Christian Home Educators of Central County is a Christian support group for parents who educate their children at home. We began meeting in a living room in 1979 and have outgrown two facilities since. Our goal is to provide encouragement, fellowship, support, and activities to home-schoolers in Central Contra Costa County, California. We also see our mission as one of equipping home school parents to be able to minister to one another. We belong to the support network of Christian Home Educators Association of California (CHEA).
This is a Christian support group. As a reminder, these are the principles upon which the group operates. The objective is to honor and please the Lord Jesus Christ in every detail of the group.
1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible, authoritative and inerrant Word of God. (2 Tim. 3:16)
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Gen. 1:1, John 10:30)
3. We believe in the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. (Is. 7:14, Matt. 1:23, Luke 1:35, Heb. 4:15, Heb. 7:25, John 2:11)
4. We believe that man is sinful by nature and that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential and an absolute necessity for salvation. We believe salvation is the gift of god brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (Eph. 2:8-9, Tit. 3:5-6, John 3:14-17, Rom. 3:19-23, John 3:16-19)
5. We believe in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (Eph. 5:18, Eph. 4:30, 1 Cor. 6:19-20)
6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, they who are saved unto eternal life, and they who are lost unto eternal damnation. (John 5:28-29)
7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 8:9, 1 Cor. 12:12-13, Gal. 3:26-28)
8. We believe in the creation of man by the direct act of God. (Gen. 1:26-28)
9. We believe God in His Word has given us the responsibility and authority to educate our children in a godly manner. (Col. 3:17, Duet. 6:6-8, Duet. 11:18-21, Prov. 22:6, Psalm 1:1-2)
10. We believe marriage is God-ordained, between one man and one woman, and is intended to be a lifelong faithful union with one’s spouse. (Matthew 19:4,5, Genesis 2:18, Genesis 2:23, Matthew 19:6).
CHECC is a cooperative volunteer support group. Our focus is on encouragement of one another, fellowship, character building, and education in our various phases of home schooling. In everything that we do as a homeschool support group, we seek to glorify God and honor one another.
We believe the most important aspect of our lives should be to seek the Lord first, honor our families, friends and neighbors, treat others as we would like to be treated with respect and honor, to be people of integrity, and to bring all glory to the Lord in what we say and do.
We Kept our curtains closed. I prayed moment by moment…what were we thinking? What were we doing?
Our family began homeschooling in 1985. We did this in secret, VERY few people knew because we lived with the knowledge that our children could be taken from us at any time. It was not easy.
This was truly one of the hardest times of my life and most often (let me just say E-V-E-R-Y-D-A-Y) it was scary. Our children were not allowed outside during school hours. We didn’t let our kids tell others about their schooling experiences. We really were not so outrageous, just parents [like you] trying to share our faith with our children, trying to keep the worlds influence from invading their lives, trying to give our babies a filtered environment, trying to protect the ones we loved so very much, wanting to teach our children how to trust the Lord; how to depend on Him-
It was hard enough with no one supporting us with the how-to’s or words of encouragement. Even our parents were gravely concerned. And those who found out said some incredibly unkind words to us. Constantly, I endured the “what about socialization?” question over and over and over and over…
There was NO curriculum to purchase; no book vender or schools, no one would sell to us. What did we know about schooling and education?? In the words often spoken to us, we were a bunch of rebels – they were sure we’d come to our senses, let this ridiculous thing go, and put our kids in school where they belong!
I had to visit the library frequently to look for books and purchase whatever I could find for teaching my little ones at home. What was most difficult were our parents telling us that we were going to ruin our kid’s lives – and that was the thought that continued in my mind e-v-e-r-y-day. We had to hold on tight to trusting GOD ALONE. Really- who else could we trust??? And, truly, who knew better what was best for my husband, for me, for our kids?
Little by little, a mom would hear about my homeschooling and would ask if we could meet together for encouragement to do this very hard thing, to not feel so isolated and alone.
One mom drove out from San Francisco, one from Novato, and one from El Sobrante, just to have some encouragement. We grew to seven families over the next 2 years. Finally, I could see and feel hope rising in the midst of difficulty. But little did I know the plans that the Lord was about to explode in our area.
In 1987, seven women gathered in a home for support to homeschool their children. That evening began what was to become a long-lasting meeting place where homeschool families could come for information, support, ideas, resources, prayer, fellowship, field trip ideas, a place for our kids to meet homeschool friends, and acceptance for doing something so outrageous!!
