Today home school families see the Biblical concourse as a necessary alternative to traditional secular college. The Biblical concourse is a network of Christian teachers, mentors and resources that provides true Christian education for students.

A concourse is a coming together, or gathering for a specific purpose, in this case education. It is a serious challenge for many parents, but a challenge that many are finding rewarding.

The Curse Of Secular Education

The book titled, The Great Evangelical Disaster, by Francis Schaeffer, written over 26 years ago, articulated the key problem with modern higher education. That problem is the disastrous outcome of Christians subjecting their children to secular education. The problem is also observed within Christian higher education and calls Christians to consider a better Biblical Concourse to replace traditional higher education.

It would seem simpler to ignore the impact of modern higher education on our family and the culture. But as Christians we are called to bring Christ and His Kingdom to the world, rather than follow the ways of the world which are taught in modern higher education. Christians are to lead the culture, not follow or ignore it. The Biblical worldview is especially important for young people to grasp as they learn and integrate faith into their career plans.

Sadly, Christian education has followed the accreditation guidelines laid out by secular Foundations to purposely remove Christianity from the culture. Thus, it is not a surprise that they have had a less than optimum impact on the culture. Dr. Schaeffer described this issue in this way:

“Evangelicals were right in emphasizing the Lordship of Christ over all areas But then what happened? Many young evangelicals went out into the academic world, But something happened in the process … any distinctively evangelical point of view was accommodated to the secularistic thinking in their discipline and to the surrounding world spirit of our age.”

The Blessing Of Obedience

Considering the history of home education, which ranges from creation, through the history of Israel, the Reformation and early America, one is struck by the fact that God has always poured out his blessing on home education. I suppose this is to be expected since home education is a Biblical concourse led by parents and aligned with God’s Word.

That blessing stands as a stark contrast with respect to the cursing observed in the academic content, lack of morals and homogenized career paths which result from much of modern higher education.

Standing on the shoulders of the previous generation of home education leaders, we can now see more clearly that modern higher education can be replaced with a parent-led Biblical concourse, operating much like a support group or church fellowship. This protects the student from the common stumbling blocks of college life. It also enriches families as they work with each of their children for the accomplishment of higher education goals in the context of their local community.

Hold everything! Before you make a decision on a traditional college that you’ll probably regret, explore home educating through college with Dr. James Bartlett. Dr. Bartlett directs the North Dakota Home School Association and teaches math and science for Kings Way Classical Academy (Gr 7-12). Contact him at 701-263-4574 or drbartlett@biblicalconcourse.