Teddy James
AFA Journal staff writer
February 2012 – It is no secret that God expects and commands parents to teach, disciple and train children in the wisdom and fear of the Lord. Deuteronomy 6 makes it clear that parents are to teach children to love God with all their hearts, souls and minds. Verses seven through nine of that chapter instruct parents to speak of God when waking and when going to bed, when walking around town and when just hanging out as a family.
According to Building Faith at Home, by Mark Holmen, only 12% of children have regular conversations with their mothers on faith or life issues and 5% with their fathers. The book also says only 9% of children experience regular devotions or Bible study in the home.
Following instructions
Several years ago, AFA saw an opportunity to assist parents in educating and discipling children through homeschooling. Paul Bass, who has become a visionary in the field of homeschooling, stepped up to take the lead as director of the AFA Homeschool Channel (HSC), an internet-based community offering resources and curriculum based on Scripture and taught by some of the brightest minds available.
Bass said, “The main goal of HSC is to encourage and equip homeschoolers while giving support for mom and dad to do their work and not be a substitute for it.”
To that end, HSC Web site (www.thehomeschoolchannel.tv) has developed a community where homeschooling families can connect, interact, build relationships and ask questions of each other. Bass said, “This is a community in much the same way Facebook is. It has its own platform. People become members for free and build relationships with others in a safe environment.”
Giving instruction
HSC has much to offer for both homeschooling families and for those who have chosen another route to educate their children. Bass said, “This has been a big year for partnerships. We have partnered with Answers in Genesis, Potter’s School and several conferences.”
Some of HSC’s video-based curriculum includes noted teachers such as Ken Ham, “Science Guy” Jason Lindsey with his series Hooked on Science and others.
While these videos and more are available at the site, Bass plans to begin live-streaming classes and conferences. He said, “We have been working out a deal with a South Carolina conference called ‘Teach Them Diligently.’ Their mission is to reach out to homeschool families, so we are a great fit. This year they have Ken Ham, Doug Phillips, Voddie Baucham and Matt Friedeman. That conference is planned for March 15-17.”
Outside conferences, HSC will soon stream live, interactive classes powered by the Potter’s School. “The Potter’s school has been doing online instruction for years,” Bass said. “They are very missions minded and their goals are so close to ours that when we decided to start having classes, we made the decision to partner with them instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. This is also where public school families can use us because some of the classes offer early college credits or can be used as a great tutoring service. Students can interact with the teacher and ask questions just as if they were all in a classroom together.”
Other live-streaming events Bass plans on hosting at the site include national homeschool athletic events. They already have the national football championship between the Lighthouse Christian Chargers and the North Georgia Falcons on the site, free to view.
“In the body of Christ, parents are the first line of training and teaching our children,” Bass said. “Whether we send them to a Christian school or public school, the resources and support on HSC are invaluable for any parent. And that is what we want to be, an invaluable resource for a parent’s priceless child.”