The beginning of CHECC…
Christian Home Educators of Central County
The group doubled - then tripled - and continued to expand at an accelerated rate over the next years. We quickly outgrew living rooms, school rooms, and churches! Truly, we had no idea the plans the Lord had laid out for us by simply opening up our living rooms and inviting others to fellowship with us in secret.
Over time, what began as a few moms gathering together discreetly in a few designated homes began to take root, and CHECC flourished into a nationally known ministry to the homeschool community. People from all over began to hear about our little group and wanted to join in.
In 1990, this support group became nationally known, and it all started when we asked to use the Concord Library for the use of their free wall space to educate the community about home education. Well, that started a huge flap since we were a Christian group of WHOM?? Homeschoolers!!! We made the nightly news, and we also went on the air with The 700 Club, who happened to hear about our situation in Concord, CA. The Library finally relented, allowing us to put our children’s work samples and art pictures on display. Soon after, they took down the area so it could no longer be used by Christians displaying their educational works. We witnessed God intervening on our behalf. He didn’t allow CHECC to stay as a hidden group, no, He made headlines with CHECC!!
Through the years, families have moved to our area from around the world and some have left and gone on to other parts of the world. And then there’s you and me, who have faithfully listened to the Lord and plodded along, doing this “homeschool thing”. Back then, we really had NO IDEA what the Lord was accomplishing. I sometimes think it must have been similar with the disciples, who had no clue what the Lord was doing, just walking with Him and enjoying His presence.
Little did we know where the Lord would take this group, and we certainly had no idea His plan would sometimes be so daring!!
Home Education has never been free from persecution; we are always under attack because the LORD has a masterful plan for homeschool families to accomplish, and HE is using each of us to make sure HIS plan is successful!!! When you’re feeling pressure to do things that the Lord has called you to do, please remember these words: Don’t magnify your circumstance, Magnify Your God!!
Countless times, we have been called to immediate action to hold tight to our freedom to homeschool our children. That’s why the LORD has been prospering our CHECC support group for 30 years, and HE has allowed us to remain a stronghold In Contra Costa County because of HIS PLAN to use our families for HIS Glory! Hallelujah!! Thank YOU LORD!!!
And you know what? We live clueless lives, wondering why we homeschool, what is the purpose, will it make any difference at all, will my children turn out OK?? And what about socialization??? GOD is in control. And when we allow HIM to live through us - HE Really IS LIVING through us - HE makes a difference; we all make a difference.
FROM: Doug Phillips…
In February of 1994, home educators from all fifty states descended on Washington D.C., in person. Meanwhile, those who could not come by car or plane sent hundreds of thousands of phone calls to register their opposition to a bill which could have shut down home education. Thankfully, the only thing which got shut down was Congress itself. In God’s providence Family Protection Ministries was able, with the help of HSLDA’s president Michael Farris, to launch a national e-mail alert and physically gathered a brigade of valiant home educators to descend upon the Capitol en masse. For eight days, HSLDA spearheaded a grassroots campaign of homeschool activists which maintained the single most effective barrage of calls in the history of Washington D.C. It would prove so effective that one Chief of Staff told me: “My office has received 600 calls today. We have decided to vote for your amendment. Please tell your people to stop calling. We don’t need any more convincing... Don’t get me wrong, I believe in democracy, it’s just that we have had about as much democracy as we can handle for one day.” Dean Clancy, assistant to Congressman Armey would comment: “Do you realize what you have done? You have shut down Capitol Hill. Nothing is getting done up here because everyone is answering calls from home schoolers.” In the end, home educators were successful.
CHECC families make a difference!
We must remember the lessons of H.R.6: First, no Christian group has more potential to influence and effect the political process than a well-informed and organized home school movement. Home educators have the time, the focus, the commitment, and the vision to make a difference. Second, the best way to oppose tyranny is oppose it by responding with uncompromising and devastating clarity. Third, forces who oppose the biblical family are always at work. Their influence is significant and we must be prepared to act at a moment’s notice when the future of our children is placed in jeopardy.
You, me, and CHECC have been a part of a movement that the whole world is watching: your neighbors, your extended family, the people where you shop, your churches, everyone where you work. CHECC families are a grand part of HIS- STORY in the making!!
LORD, may we continue to serve YOU through CHECC for YOUR GLORY, YOUR HONOR, and to PRAISE YOU always.
AMEN!! Amen!!