LAST LESSONS #147 — LAST WORDS — MORE BOOKS

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10

Teach a child to read the Bible and you open God to him. Teach a child to read books and you open the world to him. Both are necessary. A child needs to know God and he needs to learn what is true, what is beautiful, and what is good. This is what classical Christian education attempts to teach children primarily through reading good books.

As I have told you, the Rafiki Classical Academy (RCA) is opening its doors to kindergarten through grade 3 in September 2023 on Rafiki property in Eustis, Florida, and it will need books. The RCA has several lists of books (I have selected this list by The Gospel Coalition*) that are to be read by the teacher to the young students or read by the older students themselves. The number of books is daunting, but children should read as many of these books as possible in order to receive a classical education.

I have attached the list for you and suggest that you use it in the ways that I have.

Your children

My children and grandchildren are past school age, but I have 18 great-grandchildren and I (still!) give them a Christmas present and a birthday present. Because I can’t imagine what to give them, I have been giving them money. But no more! I’ll be giving all of them something much better because only a few of them are in classical schools.

From now on I will be giving them books from “the list.” I have sent this list to their mothers and asked them which books I should give their children. I order the books on Amazon and have them wrap and deliver the books to my great-grandchildren. It’s wonderful! Good gifts and so easy!

RCA children

I will be personally ordering books on “the list” for our Rafiki Classical Academy in Eustis too. I have made it a practice not to ask for donations of anything but if you would like to join me in getting a good library of books for the RCA children, I would really appreciate it. Don’t worry about book duplicates. We can use as many copies as we can get. Click here for the Amazon RCA  Library Wish List. The RCA mailing address is:

Rafiki Classical Academy

23315 County Road 44A

Eustis, FL 32736

I am really excited about getting good books into the hands of children (and me too!). Thank you for your help through the years and for your love.

*If you cannot open The Gospel Coalition book list, let me know which grade you are interested in, and I will send you that particular list. The whole list is 18 pages long!

LAST LESSONS #146 — LAST WORDS — BOOKS

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13

Sometimes I find a book that I believe I must encourage others to read. If you care about this country and if you care about your children, grandchildren, or (like me!) great-grandchildren, then I urge you to read Pete Hegseth’s book Battle for the American Mind.

It's about schools. I’m sure you are aware that the public (government run) schools in the United States are capturing our children’s minds and indoctrinating them with Marxism, LGBTQ morality, and unchristian beliefs. We must remember that what our children are taught today will determine the future of our country tomorrow. In his book Hegseth explains how our country got to the place where we are today, what needs to be done about it, and how to make the changes needed. Please read this book!

The last chapters urge readers to do what Rafiki is in the process of doing and that is to start a CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (CCS). We call it the Rafiki Classical Academy. It will start September 5, 2023, on Rafiki property in Eustis, FL. It will begin with kindergarten through grade 3 and add grades each year.

The purpose of the RCA is fourfold:

1. To provide a CCS for local children.
2. To train missionaries to work in Rafiki Village schools in Africa.
3. To train teachers in the United States to teach in classical schools.
4. To provide a model for others to set up CCS teacher training centers using Rafiki curricula.

Since Rafiki has spent (many!) years writing Christian classical curricula, and since our curricula has been tested and proven successful in all grades from K-12 in Africa, and since Rafiki has adapted the material for use in the United States, Rafiki is making our material available for those in the USA who want it. It is complete and available for purchase from Rafiki (www.rafikieducationsystem.org). As far as I know, Rafiki is the only place where a school can buy all CCS material from one place—basically, “a school in a box.”

So if we want to keep our country from becoming completely Marxist and giving in to the woke agenda, we must become informed. The Battle for the American Mind by Pete Hegseth is the way to start.

LAST LESSONS #145 — LAST WORDS — COMMENTARIES

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.” 1 Timothy 6:3-4

About 25 years ago, I began to give GOOD Bible commentaries to my family and to Rafiki staff members. There are so many books printed today that are not doctrinally sound and I wanted to make sure that the people that I love had access to the best Bible commentaries. I began to give commentaries that are printed by publishers that I trust—P&R Reformed Expository Commentaries, Crossway Preaching the Word Commentaries edited by R. Kent Hughes, and Ligonier Ministries commentaries by R.C. Sproul.

To my children, grandchildren, and Rafiki staff members I gave one of these commentaries for Christmas and one on their birthdays. After I retired as executive director of Rafiki, Karen Elliott is continuing to give these commentaries to staff members. I continue to give to my family members. I smile now when I look at my bookcase and see 50 GOOD commentaries and I know that my family and Rafiki staff members also have such a library.

