There is something unique about your new Adventist family. Has it ever amazed you to watch Adventists—even seemingly complete strangers—get together and act like they are old friends? What is it about Adventist culture that enables us to connect so easily? Everywhere we travel around the world, we meet someone we know—or at least someone who knows someone we know. How is that possible? It’s because Adventists strongly believe in Christian education.
We go to school together from kindergarten through college and even get our Ph.D.s, M.D.s, and Ed.D.s at Adventist universities. So no matter where we go, we are likely to find someone we went to school with at one time or another.
A Service of the Church
The church has been established to be a blessing to its members by providing services that help you travel the Christian journey. The Lord knows we need assistance in nurturing and rearing our children to love God and grow in His grace. In accordance with God’s divine plan, the church has established an educational system which is redemptive in nature. This educational system has three major components: the home, the church, and the school.
A Product of Inspiration
The Bible gives abundant counsel concerning the training and educating of our children. But God used Ellen White to bring to our attention the importance of establishing the global school system the church operates today. In 2002, this system operated a total of 5,605 schools with a total enrollment of 1,056,349—the second largest parochial school system in the world. In the Comprehensive Index to the Writings of Ellen G. White there are 25 pages of references to education and its importance.
God designed that we should be educated in a setting that would bring about a harmonious development of the physical, mental, and spiritual powers. Adventist education is designed to keep these three major aspects of education in balance.
In Adventist schools subjects are integrated with faith. History is seen as His story, nature is seen as the workmanship of the Creator God, business is studied with the integrity of the divine law as the central principle, and the Bible is studied as the revelation of God
Why Christian Education?
Just how important is Christian education anyway? If I have children, is it really necessary to send them to Adventist schools? Isn’t it expensive to send my children to a church school, an Adventist academy, or an Adventist college or university? Concerned parents the world over have asked themselves these questions.
The most important value I cherish for my two grown sons is that they love God and are saved for eternity. An Adventist education put them in the best environment for that to happen. I want my children to form Christian homes where my grandchildren will grow up loving Jesus. Adventist colleges gave my sons the opportunity to meet and marry Adventist girls who share their values. Several Adventist teachers made an impact on my sons’ spiritual development, and I am eternally grateful to them. Adventist education prepared them not only to compete in the job market, but also to serve their church and communities.
Getting Started
To find an Adventist school near you, go to: www.nadadventist.org. Click on "information" and "find a school." Get started on your Adventist educational journey. You’ll be glad you did.
Portions of this article were adapted by Ann Fisher, Lake Union Herald managing editor, from Welcome to the Family, an out-of-print book published jointly by Home Study International and the North American Division, and used with permission.
