Are You Missing the Greatest Goal for Home Education?

Fall 2017 / by Matthew McDill

My name is Matthew McDill, and it is my privilege to serve as the new president for NCHE. I would like to thank John Kirkland, our former president, for his kind heart and strong leadership over the last year.

I love homeschooling, and I love North Carolinians for Home Education! For many years, Dana and I have benefited from the ministry of NCHE in equipping us to homeschool our children. I am grateful for the opportunity to help continue this ministry to other homeschooling families.

I grew up going to public-school in Portland, Oregon. My parents saw that what I was learning in school was not a complete education because it did not include biblical and spiritual truth. When I was in elementary school, they requested that I be allowed to come home half a day each week for “Wisdom Class.” When I arrived home on those special days, my mom had prepared a curriculum of Bible study and memorization, activities, and discussion of biblical truth.

As I entered the ninth grade, my parents saw the negative influence the public-school culture was having on my character and attitude. Halfway through the school year, they became so concerned that they pulled me out and sent me all the way across town to a Christian private school that they could barely afford. Soon after this, we moved to North Carolina where I heard about homeschooling for the first time. When I was in college, I saw families that I respected homeschooling their children, and I observed the wonderful fruit coming from it. Watching these families convinced me to homeschool my own children one day.

You have also made the important choice to homeschool your children. It is not easy, but it is so good! Even when it is challenging, discouraging, and exhausting—keep pressing on!

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

There are a wide variety of reasons people choose to homeschool, from physical safety to academic excellence, from freedom to select curriculum to desire to help children with disabilities. Whatever your reasons, I would like to remind you of the most important reason of all.

Paul expresses a powerful truth as he tries to help the Corinthians deal with an intense issue in the early church related to food and idols.

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

While knowledge is important, it simply isn’t enough by itself. Knowledge is not all there is, and it is not the most important thing. The most important thing is love, and the most important love is the love of God.

I want my children to have an excellent education and to gain knowledge. However, what I want for them more than anything is to learn to love and know God. There is no greater goal and responsibility as parents than to teach our children to love God and follow Jesus. Is this your primary goal for home education? How are you planning to teach your children to love God and follow Jesus this year?

NCHE is here to help you accomplish all your home education goals. Our official mission statement is this: “NCHE has a vision for flourishing families and thriving generations in which people remain passionate, curious, and actively engaged in their faith and in their learning.” We want to help families in NC thrive in home education and in discipleship. Practically, we do this in three ways:

1. Protecting your freedom to homeschool in NC,

2. Equipping you with information and resources you need to homeschool, and

3. Connecting you with local homeschool communities and mentors.

The NCHE board is a wonderful team of people who have hearts to fulfill this mission. We are so thankful that each of you are a part of the NCHE family! Here is how you can be a meaningful part of our community.

• Please pray for our board as we serve homeschooling families in NC.

• Please help us get connected to other families in NC who can benefit from this ministry.

• Please pray about how you might be able to serve. You can go to nche.com/serve to learn how you can get involved and get in touch with us.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 1 Peter 1:2b