Realizing how much good commentaries can contribute to a person’s Bible study, I have suggested a commentary for each Rafiki Bible Study (66 of them!) that members of the group use as they do the lessons. If you are a group leader, please help your members get the commentary. As I have led RBS groups, I have heard the members say that reading the commentaries has helped them understand the Bible lesson more than anything. Commentaries may be purchased from Rafiki for 14 studies for a big discount. Check the Rafiki Bible Study Resources page for which ones. www.rafikibiblestudy.org 

The last point I want to make about good commentaries is that I personally take much joy in reading them. I read at least a chapter in a commentary every morning. And I have done this for more than 60 years. Reading their words, I get to know the writers—they become my personal friends even if I have never met them.

My advice to you is PLEASE READ COMMENTARIES. But only the GOOD ones!

LAST LESSONS #144 — LAST REWRITES — CHILDREN

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

Thirty years ago, I wrote the following words about children.

“God cares for children, and he tells me I am not to look down on them. Nor am I to hinder them in coming to Christ. It would be better, in fact, if I had never lived than cause a child of God to sin. I must therefore be very careful how I walk before children, how I advise them, and how I relate to them. A careful walk is especially necessary before my own children and grandchildren, over whom I have the most influence. I am encouraged, though, in Jesus’ promise that whatever I do for children in his name, I do for him. What an incentive for working with children!

Beyond that, I am to become like a child in faith, my trust in God is to be simple and complete. Jesus loves children. During his earthly ministry, he wanted them around, he hugged them and touched them to bless them. He protected them and wanted them to receive an inheritance.”

These words are true today as they were 30 years ago because Jesus said them (Luke 18:17; Matthew 18:1-4; Matthew 18:10; Matthew 19:13-14).

But that is not all he said. He said that “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

How does that sound to those who are encouraging children in attempting to change their gender? Or selling them Fentanyl? And what about those who force children into human trafficking? God will judge those people. We can be sure of that.

We may not be involved in those activities that we know are harmful, but when we do not teach children right from wrong or allow them to grow up thinking only of themselves, that also causes them to sin.

The best way to keep children from sinning is to teach them what Jesus said in the Bible.

Doing that is not easy—especially to teenagers! I remember one time my daughters needed correction and I thought I was doing a pretty good job when finally one of them said, “Mom, why do you always quote the Bible? Why don’t you just talk straight to us?” Oh well --- !

But since Jesus said that whoever receives a child in his name receives him, I am thinking about the Rafiki Classical Academy (RCA) that Rafiki is in the process of starting. This RCA will start on September 5^th and is located on the Rafiki Home Office grounds. It will be “receiving” children in kindergarten, 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd grade. They will be learning not only to read, but to read the Bible! They will read it every day!

If you want to know more about this school, visit their website www.rafikiclassicalacademy.org or contact Kelly Fore at kellyf@rafikifoundation.org or 352-483-9984.

Who knows, your community, your church, or YOU might want to be involved in starting a Christian classical school or teaching a Sunday School class or leading a Bible study or simply having family devotions every night.

Any way you can lead children toward Jesus and keep them from sinning will be blessed by God.

LAST LESSONS #143 — LAST REWRITES — PERSEVERANCE

“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:12-13

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” John 6:37

 

Thirty years ago I wrote the following words on the subject of perseverance, although they were not published until ten years later.  Here is what I wrote:

 

“Perseverance means to remain firm in our faith. But we do so only because the Lord has promised that he will never reject his own nor will he allow anyone to take them out of his hand. It’s comforting to know that our perseverance doesn’t depend on us; it depends upon the keeping power of the Holy Spirit, who lives within us. Our love may wax and wane, but we are able to stand firm because we are the Lord’s sheep, given to Jesus by his Father, and kept by the Holy Spirit.”

 

I am not sure I would rewrite this paragraph, but I would definitely add to it. Thirty years ago, life in America was very different. America’s border was mostly secure; Christians frowned upon same-sex marriage; people did not try to change their gender; abortion was not accepted as a woman’s right; and crime was punished.  

 

Although sin has always been sin, today we see lawlessness increasing and the love of even those who call themselves Christians growing colder. Just look at the break-up of Christian families in the USA.  

 

Things are somewhat different in Africa. I am proud of Africa where I maintain many close ties. I am proud of Uganda and other African countries that have taken a stand against homosexuality because the Bible says it is wrong. Although their stand has cost them financially, they have held firm. They are persevering in difficult circumstances. I am praying especially for Uganda that has passed a law against homosexual activity. I will do anything I can to help their church leaders and their president to say NO to what they know is wrong. They are persevering and I pray that they will persevere to the end of their individual lives.  

 

Will you pray for Africans who in their poverty stand firm for their faith? And will you pray for Christians in America with their wealth that they will stand firm in spite of being ridiculed, persecuted, and falsely accused for their faith? Pray that they will endure and remember that Jesus will never cast them out.

 

And finally will you pray for yourself that your love will never grow cold and that you will be able to stand firm in the difficult times we face today? I pray for that myself.