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"Online Teaching Assistance Program" is the subject line
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You are welcome to forward this newsletter in its entirety.
The Teaching Home E-Mail Newsletter #54
Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement
October 28, 2003 / Cindy Short and Sue Welch, editors
Regarding links in this newsletter: We do not endorse all subject matter.
Table of Contents
What To Do About Halloween?
http://www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_16.cfm
Reform for Today
Church Reform through Bible Study
Political Reform Today
How Home Schooling Avoids the State Religion
The Superiority of Evangelism over Political Action
Reduce Your Family's Risk of Dying in a House Fire
Recommended Resources
How Great Thou Art: Complete Art Curriculum
Operation Christmas Child: It’s Shoe Box Time!
Educational Advising Ministries: College and Career Planning
Sunny Side Up: Humorous Anecdote
Greetings,
October 31st is Reformation Day, commemorating that date in
1517 when protestant reformer Martin Luther challenged his fellow
Catholics to debate his 95 theses regarding the sale of
indulgences.
Luther offered his points for consideration based on his
conscience and his understanding of the truth, even though they
were in conflict with powerful men in his church and put him in
grave jeopardy. (For more information about the Reformation and
unit study ideas, see our last newsletter at
http://www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_53.cfm.)
What can we learn from the example of these brave, although
imperfect, reformers? Are there ways we can apply these lessons
to our own lives?
We trust that the suggestions below will be both thought
provoking and practical for your family.
Cordially,
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian Welch
The Teaching Home is a 23-year-old, home-school family business.
Complete Art Curriculum
Designed for the Home Schooled Student
Since 1991, How Great Thou ART Publications has
been teaching students of all ages in the fundamentals
of drawing, painting, and color theory. Online catalog,
art galleries, sample lessons and much more!
http://www.HowGreatThouArt.com
(800) 982 - DRAW (3729)
Reform for Today
To thoughtful and dedicated Christians it is evident that
reform is needed today in our churches and in our government.
We have the freedoms and the power to help effect these changes --
freedoms and power that the Protestant Reformation leaders and
the common man of that day did not have. But these abilities do
us no good if we do not use them.
Teaching our children God's standards for church and country
and effective, godly ways to meet these goals, are important
parts of our home education.
Church Reform through Bible Study
The Protestant Reformation was aided by the printing press
making God's Word available to the common people.
One of the four main tenets of the Reformation, "Sola
Scriptura" (Scripture alone) was the belief that God's Word, the
Bible, is our complete and sole rule of faith and practice. This
brought men to examine the Bible and see that their church needed
to be reformed.
So we must do today. Many churches are in need of reform in
order to meet God's standards, given to us in His Word, for the
doctrines and practices of the church. If we do not regularly
read and study the Bible, we might as well be living in the dark
ages before the printing press when most people did not have the
Scriptures to study.
Our example is the Berean Christians who, when they received
their church's teachings, "searched the scriptures daily, whether
those things were so" Acts 17:11.
There is no better way to recognize the difference between
pure doctrine and doctrinal error than to read the whole Bible
regularly (at least once a year), stopping as needed to study
questions or items of interest.
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness." II Tim. 3:16
When you read and study your Bible:
* Be right with God and others.
* Be eager to hear and obey God's Word.
* Pray for understanding.
Simple Rules of Bible Interpretation
Although most of the Bible is straightforward and clear,
the following principles will help ensure that you come to an
accurate understanding of God's words to you:
* Make sure your understanding of each verse or passage fits into
the greater context of the passage.
* Use standard word definitions and grammar rules.
* Observe literary forms where they are intended.
* Explore backgrounds of history, geography, and customs.
* Compare Scripture with Scripture; it will agree with itself.
* Use clear passages to interpret unclear passages on the same
topic.
* Look up difficult words in the Greek or Hebrew.
Find several unique Bible reading schedules at
http://www.teachinghome.com/supplement/bible/index.cfm.
What To Do if You Discern Error
You might find after careful study that some beliefs held by
you or your church do not align with the whole of Scripture.
When a doctrine is off just a little, it is like two lines
drawn at slightly different angles from one point. The farther
you draw the lines (or take the slightly errant doctrine to its
logical conclusion), the further it gets from the straight line
(or from pure doctrine).
When you recognize any errors, you can correct them in your
own beliefs and in what you teach your children. You can also
follow the example of the reformers who first spoke up in their
churches to try to effect reform, and when unsuccessful, left to
find or form other churches with true biblical doctrines. (The
Separatists and Puritans are examples of these two responses.)
Of course it is important to approach these issues
prayerfully, humbly, and lovingly.
51 Teaching Home Back Issues Available
The practical how-to articles and teaching tips never
go out of date.
Search for the topics you need; each issue is pictured
with all articles listed.
Buy Teaching Home Back Issues online at
http://theteachinghomen.goemerchant7.com
Political Reform Today
There is a very real cultural war raging in our country
today. Far from separating church and state, this battle
attempts to force the state religion of humanism and atheism upon
us along with all its applications to our personal and corporate
lives.
This threat to sweep our nation from its Christian
beginnings to the depth of degradation demands our action. When
we do not participate in government, we allow the ungodly to rule
and promote immoral policies and practices.
By the grace of God, we can influence or cause change in our
nation's government through our representative form
of government and our Constitutional freedoms.
A Christian's participation in government and society
involves in part:
* Studying and knowing God's principles and teaching them to our
children.
* Voting in every election according to our conscience after
diligent study of the issues or candidates.
* Calling and mailing government officials, media, and others to
make our opinions known, make respectful requests, or express
appreciation.
* Praying for those in authority.
"I exhort therefore,
that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Savior;
Who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."
(I Timothy 2:1-4).
Issues and Organizations
Here is a partial list of current issues you may want to
consider for prayer and/or action, along with organizations that
you can contact for information.
