Some Things Need To Change!

 

2019 is in the rearview mirror.  I think you will agree with me that it was a year that was marked by overwhelming moral decay throughout society.  We continue to see the vast majority of our children leaving the church.  How do we survive the assault on biblical values that once guided life in America?

At a recent worldview conference I was speaking at, George Barna told the audience that biblical education is our last hope.  The reason this is true is because children and youth spend more time at school than they do at church and at home (when you don’t count sleeping).

He went on to say that we must give our children a biblical worldview if there is any hope that they will be able to stand against the culture that is trying to destroy everything we believe to be true.  However, there is a problem.  We can only give the next generation what we, ourselves, possess!

These facts have haunted me for the last several weeks.  Are we going to be up to the challenge?  I do not believe we are ready to accept this challenge unless some things drastically change.  Today, I am announcing that I am determined to do all I can to equip Christians to be able to take on this overwhelming test.

While visiting family in El Paso over the holidays, the pastor preaching the new year sermon said something that I cannot get out of my mind.  He asked us, what is your plan to make sure that 2020 is not merely a repeat of 2019?

According to Barna’s research, only 9% of Christians possess a biblical worldview.  Even worse is the reality that only 4%, 1 out of 25, millennials have developed a biblical worldview.  Barna went on to explain that a young person’s worldview is pretty much shaped by the age of 13.  This means, that the primary parenting generation today is the millennial generation.  As I have been speaking in various Christian schools around the country, I am finding out that the primary teaching generation is fast becoming the millennial generation.

With that being said, it becomes evident that the home, church and school are not equipped to give the next generation a biblical worldview.  This is because one can only give what one possesses!

This is the major thing that must change if we are going to successfully engage in today’s culture war.  I am determined to make this my highest priority in ministry in 2020.  I want to do everything possible to help the home, church and school equip Christian parents, church leaders and educators with a biblical worldview and biblical philosophy of education.  If this is not accomplished, we will continue to see our children and youth adopt the secular, atheistic worldview of the culture and leave the faith.

Here is my plan to bring about this change.

1. I have written to several key pastors asking them to share with me how I can engage pastors to address the issue of education biblically.
2. I have written to an influential seminary president asking him what seminaries can do to challenge future pastors and church leaders to address the issue of education biblically.
3. I will continue to challenge every head of a Christian school to make it his/her top priority to conduct intentional, ongoing staff development in the areas of biblical worldview formation and biblical philosophy of education.  This is absolutely necessary if Christian schools are going to remain true to God’s ultimate purpose of education.
4. I am in the process of developing additional resources and activities that will lead parents, pastors and educators to know the truth so they can be made free.
5. I have set a goal to enlist at least 100 more schools to become KEM Prime Members so that their staffs will have access to the resources necessary to equip them to accept this challenge.
6. I have committed to conducting as many live staff and/or board training sessions as my calendar will allow.

Last year there were over 6,000 videos viewed on the KEM Prime Member website.  This far exceeded what I had thought would take place.  But, it is not enough.  This needs to be doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled if we are going to be able to make a difference.

As I have prayed about this, I have asked myself what would happen if 10,000 board members, administrators, and teachers developed a strong, biblical worldview and embraced a biblical philosophy of education?  This may appear to be too big of a goal but when one breaks it down, it is actually quite low.

If a Christian school has a board and staff membership of only 30 individuals, it would take a little more than 300 schools to reach this goal.  If the number of schools increased to 500, it would result in 15,000 Christians educators equipped to give students a biblical worldview education.  It is not only mandatory that this takes place, but it is also very achievable.

When I was serving the Lord at Lynchburg Christian Academy, Dr. Jerry Falwell regularly challenged us by saying,

It is not a question if the rabbit can climb the tree, it has to!

The rabbit has to climb the tree!  However, it won’t happen unless each and every one of us commits himself/herself to pursuing this goal together.  Here is my challenge to you.

Do you want 2020 to be just a repeat of 2019?

If not, what needs to change in your life and ministry?

Would you join with me to do everything possible to give the next generation a biblical worldview education?  Let’s make 2020 a year that we see God do a miracle in the hearts and minds of thousands of children and youth.  It can happen!  It must happen!  It begins with you and me!

Be sure to leave a comment or email me with any suggestions you might have to help achieve this goal.