It is disturbing enough that the majority of Christians still have their children in public schools.  But one does not have to look too far to find a lot of “former homeschoolers” in those public schools as well.  The apparently high attrition rate of homeschoolers is an issue that those of us who homeschool, or encourage others to, need to address. 

Desiring to protect our children from the corrupting public schools or wanting our offspring to get a solid education can be motivating factors for starting homeschooling, but a homeschool built on just these will begin to collapse when the going gets tough -- and it will get tough.

When the tremendous monetary sacrifice of one parent forsaking the working world kicks in, when the hefty spiritual challenge of disciplining and discipling children in the Lord become evident, when the mother feels the serious academic responsibility that largely rests on her shoulders, suddenly sending the children out of the home may appear justifiable.

“Some public schools might be teaching that stuff, but my child will have Ms. Christian as her first grade teacher, and I am going to be a classroom volunteer once a week,” says the wavering homeschooler.  Suddenly the kids “don’t learn as well from me as from a teacher” or “I’m falling behind!”  Or the father feels no compulsion to help, let alone lead the homeschool and he may desire the financial gain and lighter responsibiiites that happen when the wife and children leave for work and school.

From looking at what kept the veteran homeschoolers zealous about being home – often against all odds -- I believe homeschool longevity for the Christian largely comes down to a matter of theology. 

That is, Christians with a vision for their family, for fulfilling God’s purpose for them to be used for His glory, is what every Christian family needs to keep homeschooling. 

Now I will preface this with I know there are Christian families who cannot homeschool --- maybe the mother suffers from mental illness, alcoholism or another serious problem where they should not be with children.  There exits a huge shortage of affordable Christian schools that could be filled with the children from such families. 

But for the majority of Christian families who can create a safe, loving, healthy home where Christ is honored – they are well qualified to raise their children at home, and they need to get that exciting, big picture vision for their family to really go the distance. And this vision should be shared with the children, too.

Recently our family was standing in front of local Planned Parenthood. Not only is it part of their education to learn how to witness for Christ and save babies there, but we point out to them that this location is a “high place”in the land.  Like King Josiah, we are to take down the high places.  “But how, Mom?” they ask.  Through doing the best they can in math, science, writing, reading, etc. – maybe one day they can become a judge who helps to outlaw child killing, or a parent who passes on a life ethic to their children. 

If our only goal is to get our children to recite the Sinner’s Prayer, and just try to survive in a world that is supposed to get worse even in areas where there are many believers, I think we have too small a goal.

Years ago, when my husband and I ran a pro-family ministry on our secular college campus, we called all the Christian groups together for a prayer time.  We then asked them to work on getting Christians elected to school government and to help us get rid of the college-sponsored pornography and homosexual movie nights.  Besides the erroneous view many of them had that Christians should not get involved in politics, many acted like trying to make the campus less evil was somehow unspiritual. 

We challenged them that a place with Christians should be different than a place without them.  And that cleaning up the place, taking dominion in the name of Jesus, was a blessing to those who dwelt there.  To make a long story short, although the movies had been shown for 20 years, God used us to get them out in a matter of months.

My point is, what vision do you have for your family and how God could use all of you for His purpose — and does this motivate you to carry on during the storms?   

If they haven’t already, your kids are going to look at their math one day and ask you, “What is the point?’ You are going to wake up to a mountain of laundry and a day of children needing you and ask yourself, “What is the point?” 

What if you saw it as taking dominion over your household in the name of Jesus.  A household with Christians should look different than a household without.  Cleaning up the place, and teaching the children to do so, is a blessing to those who dwell there. Homeschooling the children in the Lord brings souls to Him and blesses others. And a husband who catches the vision rises up to take his rightful place as head of such a  home. 

Whether you are considering homeschooling, just staring homeschooling or if you have a call on your life to encourage others to homeschool, please take this to heart.  Homeschooling is the harder, but much better road if done the Lord’s way and with a solid vision for victory in Jesus.

You can read John Corcoran's story out of San Diego here.  It is an intriguing older story -- if just for the fact that he has made a cottage industry of his shame, complete with a foundation and books -- which might be the only reason this got any press after all these years.

Nevertheless, I will use this story just the same to reiterate that you can homeschool your children better than the public school system -- academically, spiritually, and socially.

I will add that I spent a short time as a literacy tutor, volunteering in Washington when I was in the Army.  You might consider it a good homeschool activity for your older teens (under proper supervision).  There are literacy organizations in nearly every community in the country.  And, given the decrepit state of education in our nation, literacy volunteers are sorely needed.

It is an opportunity to teach someone in need of a functional skill and an opportunity to be salt and light.  You could even start a program at your church. 

When Kathy and I lived in Irvine, we saw an opportunity to reach the large Persian and Asian populations for Christ by starting free ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at our church.  It was great time of fellowship, witnessing, and meeting new friends.

Denise Kanter is suing Charles and Kathy Lowers, the founders of the original "Considering Homeschooling" ministry. 

You can read Denise Kanter's fraudulent claims of Violations of the Lanham Act, Declaratory Relief, Unfair Competition, Infringement of Common Law Trademarks, Violation of California Business & Professions Code Sections 17200, Et Seq., Defamation, Invasion of Privacy, and Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress here.

