Caring and Perceptive Christians — LC Senior

How does one teach Christianity? When teaching young kids how to understand Islam, routine is taught: five times daily prayer kneeling and facing the Ka’ba, reading of scripture, fasting in the month of Ramadan, and reciting of shahadah—the belief and understanding that “there is no god but Allah”. Children easily understand the method. If they follow the routine of Islam, they are a good, obedient Muslim. Similarly in Buddhism, young children are taught to resist attachments in life, for it is believed this is where all suffering comes from. If a good young Buddhist follows this path and tries their hardest to resist attachments, they will be rewarded with absorption into enlightenment.

Teaching Christianity to young children is vastly different from teaching other religions because it is not an organized, routinely, step-by-step path to follow. Different from being strictly a religion or worldview, Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, you would teach a young child how to follow Jesus as you would tell them how to treat a friend. Along with this comes baptism, prayer, reading of scripture, and theological philosophy, but the essence of Christianity is in following the path of Jesus. A man who spent his time with the homeless, broken, and ill, he walked the road less traveled. Jesus had a kind character. He shared, “The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). This quote coming from Jesus Christ himself shows the emphasis on how important it is for Christians to love God primarily, and as an automatic reflex, they will love on others.

At Lynden Christian, Students are challenged to grow and mature into perceptive, caring young Christians. As part of their core curriculum and branched out through each subject taught, students are encouraged to love God, and love others. In elementary school, this is relayed mainly through bible lessons, memory verses, and worship songs. As middle schoolers, students learn more about the walk of Jesus Christ and his life on earth. Through emphasis on the Sermon on the Mount, the kind character of Jesus is revealed. In high school, students experience a rigorous study year by year learning about Christian principles, Bible history, Theology, and World Religions. As students get older, they are encouraged to ask questions, know what they believe, and be curious as to who God is personally to them as an individual. They are taught that it is by grace and through faith that we are saved and redeemed by Jesus. Lynden Christian students participate in a truly wonderful educational experience as they are encouraged to go out into the world loving God and loving others.

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