Romans 1:25:

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

2)    Pass Our Faith to Our Children

The government schools will only teach the god of government because they cannot acknowledge the real God. If we send our children to hear lies, relativism will be prevalent. And, as in Europe, in two generations (or less), the church in America could be lost.

We are starting Agape Christi because we know our children and your children need a thoroughly Christian education filled with absolute Truth. Decide today to reject the government schools as an option for your children. Decide today to give them a Christian education. Decide today to join Agape Christi Academy.