However, there is a slice of the 15-35 year-olds who are
carrying on the Christian faith in a powerful way. This
group is made up of those young men and women who were
given a thoroughly Christian worldview through their home,
school, and church.
Let me tell you about T.J. This young man spent nine years
in a Christian school and developed a biblical view of life. In
the fall of 2014, he enrolled in a secular university and began
to experience teachers and students who did not possess a
biblical worldview. Because T.J. had been taught to think
critically, he won many of the debates that one of his profes-
sors asked him to engage in. The professor told him he ought
to become a lawyer. Soon enough a hot button cultural issue
was on the debate schedule. Abortion.
There were 25 students in this particular class, and T.J.
was the only student who had been trained in a Christian
school or homeschool. When the professor asked each
student to declare their position on abortion, 23 students
stated they were in favor of abortion. T.J. was the only
student against abortion. One young man said he didn’t
know what he believed but was siding with T.J. because T.J.
always won. The professor asked the “majority” to make
their case first. They gave the “group think” answers they
had been fed throughout their K-12 school years. After they
had concluded their arguments, T.J. made his case. At the
conclusion of his argument, he stated in no uncertain terms
that if all he said was true, abortion was, in reality, murder.
The professor asked those who had changed their minds to
switch sides. All 23 students who had previously stated they
were for abortion abandoned their argument and joined T.J.
One young man, deeply trained with a biblical worldview,
was able to persuade 24 other students.
Our mission at Renewanation is to transform our culture
by giving millions of new children a Christian worldview
education. Can you imagine the impact on our society
when millions of students like T.J. are flooding into every
area of our culture? T.J. came out of the school that I helped
start in 2002. This school was the genesis of Renewanation,
and T.J. is the reward for our investment and labor.
This is the answer to America’s problems. We must regain
access to the hearts and minds of our children, and as we
do, they will change our world.
Is this work easy? No! Is it a quick fix? No! Nothing easy
or quick is going to fundamentally change the course of our
nation. However, we can give millions of new children a
Christian worldview if we will unite and stay the course.
15-35 year-olds in
America today:
80% declare they are not born again
94% do not believe in one or more of
the cardinal doctrines of Christianity
A strong majority have no problem
with same-sex marriage
76% do not attend church
Many of you who are reading this article are investing
your life in the work of giving children a biblical worldview
education. Thank you! You are changing our world more
than you can possibly know.
Others who are reading this article are investing heavily
to provide your children a Christian education. At times, it
seems almost impossible to pay the tuition, or the work of
homeschooling is a greater challenge than you expected. Let
me encourage you to stay the course. You are guaranteeing
your children a future few children in America will expe-
rience. You are setting your children up to be leaders in a
culture that has lost all direction. Remember, it took just one
T.J. to persuade 24 students who had not been taught the
truth. How many young people will your child influence as a
result of the Christian worldview they are receiving through
your investment of finances and time?
If we want to win the next generation, we must fight for
their hearts and minds!
Jeff Keaton is the founder and CEO of Renewanation. A success-
ful pastor, church and school planter, and a ministry entrepreneur,
Jeff has invested his adult life into helping people grow spiritually.
He speaks across America challenging the church to reach the
world for Christ and to get involved in the great cause of giving
children a Christian worldview education. He is the author of The
Life of Radical Faith. Visit his website at jeffkeaton.net.
FOOTNOTES
1. Thom S. Rainer and Jess W. Rainer, The Millennials (B&H Books, 2010), 232-236.
2. Thom S. Rainer and Jess W. Rainer, The Millennials (B&H Books, 2010), 90.
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