Embracing Our Role as Believers and Ambassadors in a World of Darkness
Abraham Hamilton III Darkness is not an affirmative force. It simply reoccupies the space vacated by the light.
Stephen McDowell This is the Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio.
Abraham Hamilton III It should be uncomfortable for a believer to live as a hypocrite, delivering people
Stephen McDowell out of the bondage of mainstream media and the philosophies of this world.
Abraham Hamilton III God has called you and me to be his ambassadors even in this dark moment. Let's not miss our moment.
Stephen McDowell And now, the Hamilton Corner.
The Importance of Intentionality, Gratitude, and Heavenly-Mindedness for Earthly Good
Abraham Hamilton III Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Hamilton Corner. My name is Abraham Hamilton iii, host of the program, joined by producer extraordinaire, often imitated, never duplicated, the real J. Mac. Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready to rock and roll with today's edition of the program. At this very moment, many of you, if not most of you, are making your transition from your part time jobs where you generate an income, to your full time jobs where you cultivate an outcome. And as you do so, I want to remind you to do it with intentionality, understanding the primacy that God places on family and allowing that to govern, guide and instruct our engagement. You know, before coming on, Jeff, and I were talking about being grateful and how circumstances, small things, sometimes can remind us of our need to be grateful. Certain things we take, you know, for granted. You know, my own family, we having a little situation with hot water and all following the ice storm we just had. But it's easy to take for granted small things like turning on your faucet and having hot water to come out and forgetting that man. That's a blessing from God. and I want to have a conversation with us this morning from Philippians, sorry, this evening from Philippians, chapter one, verses 15 through 24. And there's sometimes an expression that's offered and I know what people mean when they say this. You're so heavenly, minded that you're no earthly good, you know. And the truth is for a person who is properly heavily minded, that person will be maximally good in the earth because it is the reality of the eternal hope, the blessed hope, that really provides outsized and appropriate meaning to the time we get to live in the here and now.
Cultivating Outcome: A Believer's Obligation and Opportunity in Ministry
So we're going to get into that in a moment. But as you're making your transition to your full time jobs, and I'm describing it that way intentionally because outcome cultivation is the obligation and opportunity of every believer. And we need to truly have a radical recalibration of our mindsets concerning what it is God gives us the opportunity, opportunities to participate in and to be a part of, you know. So in Philippians chapter one, you're going to see from the text the Apostle Paul is writing. He's incarcerated at the time, and he's writing to the church at Philippi. And the text will bear. Will demonstrate that he's keenly aware of, that his natural life may be ending, you know, and he has some things to share with us, inspired by the Spirit of God. And I truly commend this to you for your consideration and to also ponder how might the truths conveyed from this scripture, inform your lives? How should you respond in light of the truths contained here? So, Philippians chapter one, verses 15 through 24.
Paul's Rejoicing in the Proclamation of Christ Amidst Varied Motivations
I'm going to read it first all the way through, then kind of dig into it a bit. The Apostle Paul is writing. He says this. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from goodwill. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.
Paul's Expectation of Deliverance: Exaltation of Christ Through Prayers and the Spirit
For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me, and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better. Yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake, man. Lord, thank you for your word. So the apostle Paul is writing, and he's confronting people who are proclaiming the gospel with false motivations and some who are doing it genuinely. But the point of Paul's rejoicing is that Christ is being proclaimed.
Understanding Deliverance: Paul's Perspective on God's Work in Incarceration
Then he goes on to say in verse 19, for I know that this will work out for my deliverance. Now, most people, when you point out or would say to a person who is incarcerated that the Lord God is at work, the Lord is making himself known through his people, and that there is a direct application to how it will work out for my benefit, for my deliverance. That incarcerated person might immediately conflict that the deliverance of the Lord will come through. What. What would you expect? You would expect. Well, he surely deliverance means I'm getting out of jail. I'm getting out. But that's not what Paul says at all. Paul's concept of the circumstances that he is. That he is in at the time he is addressing the church at Philippi, and that the Lord's work will work out for his deliverance. He explains what his deliverance is and even adds a personal investment in his own deliverance. He says, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers. Right, the prayers of the saints. Well, what are the saints praying for? Release him from jail. That's not what Paul is talking about, guys. I know that this is turned out for my deliverance through your prayers and. And the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, verse 20. According to my earnest expectation, the people of God are praying. The Spirit of God is at work on Paul's behalf. And Paul has an earnest expectation and a hope based on all of those things coalescing together the prayer of the saints, the Spirit of the Lord, and his own expectation and hope. What is that expectation and hope? What is his expected deliverance from the Lord? That he will not be put to shame in anything. But that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body.
