For three years I led the praise and worship music in a church in the Denver, Colorado metro area. And the services were held, every Sunday, in the gym of a Christian school. Elgielene and I got to know the owners of the school pretty well. They were a former pastor and his wife and their grown children. And I remember many enjoyable conversations with the former pastor as well as a few with the rest of the family.
One of those conversations was a comparison I made about their Christian school.
And I guess you could say it wasn’t a “nice” comparison. Because I pointed out how the secular high school I attended was FAR more conservative than their Christian school. Oops. That didn’t go over well.
But it was observably true.
So, I proceeded to make the case for why I’d dare say such a thing. And there was no shortage of evidence. For example, my high school required:
- Boys’ haircuts to keep the hair above the ears, collar, and eyebrows
- Girls to wear dresses, with the only exception being extreme cold weather
- Girls’ dresses to be no more than a certain amount above the knees
- Boys’ shirts to be tucked in, with the only exception being a “shirt-jac” style
- A belt to be worn with any pants that had belt loops
- NO attire with any images or words deemed obscene or similarly inappropriate
- NO excess noise in halls during class transitions
- Shoes AND socks to be worn. NO sandals
- Corporal punishment (paddling with significantly large paddle) for some offenses
And that’s not all the rules. But certainly enough that you get the point.
My secular high school included prayer before assemblies and sports events.
And there was a moment for silent prayer at the beginning of every school day during morning announcements. Students, who were found guilty of certain offenses, were often assigned “lunchroom duty.” That included cleanup of the trays, trash, and spills that might occur.
But it wasn’t all about rules, regulations, and rowdiness.
For example, our choir often sang (get ready for a shocker) “religious” songs. I was a member of the choir for the last three years of high school. And I don’t even remember how many Christian themed pieces of music we performed. Matter of fact, I received my first ONE, as a soloist, for singing a song called “The Lord Is My Light.”
And check out the lyrics to this song our boys’ choir performed. As you read the words, try to hear most of the Amens being sung by the baritones and basses. And imagine the lyrics in parentheses being sung by the tenors. I was one of the parentheses singers:
Amen
Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen.
(Sing it over) Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen
(See the baby) amen, (wrapped in a manger) amen,
(on Christmas morning) amen, amen, amen.
(See Him in the temple) amen, (talkin’ with the elders) amen,
(who marveled at His wisdom) amen, amen, amen.
Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen.
(See Him at the Jordan) amen, (where John was baptizin’) amen,
and savin’ all sinners) amen, amen, amen.
(See Him at the seaside) amen, (talkin’ to the fishermen) amen,
(and makin’ them disciples) amen, amen, amen.
Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen.
(Marchin in Jerusalem) amen, (over palm branches) amen,
(in pomp and splendor) amen, amen, amen.
(See Him in the garden) amen, (prayin’ to His Father) amen,
(in deepest sorrow) amen, amen, amen.
Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen.
(Led before Pilate) amen, (then they crucified Him) amen,
(but He rose on Easter), amen, amen, amen.
(Hallelujah) amen, (He died to save us) amen,
(and He lives forever) amen, amen, amen.
During one of the school spring presentations, our choir also sang what was known as a “negro spiritual.” It went a little something like this:
Soon-a will be done-a with the troubles of the world,
Troubles of the world,
The troubles of the world.
Soon-a will be done-a with the troubles of the world.
Goin’ home to live with God.
Yes, I promise, I did NOT attend a Christian school.
But it was heavily influenced by Christian principles and standards.
And I believe those of us who attended, during that time, were much the better for it. It was FAR from perfect, just as any human establishment or organization. But it’s painfully obvious what happens when establishments, organizations, and people stray as far as they have from those principles and standards.
And I hope you understand that government will not return us to something better. People, who willingly soak up government indoctrination (public schools) instead of God’s word, will be easily led astray. To the point where a Christian school or even a church will raise the sinful rainbow flag.
That’s why, almost 29 years ago, I wrote:
Do you see the pattern form
How the wrong becomes the norm?
Say Yeah!
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