Defending Traditional Marriage
http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0027543.cfm
Supreme Court Ruling on "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance
http://www.grassfire.net/17/petition.asp?
Public Display of the Ten Commandments
http://family.org/topics/a0027583.cfm
End to Partial-Birth and Other Abortions
http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/pba/HouseGivesFinalPBA.htm
Note: We can praise the Lord for the passage of the
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and pray that the U.S.
Supreme Court will not strike it down.
Elimination of Pornography on the Internet
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/4743/LEGAL/scourt/index.htm
Judicial Tyranny
http://www.family.org/cforum/judicial_tyranny/
Political Action Organizations
National Right to Life. http://www.nrlc.org
Concerned Women for America. http://www.cwfa.org/main.asp
Focus on the Family's Citizen Link.
http://www.family.org/cforum
Family Research Council. http://www.frc.org
Eagle Forum. http://www.eagleforum.org
American Family Association. http://www.afa.net
The Center for Reclaiming America.
http://www.reclaimamerica.org
America's Christian Heritage Week. http://www.achw.org
Grassfire. http://www.grassfire.net/mygrassfire.asp?rid=
Home-School Issues
State Home-School Organizations.
http://www.teachinghome.com/states/index.cfm
Home School Legal Defense Association. http://www.hslda.org
It’s Shoe Box Time!
You can teach your children the joy of giving and
the true meaning of Christmas through Operation
Christmas Child -- a simple project that encourages
children, families and groups to fill empty shoe boxes
with toys, school supplies and necessity items for a
needy child a world away.
For drop-off sites, to order free materials or for more
information about the project, call 1-800-353-5949
or visit http://www.samaritanspurse.org.
How Home Schooling Avoids the State Religion
Home schoolers have already taken their children out of
harm's way by removing them from the largest state religion
propaganda machine -- the public schools. Remember this the next
time you wonder why you are teaching your children at home. This
is why the Puritans left England and then Holland.
However, we need to go beyond simply avoiding the false
"state religion," and actively and diligently teach our children
God's truth. Bible should be an important and thoroughly taught
subject in our home school, as well as related subjects such as
Bible study methods (including rules of interpretation), Bible
doctrine, missions, and personal evangelism.
Furthermore we should teach all subjects from a Christian
perspective. This will take more thought, research, and work on
your part if you do not use Christian textbooks which have
already integrated a Christian worldview into each subject.
The Superiority of Evangelism over Political Action
Political action can sometimes accomplish great good in
advancing both freedom and morality in the world. But its
effects are limited to this life, which is but a breath
compared to eternity. If we gain the whole world (a perfect
government on earth), but lose the souls of the perishing around
us, it profits nothing.
Our religious freedom is meaningful only if we use it to
seek truth, follow conscience, teach our children to follow the
Lord, and seek to bring the spiritually lost to salvation.
This world is not our home; we are ambassadors on a mission --
the ministry of reconciliation between God and man.
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,
as though God did beseech you by us:
we pray you in Christ's stead,
be ye reconciled to God."
II Cor. 5:20
Resources:
http://www.christiananswers.net/evangelism/fearofwitnessing.html
http://www.livingwaters.com/
http://www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_16.cfm
Comprehensive College and Career Planning
Tutorials and Curriculum
Get the help you need finding the right college
and scholarships, identifying your career purpose, and
understanding admission and financial aid. Online
tutorials and individual advising available from
Educational Advising Ministries.
http://www.edvising.net or Call 717-581-7835
Reduce Your Family's Risk of Dying in a House Fire
"In many of the house fires where lives are lost, an operating smoke
alarm could have made a difference. A smoke alarm reduces the risk
of dying in a house fire by 50 percent," said Michael D. Brown, Under
Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and
Response. FEMA offers these fire safety tips:
* Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, especially
near bedrooms.
* Test all smoke alarms monthly.
* Vacuum over and around smoke alarms regularly.
* Replace smoke alarms after 10 years or as recommended by the
manufacturer.
* Post emergency numbers on your telephone and make sure your
children know how to dial them.
* Organize and practice a family fire drill.
More information: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/public/hfs/alarms.shtm
For children: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/
Carbon monoxide: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/public/factsheets/fswy17.shtm
Please Thank & Support Our Sponsoring Advertisers!
These free newsletters are made possible financially
by the fine suppliers who advertise in them.
Please remember those that have advertised in our
last issue (below) as well as the ones in this issue.
Operation Christmas Child. 800-353-5949
http://www.samaritanspurse.org.
Christian Book Clearinghouse: Save up to 80% on Christian Books
http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?cbc-on-line+v29Xpb+index.html+tthnl101603
McCourt Mfg.: Student Desks. 800-333-2687
http://www.mccourtmfg.com
Sing 'n Learn: Hundreds of Audio Learning Products
http://www.singnlearn.com
Sunny Side Up: It's That Season of the Year Again
Our first subject each day is Bible. We started in Genesis
with the intention of reading through the Bible a chapter a day.
My boys were thoroughly enjoying the Old Testament stories.
When we reached 1 Kings, almost every chapter began with the
introduction of a new king and gave the number of years that he
had reigned.
I guess I didn't realize how repetitive this information was
or that I had not defined all the unknown words for our
children. One day, toward the end of the book, my then
6-year-old gave a big sigh of apparent boredom and said, "Mom,
it sure does rain a lot in 1 Kings!"
Contributed by Patti Gelineau, Tennessee
You are also invited to submit your humorous anecdote.
God Loves You.
Because we were separated from God by sin, Jesus Christ died
in our place, then rose to life again. If we trust Jesus Christ
as our Savior and Lord, He will give us eternal life.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of
works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
http://www.TeachingHome.com/about/salvation.cfm
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