Christ Exalted in Life or Death: Paul's Earnest Expectation and Hope for Believers
Paul is saying that the circumstances that work out for his deliverance, following the prayers of the saints, the work of the Spirit of God, and according to his earnest expectation and hope, is that he will not be put to shame. How is he not being shamed? That Christ, even in these circumstances, will be exalted in his natural, temporal, physical life. Engagement. Then he adds this. Whether by life or by death, guys, Paul is saying that his deliverance and his expectation that will result in him not being shamed is that even in these circumstances where he's incarcerated, he ultimately faces martyrdom via execution at the hands of Nero. His earnest expectation is that Christ will be exalted in his body. Oh, brethren, that that would be our greatest desire. That our earnest expectation and our hope would be that Christ would be exalted in us and through us in the lives that we live, or even if that life requires us to lay down our lives, that Christ would be exalted. Then he goes on to state a, familiar and somewhat popular passage of Scripture. For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain. Then he offers this but if I'm to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me. To live on in the flesh will mean fruitful labor for me. This concept of fruitful labor for Paul put him in a position where he doesn't know what to choose. This is what the text says.
The Tension of Heavenly Desire and Earthly Necessity: Paul's Dilemma and its Meaning
Look at verse 23 in Philippians, chapter one. He says, I'm hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart. I want to be with Jesus in the tangible presence of my Lord. And he says, for that is very much better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you, and I don't know which to choose. There is no one who will ever be able to persuade me that Paul was confused as to what was the better circumstance for himself being in the tangible presence of Jesus in heaven or to be on earth where you still have to do things like, you know, sweat have to do things, you know. No, no, one will be able to convince me that Paul was confused. Well, what is this tension that Paul is expressing that he doesn't know which to choose? The tension that he is expressing is the tension that flows from him loving his Lord so much so that he loves the Lord's purpose for him. This idea of being so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good is actually a misnomer for those who are appropriately heavenly minded. Having this blessed hope, this earnest eternal expectation, gives appropriate and necessary significance to our engagement in the here and now. Remember Acts 17. For he has determined before time the boundaries of our habitations and the times in which we will live. Why? So that men should seek God.
God's Ordained Moment: Living with Purpose and Discipleship in the Present Era
Brothers and sisters, God has ordained for you and me to be alive right now in the 21st century. He's not surprised by all of the craziness that is happening in our world. The sexual confusion, the trans. Insanity, you know, the current cultivation and stoking the flames of lawlessness. That's happening like in Minnesota and other places. God knows about all of that. But he's ordained you and me for this moment. If we love the Lord as we say we love the Lord, we simultaneously will love his purposes for us. That we would have a similar disposition like the apostle Paul. Yes, Lord, I want to be in your tangible presence. I likewise want to be all that you called me to be. I, likewise want to fulfill all that you called me to fulfill. And because I have this blessed hope that I want to be able to stand at the judgment seat of Christ and have a triumphal entry into the eternal state, that as the quality of my Life as a believer is evaluated to determine whether or not my life consists of wood or hay or stubble, or whether or not it consists of precious stone, eternal investment, that I want to stand before you in that stage, at that time, being able to lift up holy hands and to glorify your holy name. Because like the Apostle Paul said, man, I have fought the good fight. I have finished my race, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith.
