The Education Board of Presbytery are re-issuing that appeal for covenant support for the work of Christian Education through itself or locally through one of the seven schools:Bangor, Ballymoney, Clogher Valley, Kilskeery, Mourne, Newtownabbey & Portadown.

For further details contact Rev Brian McClung, on 028 90835942 or convenor@independentchristianschool.org.

This sermon was preached by Rev Brian McClung, Education Board Convenor, on Lord’s day morning 15th April in Ballymoney FPC at the request of the Church session.

In reading through the Core Syllabus for Religious Education available on the Department of Education [DENI] website there are two areas that should concern every born again believer and especially every Free Presbyterian. One has been the case for some time; the other is more recent in origin:

1. Religious Education as defined by the four main Churches [Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, & Methodist] and filtered through an Equality Impact Assessment is compulsory for every pupil in a state school. This means that anything approaching the Gospel is flushed out of this syllabus. This is just an anaemic, bland excuse for the Truth and a blatant exercise in ecumenism that is being taught to Free Presbyterians!

2. Equally worrying is that Relationships and Sexuality Education [RSE] & Citizenship Education is specifically structured to include the teaching of respect for sodomy. By respect we all know they mean acceptance!

How can this be right? How it can be right to oppose Sodomy on one hand and on the other hand tolerate a system in which Free Presbyterians children are placed under such teaching, A house divided against itself cannot stand, Matthew 12:25.

These are not the only reasons for Christian Education but they certainly are some of them!

Wording of the Core Syllabus for Religious Education:

4.2.13 Religious Education (RE) is a compulsory part of the curriculum in Northern Ireland. Schools have to provide RE in accordance with the Revised Core Syllabus prepared by the FOur Main Church and accepted by the Department following an Equality Impact Assessement (EQIA)

4,2.14 The revised curriculum for schools also includes Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and citzenship education where Pupils explore, issues such as developing positive relationships and also diversity and respect for others, including those of differing sexual orientation.

Integrated Education is a choice that every evangelical Christian should recoil away instantly from. This is easily seen when those who support and desire this form of education are considered:

I. The Ecumenist. It has long been the desire of the ecumenical Protestant churches, in conjunction with the Government Department of Education, to attack and destroy Biblical Protestantism in the classroom.

For many years the Education for Mutual Understanding programme and its successors have been running within the state education sector.

The desire is to change children’s way of thinking and to have them reject any semblance of difference between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism.

This is akin to Nebuchadnezzar’s plan for the Hebrew captives in Daniel ch 1. He wanted to change the mindset of these Jewish captives and to teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

This conditioning work would be carried out over a period of time with the outcome being that any difference between the Hebrew captive and the Babylonians would be removed and the Hebrews would be integrated into the wicked Babylonian society. It was not the natives of Babylon who would change their thinking and language, it was the Jewish captives.

In like manner the ecumenical churches today laud Integrated Education. They see it as a means of changing the thinking of the children of Protestants. They desire children to reject the old views of Romanism, that she was full of false teaching and blasphemies and something to be separate from and to now accept Romanism as a Christian Church and just another Christian denomination.

2. The Secularist. Another group which sees potential in Integrated Education are those who seek to remove all semblance of religion, and Bible religion particularly, from the School Curriculum.

If changes are going to take place in the manner in which Education is delivered in Northern Ireland then they want to lobby for a secular system where there is no teaching of religion or influence of any Church in the classroom.

We live in an increasingly secularised society where many attempts are being made to remove all semblance of religion from public life and have it as something a person practices in the privacy of their home but never brings out into the open to interact or influence others.

Dr Henry Cooke, the eminent contender for ‘Christian education’ in the mid 1800s, within the then Synod of Ulster, argued that any system of education that did not have the Word of God at its core and centre was not worth having. It results in the mere educating of fools who will say in their heart: *There is no God, Psalm 14:1*.

3. The Public Accountant. A third group lobbying for this form of education are those who judge things merely by what they cost, be they politician or bureaucrat.

Their argument is that the cost is too high to teach children separately any longer. Principles, and Bible principles particularly, don’t come into it. To them it is purely an issue of cost and economics.

This argument presently finds considerable traction because of the financially-challenging times we live in. Everything must bow to the god of commerce and therefore if there is a cheaper way of providing education, never mind the principles that have to be set aside, then economics wins the day.

It would be a sad and tragic day indeed if evangelical Christianity in this country walked blindfold into an integrated form of education having been persuaded by, among other things, a monetary argument.

