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Pray for schools, schoolteachers and administrators, school children, and school board members.
by Richard Dobbins
For at least two decades, parents and churches have said they didn’t want their children taught about sex by the public school—they felt it was the job of the parent and the church. Statistics tell us that neither the parent nor the church has done even an average job with this important issue.
Today, most children learn about sex from their peers, pornographers, and public schools, but not necessarily in that order. However, not one of these sources is going to address the spiritual and moral issues of our sexuality.
The sex education goals of today’s public schools focus mostly on giving children information designed to help them protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases and from complicating their lives with pregnancy. Extracting God from public life has gone a long way toward the destruction of public conscience as a restraint for lawless and immoral behavior.
In many public schools, children are encouraged to view their sexual preference as unrelated to their morality. They are taught to view homosexuality as different but normal, in spite of the fact that a majority of parents will not share this point of view. Getting this kind of information in an unprincipled environment leaves children confused.
If children grow up knowing why God made them male or female, and what His purpose is for their sexuality, they will find meaning and direction.
Parents and church leaders need to accept the responsibility as the primary sex educators of their children. You might be saying to yourself right now, “I just don’t know how to go about teaching my child about sex.” If so, we have a place for you to begin! Richard Dobbins, PhD, has written a new book titled, Teaching Your Children the Truth About Sex. Dr. Dobbins is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. He is the founder of EMERGE Ministries in Akron Ohio, and has served more than 40 years as a Christian psychologist.
Helping children grow up healthy and comfortable with their sexuality isn’t determined so much by the information we give them as it is by our ability to create an environment that treats sexuality as a normal part of life.
Review our list of recommended resources for teaching children about sex
To order Teaching Your Children the Truth About Sex for $19.99, from the national Women’s Ministries Department, call 417-862-2781, extension 4064.
Information provided by the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families.
Join I Care! About Protecting Children campaign