New Churches Podcast | Season 1 | Episode 689

Church Planter Kids in a Secular School

Clint Clifton, Noah Oldham & Kathy Litton

Episode 689: Church planting families face complex issues in today’s increasingly secular social environment, especially when it comes to children in school. Host Clint Clifton tackles the multilayered topic with Noah Oldham and Kathy Litton.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

  • How issues affect both planter families and church members
  • Why there’s no one solution for these heart-wrenching and difficult decisions
  • How to evaluate various schooling options
  • How kids’ struggles with secular issues can galvanize Christian convictions
  • Problems that can develop when parents over-isolate their children

Helpful Resources:

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Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Living in the urban core of Saint Louis, we were looking not only at low-performing schools but also the worldview being taught. We had to wade through that not only personally for us as a family but also for all the families in our church. @NoahOldham

Our planting wives are very strong women who are navigating these rocky waters of increasing secularization of the schools. They don’t want to vacate secular spaces. So they’re working hard to stay engaged in the mission field but also be responsible parents. – Kathy Litton

I’m raising adults, not kids, so I need I need these young folks in my household to be able to operate as adults. We came here to preach Jesus in a context of people who don’t know Jesus at all, so we’re on mission together as a family. @ClintJClifton

I remember hearing Eric Mason at a conference challenge planters to not send their kids to live the mission for them. The challenge was to not send my kids to do my dirty work. I should be leading from the front. @NoahOldham

It’s heartbreaking to watch your kids suffer and struggle, yet sometimes those struggles galvanize convictions in our children. The alternative to subjecting our kids to secular worldviews is isolating them, which can create this whole new set of problems. @ClintJClifton

Most homeschool kids I’ve known are able to have adult conversations in eighth grade. Our desire is not to keep them from information but to filter that information and explain it to them, so they understand and are able to explain with both both biblical conviction and compassion. @NoahOldham

The ultimate trust in the Father in this is really trusting Him with your kids. You don’t wait to trust God with children because now some new things must be considered with far more intentionality than we had before. – Kathy Litton

Published on August 04, 2022

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New Churches Podcast

The New Churches podcast offers practical answers to your real ministry questions. We aren’t going to provide lofty pie-in-the-sky theories. Instead, we are going to help you in your real ministry context, with your real thoughts, questions, and issues.

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Meet the Authors

Clint Clifton

Clint Clifton passed away on January 12, 2023, as a result of a small plane crash. Clint and his wife, Jennifer, had been married since 2000 and have five children. He completed a B.A. from The Baptist College of Florida and an M.A. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Clint founded Pillar Church in Dumfries, Virginia, in 2005. He oversaw the fruitful church planting efforts of Pillar Church and served as Senior Director of Resource and Research Strategy for the North American Mission Board.

More Resources from Clint

Noah Oldham

Executive Director Send Network

Noah Oldham is the Executive Director of Send Network. He served as the founding and lead pastor of August Gate Church for 15 years and the Send City Missionary to St. Louis for almost 10. In both these roles, he led his church and dozens of others to plant churches throughout the St. Louis region and beyond. He holds master’s degrees in Biblical Studies and Christian Leadership and is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. He writes, speaks, and trains in the areas of two of his greatest passions: the local church and physical fitness. Noah and Heather have been married since 2005 and have 5 children.

More Resources from Noah

Kathy Litton

Kathy Litton is the director of planter spouse development at NAMB. She works with the spouses of church planters throughout North America, encouraging them, strengthening them and providing general guidance. She is married to Ed Litton, pastor of Redemption Church in Mobile, Alabama.

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