Biblical Perspective on Heavenly-Mindedness, Modern Babylon, and the Abundant Life
This idea of being heavily minded, so heavenly minded that you are of, no earthly good, is a misnomer. Biblically. Now we understand the realities. You know, living in the earth, where sin and the evidence of the fall are all around us, where, you know, we read about Daniel and his friends in the Book of Daniel, though they were Yaled when they entered Babylon during the Babylonian exile. Yaled, meaning that they were, minors, they were boys when they arrived in Babylon, but they had a time prior to being in Babylon. Well, we in many ways are living in, in a modern day Babylon and nevertheless called to be faithful to the Lord. I simply want to encourage you and to challenge you. What will you do with the moment that God has ordained for you? What will I do with the moment that God has ordained for me? If we love the Lord as much as we say we love the Lord, that that love should be evident in how we live our lives. What is our personal true life definition of success? How do we evaluate whether or not we're living the quote unquote good life? I would challenge, that we shouldn't seek to live the good life. We should seek to live the abundant life. What is the abundant life? Is the abundant life made evident by the quantity of consumerism that we enjoy? The accumulation of material possessions, the number of vacations that we take? Or is the abundant life reflected in us living lives given wholly to fulfilling our Lord's purpose? It's not that the Lord doesn't want us to enjoy life. He gave us bodies that require fuel. And then he gave us an incentive to fuel our bodies by giving us taste buds where we can distinguish vanilla ice cream from mashed potatoes. But my challenge and my encouragement is to ascribe towards a life disposition similar to the Apostle Paul to where you, where we mature, to the place where Paul says, I know it's far better to be in the presence of our Lord, but because he's ordained me to serve his purposes in this time, man, I don't know which to choose.
Citizenship in God's Kingdom: Being Salt and Light in a World of Darkness and Abortion
God has ordained you and me for this moment, guys. By his divine providence, we have been made, citizens of the greatest nation in the history of this world. Our engagement is for our king. And because our king has deposited us here, we are invested to be salt and light in the time and the land where he's deposited us.
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Introduction to Stephen McDowell: A Lifetime of Discipling Nations and Transforming Culture for Christ
Stephen McDowell Shining light into the darkness. This is the Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio.
Abraham Hamilton III Welcome back to the Hamilton Corner. Abraham Hamilton III here, and I am just delighted to have on the program with me a, brother in Christ, a shepherd in the Lord's body. you know, I view him as a general, frankly, in the Lord's army. M. It's a brother who is the president and co founder of the Providence Foundation. He's led the Providence foundation for 42 years. In counting, I learned that, he's trained people from 100 countries to apply biblical truth in all spheres of life. He's traveled to 45 nations and six continents where he's consulted with government officials, assisted in writing political documents, advised political parties, and started Christian schools and biblical worldview training centers. He's authored and co authored over 40 books, videos and training courses. And his books and writings have been translated into 18 languages and distributed to more than 1 million people. He holds a master's degree in geophysics, which I just learned, and he also has served as a pastor, for several years. Prior to, founding the Providence foundation, he's been an adjunct professor at Regent University, and he and his wife live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they have four children and 10 grandchildren. My guest is none other than Steven McDowell, as I mentioned, president and co founder of The Providence Foundation. Mr. McDowell. Thank you, Brother McDowell, for joining me here on the Hamilton Corner.
Stephen McDowell Well, it's great to be with you Abraham. And I appreciate all that you've been doing to transmit the truth. It's great to spend a little time with you.
Abraham Hamilton III Oh, the pleasure is mine and I am confident that the audience here will enjoy, what you have to share now.
Lessons from Ministry: The Truth of God's Principles and the Consequences of Disobedience
One, just a personal thing, that I, that I am grateful to be able to do when I get the opportunity to talk to people like you. You know, being in ministry for 48 years, you know, you've been in ministry longer than I've been alive. You know, and not only being in ministry, being faithful for that time period, what is, you know, one thing that would come to mind that you've learned over that time period, that you would say is probably one of the most important or the top two or three most important things you've learned in serving the Lord for that, duration, faithfully for approaching, really half a century now.
