For the past several years, a resolution regarding the advance of Christian education in churches has been introduced at the annual Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Every year, the resolution is not given approval, yet the number of those in favor appears to be growing each year. Thanks to an article written by Dr. Morris H. Chapman, president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, this year's convention in Louisville, Kentucky, was no exception.

On April 24, Dr. Chapman authored an article titled "A Case for Christian Elementary and Secondary Schools." In his article, he proposed the possibility that there should be "a course correction in an area that seems to have suffered neglect - the protection and nurturing of the spiritual health and growth of children and adolescents. In far too many public schools throughout the country, our children are being bombarded with secular reasoning, situational ethics, and moral erosion."

Dr. Chapman also made it clear that obedience to God's Word should be the ultimate motive for developing Christian education ministries, rather than a knee-jerk reaction to displeasure with the public schools.

"Kingdom schools, K-12, should be built as an intentional ministry of churches and local associations to aid families with their kingdom responsibilities for raising children in the admonition of the Lord," Chapman said. "Why shouldn't we have at least one Christian school in every association that merges dynamic biblical principles with academic excellence?"

Introduced at this year's convention, this resolution titled "Resolution on Expanding Christian Education" was authored by Dr. Bruce Shortt and expanded on Dr. Chapman's article. It commended Dr. Chapman "for his courage and vision" and called on "Southern Baptist churches, agencies, associations, and other organizations to investigate innovative methods of providing Christian education that have been made possible by new technology." Dr. Shortt further challenged churches "to work vigorously as a missional effort to encourage and support the expansion in their communities of Christian schools and alternative models for providing Christian education."

Dr. Shortt's referral to "new technology" becoming a major means of promoting these schools is also of special interest to us. God entrusted Alpha Omega Publications® with our technology-based curriculum, Switched-On Schoolhouse®, over twelve years ago. Since then, we have been honored to partner with the thousands of churches and families across this nation in providing a Christ-centered, computer-based education to the children of their communities.

We are honored, but we are certainly not satisfied to the point of complacency! As Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said in August 2007, "This issue is not even on the radar screen in many churches." Though the resolution did not reach the floor for consideration by the entire convention, we trust that Dr. Chapman's article will bring this issue to the forefront of the Southern Baptist Convention and many other denominations as well.

We pray that churches across this nation and the world will be sensitive to God's leading and give earnest heed to Dr. Chapman's closing statement. "If we don't do it now, do we risk forever losing the opportunity to build schools for God's glory and the future of our children, grandchildren, and the land we love?"

Roy Faletti
Vice President of Educational Services