Author Joe Myers (The Search to Belong, Organic Community) puts it this way: "Why do so many Christians believe in the omnipresence of evil more than they believe in the omnipresence of God?" My wife and I asked ourselves this question for much of the summer as we were prayerfully led to choose a public montessori elementary school for our daughter (She started this morning) and we weathered a season of second-guessers. We both come from large extended families of Christian Reformed schoolteachers and some cannot comprehend our choice. We received two empassioned letters from dear family members that begged that if we cannot afford Christian Ed this year, we must keep her home for another year to protect her from evil influences and save up for a year so she can attend a Christian School; after all, one year of school won't matter and it's only kindergarten. Others invoked Martin Luther, saying if it's not Bible-based, it's a waste. If all believers followed this logic, there would be no Christian influence in the public schools, and what does that have to do with the great commission?

Economics were only part of this decision; we are joining this school as a family and expect many opportunities to be salt and light to our new neighbors and friends, in and out of the classroom. Refreshingly, some of our family DID understand our missional approach to this decision and were supportive. It was an interesting summer.