Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:18, "…upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." The church is in warfare. It is moving forward against the gates of Hell. It does not require much effort to observe that in our world, the "gates of Hell" appear to have intensified their onslaught against morality and decency. The influence of Hell has infiltrated our Christian community. Tolerance, in the name of "love," has replaced the duty of the Christian to stand against the "wiles of the Devil" (Ephesians 6:11). The wiles of the Devil are tricks or manipulations that are designed to deceive. As a note of the review, the title Devil, for Lucifer, means deceptive or deceitful.

What rock was Jesus referring to? What is the source of this invincibility and stability? Was it Peter, whose name Jesus changed from Simon (one who listens) to Peter (rock)? Peter would become a pillar of the early church movement. Was it the church, the body of believers? Was it the gospel message?

The stone is Jesus. He referred to the gospel message and the believer's duty to build the Kingdom of God. According to Christ, He states emphatically that the gates of Hell will not conquer the Kingdom of God. That does not indicate a battle-free world. The church, the body of believers, faces numerous battles to build the Kingdom. 

We cannot let our guard down. We must be vigilant and aware because the adversary, the Devil, as a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8), seeks those to devour. He is labeled "more subtle than any beast of the field (Genesis 3:1). In a time when it appears that the enemy of all that is good has ramped up his efforts to create doubt, confusion, and chaos, there has never been a more critical time for Christian education.

1. Providing a Christian education will have influence in our children's lives. 

It is estimated that as many as 25,000 decisions for Christ are made among Christian school students in a single year. We might think that to be strange if we believed Christian schools are only for nurturing students who have already trusted Christ as Savior. At Christian Schools, the faculty regularly share the gospel in their classrooms. 

Students are reported to be saved in their classrooms or chapels every year. Therefore, our Christian school benefits students by bringing them to Christ.

However, on a larger scale, Christian schools are suitable for our children because they provide training in righteousness. In Philippians 4:8, Paul wrote, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." Teaching children to bring themselves and all entrusted to them into subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ is one of the primary focal points of Christian education. Christian schools, particularly those embodying these ideals, benefit our children because they are designed to train students in righteousness.

In the article, Youth Culture in Transition: A Father-and-Son Dialogue with Josh and Sean McDowell, Josh McDowell shares his observation of the significant challenges facing today's young people. 

"I see three critical changes in youth culture. One, the cultural rejection of Christianity is [happening at] younger and younger ages. We are currently seeing many young people walk away from their faith after high school graduation. The subsequent significant departure from faith will be believers 11-12 years old. The critical point for reaching a young person used to be 18 years old. Now, it's 13. If we don't reach a student by 13, there is only a 4 percent chance we will reach them at all. 

We also are seeing more young people who are hurt and abandoned, not having significant relationships with healthy adults. There is a considerable [connection] between belief and relationships, so many of these kids are at a tremendous disadvantage of being unable to relate to God properly.

Third, there is a cultural shift from truth being viewed as objective to being viewed as personal. Young people tend to think that truth is created rather than discovered. In this type of climate, the companions that our children choose are a significant issue. Christian schools, therefore, benefit students because they provide a secure setting for wholesome, pure friendships, stimulated and encouraged by parents who want God's best for their children and their children's friends."

https://www.youthworker.com/youth-culture-in-transition-a-father-and-son-dialogue-with-josh-and-sean-mcdowell/

To summarize, a Christian school benefits our children because many come to a saving knowledge of Christ, specific training in righteousness, and a secure setting for wholesome and pure friendships.

2. A Christian education is necessary for the benefit of our families. 

A Christian School provides a genuine partnership in the nurturing of our children. In a Gallop Poll (July 2023), sixteen organizations were presented in a survey regarding the public's perception of institutional trust in America. Sadly, the church ranked fifth on the list, continuing to decline in confidence, down from 2021 at 37% to 2023 at 32%. The educational system ranked eighth at only 26%. Ranking first was small businesses (65%) and last was Congress (8%).

https://news.gallup.com/poll/508169/historically-low-faith-institutions-continues.aspx

Based on this survey, with current comments from the political talking heads in Washington, DC, about the need for "re-education camps,” to transform the conservative mindset, it appears that this plan has already been implemented. These surveys show how far our society has strayed from the traditional values that have strengthened our communities.

https://thecitizen.com/2021/01/31/should-conservatives-be-sentenced-to-a-leftist-enforced-re-education-camp/

The Christian School is one of only a few places where this vital standard is preserved and renewed for the benefit of the next generation. Christian schools are beneficial because they offer an opportunity to extend the family value system beyond the boundaries of the home. Christian Schools are distinctly different by design. The purpose is to supplement the home and not to be a substitute for it. 

