There has been something on my mind since school started back up. Something that really can get people up in arms when talked about, but I feel like as a Christian whom later profession is to lead the youth through teaching, I feel like it should be talked about. I am currently taking a class called "Critical Issues in Education." I believe it is an important class to take for the teaching profession, but I have struggled sitting in that class listening to my professor go on and on about all the issues in the realm of education, when he leaves out what the one main issue is.
First let me start off by saying the transition between a private and public school institution is highly different. I went from a school whom was routed in their faith to a school that doubts almost any religion and the second it is brought up in class it is shut down almost instantly. Here lies the issue. The separation of church and state is an issue, but the real problem is the complete separation of God and kids in the school.
I'm going to be honest, there is just not enough Jesus in our schools. What breaks my heart is we have kids going into these schools feeling alone, or being bullied, and no one does anything about it. In reality, the only thing that can be done to fix it is to bring the Lord back to these student's hearts. To show love, grace, and mercy just as he did for us. We don't have to bring religious classes to do that. We just have to be love in the schools. We have to bring joy into the schools again.
Another issue with bringing this to the schools is students are so afraid to proclaim their faith. Why though? The fear of rejection? Invite someone to church, remind them they are important, smile at the them. In my class we talk so much about the issues in education. They say it's money, it's bullying, it's disengagement, it's hate. You know what can solve all of these? Love. The problem with the schools isn't any of these, but the lack of trust, faith, and love in these schools. I saw it myself, because I went to and still am in a public school institution. We need to stop forcing God out of schools, and instead put love back in them. I said it once, but I will say it again...INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO CHURCH!! Stop being so afraid to step outside of your comfort zone (which is what we are called to do) and start walking and stepping out in your faith to follow the great commission. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." He says in this verse the YOUTH, not adults, not elders, but YOUTH. I believe that the schools are the root problem of lack of faith, school is the problem with lack of trust, and hope, and joy, and love, and hurt, and depression. We need more Jesus and less hate. We need more Jesus and less worry. We need more Jesus and less bullying. We need to root our trust in the things above and not in money, or fear of disengagement.
Something I know I will never learn in my education class is the good parts of the education system. God gave us this system to give us a chance to learn more about the word, but also to be a vessel in our schools. There are plenty of issues in education, but the worst one is the fact Jesus is barely evident in any school in America. Adults often look down on millennials and generation Z, but as a youth leader I believe that this is the generation that breaks the chain and barriers that were set up to watch these generations fail. This is the generation of change and of love. They are so underestimated in our schools, but in reality they are the people that will step out in their faith and be unashamed to teach the word of the Lord. I find myself praying for students on my drive to school every morning. Every Wednesday when I am in youth and I see a disengaged student finally become engaged I feel like someone set a fire in them and God ignited it. I'm convinced that this is the generation to set a fire, this is the generation of change and this generation is going to start something different and real for students that don't know our God. This is a powerful generation and a generation that will fix the broken school.
"He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God." Psalms 78:5-8.
