6 Ways Churches Can Support Homeschooling Families

1. Offer Meeting Spaces

Churches are frequently empty during the school days but are typically full of classrooms for the kids that utilize them on the weekends. This makes church buildings an ideal meeting or gathering space for homeschoolers who want to learn together in a community during the week. It does require grace on the part of the staff to be okay with kids of all ages wandering the halls and using the facility for their growth and development; nonetheless, it's a great resource for these families that need places to gather and learn.

Many community co-ops, such as Classical Conversations and smaller, more homegrown learning groups, rely on affordable classroom spaces in churches in order to serve their communities. Being able to use sanctuaries for performances, gyms for dances, classes for studying, and playgrounds for recess is such a blessing to a large variety of Christian homeschool learning communities.

2. Offer Enrichment Opportunities for Homeschool Students

Churches are full of talent! You have speakers, musicians, production people, scholars, and more. All of that talent can be a blessing to the next generation when we consider offering enrichment learning opportunities to homeschoolers in our community through church. I've seen churches host Karate classes, music lessons, tutoring, choir, homeschool orchestra, dance classes, and more. Really, the sky's the limit when you empower your faith community as they seek to serve homeschoolers and their families.

These classes give our kids the chance to have a full and vibrant education with the assistance of the village that exists within our churches. What a beautiful expression of serving one another in love when we use our gifts and talents to spur on growing youth in our community.

3. Offer Homeschool Friendly Bible Studies (with Childcare)

I always joke that the worst part of homeschooling is that I'm with my kids all the time. Being together is beautiful, but at times, it can be oh-so draining! Parents need to be poured into and they need breaks from their kids to retain their sanity. Offering homeschooler-friendly Bible studies that include intentional childcare for all ages is such a gift!

This gives parents a chance to lean on each other in community, be inspired through the Bible, while knowing their kids are being well cared for during a much needed break during the school week. The absolute best version of this that I have come across is Community Bible Study. Their program offers age-appropriate Bible study from infant to 100 and beyond during the week! I relish coming together with women of all ages and learning God's Word while my kids are being taught Biblical truths in their classes for one amazing morning out of the week. More programs that promote Biblical literacy in the community are so vital to the spiritual well-being of our communities.

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4. Offer Mentors

We all need a village to do this Christian life well. Early on in my homeschooling journey, I felt extremely overwhelmed and burnt out. Thankfully, I was connected through my church with a mentor mom who had gone before me on this journey and made it through. Her willingness to hear me and remind me of what matters most in this life lifted my spirits in a critical time of our family's journey.

As my kids get older, they need mentors who can love them and model biblical living. We need more adults to step up and say I will pour into the youth because they matter. Their influence, coupled with intentional parenting, is so powerful in the life of a child! We need the community of the church actively involved in the lives of our youth.

5. Offer Encouragement and Prayer

Homeschooling is not an easy endeavor! There are so many ways families doubt themselves as educators, compare to others and feel inadequate, or face personal challenges that make homeschooling hard to maintain. These families need the encouragement and prayers of their church community to remain diligent in the work they are committed to completing at home.

Make space in your church conversations to acknowledge this group in your community. Find ways to affirm the commitments they have made to teach and shepherd their children in such an intentional way. Pray often that their families would remain strong, protected, and provided for on this journey.

6. Create a Small Group that Connect Homeschoolers

Make space for homeschoolers to connect. We all need our people to learn and grow alongside; having small groups that support our family's mission, calling, and stage of life is vital. Make spaces for kids to gain new friends, parents to share their needs, and for everyone to lean into God's Word as they apply it to their daily challenges.

These groups can be a way to connect socially, learn more about the Bible, or do learning activities with your kids as families. No matter what format you choose, families will benefit from knowing they are not alone as they lean into the homeschooling lifestyle.

Churches are a wonderful and life-giving place that homeschoolers can gain the extra support they need for this work. Our church family is vital in remaining encouraged and joyful as we seek to grow children that know God and make him known. Encourage your church to step up and offer a safe haven for our kids to learn together as a community.