Stephen McDowell Well, there's a whole lot of things. Obviously something that always comes back to me as a teacher and what God has me doing and teaching Biblical worldview, is that what God says is true. M and his principles work. And if we obey his truth, if it's personally, in our family, in our nation, we are blessed, we have good fruit. But if we disobey him, we go backwards like Jeremiah said. So that comes over all over and over again. You know, I remind people, like ask the question, why has Venezuela suffered so much in the last few decades? Why, the average person lost 10kg of weight and they can't feed their own people? It's because we live in God's world. We don't live in the made up world of Karl Marx. Those principles don't work. But God's principles work and produce good fruit. We just need to discover them and apply them and we'll bring flourishing.
Abraham Hamilton III Oh, man, that's so true. It's almost like rebelling against God has consequences.
Stephen McDowell Yeah, yeah, we learn that in the Bible, don't we?
Abraham Hamilton III And in real life we certainly do.
The Providence Foundation's Mission: Discipling Nations Through Biblical Worldview Education
You know, some people may be aware, some may not be aware. The mission of the Providence foundation, is that it is a Christian educational organization whose mission is to train and network leaders to transform their culture for Christ and to teach all citizens how to disciple nations. How to disciple nations, which is what Jesus commands us as recorded in Matthew 28.
Stephen McDowell Yeah, he said to go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations. Matthew Henry, the great Bible commentary read by the founders of America said, the principal intention of this passage is clear. It's to do your Utmost to make the nations Christian nations. That's our job, that's our task. What he meant by that is not with a national church, but he meant build your nation upon biblical principles. Every nation is built upon a set of principles that are ultimately rooted in what they consider to be ultimate. It's their God. The founders of America built this nation upon biblical principles. That's why we became the most free and prosperous nation in history. Not perfect. We had problems, but they looked to the Scripture. How do we deal with things that face us and produce good fruit?
Abraham Hamilton III M. Now one other thing I learned in preparing for this interview is that you actually have a master's degree in geophysics. So how do you go from being a geophysicist, basically by training, to surrendering to the Lord and becoming basically a biblical worldview teacher and a disciple maker in that regard?
Stephen McDowell Well, I grew up in a church, but it's what I call a head only church. You know, it didn't really introduce me to the living God. So my mom got saved during the Jesus revolution the late 60s and gave me books and Bibles.
From Geophysics to Discipling Nations: Stephen McDowell's Journey and the Transformation of Culture
And after God chased me down for a number of years while I discovered God is alive and real. And at that time I was studying undergraduate school at the University of North Carolina, studying physics. I was going to be an astronomer. I love science and things and so but when I, God revealed himself and I saw the God of of the Creator. God of the Bible is alive and real and he has a purpose and a mission for me that over a few years in graduate school I began to recognize a calling of God. So when I finished graduate school I had an opportunity to go work for an oil company with oil exploration or to go help start a church at a university. So I chose the latter not for the money, but I believe that's God's calling. So about six years I pastored churches and began to, as I studied and read the Bible, see that the Bible not only tells us how to have a personal relationship to God, to transform men, but the Bible has principles of transforming culture, transforming life. It speaks to all of life and, and it's our duty to learn what God says and apply. That's how we disciple nations, by teaching all that Jesus commanded. And Jesus taught all kinds of subjects, not just personal pietistic subjects, but economic, governmental, familial, every area of life he addressed and the Scripture addressed. And so to help facilitate training the church in these wonderful principles, I resigned my pastorate and in 1984 went to help Start the Providence foundation, which teaches biblical principles of law, government, education, economics. And I've been doing that for 42 years.
Abraham Hamilton III That is profound. You know, you said earlier in quoting Matthew, Henry's commentary on Matthew 28, that he said the instruction of the passage is clear, that the disciples of Christ should seek basically to Christianized nations, you know, and as you mentioned, not advocating for a national church, but to have the institutions built upon the truth of God's holy word. Well, I'm sure you're aware that today having that statement, where the word Christian is said right before a nation kind of makes you a Christian nationalist.
Addressing Christian Nationalism and the Mandate to Exert King Jesus' Crown Rights on Earth
how do you address that whole phenomenon? And people who listen to this show and watch the show know where I stand. That's kind of absurd. But how do you navigate that when you assert rightly what Matthew Henry explained, that Matthew 28 is directing the disciples of Christ to be and to do?