The Lord pronounces a blessing upon the individual who lives a separated life, Psalm 1:1-3. If this is true for an adult, how much more relevant is it for our children who are impressionable and in grave danger of being taught wrong principles, by ungodly teachers, within a system that has rejected the authority of the Word of God.

For many education is a neutral compartment of life, like a sport or hobby; it’s a matter of choice. In the realm of education the argument is advanced that two + two = four in whatever school you go to; this sole equation sadly becomes the overwhelming justification to send children to State schools! Their thinking is that as mathematics is ‘neutral’ all education is neutral.  Wrong!

Two + two = four, every time, everywhere – for the simple reason that God made it so and sustains it! But education is not neutral. God created the Heavens and the Earth and all that they contain, it is impossible therefore for knowledge to be neutral.  The source of knowledge is God Himself – The Lord giveth wisdom, Proverbs 2:6 – arguing that knowledge is neutral is a lie and presumes that God is irrelevant and that Truth exists apart from God!

The unregenerate exclude God from their thinking and this is reflected in State Education which is based on an unbelieving view of the universe and teaches from that perspective.

What of history? How can His Story be taught by excluding Him?

What of geography? Leave God out and you have evolution and uniformalism.

When fact is replaced with fable in the classroom, when Christian absolutes are replaced with relativism, the Almighty is displeased and dishonoured.  Such is the case with State and Integrated education – both are intolerant of the absolutes of Biblical Christianity.

Christian schools are built on the Truths of God’s Word. State schools are built on the shifting sand of moral relativism. Integrated schools are built on an ecumenical pursuit of homogeneity.

Society was built on Christian Absolutes – the attributes of God (omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence; election, creation and providence are the outcome of His works). Society has rejected the God of the Bible and the basis of society is thereby undermined. If no God – then why obey His Word?  Reject God’s creation and the poison of evolution is consumed and moral standards begin to mirror the beast of the field.

Martin Luther observed that: No-one should send their child where the Holy Scriptures are not supreme. Every organisation that does not unceasingly pursue the study of God’s Word becomes corrupt.

The State system of education in Northern Ireland began with1923 Education Act; the basic premise was that the school room should be neutral. For 25 years (until the 1947 Act) there was a battle to ensure that Protestant children would at the least be given Bible instruction. The 1930 Education Act convinced the Presbyterian Church to hand over its church schools; any concerns they had were assuaged by Lord Craigavon. He gave an assurance:- The only thing that could bring about the repeal of the 1930 Education Act would be a Sinn Fein Government coming into power.

Well we don’t have to wait for that! The ecumenical movement, the main political parties and 90% of the population are now in support of ‘Integrated Education.’

Whilst the Stormont Executive has yet to publish its ‘Integration Proposals’ a brief look at the Department of Education’s Revised Core Religious Education (prepared by the 4 main churches – Presbyterian, Methodist, Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic) and the NI Council for Integrated Education’s Statement of Principles reveal the same ‘definition’ of Christianity in terms of ‘Protestant and Roman Catholic’.

The principles of the Integrated schools invite Protestant and Roman Catholic ‘to come together’. Particularly ominous is number 8:- Children should be encouraged and helped to be open in social relations despite difference in creed, culture, race, class, gender or ability. Sounds a bit like ‘anything goes!’ Is this the environment that children from Christian homes should be placed?

Some years ago Pastor Brian Freer wrote that: our State schools are rapidly becoming spiritual slaughter-houses for our children. The scheme to produce a race of homogeneous godless children goes on.

Are we out of step with the world? Yes and we can say with Paul: I believe God, Acts 27:25.

David G Browne, Clerk of Session & Member of Bangor School Management Board

Anything knowing the call of God to this work please contact the

School Administrator Mr George McConnell Tel 028 4176 2706

or the School Principal Mrs Hazel Campbell Tel 028 41762645

Rom 16 v 19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

Christian Education has been operating within the Free Presbyterian Church since September 1979 when the first School opened in Kilskeery. However the concept of the children of believers being taught within the environs of the house of God was not an innovation dreamed up by Free Presbyterians.

Christian Education has been present within the Church of Christ since Bible times. It had always been the case that it was religious organisations which educated the children, not those who exercised governmental authority. It is the State authorities who are the recent converts to the area of educating children within their establishments, not the Church of Jesus Christ.

Reformed Churches have been particularly active in the area of instructing their children within the environs of the Church. Long before Sabbath Schools and Children’s meetings were arranged Churches actively pursued the teaching of the children of believers within the Church.

Romanism, it has been said, spent her money on building ornate Cathedrals and abbeys, Protestantism, particularly Reformed Protestantism, build her places of learning. John Calvin established schools and an university in Geneva. John Knox wanted a Christian School in every parish in Scotland.

