If you are investing in a Christian education in order to prepare your child for the worldview war going on in our culture, you really want do know: "Will this investment work? Will my hard earned dollars really protect my child's worldview?"Here are three crucial questions to answer:

Question #1: What do the teachers believe?

First, is the worldview of the teachers and the school consistent with your worldview without being identically or so narrow that it does not allow for thought? If not, run (don't walk) in the other direction. Jesus says, "A disciple will be like his master." When you send a child to school, you are placing them under the influence of "masters" or teachers. If fully formed disciples are like their teachers, then it pays to know the worldview of your child's teachers. Note, this, however. This can be known first, by seeing what they school officially believes. For a Christian school, you should find and read the school's statement of faith. Your quest, however, should not stop there. When you visit the school, talk with a few teachers. See if what they believe is consistent with what you find in the school's statement of faith.

While it might sound counter intuitive, also consider that it might be best if your child's teachers have a worldview that is consistent with your on the big points (foundational teachings of the Christian faith) but that it is not identical with your beliefs at every point. Having a safe, faith-encouraging, environment that has some diversity might be optimal because it allows your children to grow, think, and see the diversity in the world and in the Christian community without feeling like they are trapped in a narrow environment. Sometimes too much narrowness (even if you are right) makes children long to check out the greenness of the grass on far aways hills. Look for consistency with some diversity.

Question #2: Is there a focus on skills (like thinking clearly and critically) that your child will need in the future?

Too many schools today are preparing students for the world of yesterday. Schools work to make children compliant and reward compliance. They are preparing them for the factory jobs of the 1950s. If you send a child to a school like that--a school that ends up failing to prepare them with the skills that they need for life today--eventually they will be tempted to turn against the worldview that the school (and you) have been trying to provide for them. Make sure that the school you choose is training children effectively and is teaching them to think critically and express themselves effectively. The skills of critical thought and communication are much more important than technical training in fields that they will study in college, in trade school, or that they will learn on the job. Find a school that teaches these or you will be risking the undermining of the worldview teaching done by the school.

Question #3: Do they read books that will stretch your child (at appropriate times) but approach the ideas from a thoughtful Christian perspective?

Some Christian schools long to "laminate" their students. (Lamination, for all non-elementary school teachers, is that process of running paper through a machine that coats both sides with a protective plastic making the paper more durable and protected.) Laminating is a great strategy, but only if you mean to avoid the world when you graduate. If you are preparing to engage the culture and be, as Paul says, "in and not of the world" then laminating is a terrible strategy. Still, parents want their children protected, but if you are not going to "laminate" how can you protect them? If you are going to protect your children, place them in an environment that prepares them for the battle that they are going to face in our culture. Help them to be prepared to be salt and light. If you want inspiration, just watch this video from Jonathan Edwards Academy: Jonathan Edwards Video

If the answer to all three of these questions is "yes", your investment is well worth it.