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Kell Resolution

Resolution: Southern Baptist Churches and the Education of Children

Whereas, the Southern Baptist Council on Family Life reported to the 2002 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention that 88 percent of the children raised in evangelical homes leave church at the age of 18 never to return; and

Whereas, we have no greater priority as Christian parents and grandparents than raising the next Godly generation of Christian disciples; and

Whereas, the Scriptures clearly teach that parents are primarily responsible for the protection, education and training of children, and fathers are clearly admonished to bring children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph 6:5); and

Whereas, our churches are committed to assisting parents with the task of raising Christian disciples who have not been taken captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Col. 2:8); and

Whereas, the public schools and the humanistic environment permitted therein teach our children, among other things, to accept: evolution as factual science, sexual immorality as personal diversity, abortion as acceptable choice, all religions as moral equivalents, the Bible as just another book, prayer as unconstitutional speech, vulgarity and promiscuity as social norms, and greed as the American way; and

Whereas, in the public schools our children and grandchildren are becoming increasingly subject to violence, drugs, unhealthy lifestyles, gang activity, worldly peer pressure and a Godless worldview; and

Whereas, we believe Christians should be encouraged to be salt and light as they serve as teachers and administrators in the increasingly hostile and difficult environment of public education, and we commend those of our number who have served and are serving sacrificially in these most important roles; and

Whereas, we recognize that while some of our children and grandchildren are able to influence their peers for the cause of Christ, countless others are irreparably damaged and permanently lost to the cause of Christ by the worldly teaching and secular influences encountered on public school campuses; and

Whereas, we question the ability of innocent children to withstand the increasingly worldly influences of the public schools and believe the loss of many of our children to the cause of Christ may be due, in part, to these influences; now therefore, be it

Resolved that the messengers to the 2004 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention strongly encourage the churches of the SBC during the next year to honestly and prayerfully investigate and evaluate the effect that the public schools are having on the children and grandchildren in their congregations; and be it further

Resolved that our churches be encouraged to honestly and prayerfully investigate and evaluate whether other educational alternatives such as serious Christian schools and Christian home schooling are doing a better job of assisting parents and grandparents with the task of raising children and grandchildren who are true disciples of Christ; and be it further

Resolved that our churches be encouraged to honestly and prayerfully investigate and evaluate how the church can better assist parents and grandparents with the task of training and educating the children and grandchildren in their congregation to be true disciples of Christ; and be it further

Resolved that after a year of prayer, investigation, study and honest evaluation by our churches that the messengers to the 2005 Annual Meeting of this body present such resolutions or motions as may be appropriate in light of these efforts, in order to strengthen the work of our churches as they strive assist parents and grandparents in their God given assignment of raising children committed to the cause of Christ.