Christian Values Education (Bible in Schools) isn’t Evangelism! Or is it?
The phrase “planting seeds” or “sowing seeds” is frequently used by the volunteers who promote Christian Values Education in our secular primary schools. It evokes the image of gently nurturing a child, suggesting that early exposure to religious teachings will take root and grow stronger over time, eventually blossoming into a fully formed faith.
While the image of planting seeds may seem innocuous, even comforting, it raises real concerns in the context of adults promoting their religious ideas to young children. The very act of “planting seeds” often bypasses informed consent, as children lack the cognitive maturity to fully understand the implications of the beliefs being instilled and parents are often genuinely under the impression that it is “just values teaching”.
While some may argue that they are simply providing a foundation for future spiritual growth, the “planting seeds” metaphor can be a problematic tool, raising questions about autonomy, manipulation, and the ethical implications of shaping a child’s worldview before they have the capacity to fully comprehend it. In the absence of alternative views on Christian beliefs, how can a child freely and independently develop their own beliefs?
In September 2024, the Nelson Anglicans published an article about one of their own successfully gaining access to two schools in the Nelson area to promote the Launchpad (Bible in Schools) curriculum. They used the metaphor of planting seeds;
“We can plant seeds in their lives that I pray mature over time.”
Another concept that is often used is that “Our children need a sense of hope and purpose”. I can’t disagree with that, but they’re not just referring to a hope and purpose that children find for themselves, they’re referring to their very specific, preferred hope and purpose as provided via their religious faith teaching.
Oddly, the article claims that they are “… seeing a local resurgence after a decline over the years”. This came as a surprise to me. As far as I can tell, there are no secular state primary or intermediate schools in the Nelson area that allow religious instruction into the school. In fact, the number of schools allowing religious evangelists into the classroom is still declining across the whole country. Back in 2005, around 40% of schools in NZ allowed Bible in Schools classes. Due to a public education programme, legal actions and campaigning by the Secular Education Network, it’s now more like 21% of schools in 2024.
Like the religious concepts that they adhere to, Christian groups throughout the country tend to use the same language.
The Christian Community Churches of New Zealand published a magazine called “Ronogpai”. In volume 15 (I’m not sure what year it was published but I think about 2022), there is an article by Julie McKinnon about a couple from Manawarū Bible Chapel who promote the Launchpad syllabus in their local school. Julie writes;
In the past, the church has helped with projects such as planting in the school gully. “It opens doors and starts conversations”.
Launchpad’s curriculum lines up with the school’s values. Joy and Denis have worked hard to establish a personal connection and relationship with the principal, “She can see we are interested in the kids and their wellbeing”.
Some people are frustrated by Launchpad in that it doesn’t allow presenters to evangelise, but Joy sees it as a relational ministry where she can be part of the children’s journey of faith:
“It’s a seed-sowing ministry—we don’t always see the fruit. But it is enough to know we are part of their journey… I love the kids. I remind myself that this is the only time some of them ever hear about Jesus.“The main thing for me is that they leave my class knowing that there is a God and God loves them and that they leave my class thinking that was fun. I want them to have a positive attitude towards God”.
Page 17, Ronogpai Magazine Vol. 15 – Christian Community Churches of New Zealand
It’s very clear that the activities that the church helps the school with have an alternative purpose – access to children. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.
I’m sure that the people using the “planting seeds” metaphor have good intentions. They really do believe that it’s about helping children, even if they’re not entirely honest about what that the desired goal of that help is. They don’t seem to see the obvious contradictions.
In a 2023 article about Launchpad, the Salvation Army magazine, “Salt”, interviews a church volunteer who explains that;
“It’s not about evangelism and you’re not there to save anyone. For me, it’s about planting seeds.”
The obvious question I’d ask her is; “Planting seeds for what purpose?”. If the intent is to grow these seeds into a faith in her god, then it is literally “evangelism”.
Religious evangelism of any kind affects the child’s autonomy and right to form their own beliefs. Instilling beliefs before a child develops critical thinking is manipulative, even if unintentional. How can we consider it to be unintentional when the intent is made clear by the “planting seeds” metaphor they so freely use?
This sort of “planting seeds” phrasing has been used for a long time. In 2017, Stuff ran an article about how “Waikato schools flout religion rules“. One of the people interviewed said; said;
“We are not there to evangelise…” but, in a rare moment of evangelical honesty, Salisbury said; the desire of teachers would be for children to allow Jesus into their hearts.
Warren Salisbury was the regional adviser for Christian Religious Education and Member of Conditional Immortality Association of New Zealand Incorporated, whose website explores “issues of the afterlife from a Christian Evangelical Perspective including human nature, the soul, life after death, final punishment, the resurrection and eternity”.
Maybe these are just isolated examples of people who got a little too enthusiastic? Yeah… nah…
“It’s so encouraging to see how churches are sharing the gospel in schools, to point children and families to Jesus. ”
Source: A Dec 2023 article by the Christian Community Churches of New Zealand Trust called “Sharing the Bible in local schools”
Over the last 10 years, online evidence of evangelism in state schools has declined. I’d like to think that this is because churches have realised that it’s inappropriate to target children for religious conversion, but I know this isn’t the case, as they still proudly promote their Kid’s Programmes with “Everything kids need to fall in love [with] God’s Word” (Epiphany Church, Masterton South).
I think they’ve wised-up to the dangers of being publishing evidence of their real goals online. The main player, Launchpad doesn’t even mention “God” or “Jesus” on their website anymore. With Launchpad so desperate to hide Christian religious beliefs behind terms like “values”, “hope” and “purpose” in an attempt to retain access to schools, they seem to be erasing themselves!
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