Will Your Child Be Left Standing?

Will Your Child Be Left Standing?

Are you familiar with the term, “The Bible Belt?”  It was a reference to a number of southern states (from North Carolina to Texas) where Christianity once played such a strong role in the culture that it influenced the everyday society and politics of those states. 

The Bible Belt has since receded and as one author noted, “If we [Christians] ever were a moral majority, we are no longer.”   Our culture has changed indeed.  With each passing week, our Christian beliefs seem more and more detached from mainstream American culture.  “There can be no assumption of a Christian America,” writes Russell Moore in his excellent book, “Onward.”

What does this mean for our children?  They are growing and maturing in a culture that does not even pretend to share your Christian values.  Even the most basic of issues, for which we might previously assume some cultural agreement, such as marriage, faith, family, and religion – are no longer defined by a Christian worldview. 

Well-respected scholar and author, Albert Mohler, has referred to what is happening as the “collapse of cultural Christianity” and posed two excellent questions when we think about our children:

1. In the face of constant conflict and confrontation, will the younger generation have the courage to speak for Christ?
2. Will this generation be able to maintain intellectual and moral credibility to speak the truth as they live the truth?

I challenged our teachers at orientation this year to ponder these questions and further consider their implications for our Christian school classrooms.  How effective is your plan for biblical worldview integration?  How does your curriculum support the Christian faith?  Who walks through your door every day and what is the new normal for them?  How can we make absolutely sure that our students have what they need, both spiritually and intellectually, to stand for Christ in the face of constant challenge?

As a parent, I am so grateful that my children’s teachers are fully aware of the eternal significance of their vocations.  I am so grateful that my children are being educated in an environment that strengthens their faith instead of ridiculing it.  Perhaps a revival will take place as Christians face persecution in America, but I very much doubt that our culture will change for the better. 

No matter how conservative or culturally Christian the town seems to be where we live, the public has turned from God and does not value His Word – the schools, the government, the media, etc..  The Christian school, home, and church have an awesome job to do and we must do it together to succeed.  There is no margin for error because every other cultural influence is already on the enemy’s side.

Thank you for uniting with Mansfield Christian School and may our children be left standing for Christ against the strong tide of our culture.

Dr. Cy J. Smith

Superintendent