To summarize, Christian education benefits our families because, in an age when the traditional family is under a barrage from the media, the Christian School offers a "breath of fresh air" and an environment for healthy family reinforcement.

3. Christian education provides definitive benefits to our local Bible-believing churches.

Christian schools are undeniably effective in calling upon children and young people to recognize and respond to the Great Commission. 

Through the influence of Godly teachers and a Bible-based curriculum, students are motivated to devote their lives to Jesus Christ. Whether they serve as pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers, or faithful laypersons, their Christian school experience can make a critical difference. When alumni return to speak in chapel and become actively involved in their local church or return to teach at their alma mater, they show the continued expansion of the Kingdom of God. This is just a fraction of the influence of Christians making a difference through their careers and employment worldwide.

Christian schools are also suitable for our churches because they assist and affirm a biblical-based belief system. The significant problem when people do not believe the truth is that they will believe anything. Our children are being exposed to many concepts and teachings that are erroneous or may be valid but are out of context. Satan's strategy from the beginning has been to embrace our youth. People need the church to help them gain the proper perspective on spiritual matters. Often, a student will report that something from the pulpit compliments a Bible lesson or chapel message they heard recently. We need the Christian school to support and expand the church's teaching ministry.

Christian schools also benefit the church for a convenient reason—because Christian school students can, and often do, effectively share their faith in the community. A support system of spiritual emphasis and evangelistic skill, backed up by prayer, is always suitable for the church. A Christian school provides the environment for that kind of emphasis, training, and prayer.

To summarize, a Christian Education benefits our churches because it is an additional opportunity for young people to respond positively to the Great Commission, re-enforces a Biblical-based belief system, and equips Christians to share their faith in their community.

4. It is vital to promote Christian education because of the direct benefit to our community.

A Christian school in our community provides society with an alternative educational choice. If there were no other choices in education than the government schools, a monopoly would be created. Monopolies have always lessened the quality and service; in education it is the same.

The governmental monopoly over publicly funded schools is a large part of our educational problem in America. A significant key to educational reform is accountability. Dr. William Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education, notes, "Today, there are greater, more certain, and more immediate penalties in this country for serving up a single rotten hamburger than for furnishing a thousand children with a rotten education" (The Devaluating of America, p 62). 

Educational accountability is necessary for quality service and must be available to all students.

A Christian school is beneficial to the community because it provides stability. Most of the problems in our country are essentially moral problems: violence, drugs, alcoholism, immorality, and abuse of various kinds. 

A lack of moral teaching, moral absolutes, and values based on God's Word has infected and infiltrated the homes, businesses, and, sad to say, the church today. In their book, What Are They Teaching Our Children? Mel and Norma Gabler tell of a parable about children taken to a dock, put in boats, and sent out to sea. Equipped with everything except a compass and a map, they were told to do independent thinking (the buzzword in today's educational reform) and select the direction that seemed best for them. They were to go with whatever the group thought was correct at the time. They conclude with this paragraph:

"Absurd? Ridiculous? Improbable? It happens every day! 

This parable parallels precisely what is occurring in our humanistic schools. Young children are being taught that there are no moral absolutes and no fixed rules of life; they are being dispatched into the world to find their way. This fact confronts us in every report we hear on juvenile behavior. Rising sexual promiscuity, vandalism, drug abuse, thefts, assaults, drunken driving, and suicides all point to problems in the schools."

Christian education is essential to our community because it provides parents with an alternative, stabilizes the community, and provides proper and viable direction to our young people.

Conclusion:

           2 Timothy 3:1 says, "In the last days perilous times shall come." The late radio personality Paul Harvey once declared, "In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these." Foundationally, what he said was true. The root of times like these has not changed. However, the manifestation of depravity has drastically changed. The acceptance and promotion of those atrocities have escalated. 

A self-taught pianist and organist, Ruth Caye (1902-1972) in 1943, was reading the Pittsburgh newspapers, saw the World War 2 casualty lists, and heard reports of the slow progress of Allied troops moving up the boot of Italy; it seemed to her those perilous times had already come. Rationing was hitting those at home hard; discouragement was everywhere. How long could people continue to live in times like that?

Ruth took out a small notepad from her apron pocket and began to write down some words: "In times like these, you need a Savior; in times like these, you need an anchor; be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock! The Rock is Jesus, yes, He's the One. The Rock is Jesus, the only One. Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock." A melody came to her that fit the words she wrote. She had no formal music training but was not trying to write a song that would make her famous. She was simply putting some thoughts on paper. But, it happened to be the right song for the right time. 

Throughout America, more parents are calling for valid alternatives to the state-controlled misdirection and instability many public schools are imposing on the next generation every year. Anchored on Jesus, the solid Rock, Christian schools clearly stand apart as one of our most effective and successful options. Therefore, Christian schools are vital for our children, churches, families, and communities.