Would you believe a Basic Christian Education, e.g., a "Bible School,"
will be both good for them and good for you, and both parent and child
will be happier in the long-run because of your decision to choose an
education compatible with the Scriptures? Indeed, a Bible School
curriculum, typically of two years or "junior college level," will
serve a young person throughout life. Take a look at this following
thesis (at the bottom of the page). Don't stumble over the word "efficacy," because it has to do
with whether Christian education works.
The focus of the study was our
Association Free Lutheran Bible School in Medicine Lake, MN, but the
results of this study help us understand how a Bible School has
long-term effects on our happiness in life. Look for these six key
findings after you review this little study that looks at how Bible
Schools came about and what they mean to our AFLC church roots when it
comes to Zion Lutheran Church in Silverhill, Alabama. These same principles apply to our Bible School, but
the implication is that they apply to many Bible Schools and many
Christian colleges:
1. This study reasonably reflects the spiritual preparation status of
the leadership in the AFLC. Furthermore, it would appear to reflect
those in leadership in smaller churches of 51 to 100 members (Table 1).
2. Those with greater Christian education, regardless of profession,
are more highly satisfied with their educational preparation for the
spiritual needs of the adult life in Christ.
3. This greater level of Christian education was most apparent on the
personal level as it related to Bible study habits, knowing God's will
and contentment with it, and in use of life-long Bible study skills.
On a relational level, pastors differed from the lay in their
recognition of godly teaching, i.e., discerning right teaching. From a
church perspective, there was a similar finding with pastors more
sensitive to knowing the truth, knowing God's Word, reaching others,
and enabling others in their spiritual walk.
4. Individuals with Bible-school training were better prepared for
personal adult spiritual issues related to personal growth, Bible study
habits, knowledge of God's will and being content within it, and in
life-time learning skills than those trained in other Christian
educational facilities or with no post-secondary Christian training.
But, in terms of effectiveness in the spiritual life, people with Bible
school training and those trained in other Christian educational
facilities, were significantly different and "better" than their fellow
believers with no Christian post-secondary education.
People with Bible-school training excelled those others in discerning
relationships, in having a foundation for family values, and in wisdom
in relationships. Those with Bible school and other Christian
education demonstrated greater skill in recognizing godly teaching.
On a church level, Bible-schooled and church-schooled individuals
appeared better prepared in the areas of holy living, knowing Jesus,
and knowing God's Word, but Bible-schooled individuals were better
prepared in recognizing truth, growing in Christ, reaching others for
Christ, and in enabling others in their Christian walk.
From a community perspective, Bible-school educated and church-school
educated individuals shared knowledge related to the Bible, but in all
other ways, the non-Bible-school educated were not as well prepared for
community related spiritual living, e.g., community witness, stability
in life, teaching and example, and serving. Groups were not
significantly different in terms of life productivity.
5. Individuals with Bible-school training were better prepared for
personal life issues related to knowing God's will and being content in
life, in having a firm foundation for family values, in recognizing
godly teaching, in knowing Jesus, in knowing God's Word, and in having
a Biblical knowledge-base for seeing the world, than were those
schooled in non-Bible-school post-secondary Christian education.
6. Pastors in the AFLC are not differentiated by their seminary
background on this survey except on the one parameter, knowing God's
Word. This may suggest that the AFLC seminary has an application
component in it that connects God's Word to the world in a different
way than other seminaries.
PDF File
