Bible reading and the teaching of Christian values are no longer permitted in many school systems in the Western world. This is not the case in Eastern Europe, however.
Speaking at the American Christian educators convention in November 1992, a Russian delegate said, “Seventy years ago we closed God out of our country, and it has caused so many problems in our society that we cannot count them. We must put God back into our country, and we must begin with our children.”
The deputy of the Ministry of Education said, “Do we have the right to deprive our children of knowledge about God and Christian values? No, and once again, no!”
A plan was then drawn up to send 12,000 Christian teachers to the Commonwealth of Independent States. Today Bibles are being sent to Russia, and many will be used in the schools.
Getting the Bible back into our individual lives is the first step in getting it back into our classrooms and into society. We must read it regularly, believe what it says, and obey it faithfully. May the psalmist’s prayer become our prayer: “I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life” (119:93).
— Herbert Vander Lugt
Give us, O Lord, a strong desire
To look within Your Word each day;
Help us to hide it in our heart,
Lest from its truth our feet would stray. —JDB
To ignore the Bible is to invite disaster.