Stephen McDowell Yeah. You know, anytime someone uses a phrase like Christian nationalism or anything else, you have to ask them, what do you mean? How do you define that? Everybody has a different understanding of terms. So I always have to find out, well, what are you talking meaning when you're asking the question? But, But it's our duty. It's our task. See, God is sovereign over all things. He created all things. He's sovereign over this earth. He's a king of kings, the Lord of lords. And so he demands that everybody submit to his truth. And it's for our good, because if we obey him, we're blessed, as we were talking about before. So my duty as an ambassador for Christ is to exert the crown rights of King Jesus in every sphere of life. Life. And when Jesus came into the world and he rose again in bodily form, and gave us the mission. All right, now go out. I've, bound Satan, and I've given you the capacity to reclaim the earth. It was given up at the fall. And fulfill the mission that I created Adam and Eve to do in the very beginning, which was to rule over the earth, take dominion, cultivate the earth, because God's given that to us. And so in the past 2,000 years, in the Christian era, that is what the church is supposed to be doing. Satan's, bound, but we've got to plunder what he stole or what was given up up to him. And that includes reclaiming education, reclaiming government, reclaiming the family, the biblical family, biblical morality, the value of life. God speaks to all of these things, and it's our task, to do that. And unfortunately, the church, especially in the last hundred years, has relegated. They've preached a truncated gospel message. They preached only part of the gospel, the part that says, we're sinners, we need a redeemer, and Christ came to redeem us and restore our relationship and get us to heaven. This is true, it's central. But that's not all the truth. Because what the Bible teaches, God created all things good, very good. This earth man fell. Jesus came to redeem, but not just to get us to heaven. But what does the Lord's Prayer say? Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So his task, our task, is to bring his kingdom, his government, his rule, his authority to earth, just like it is in heaven.
The Cultural Mandate: Bringing God's Kingdom and Will to Earth Through Mind Cultivation
So I would submit that, making Christian nations is central to that aspect of the mission, that the cultural mandate, some has called it, or the Creation Commission, the part of the Great Commission that Jesus gave us.
Abraham Hamilton III Now I've often, lamented and decried on this program, though Jesus instructed, when he was asked what's the greatest commandment? And he gave two he quotes from Deuteronomy 6 and says, you should love the Lord with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength. Jesus. And answering in that way, literally lays out that the cultivation of the mind is central to being a worshiper of the Lord. But in our nation, and though we have texts like Proverbs 1:7, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, the, fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding that we have an entire system of instruction and mind cultivation that denies the knowledge of God. And I've simply said that we shouldn't be surprised, surprised if we have relegated mind cultivation generationally to people who hate God, that that results in a society comprised of God haters. And so if we are going to be obedient to the Lord's command and executing the Great Commission, the body of Christ has to once again lead in cultivating the mind. And I've had the privilege in participating in a film that the Providence foundation has commissioned called Educated for Liberty, and that you are the host and the moderator for, what caused you to want to participate in this film.
Educated for Liberty: A Film on Biblical Education's Role in Freedom and Cultural Transformation
And in a moment here we're going to play a snippet from the trailer, and then talk a little bit more how people can watch it. But what made you want to, participate in the creation of this film?
Stephen McDowell Well, of course, my work at the Providence foundation for the past 42 years has been all about biblical education. And I, have the same concerns and have for decades that you've just expressed. And so we've written lots of books, we put out DVDs, and so we decided we need to provide a easy way for millions of Americans to understand, the value and the importance of education. We call this film Educated for Liberty. Because to live in liberty is difficult. The default state of sinful man is not to live free. You leave man to himself, he won't spy, you know, he won't become more and more free and prosperous, he'll spiral downward into more bondage. And so to live in liberty, it takes a lot of effort, education, knowledge, character, truth. In essence, it takes the Christian faith because Christianity changes the heart. The only religion, if you will, if you want to call it a religion, that changes the heart. But it also gives us principles of how to live. So in this film it explores how home centered biblical education produced the free and flourishing nation of America. But the last hundred plus years secular education has led to great moral and academic decline. And when government took over schools and a secular philosophy captivated our government schools, it's sowing bad seeds that we're seeing the fruit of today for generate for centuries. In the beginning we sowed good seeds. That's why colleges were started to train godly ministers, schools were started teach people to read the Bible. Bible centered good seeds were planted, produced good fruit. Unfortunately in the last many generations we've been producing a lot of bad fruit. But the solution then is to restore biblical education to our nation. And the good news is God is doing that. And this film is our contribution which people can see free by the [email protected] it's our contribution to help show parents you have the right and responsibility to govern the education of your children. And you might delegate aspects of that to others, but it's still your responsibility. And parent churches ought to help them in that responsibility.
