SCHOOL NEWS

NORWICH

The School Board of the Rehoboth Christian School, Norwich, Ontario, Canada, needs two teachers for the coming school year to teach in the higher grades, especially one teacher to teach history.

Applicants that are interested are requested to send in their application and resume to the principal, Mr. Otto deLeeuw, R.R. No. 3, Norwich, Ontario, Canada NOJ-IPO, Tel No. 519/863-6810, or the Secretary of the school board Mr. John Honcoop, E. Main St., Norwich, Ontario, Canada NOJIPO, Tel. No. 519/863-2443.

LETHBRIDGE-FORT MACLEOD

Calvin Christian School of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations of Lethbridge and Fort Macleod invites applications from certified teachers for the Elementary and Junior High School levels.

The school hopes to begin its second school year in Sept. 1980, the Lord willing.

Presently grades 1 to 7 are taught, and hopefully, kindergarten and grade 8 can be added this coming school year.

For information contact the principal, Mr. A.H. Verhoef at telephone number 403/328-0495.

Applications should be sent to Mr. Adrian DeWilde, Sec’y, P.O. Box 142, Monarch, Alberta, Canada, TOL-1MO, Tel. No. 403/824-3698.

ARE OUR OWN CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS REALLY NECESSARY?

PART VII

The last, Objection Number 7:

“I am satisfied with another Christian school in town.”

In writing on this last objection, I sense a double danger. Let me preface my remarks by saying that I know many Christian School principals and teachers, from Christian schools sponsored by other denominations, who are very sincere and dedicated people, whom I certainly respect in the educational field. There are also excellent teachers from other denominations teaching in our own schools and also in other schools, who do not go along with the promotion of the new Bible program and ideas which will be explained. But, on the other hand, to say that there is not much difference in doctrinal viewpoints between Christian schools sponsored by other Churches and those of our own denomination is not being truthful. Let me clearly state that when I mention these differences, I do not mean that our denominational schools have better academic programs, more-dedicated teachers, or anything of that kind. I have visited several very well-disciplined and highly academic Christian schools outside of our denomination. But, at the same time, there are differences: clear differences. Some like to look at the differences of a more outward nature: slacks for girls instead of dresses or skirts; the Living Bible or other versions instead of the King James Version; You instead of Thee or Thou when referring to God in prayer; Christian ball teams with crowds of spectators, cheerleaders, etc. instead of physical education in less man-honoring circumstances; different viewpoints concerning television, movie theaters, Bible plays, etc.

While these differences do exist and are important, they are not the center point of difference between our own denominational Christian schools and others. The heart of the difference, centers in a different viewpoint concerning the Covenant of Grace. In our schools we stress the difference between being placed under the Covenant of Grace by baptism or being placed inside the Covenant of Grace by personal conversion. We stress the difference, in other words, of being included in the Covenant of Grace in an outward sense or being brought into the Covenant in an inward sense. The Lord Jesus instructed Nicodemus, one, who was: circumcized, in the Covenant in an outward way, a strict Jew; one taught by the Church, a respected Jewish leader, leading a blameless outward life: you must be born again, you must be brought in the Covenant of Grace in an inward, saving way through personal conversion. To speak to Nicodemus, before his personal conversion, as if he was a child of God, or in an “assuming-he-is-saved” manner would be most dangerous. John the Baptist cut through all the self-assumptions of the religious Jews who felt secure because they were: sons of Abraham, children of the Covenant, circumcized, and living a well disciplined life, by preaching “Repent ye!” Publicans and Jews, harlots and Pharisees, thieves and rulers in the Sanhedrin; all needed true, experiential knowledge of Divine acts of conversion in their life: teaching them of misery, deliverance, and thankfulness. While many other doctrinal points are held in common between all Reformed Christian Schools, it is this core doctrine concerning the Covenant of Grace which makes such a difference in the instruction given. Let us not fool ourselves by thinking that doctrine is not taught in school until the high school grades, whenever we make any application of Bible principles we teach doctrine.

These doctrinal differences result in daily differences in application, manner of speaking, and practice in school. If there is not a school of our own denomination in the area, then the dilemma of where to send our children is most understandable. But if a school of our own denomination is available can we truthfully say “I am content with another Christian school in town.”? Rev. Lamain writes:

“At baptism the parents promise in the presence of an omniscient God to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6:4. But they must also cause them to be instructed. It is incumbent upon the parents to send their children to catechism to be instructed by the office bearers, but they are also most solemnly obligated to send their children to a school where the same truth is held before them as is preached or read to them on Sundays in the Church.

It is not a matter of indifference to which Christian School we send our children, for there is so much instruction offered which is not according to the Word of God. In most of the churches the doctrines of the sovereignty of God and of election and reprobation are not held forth. They teach that Christ died for all men, and that conversion, true conversion, is not necessary anymore, but we all believe and and then we shall not fail in going to heaven.

Now, when such instruction is given to our children at the schools, everyone having the slightest appreciation for the truth may realize how pernicious such instruction is.”

-Rev. Lamain; Pastor Letters: p. 55–56

Are our own Christian Schools really necessary?

If the Word of God, our Doctrinal Standards, the testimony of our forefathers, our doctrines, and our conscience testifies: “Yes! Our own Christian schools are most necessary”; then let us work and pray. Let us work for, and support wholeheartedly, the difficult task of beginning and operating our own Christian schools. Let us pray that God might bless the labors in this regard; for without His blessing, those that labor, labor in vain. As Parents, let us pray for Divine direction and power to properly bring up our children. Thomas Manton wrote as his first two points of advice to parents:

“1. Be godly yourselves and

2. Educate your children in God’s fear.”

-Thomas Manton Works: 15, p. 470

Above all, may God crown the labors in our schools with His greatest blessing—a true spriritual blessing. Let us pray continually that the Lord might break open and prepare the soil of many young hearts, plant the seed of His Gospel there, that it might grow up, and bring forth true fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one-hundred fold. What a wonder if in the future we could experience together the fulfillment of Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” God, Alone, can bring His Word into the heart, and to Him Alone belongs all the honor, glory, and praise; both now and forevermore.

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