Guest essay by Ben Gilmore
Grandfather said, “The older you get, the faster time passes.” Now he is gone and I am a great-grandfather! I will testify that I move a lot slower than I did thirty years ago, yet time seems to be racing by.
The next two big events on my calendar, will be the start of the next online “Principles of American Government” (PAG) course on September 4, and the summit-like gathering of master teachers, I call them heroes, in just six weeks (Saturday, September 23rd) at Destiny Christian Church in Rocklin, California. We have named the event Honoring the Vision (HTV).
Most Christians appear to be ignorant of God’s hand in human history. Oh sure, they know all about the Old testament Hebrew history, and even a little bit of Roman history from the New Testament. Some can even tell you how God used those events to teach men to love Him and love one another. But I have met few who can tell what God’s hand has done since then.
The reason for that, I believe: “Take God out of anything and it dies!” Conversely, “Discover God in anything and it comes alive!” The church has been focusing upon Biblical principles, as it should, BUT has allowed education to take God out of history, science, geography, grammar, entertainment….
This appears to me to have contributed to the impotence of the church. The Creator God of the Bible is the first cause of anything, if you dig back to the source! That is the essence of the Principle Approach® (PA) to education that was pretty much universal in America’s colonial days. A movement to restore PA to education was renewed in the 1960’s.
PA teachers greatly influenced the home school movement. They set up Christian schools. They traveled around the country teaching in small group meetings. Those touched by the new vision of God at the root of everything came alive. On the other hand, PA teaching requires [at first, ed.] hard work discovering God’s hand. Nothing of value comes without a price!
As a result, many who tried it dropped away. The movement continued and grew even though things like, “American history”, “World history”, “Government” appeared to be dead with God removed from them. PA teachers have been teaching subjects no one thought they needed to learn. That is why I call them heroes!
The very survival of American liberty rests at the feet of those who have discovered the Lord God at the root of liberty! “If there were no Christ there would be no America.” The question “is—not whether Christians formed the Constitution—but whether the form is Christian. The basis for judgment is the Bible.” [Rosalie Slater, Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE)]
Those of you interested in the 3-month online course should get in touch with us (please see letterhead). Those interested in the gathering of heroes on September 23rd should go to Honoring the Vision.
One more thing – We have budgeted $10,000 for this event. Thus far, we have raised $3,000. Please help us pray in the balance.
Ben Gilmore has been a Korean War era fighter pilot, Youth with a Mission evangelist, and political candidate and activist. For the last thirty years or so, Ben has actively pursued and taught America’s Christian history and government. With his dear wife Fran, accomplished scholar and writer, the Gilmores founded ACH Study Groups. These courses prepare Christians to think and act in practical, systematically Biblical, relational terms regarding our civil responsibilities. Ben also serves as media spokesman for NPI’s title by Mary-Elaine Swanson John Locke: Philosopher of American Liberty. You may contact Ben at [email protected].
This essay originally published by ACH Study Groups as a part of an e-newsletter, August 4, 2017.
A sample of Principle Approach® thinking can be found in the NPI Thy Will Be Done: When All Nations Call God Blessed, by Ron Kirk
© 2017 Used by Permission
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