Reversing National Decline: The Critical Role of Family and Christian Discipleship in Education
So it's primarily the God gives families the primary responsibility, not civil government who've assumed that responsibility primarily because families have given it up. And we see the bad fruit of that today.
Abraham Hamilton III You know, I've said there are a couple things I want to say in light of this and we won't have time to get to it before the next segment. But I want to play a, snippet from the trailer for the audience here. But I've said that there is no way to reverse course in our nation if we continue to seed the discipleship of subsequent generations. Of Americans to the world. There's no way around it because a lot of the negative things we see in government policies, for example, that we see in social, statistics that are indicative of negative benchmarks, of our society, all of them highlight and really, amplify deficiencies that abound in the home, starting with the cultivation of the mind. Do you think I'm overstating that case?
Stephen McDowell No, not at all. I think the primary reason for the decline of America, is government control of education because education is discipleship, as you know, talked about in the film. And everyone's going to be discipled. So we're going to either be discipled toward Christ and his truth or we're going to be discipled to anti Christian ideology. And so we now 90% almost of youth in America are being discipled toward anti Christian ideas. and you, we have to take that back. We have to, beginning with Christians, reassume that responsibility or there is no hope.
The Critical Importance of Educating for Liberty and Supporting Pro-Life Ministries
I agree, with you.
Abraham Hamilton III All right, I gotta break in right here because the disrespectful music, that's what I call a bumper music. It's disrespectful because we're having a great conversation, but we'll continue it on the other side of the break. My guest is the president and co founder of the Providence Foundation. We're discussing the brand new film that you can see with for free, no charge by going to educated for liberty dot com. More on our conversation. More of our conversation with Steven McDowell on the other side of the brink. Stay with us,
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Restoring Biblical Education: Addressing the Erosion of Christian Influence in Children's Upbringing
Stephen McDowell the Hamilton Corner podcast and one minute commentaries are [email protected] back to the Hamilton corner on American Family Radio.
Abraham Hamilton III Welcome back to the Hamilton Corner. Steve McDowell, President Co founder of the Providence foundation, is our guest. We're discussing the film Educated for Liberty that you can watch right now by going to educatedforliberty.com. Stephen McDowell is the moderator of the film. I've had the privilege to be a part of the film, and I have to tell you, it's a wonderful, wonderful resource, that will bolster your commitment, frankly, to the Lord and your discipleship responsibilities and will provide some resources for you to enable you to do that. Well, Brother McDowell, I had the opportunity one time to address a group of pastors, and I was talking about this very topic, and I just say it very plainly. You know, where do you think the ideas that the young people in your church are struggling? Where do you think they come from? You know, I said, do you think that they're at home and their parents are telling them, hey, you need to go and, you know, smoke weed, you need to fornicate, you need to, you know, steal, you need to go rob. You need to do where these ideas are coming from. And he was like, nah, I don't think the parents are doing it. I said, where do you think it's coming from? They say, well, probably it's coming from their peers and what they're learning at schools. And I said, by seeding this ground outside of what God mandated, as you said in the previous segment, God has called parents, really and fathers ultimately be responsible for the paideia and new theseia of our children. Ultimately, we're responsible for it. But by ceding that to God haters, we as pastors are working against ourselves. We are creating the environments that are working the circumstances that are working against our efforts to rear our children in the nurturing admonition of the Lord. Who else does that? That's like running on a treadmill and eating ice cream sundae at the same time.