Denise and Gary Kanter filed the first legal action against Charles and Kathy Lowers.  On May 24, 2006 Denise and Gary Kanter, under their corporate name Morningstar Educational Network, filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office before The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board the following suit:

MorningStar Educational Network
v.
Homeschool Family, Inc.

So there Kathy and I were.  It seemed surreal.  Trial date set, discovery, lawyers, and the prospect of tens of thousands of dollars to defend our ministry and name.  What was a poor homeschool family to do?  We had never been involved in anything like this before.  Could someone really block us from using the name of the ministry we founded?

More than five years before, Kathy and I had asked God to show us how He would have us serve Him as a family.  God gave us the vision of homeschool evangelism to parents of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.  God gave us the name Considering Homeschooling.  And, God glorified Himself by bringing children out of public schools and daycares - back into the loving arms of their parents - and privileged Kathy and I by making us a witness to His good works.  We concluded then that it was our duty to protect Considering Homeschooling.

Much has happened since then and we are still praying that Denise Kanter would accept our open offer to enter into Christian mediation/arbitration through Peacemaker Ministries and settle all of our disputes in a way the glorifies God.

UPDATE (July 14, 2008):  We have removed the offer letter from Peacemaker Ministries (dated January 7, 2008) at the request of Peacemaker Ministries.  Please continue to pray that this conflict ends in conciliation and even reconciliation.  God’s plan and time is perfect, but we hope that His plan involves the quick and peaceful resolution of this conflict.

Over the years, I have been so blessed to be able to pan out nuggets of golden wisdom from a variety of godly, veteran homeschool moms.  The many Christian homeschoolers who spoke at our ministry all homeschooled somewhat differently, as God makes each family unique, but I always gleaned something valuable for my family from every one. (Some talks from homeschool veterans, by the way, are available free at Exploring Homeschooling.) Their advice has saved me so much grief, money and time “reinventing the wheel.” 

Often those considering or starting homeschooling want to know what it is that will make their journey successful.  Naturally, thoughts of the best curriculum, home management techniques, field trip opportunities or other aspects of home education come to mind. 

But today I want to share with the most valuable advice I ever heard from wise homeschoolers about what should top the “list for success” in homeschooling.  By far, the most essential part of homeschooling, that crucial thing you need to have in great supply in order to hold it all together is “glue” -- the divine glue of really having a close, continual relationship with the Lord Jesus.  

I have heard several veteran homeschooler emphasize that if you are having trouble keeping your homeschooling together, check your prayer life.   It would always turn out, one seasoned homeschooler noted, that a struggling, “feeling hopeless” mom was spending little or no time before the Lord each day. 

I have had to learn the hard way, so I am passing on this life preserver of good advice, to save those who are jumping into the homeschool journey from drowning.   I can tell there is a dramatic difference in the days when I have been in prayer and in the Word and days when I just roll out of bed and try to start the day cold.  Often mothers of little children will moan, “but I have no time!”  I can tell you this –that if you make time for real heart to heart prayer with Christ, He will make your day blessed with a balm of sweetness so that you will want to always find a way to pray. 

I often looked at versus like 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing” and I could not understand how a single person, let alone a married lady with children could muster anything close to that.  But, I think I finally have some understanding of that verse.  We had six children in eight years of marriage (whew!) and honestly I pray much more with six children than I ever did with one child.  Right now I have twin babies, two preschoolers and two other youngsters, so hear me out on this. 

What changed?  I see prayer as the cement that holds everything together; to be communicating with and listening to the Creator all day is the most important part of achieving a biblical household.  A homeschool veteran with many kids once advised us to rise while everyone was asleep for daily prayer and devotions – this is perhaps the only quiet time in our household.  Also we busy moms can  pray when we fold the laundry, when we cook, or when we hoover over that child with the not-so-great attitude who needs your advocating to the Father right there and then. 

I believe that real, heartbroken, crying out before God prayer – not the superficial, skipped over, just-for-looks kind -- is the glue that will help hold your homeschool, your family, your marriage, and you together.  What I mean is a “glue” that will attach your heart to Christ and His ways all day, a “glue” that will bond your children to you and your husband, and ultimately to Him. 
 
Being a person of prayer means you know how wretched you are, how you are totally dependent on God for everything.  Anyone can say they pray, but if someone really comes before the Savior, they are dramatically changed.  You cannot be the striving, stressed, selfish, complaining person you were before you stood before Him.  You cannot hold anything against anyone if you know He forgave you.  You realize how blessed you are to be able to serve Him by being a stay home mom and wife, that it is the best job in the world.  Also, you get a vision of great hope for the children you only saw as impossible before you lifted your hands and heart to Heaven.  In other words, meeting Jesus changes your perspective. Having a Holy Spirit led homeschool changes you and that influences everyone you are in contact with.

Make no mistake about it -- homeschooling is the harder road.  It will try every part of you.  But, it is the best road if you are loving, Christian parent who can create a safe place of joyous learning in your home.  But I propose that the “joyous” in that last sentence can only be obtained by getting the glue and pouring it all over your household --- the glue of deep, continual communication with Christ Jesus.