By Ron and Tonya Gordon
Not since the time of the Civil War has the United States seemed more polarized. Some have suggested that we are even on the brink of another civil war. Undoubtedly, the clash of worldviews is at the very heart of this polarization. We witness numerous examples every day of just how far we have moved from our biblical heritage as a nation. Shifting cultural norms are yielding a generation conflicted about allegiance to their country, concerned about the color of their skin, and even confused about their gender.
Our Christian schools are not immune to these same challenges. Across the nation, Christian school administrators, school board members, and parents struggle to align biblically on critical social and cultural issues. This internal discord poses a serious threat to the future of these Christian schools and the core principles upon which they were founded.
As we read through the books of 1 and 2 Kings, we follow the history of Israel and Judah across roughly 400 years following the reign of King David. The timeline is filled with kings revolting against God, driving their nations down destructive paths. Only a few kings from Judah followed the one true God. King Hezekiah of Judah stands out among this lineage of kings. In 2 Kings 18:5, we learn that Hezekiah “trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” What a strong compliment to one’s faith!
In 2 Kings, we find Hezekiah facing an Assyrian attack and pleading with the Lord for help. As a result, the angel of the Lord strikes down 185,000 warriors to protect Judah. Reading further, in 2 Kings 20, Hezekiah experiences God’s supernatural power over sickness when God grants him an extra fifteen years of life. Hezekiah committed to following God and obeying His precepts, and as a result, prospered throughout most of his reign.
Despite the powerful testimony of the bulk of King Hezekiah’s life, a strong finish eluded him, as we learn in the latter part of 2 Kings 20. Nearing the end of his life, when Babylonian envoys visited, Hezekiah foolishly showed the envoys all the treasures in his houses, storehouses, and kingdom. Upon the prophet Isaiah’s learning of these events, he warns Hezekiah that the Lord was giving all of the treasures to Babylon. Instead of disappointment and despair, Hezekiah seemed satisfied with the Lord’s judgment, considering it good. “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” (2 Kings 20:19) Hezekiah’s apathetic attitude toward his own failure betrayed the solid stand that he had taken for so long in his commitment to fearing the Lord. Sadly, his desire for peace and personal comfort outweighed his reliance on and obedience to God.
Many Christian school administrators and board members share powerful testimonies of how God helped their Christian school launches and sustained them through the difficult seasons of their schools’ histories. They testify that fortitude and faithfulness to God’s calling have served as a foundation upon which their schools were built. These testimonies of His blessings echo the early years of King Hezekiah’s reign.
Following the pandemic, Christian schools have been and continue to be given a golden opportunity. Scores of families are exiting public schools and turning toward Christian education as an option. Many, however, are entering Christian schools that are not fully aligned with the school’s vision and mission. By deciding to trade one educational choice for another rather than intentionally choosing a Christian education, many are now pushing Christian school leaders and teachers to adjust their mindsets and approaches to align more closely with public school ideologies. There is an increasing demand for Christian schools to loosen rules, implement inclusive policies, relax academic expectations, and place a higher priority on athletic program expansion, to name a few. As a result, biblical worldview cultivation and the spiritual culture of many Christian schools hang in the balance.
We find ourselves at a defining moment.
Will we go the way of King Hezekiah and cave to these cultural pressures to solidify increased enrollment and higher revenue streams as a means of peace and comfort?
OR
Will we serve God as exemplified in the early years of Hezekiah’s reign, marked by a commitment to upholding God’s laws and following Him regardless of the circumstances?
The biblical principles upon which our Christian schools were founded must continue to serve as our true north. Christian school administrators, teachers, and coaches have the blessed opportunity to shape young hearts and minds with a biblical perspective on every topic in the class, on the field, in the gym, or on the stage. This type of discipleship, however, requires effort. Equipping and developing our Christian school faculty and staff must be intentional and continual to avoid the natural tendency toward comfort and apathy, as reflected in the final years of King Hezekiah’s reign.
At RenewaNation, we have a passion for supporting Christian schools in this journey. Our team of seasoned coaches and educators are available for mentorship and training at all levels. At the deepest level, we offer a full-scale renewal program that spans the course of several years and focuses on developing a thriving, Spirit-filled culture as well as building long-term sustainability. In addition, video training courses, book studies, individual mentorship, as well as on-site and live online training offerings, are available to help strengthen the biblical foundation and discipleship capabilities of your Christian educators.
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With over thirty years in public, Christian, and homeschool/classical education, Tonya Gordon has served as a teacher, state SOL auditor, assistant principal, academic dean, and professional development trainer. Tonya currently serves as RenewaNation’s REAP Cultivation Director. Ron Gordon leads the REAP Division and has shepherded dozens of Christian school launches and renewal efforts over the past decade. Before joining RenewaNation, Ron spent twenty-three years in the corporate world, leading manufacturing organizations, mainly in the Defense sector. Ron and Tonya are passionate about developing Kingdom stewards for the next generation. They have been married for thirty years and are blessed with three children: twin sons, Caleb and Jacob (both pursuing post-graduate degrees in Divinity and Mathematics, respectively), and daughter, Kate (completing her BFA degree in Filmmaking/Cinematography in 2025).