Crosswalk.com - Home Schoolers Pushing for Baptist Vote on Public Schools

Unfortunately, the head of the Southern Baptist Convention, The Rev. Bobby Welch, doesn't seem to want the anti-public-schools resolution to pass. When he says that he "doubts" that such a resolution will make it out of committee, he is probably working to quash it. He still thinks, like all too many of his colleagues, that public schools are a "mission field."

Public schools are not a mission field. You don't send children into the mission field; that is never appropriate. ("Missionary Kids" are not at issue here. Of course adult missionaries often take their children into the field with them, or have children in the field. But that's hardly the same as sending children to be missionaries in their own right.)

The real issue with Dr. Welch is that "people can't afford" to use home or private schooling instead of public schooling. Wrong, Dr. Welch. People can't afford not to--especially Christians.

Elizabeth Watkins, head of the Southern Baptist Convention Home Education Association, faults the SBC leadership for--well, for a lack of leadership on the whole issue of education, and who should perform that education. That's fine, as far as it goes, Sister Watkins. You obviously know as well as I that the SBC, so long as they take their present attitudes, have as good as lost. So maybe you should consider leaving the SBC and finding a good Independent Baptist church. Or if you can't find one, plant one.