Public Schools: An Under-tapped Mission Field for Christian Educators
''Every single day 5 million students gather in the public school classroom and what an opportunity for Christian educators, students, and parents to be witnesses to them''
The Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) is calling on the faithful to support public schools in light of the recent high-school massacre that shocked the nation.
The March 21 school-shooting at Red Lake High School, Minnesota left at least 10 dead and 14 wounded.
While some have responded to this massacre as another reason to pull out the American youth from public schools, others have said the crime underscores a greater need for prayer and involvement in the institutions.
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"We cannot undo the loss of life in Red Lake, Minnesota, but we can offer support for the schools in our community as well as commit to pray for all those who are part of the schooling community," said Finn Laursen, the Executive Director of CEAI.
Laursen explained that while there is no way to guarantee the "safety of our children", parents can still make a difference.
"Our conviction that all schools need to be covered with prayer led to the recent establishment of the Raise Your Hand Campaign targeted at prayer for every school in this nation on a regular basis," explained Laursen.
The Raise Your Hand Campaign is a prayer campaign launched by CEAI in January as encouragement to all Christians across the nation to pray for the schools.
According to Lauren, public schools may have its negative sides - including a high level of danger and violence - but the institutions can offer positive influences as well.
"Certainly, there are some issues of real concerns in public school arena, but there are also some great opportunities the schools offer," Laursen told the Christian Post.
One such opportunity is an "under-tapped mission field", Laursen said.
"Every single day 5 million students gather in the public school classroom and what an opportunity for Christian educators, students, and parents to be witnesses to them," Laursen explained.
In that light, Laursen said Christian educators see themselves as "young missionaries" that can reach out to the "millions of youth" in a "spiritually and morally bankrupt" mission field.
Said Laursen: "We can bring them to the compass of life, which is the Bible.”
