Christian Minimalist Homeschooling – Biblical Support for Simple Homeschooling

The wonderful thing about Minimalist Homeschooling is that it is no different in principle whether you are Christian Minimalist Homeschooling, or Secular Minimalist Homeschooling.  Since minimalist homeschooling is all about doing what is of most value, religious families can watch their faith thrive in a minimalist homeschool.

First, did you know that minimalist homeschooling NOT about owning the fewest supplies, or using the fewest books?  Minimalism is actually more about the value we have in our lives, rather than the possessions.

>>Read More: Do What You Love… because Minimalist Homeschooling is about more than purging books.

[I understand that not all of the readers of this blog, or readers of the book Minimalist Homeschooling are practicing Christian Minimalist Homeschooling – I wouldn’t expect it in our diverse world.  You certainly don’t have to be Christian to be a minimalist homeschooler (just like you don’t have to be Christian to prioritize simple luxuries).

Unfortunately, I am not well-versed enough in other religions to speak on their support for minimalist teachings, but I would love to hear more about it… please comment at the end with your insight if you are practicing another faith!  I suspect that other religions also support minimalism, and I personally find the commonalities between faiths fascinating.]

Mindset Hack #6 in the book Minimalist Homeschooling is:

Trust.
Replace “almost not enough,” with “plenty.”

While this mindset hack is not exclusively Christian, to me, it resembles many Biblical teachings, and in fact, it does have quite a bit of Biblical support.  Plus, since we are talking about homeschooling (teaching children), there is quite a bit of Biblical guidance for that aspect, as well. But wait!  There’s more… we’re talking about an education, and the Bible says plenty about the value of wisdom, too.

So, settle in, and take a look at the rich scriptural guidance for Christian Minimalist Homeschooling on all three fronts.

There are so many verses, that I imagine that this could be the basis of our family’s Bible Study for a period of time, or inspire my prayers for our homeschool.  I made a couple of free printables to assist your own prayerful reflection that are at the end of this post – I hope you’ll download them.  I’d love to hear how you use these scriptures in your homeschool – feel free to leave me a comment at the bottom.

If you’re questioning how to apply minimalism to your homeschool so that it will be simple, meaningful, and honor your faith, the book will walk you through the process, step-by-step.

Questions for Self-Reflection:

Christian minimalism, in general, asks whether our belongings direct our focus toward God, or distract us from Him?  Do your belongings help you fulfill God’s purpose of your life, or do they interfere?

 

 

Similarly, if you are Christian Minimalist Homeschooling, you can ask these specific questions about your school:

Does our education direct our focus toward God or distract us from Him?

Do our materials, resources, activities, lessons… help us fulfill God’s purpose for our lives, or do they interfere?

Wow!  Those are two seemingly simple questions that can completely redirect our homeschooling approach, and content, right?

If you are Christian minimalist homeschooling, there are more questions you can ask, too:

Do I find my identity in my education – or in what I am doing or getting – more than my identity as a member of God’s family?

Does our education bring us joy, and do I care for it as a gift from God?

The Bible is clear that wisdom is good, but am I prioritizing wisdom and knowledge at the expense of other important aspects of our Christian faith?

Are we finding more joy and beauty in man-made items than in God’s Creation?

Are we spending our time and energy on God’s calling?

Here are scripture verses that support the principles of  Christian minimalist homeschooling that you can use for inspiration and direction:

(All verses are derived from the NIV for consistency.  I encourage you to open up your own Bible to reflect on these verses.)

On Minimalism:

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (1Timothy 6:6-8)

⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.”  (Hebrews 13:5)

¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

³³ Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:33-34)

¹⁶ Better a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great wealth with turmoil. (Proverbs 15:16)

⁸ Better a little with righteousness
    than much gain with injustice. (Proverbs 16:8)

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6:25-27)

 

 

“Come, all you who are thirsty,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without cost.
² Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
    and you will delight in the richest of fare. (Isaiah 55:1-2)

⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. (Acts 2:44-45)

¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)

On Directing our Children:

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”  ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, -Luke 10:38-41

⁶ Start children off on the way they should go,
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it. -Proverbs 22:6

⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. -Deuteronomy 6:6-7

⁴ Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. -Ephesians 6:4

¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. -Matthew 19:13-15

¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. -2 Timothy 3:14-15

¹³ All your children will be taught by the Lord,
    and great will be their peace. -Isaiah 54:13

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ² We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. -James 3:1-5

³ It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. -3 John 1:3-4

¹⁸ Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.^{[a] 19} For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” -Genesis 18:18-19

⁸ Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
⁹ They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck. -Proverbs 1:8-9

¹¹ Command and teach these things. -1 Timothy 4:11

¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. -Colossians 3:16

²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. -John 14:26

¹⁹ Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 5:19

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  -Ephesians 4:29

⁴⁰ The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. -Luke 6:40

On Wisdom:

⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. -James 1:4-6

¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies;
    nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed. -Proverbs 3:13-18

¹⁵ The way of fools seems right to them,
    but the wise listen to advice. -Proverbs 12:15

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
    for the ears of the wise seek it out. -Proverbs 18:15

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept discipline,
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise. -Proverbs 19:20

¹⁵ For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. -Luke 21:15

⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools^[a] despise wisdom and instruction. -Proverbs 1:7

¹⁶ I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit^[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength -Ephesians 1:16-19