Family Garden School

Home Education for Bible Christians

From the Beginning

Having created Planet Earth and filled it with life, God planted a sustainable, self-sufficient homestead for the parents of the human race. It was a garden, and it was the model home and school for a system of education that was to continue for all time.

In this garden school, God the Father taught His students from four lesson books: His spoken word, the wonders of nature, pleasant, productive work, and life’s experiences. His children would teach their own children from those same books. As time went on, each generation would make new homes and schools like the Eden model, and Earth would eventually be filled with them.

When Adam and Eve began to learn evil as well as good, they separated from God, and death entered the world. Work became taxing, and life brought hard experiences, including having to leave their garden home.

Through the Last Days

Outside the garden, Adam and Eve started their family. They taught their boys the things they had learned directly from God, from their observations and occupation in the garden, and from their experiences. They taught them God’s plan to forgive their sins. Abel accepted God’s plan, but Cain did not.

Years passed, and Abram fathered a nation where God was to be known, families were to own land, homes were to be schools, and boys were to learn a trade. Samuel started schools that trained teachers.

Time went on, and Messiah was born. Jesus learned Scripture at home. Out on the hills He talked with God, and in Joseph’s shop He learned carpentry.

Our children can learn as Jesus learned. We can teach them to observe Nature, to read the Scriptures, to engage in Useful Work, and to learn from The Experiences of Life.

Objectives of Family Garden School

to learn as Jesus learned, and teach as Jesus taught
to obtain a personal knowledge of God and His Word
to form and maintain a vital connection with God
to understand the everlasting gospel and Bible prophecy
to think for oneself and reason from cause to effect
to develop a Christlike character through faith in Jesus
to know where we are in time and prepare for the future
to study physiology and practice nature’s true remedies
to eat nutritious food grown in healthy, mineral-rich soil
to master practical, fundamental academic subjects
to share the things we learn in order to bless others

Learning As Jesus Learned

“Jesus followed the divine plan of education. His education was gained directly from useful work, from the study of the Scriptures and of nature, and from the experiences of life-God’s lesson books, full of instruction to all who bring to them the willing hand, the seeing eye, and the understanding heart.” Ellen G. White, Education

Bible

Teaching history, prophecy, true life stories, science, poetry, and the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus, the Bible feeds the mind as no other book can.

Nature

The beauty, the peace, and the wonder of nature delight us and lift our hearts toward heaven. God’s creation has lessons that are both practical and spiritual.

Useful Work

Exercise, common sense, problem-solving skills, an independent lifestyle, and the satisfaction of a job well done are benefits of learning useful work at home.

Life's Experience

While some of life’s experiences may challenge and even perplex us, experience serves to reinforce the lessons learned from the Bible, useful work and nature.