O
VER THE LAST FEW YEARS, the rapidly
increasing swell of moral decay in our society
has been overwhelming. Society’s battle cry
for diversity and inclusion has been heard by our legal,
political, and entertainment worlds as they have fought
to protect every interest and perversion imaginable. The
headlines reflect the success these efforts towards “toler-
ance” have had in reshaping our society. Social media has
disseminated this cultural slide at mind-boggling speed.
From the battle for the sanctity of life, to the redefinition of
marriage, to the campaign for gender identity, our culture
drifts further away from absolute truth and the scriptural
values this nation was founded upon.
While these values were under attack, they appeared
quite distant from our seemingly sheltered lives in South-
west Virginia. Our Christian friends in our Christian
community created a false sense that the majority of our
country was still “one nation
under God.” We had a beauti-
ful illusion of safety and secu-
rity as we lived the “American
dream.” With a career move
to the New England region in
2009, the cultural deterioration
we heard of quickly became
more real. The perceived,
distant battleground was now
much more visible.
In 2013, several unexpected
events caused a location change
and afforded more time for reflection and planning. As I
explored the Bible more intently, read books on surrender-
ing my life more fully to Christ, and surrounded myself
with dynamic Christian mentors, the motivations that once
fueled me in the corporate world weakened. A burning
desire began growing within me to do something about the
deterioration of society that once felt worlds away. God was
preparing my heart to trust Him with a new journey. He
had brought my family and me to this place, at this time, for
a specific purpose.
I had heard about Renewanation but did not truly under-
stand the mission. After hearing Jeff Keaton provide a more
detailed explanation of their mission, my curiosity soared.
Their passion for raising children with a biblical worldview
resonated deeply within me. My own Christian educa-
tion as a child at Roanoke Valley Christian Schools had
provided a solid foundation that kept me close to Christ
and the Judeo-Christian values I had been taught through-
out my life. The choice my wife and I made to homeschool
had begun to bear fruit in the character we saw developing
in our three children. I am now more convinced than ever
before that educating the next generation with a biblical
worldview is our nation’s greatest hope for reclaiming our
society for Christ.
History has proven that the education of one generation
prepares the culture and future of the next. In Deuteronomy
11, God instructed the Israelites to obey His command-
ments and “teach them to your children, talking of them
when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking
by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” We
must train the next generation to live according to the truth
of Scripture, not only by taking them to church a couple
hours each week, but instilling these truths throughout the
course of their young lives at
home and at school.
God then provided a
promise to the Israelites that
He would protect and secure
their nation if they chose the
blessing rather than the curse
(Deuteronomy 11:26-28). We
share this same hope for our
nation. Many are comfortable
asking God to bless America
but become complacent while
watching and waiting for
change. We must stand up and be the change we hope to
see. As God’s people, it starts with us (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Choose the blessing by obeying the commands of God and
diligently teaching them to your children.
We must equip our children with spiritual truth that will
grow their relationship with Christ and help them defend
their faith. Only then will we be able to reclaim the culture
of our communities and nation.
“History has proven that the
education of one generation
prepares the culture and
future of the next.”
Ron Gordon is Vice President of Renewanation, and he brings
strong education and executive experience to the cause. Ron
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Systems
Engineering and an MBA from Virginia Tech. Ron’s wife, Tonya,
is a trained and passionate educator and currently homeschools
their twin sons, Caleb and Jacob, and their daughter, Gracie.
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