Ed Starkenburg

1. Education as a Quest
for TRUTH
Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really
my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the
truth will set you free.” John 8:31- 32
Ed Starkenburg, Education Department, Dordt College

2. Education as a Natural Quest for
TRUTH
 As God’s children, we are natural learners. Being
created in His image, we need and crave TRUTH,
the way things really are!
 God is the source of truth. “I am the way, the truth,
and the light.” “I tell you the truth….” “All truth is
God’s truth!” St. Augustine, 4th or 5th century
 Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will,
character, glory, and being of God. J MacArthur, 2007
 Truth is the revelation of the actual state of reality,
the way things TRULY are.
 We are here to educate the next generations of
truth seekers in a world that doesn’t “get” truth.
 Our understanding of truth is somewhat
cumulative: we discover more by wrestling with it.

3. Opportunities to learn
truth and become free!
 We sinners have an interesting relationship with
truth. We crave it and NEED it, yet we don’t
always want to accept it or live by it. We often
prefer our own way!
 Gloria Steinem’s saying is often true: The truth
will set you free, but first it will piss you off.”
 We hear about truth in strange places.
 “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth? Pilate to Jesus at his trial.
 Can we ever fully know the truth?
 Should we pursue it?

4. Biblically Based Education
• This job includes training future generations for
discipleship and stewardship while seeking truth, like all of
life’s activities, is carried out in obedience to God’s
commands and for the purpose of bringing Him glory. It
involves knowledge and action directed toward truth.
• Creation (general) and God’s Word (special) are
revelations of truth to be studied and learned in order to
foster a relationship with the source of truth.
• Truth influences all aspects of the education process, in
and out of school.

5. Applying Biblical
Truth to Education
• Recognize the variety of students and their need for
a variety of instructional and assessment strategies
• Be aware of a full range of the gifts God distributes:
academic, spiritual, social, artistic, and athletic
• Provide opportunities for students to actively
develop and “grow” their gifts and abilities
• Plan for learning activities that require creativity,
imagination, playfulness, and different forms of
expression
• As students learn about the gifts God distributes and
see their interests and abilities develop, they
understand!
• Another crucial role for us: encouragement and

6. Preparing Students for
Servanthood
 Servanthood is the goal of this process of
education (Eph 4:12) for three reasons:
1) God calls us to respond to His gifts,
2) The purpose of His gifts is service, and
3) Servanthood is a vital part of thinking and living
biblically
 Itseems an interesting paradox that the truth we
seek and need from God tells us of our need to
serve rather than be served; to be faithful rather
than successful.
 Education based on these ideas makes initial
strides at restoring wholeness to our world.
Shalom, the biblical peace, justice, and

7. Questions that Guide Us-
Are we developing the mind of Christ?
 Are the students following the truth more truly now than
before?
 Are students seeing more clearly that our whole world
belongs to God?
 Are the students more awed at God and His works and
more discerning about the spirits of this age?
 Do the students understand more accurately the nature of
their God-given gifts?
 Are those gifts better practiced in order to do God’s work
in the world? (Vander Ark, 1998)
 Are the students more alert to the needs of others and
are they more disposed to do something about those
needs?
 Are the students more socially aware, concerned, and
active in the preservation of or opposition to important

8. How does TRUTH apply to the
real issues we face?
 “Doing” vs. “being” of  Effective textbooks
our students—which is  Effective instructional
really more important? methods & experiences
 What role should  Bullying & teasing
research play in our
 School uniforms
daily decisions to live &
teach truthfully?  State and common
curriculum standards or
• Length of school day
our own standards?
and year; year-round
school?  Salary & benefits for
employees
• Special education &
gifted education-how
do we allocate
resources?

9. Conclusion
 What I’ve described seems idealistic and easy.
When we work to apply God’s truth to our daily,
earthly lives, it can be complicated and difficult.
REMAIN FAITHFUL
 Because sin and its effects hurt our world, education
often looks like it’s going in a direction very different
from what I describe. In faith, we continue to strive
for it!
 God’s expectations for our response to His truth
stand, and we engage in redeeming and reconciling
the process of education to the degree that’s
possible whenever and wherever we educate.
edwards@dordt.edu