legacy learning

It’s been our privilege to homeschool our children for the past several years, and I can honestly say that my wife has become my new super hero….she flies circles around Captain Marvel!

Last month we attended the annual Great Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati, OH (aka GHC). Now, while my wife is a regular attendee, I was a newbie this time around. (In fact, I might’ve kinda crashed her party!) Needless to say, from the plethora of sessions to the gigantic vendor hall and the books, to the resources and the hands-on manipulatives, I saw up close homeschooling as I’d never known it.

What is the driving force that compels parents to invest so tirelessly into their children? Why would so many spend so much with so little renown and reward? Is it a basic instinct within humanity, to pass on what we’ve learned to those who follow after? To leave a legacy? And if so, how does this shape us even as we’re shaping those around us?

Consider this in light of Glorify-Train-Engage. Believers are called to pass on the faith to the faithful for the purpose of training other faithful followers in the faith once delivered (Jude 3). 2 Timothy 2:2 reads, “…and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:2, “Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” There is a process of nurture and guidance inherent to the Christian life, beginning with Christ and His apostles and being passed on to the church (both leaders and laity) as one of her primary missions on earth: every believer is called to edify one another into greater follower-ship of Christ, to spur one another on to a greater knowledge of God’s revealed Word, to admonish each other for a deeper faith in Christ’s redeeming work, pursuing righteousness and freedom from the dominion of sin in order to serve the Lord with gladness and a pure heart full of love (Galatians 5:13-14).

Discipleship training is the strong melody for the Great Commission. It sings out with clarity the calling of every church, made beautiful by the harmony of evangelism. Through a variety of ministry avenues, the faithful are being built up as living stones into a spiritual building, a holy priesthood, offering sacrifices acceptable to God through our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 2:4-5).

And this begins with you, dear believer: to know God so as to lead others to know God.