All Your Children Need
“I want a secular curriculum” is a desire we hear much more often today than when we began Notgrass History in 1999. In fact, we had been providing history curriculum for several years before I remember hearing it for the first time. I remember the conversation well. I was on the phone with a mama who explained to me that her high school-aged son wanted a secular history. In the end, she and he decided to go ahead and give ours a try anyway.
Our convention travelers Phil and Donna came back from one convention this past spring where they heard that desire several times in one weekend. You know how much this trend saddens me. I am even sadder about the mamas who view their families as Christian families but who still want their curriculum to be secular.
I understand the fear that a curriculum advertised as Christian might promote particular sectarian views that are in conflict with a family’s own Christian convictions. I felt that way myself when we were homeschooling. I am not writing this to you to promote our Notgrass History. My heart’s desire is to encourage you in your conviction to:
. . . bring [your children] up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4b
A common question we hear concerns what particular doctrine we promote in our curriculum. We answer that our intention has been simply to teach what the Bible says without a particular slant. Then I tell them that we are human and could have made a mistake unintentionally and ask them to please let us know if they notice that we have done that.
As I read back over “Advice from Our Wise Friend” yesterday morning, I noticed the relevance of verse 3 of Colossians 2 to this issue. Paul explains that God’s mystery is Christ Himself. Then he tells us that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ.
. . . God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
in whom are hidden all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:2b-3
All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
I am confident that many, probably most, secular homeschoolers worry about covering all that their children need. They don’t know or don’t realize that they can’t cover that “all” without Christ. In trying to prepare their children well, they inadvertently leave out what is most important.
Thank you for keeping Christ first in your homeschool.
Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it.
Psalm 127:1a