The necessity of Christian Education comes from the Word of God. We have the Scriptural exhortation that: a threefold cord is not quickly broken, Eccl 4:12. There are three essential aspects to the environment that God says children should be reared and instructed in:

[1] The Home. The father and mother must be right with God and be those who walk with God and have in their home an atmosphere that is God honouring.

[2] The Church. The Church must be faithful to the faith once delivered to the saints. If it is compromising with the world, or with religious apostasy, then it will fail the rising generation.

[3] The School. There must not be in school an undoing of that which is taught in the home and the Church. The system of State education is a secular system providing a secular education and sadly doing it all too well.

The Church and the School will only be as good for the child as the Home is. If the home is not right then neither the Church or the School will make up for the failing of parents at home. The Church and School are not get out clauses for failing parents. Many parents turn round and blame the Church/School for their own failures.

The importance of the school in a child’s life. Children from 4 – 16 yrs. old, compulsory school age, spend on average 6 hours per day, 185 days per year in a school environment and in someone’s else company. That is about the 25% of a child’s waking hours is spent, not in the company of their parents, but often in the company of the ungodly and in an environment that may be totally opposed to what the home and the Church teaches. Often in the company of people we would never dream of asking into our home to baby-sit our children if we were going out for the evening.

A child/young person spending 2 hours at Church + 1 hour at Sabbath School + 1 hour at Children’s Meeting/Youth Fellowship over the same 12 years will only spend 4% of their waking hours in this environment.

The Free Presbyterian Church exists because of the importance of that 4% what about the importance of the 25% Christian. That is why a Christian School exists!

We want this evening to consider the environment in which our children are to be raised.

It is surely every believing parent’s chief desire that their children grow up and come to Christ and then be best fitted to serve Christ all their days. This text will instruct us as to the environment needed for the children.

The environment set forth here is not one believed in by the state sector of education or even by some Christians. There are to be made wise unto that which is good and kept simple concerning that which is evil.

I. Our children are to be wise unto that which is good.

That which is good is simply that which is honouring to God, Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Our children therefore need to learn everything in the light of that which is honouring to God. There needs to be a setting before them continually what is good by precept and example. There needs to be encouragement to pursue the good and shun the evil. There needs to be a striving to an attainment of the good.

It is not a knowledge from afar off but a coming unto the good.

The word translated ‘wise’ is not the usual/majority word in the NT. It is the same word that is used when speaking of the benefit of the Word of God, 2 Tim 3:15,16.

The teaching that children receive needs to be grounded upon the Word of God in order to be wise. Not in the eyes of men but in the eyes of God.

The state system has abandoned the Bible as a text book.

God teaches all His children in three ways: [1] by precept, [2] by encouragement through good example and [3] by way of warning through the consequences of sinful behaviour.

Ask yourself this question Christ: is this how the State system of education teaches the children under its care? Does it set down the good ways of God? does it encourage a following of good example? does it hold up the consequences of sinful behaviour? No it is not. It does the very opposite. God and the things of God barely gets a mention.

It is no good a little spiritual knowledge imparted now and again. This is one argument for staying in the state system. It is a totally unbiblical argument, Isa 28:10,13. The best way to teach children is a little often repeated.

Is it the parent and the church who have a little time each week with children or is it the system of state education that is able to function on this basis where is a little often repeated? Every day the state system is dripping poison into the hearts of the children of God’s people.

II. Our children are to be simple concerning evil.

The word simple means without a mixture of evil, free from guile, innocent, simple, lacking in knowledge. Not naive, but simple concerning evil.

That is not the prevailing philosophy of this age. Perceived wisdom has it that children need to be taught and need to know everything. That they are to have a knowledge of everything going and the younger the better.

Evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Cor 15:33. God’s Word teaches that they be kept from a knowledge of sin. Simple concerning evil. The benefits of this counsel is being found out the hard way by society. The more children are taught about sinful lifestyles the more it increases.

This is applicable to what is taught in the classroom and what they hear in the playground. In the classroom God and His truth is attacked, the family unit is attacked, the role of fathers is often a particular focus of attack. The playground is often an education in sin.

We would not let our children watch or listen to improper language yet they hear it every day in a state school. The continual drip drip of wickedness just weakens them.

Christian Education is about Children learning without the mixture of evil as much as possible. I readily acknowledge that any Christian school is not a perfect environment.

Christian Education is the logical extension of the Biblical doctrine of separation from the world and apostasy that we practice as a denomination.

Practicing in the Paisley Jubilee Church before the service

Singing in the service

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