Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 18
November 24, 1966
NUMBER 29, PAGE 10

Parochial Schools Of The Church

Robert C. Welch

Can a church carry on a school? This question was asked and answered in a recent issue of Word and Work, the quasi-official publication of premillennial brethren. Apparently someone had become bothered about this social-gospel practice which has existed among premillennial brethren for many years. Brother Stanford Chambers defends the parochial school principle in a forthright fashion and in as plausible reasoning as any this writer has seen. It would be mentally and theologically refreshing to see all institutional brethren show such forthrightness, cutting out the hedging and denying.

About fifty years ago, under the encouragement of R.H. Boll, the Portland church in Louisville started a school which prospered and continues to operate as an accredited school through the high school grades. This is the school which brother Chambers uses to illustrate his reply. At about the same time this school was beginning, another church in the city was dividing, with Bardstown Road church the result. This was the marked beginning of the break in fellowship from those brethren who were premillennial in teaching. Just this year the Bardstown Road church has started their parochial school. From the things said about it, it is not quite clear whether the church is forthrightly going to claim it, or whether the blame is going to be laid on the members while the church operates it. And the question continues to be pertinent: Can a church carry on a school?

The best of his argument is found in the paragraph which is now given:

"But where is the scriptural warrant for the church of God providing secular education or schooling? The church can do better. It can elevate what is by the world called (and is) secular, and by transformation make it spiritual. This is a must on the part of every church of the Lord and on the part of every one called by His name. Let no child of God deny this! Satan's strategy (and how it has worked!) has been to divide the Christian's life into two parts, the religious (How little!) and the secular (How big!). But the Scriptures disallow any such classification. 'Whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus' (Col. 3:17). Again, 'Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God' (1 Cor. 10:31). Disregard for this instruction has worked untold injury to the cause of Christ. A common sentiment is that the spiritual is for heaven, and thy secular is for the life here. So we have 'Sunday Christians' as a spectacle before the world."

Now, where is Foy E. Wallace Jr.? His slogan used to be: "They shall not pass!" And he announced it frequently with reference to the premillennial movement. Will he let this pass? He once had the same disposition about the church supported schools as about the premillennial movement. Where is he now? Off somewhere, as in Henderson, Nashville or Fort Worth, receiving accolades from men and their schools which receive support from the churches. He has thrown down his sword and has joined in their march as they passed.

The major fallacy in the reasoning of brother Chambers is that no difference is made between the activity of the Christians and that of the church. This same error is committed by most of those who want the church to engage in secular education. The passages which he quotes are addressed to the Christian for his activity. Surely, the will of Christ regulates the Christian in his secular activity. But no evidence is given by him that the will of Christ has authorized secular activity for the church. The best he can do is assert that the church turns the secular into spiritual. That fallacious reasoning will justify the church's engaging in any activity which can be found. It will put the church into all profit making businesses. It will put the church into politics and civil government. Instead of spiritualizing the secular things, the practice of this theory will secularize the church.

There is no scriptural authority for the church to engage in general education, business, recreation or civil government. There is no scriptural authority for the church to establish and maintain any institution with any function or for any purpose. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). The church supports the saints who are in need (1 Cor.16:1,2). The church assembles to engage in specified worship (Acts 20:7). But general education, business, recreation and civil government are not included as activity for the church. Neither is the church authorized to establish and maintain such institutions as schools. Brethren need to cease secularizing the church.