As the world changes rapidly around us, Christians find themselves under assault by well-trained worldview warriors. Holding to truth is ever more challenging and yet, that is exactly what we are called to do. Psalm 78 is God’s command to remember both His faithful providence in the past and the godly principles that set His people apart...and to teach those truths to our posterity. Teaching history from this truthful, providential view is not a luxury…..it is the vital preparation that equips us to “stand firm in the day of battle.”
To that end, I've developed an 8-hour workshop to introduce simple biblical principles of liberty and self-government and then provide a “flyover” of world history, examining primary source documents to see how God has revealed and advanced those ideas over time, culminating in the story of our own nation. We also learn the remarkable stories of individuals called and prepared by God for just that purpose . . . and are encouraged as we recognize that we, too, are born “for such a time as this.” Fully anchored in the truth of His providence and principles, we can be prepared to love God and love others well by contending for what’s really true in an ever more lost world. And what is true is that. . .“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17
I hope you'll MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW for the "God's Hand in History" workshop in St. Cloud, Florida the evening of Friday, November 5th and all day Saturday, November 6th. It's an engaging, eye-opening and empowering time together; please make plans now to come, bring your friends and/or your students to learn "the story" AND be encouraged about the part you have to play. Middle and High School students are strongly encouraged to participate so the sponsors have provided a discounted ticket for them to attend the full seminar. There's also a parallel children's program (ages 6-11) for those who might need it. Here's the LINK TO REGISTER ($20 Adult/ $10 Students 12-18/ $10 Children's Program for ages 6-11) . . .and here's an overview of what I'll cover in this 8-hour seminar:
Identifying Principles- introducing foundational ideas like “Private Property is Biblical,” “The Biblical Spheres of Government,” the “Christian Principle of Self-Government and its Relationship to Liberty.” In addition, a chart is presented to compare the two extreme expressions of godless government (tyranny and anarchy) with the biblical model that brings a balance between liberty and law.
Historical Overview of Government- a flyover of world history identifying biblical principles of civil government as revealed in Creation, the Tower of Babel, the Exodus, the Israelite monarchy, Greece and Rome. We conclude with the coming of Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection empower the believer with the desire and ability to be self-governed as the laws of God are now written on their hearts. Self-government opens the door to a fuller expression of liberty.
Biblical Ideas of Civil Government Re-emerge - We begin with the remarkable story of God’s Providence in the uniting of England under the Christian King Alfred, who would base English law in the law of God. We move forward to 1215 AD and the reinforcement of that law in Magna Carta, drafted by pastor Stephen Langton. From there we observe the Protestant Reformation, when matters of conscience became life-and-death decisions and “Sola Scriptura” was held up as the ultimate authority for every part of life. The theologians of this era, so devoted to adherence to biblical standards at all costs, inspire and instruct us in their writings about the relationship between man and civil government. It is perhaps equally as inspiring to recognize that our founders considered these “reformers” to be the “virtual founders of America.”
Planting the Principles in America-We return to England to trace God’s Providence in that nation’s preservation during the trying days of the English Reformation. We’ll see how those very trials became the driving force in planting the first English colonies in north America: Jamestown and Plymouth. The original chartering documents reveal the clear missionary motives of those settlements as well as the biblical forms of government (traceable back to King Alfred and his biblically-rooted law) that were now planted for the first time in the New World.
Preparing for Independence- a historical overview of the Great Awakening as the spiritual preparation for the War for Independence with a focus on the character of George Whitefield and the providential preservation of the colonies in the face of a massive French invasion in 1746. The French and Indian War that follows will become the physical preparation for a war not yet anticipated by any English colonist. There we focus on the character and providential preparation of George Washington with compelling stories from his life.
Our Biblical Form of Government- These sessions provide a broad overview of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. We point out the key concepts they contain, connect them to the “chain of liberty” which originated in the Hebrew example and confirm their alignment with the biblical view of man and government.
Where We’ve Gone Wrong- a flyover of American History from the late 1800s moving forward with a specific focus on the “falling away” that occurred during the Gilded Age and the Great Depression, leaving the door open for the planting and development of both Darwinian and Marxist ideas. The “fruit” of those ideas is what we see in our culture today and it is critical that we understand the Marxist agenda and its methods. We briefly introduce cultural Marxism, critical theory, "soft" totalitarianism, and how these ideas are subtly (and now not-so-subtly) presented in settings like entertainment, the classroom and the workplace.
Hope for Today- In this final session, we’re reminded that God is sovereign and has never been concerned with numbers but with a faithful remnant. Concrete suggestions are offered for reclaiming territory from the enemy by prayer, repentance, learning truth, teaching others and taking responsibility for our proper role as Christian individuals, families, and churches in a constitutional republic.
Let me know if you have questions! MrsC@ProvidentialHistory.net