Christian Conviction v. State Persecution

A History of the Nebraska Independent Christian School Movement

Paul Zylstra

• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781639034826
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict

They said it would never happen in America, but the First Amendment was severely attacked in Nebraska from 1977 to 1984. Christian Conviction v. State Persecution chronicles not only the events but why they took place. This was not isolated to a single denomination or group. Among the churches attacked were Amish, Mennonite, Apostolic, Pentecostal, Baptist, and Church of Christ. Among the homeschool families, the list expands farther. Faith, freedom, and liberty were all under attack by the Nebraska Department of Education and their allies in the courts and the state legislature.

Before I ever met Paul, I had seen his face on the CBN film footage of him being hauled away by sheriff's deputies from an altar where he was praying with a group of men. As Paul writes in this book, "Few cases of the loss of Christian freedom have drawn more attention than the jailing of the pastor and the padlocking of the [Faith Baptist] church building in Louisville, Nebraska." The powerful film footage and photos from this incident 'went viral' across the American evangelical landscape, and there was widespread outrage and concern. This persecution backfired: It would cement the courage and convictions of an entire generation of parents who had become increasingly alarmed about what was happening in public schools.

--Sarah Leslie

Publisher and Iowa Homeschool Leader

Paul Zylstra and some of his compatriots were a large part of the intellectual undergirding of this endeavor that proved in large measure successful over a number of years. This book is a great work in establishing the underlying issues facing honest disciples in Jesus in responding to the intrusions of the "state" into matters of faith.

--Pastor Larry Lautaret

Nebraska Christian School Leader

Most people feel that the First Amendment has been followed everywhere in the USA since the founding of this great country. In the 1980s, in the state of Nebraska, several people went to jail, lost jobs, and fled the state because there was an existing law that violated Christian liberty. As Christians realized, the government-controlled system was going against what the Bible taught. Therefore, they started their own schools free from state control. This book tells in detail what happened when the established government tried to control Bible Christianity in Nebraska and how the Lord of heaven stepped in and straightened things out.

--Warren Rushton

Author and Nebraska Homeschool Leader

Disclaimer

The various Christian and non-Christian groups documented in this book do not represent a cohesive view of history or faith. Few represent the theological position of the author. This book’s story is written about a period of time from 1977 to 1984, and the faith and practices of those listed in the book are described as they were at the time, not as they are today. The goal of the book is to show the faithfulness of those who suffered for believing God’s call to be parents, families, and bodies of believers known as the church. It is not an effort to discuss doctrinal differences between groups or denominations, although some description was required. It is an effort to describe the doctrinal differences between believers and the state of Nebraska concerning the raising and education of children and the responsibility for those tasks.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the Nebraska families who risked all for the sake of their children against a tyrannical, secular humanistic, state religious institution called the Nebraska Department of Education.

Forewords

Foreword by Sarah Leslie

I first met Paul Zylstra over thirty years ago in Iowa in 1989 at a meeting of Iowans for Moral Education. As the invited speaker, I discussed several pieces of legislation that would have detrimental effects on the family. A few months later I received a phone call from Paul. He had tracked me down. His family had just moved from Nebraska, he said, where there had been terrible persecution of homeschools and Christian schools. He thought they were fleeing to Iowa for safety and a badly needed respite. But instead, he immediately stumbled onto a very bad Iowa Supreme Court case. As he described it to me, I recognized I held the other piece of the puzzle—a terrible bill pending in the legislature. Together these represented a two-pronged attack on all private education outside of the public system. As this crisis quickly unfolded in Iowa, Paul’s wisdom, knowledge, and expertise would guide us through a stormy, tumultuous time. In lighter moments, we would tease Paul that God had taken him out of the frying pan and put him into the fire. Years later I would chronicle our Iowa story in an article now posted online, “Homeschooling Under Fire.”

Before I ever met Paul, I had seen his face on the CBN film footage of him being hauled away by sheriff’s deputies from an altar where he was praying with a group of men. As Paul writes in this book, “Few cases of the loss of Christian freedom have drawn more attention than the jailing of the pastor and the padlocking of the [Faith Baptist] church building in Louisville, Nebraska.” The powerful film footage and photos from this incident “went viral” across the American evangelical landscape, and there was widespread outrage and concern. This persecution backfired: It would cement the courage and convictions of an entire generation of parents who had become increasingly alarmed about what was happening in public schools.

In the 1980s, the evangelical right was in its heyday on the heels of a genuine revival that had begun with the Jesus movement. Christianity was widely popular. During those heady days it was truly grassroots move of the Spirit as our word of mouth spread the Gospel of salvation message from person to person far and wide. Many new believers in Christ had tender consciences, especially since we had come out of sinful lifestyles. We cared deeply about aligning our lives to Jesus through the Scriptures and raising up children in a holy environment. At a time when the world was moving rapidly into materialism, mysticism, and affluence, many of our generation chose to go against the flow. We made conscious tough decisions, based on our convictions, to live simply and peaceably, loving our babies and raising many children in the faith. In America we thought we had the freedom to do this—living out the “little house on the prairie.” But in the 1980s, America was changing. We found ourselves in the crosshairs of planned social engineering for our children. The awful power of the state against church and family would reach a terrifying climax with the Waco and the Ruby Ridge sieges in the early 1990s.

When my husband Lynn and I recently reconnected with Paul, we found that he unwaveringly held on to his sincere convictions, so I asked him to consider writing a book about the Nebraska story. We recognized that Paul’s experiences, his knowledge of the historical research, his legal expertise, and his carefully studied biblical underpinnings would be invaluable to a new generation. It turns out Paul was able to access a large archive of background information. He was even able to talk with some of the original eyewitnesses. This book is a richly documented account of the events that transpired.

Paul’s story of Nebraska in the 1980s recounts the families who chose to educate their children apart from the government. He examines the journey of painstakingly developing their firm convictions. These ordinary citizens determined to study out the complex constitutional and legal issues for themselves. They poured over history, and they intensely studied Scripture. Their efforts have left us an honorable legacy that has effectually preserved family freedom for many decades.

Contrary to media stereotypes, the entire movement, as conceived and practiced by the leaders in Nebraska, and later in Iowa, was based on principles of nonviolence, peaceful resistance, supporting the weaker brethren, looking out for the lowly, taking care of the poor, helping the handicapped, and supporting the rights to freedom and dignity of all. There was a wide diversity of parents from across religious, ethnic, educational background and income level, etc. All who chose to educate their children outside of the system of the state, despite their unique differences, were equally treated with respect and dignity. Nevertheless, during the 1980s, the ugly stereotypes and caricatures began to pour out of mainstream media, mischaracterizing us all as “extremists” and worse.

God carried our families through deprivations, intense stress, fervent prayers, late-night meetings, scary stories, and the inevitable hurtful betrayals that come during times of persecution. The children who grew up during these frightful times may not fully understand why their parents chose to endure the backlash that came from taking such firm stands in the faith. But now new threats to homeschools and Christians schools are looming on the horizon. It is our hope by telling this story to a new generation they will be blessed to read about the great courage and sacrifice of those who bravely spoke out, who faced hostile leaders, who lost their livelihoods, and who risked their very lives. There are many untold saints who labored alongside us, helping to preserve the safety of our families and freedom for our children. Their great courage is what this book is about. It is also a story of God’s grace, His hand of protection.

My role as “editor” in this book project was not in nuts and bolts of grammatical editing but rather to give input into the project. My husband and I had lived through these years and arrived at similar convictions about faith, education, and the state. Because we have spent the past three decades speaking, writing, and publishing articles and books about many of these matters, I helped Paul by refreshing memorie...