Reclaiming Our Greatest Weapon: The Power of Biblical Education for Transforming Families and Nations
Why would we continue to do that when we see the evidences of it? You know, and so when I said that there were a couple pastors, the lights went on in their heads. But because we've done things in this way for so long, even though it really is a relatively recent departure from the way we've done things dating back to our founding era, that some people have kind of been imprisoned by the most recent practices, is that something that you have found, as you alluded to earlier, that we need to appeal to get Christians to understand that this is something that parents and families need to lead out on in their own homes?
Stephen McDowell Yeah, exactly that. You know, there's three main things we want to accomplish through this film. One, to show parents you have the right and responsibility to govern the education of your children. Not just the right, but responsibility. Two, the church should assist parents in this mission. And then three, the reason the way to become a free nation and live as a free nation is to be educated in biblical truth. But you know, you were saying that Psalm 127 tells us that our children are arrows in the hands of the Lord. The greatest weapon God has given us to transform culture and affect the future is through our children. And so we're preparing them and sharpening them. We're aiming them to be effective at transmitting the kingdom of God. But unfortunately we've given our greatest weapon to the enemy. When we send them to government schools, they then are preparing them in their philosophy and turning around and using that our greatest weapon against us and against God's kingdom. Colossians 2:8 says, See, Paul writes, see to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of the world, according to the elementary principles of the world. So worldly philosophies, man centered worldly philosophies bring captivity rather. And then he goes on to say, rather than according to Christ, Christian principles bring liberty. And as we've surrendered our children, our greatest weapon to this, these secular ideas, they've been led astray. They've been led into captivity. And of course not just they, but that impacts all of life the way, because our children's education determines the future of our nation. So they've been led, led astray. And so that is then the message, well, let's take back the best weapon God has given us. Let's prepare them to accomplish what education does. It forms godly character internally, it forms a biblical worldview, and it equips youth to fulfill their godly calling, every sphere of life.
Fortifying Christians Against Captivity: The Necessity of Biblical Worldview and Education
So when we do that, we will have a tremendous impact upon the future. If we fail to do it, as you point out, we are going backwards.
Abraham Hamilton III And it should be instructive to us that when you refer to Colossians 2:8, you know, I've talked about in verse four of the same chapter, he warns against being deluded. And if the delusion is not intercepted, that delusion metastasizes into full blown captivity, as you pointed out. But we should recognize that Paul, by the spirit of God is writing this to warn Christians. He's writing to the Christians so that you won't be taken captive. This is how you should be fortified against that captivity, as you rightly pointed out. but let's do this. Jeff, would you please cue up a, snippet from the trailer from the film Educated for Liberty? Go. All worldviews are simply trying to answer the major questions of life, like where did we come from? What is our purpose for being here? A, biblical worldview is answering those questions from the authority of Scripture.
Stephen McDowell If you can't think biblically, then what you have is a bunch of secular thinking people who attend church, which will never change a community in the right direction.
Dr. Jessica Peck We're not, as a church, raising up parents that understand their responsibility in the education of their children.
Abraham Hamilton III Sunday school is fine, it's good vocation Bible school, fine and good, but it's not a knot. Education is discipleship one way or another. Discipling our children in a secularized society,
Dr. Jessica Peck or it's discipling them to Christ.
Stephen McDowell How could you possibly segregate the concept of education from the duty and responsibility of the Christian faith and that they should be trained in the Christian faith
Abraham Hamilton III and in a Christian way?
Stephen McDowell For hundreds of years in this country, the Bible was the essential book. It was the foundation of, everything. And yet here we are where it's actually controversial that we should have the Bible in education. It's truly astounding.
The Film 'Educated for Liberty': A Vital Resource for Discipling Generations and Reversing National Decline
Abraham Hamilton III That last voice you heard was my friend Alex Newman. A lot of the people in the film, you've heard them and seen them on this show. as I mentioned, I'm in this film as well. My friends, Will and Mickey Addison are in the film. the Bartons, Tim and David Barton are in the film. a host of people, who I love, admire and respect are in this film. And honestly, I don't think there's a more critical issue that needs to be discussed. And on the show on a daily basis, often say, that because I have an evening drive time show, that you're transitioning from your part time job to your full time job. And that we have an obligation to welcome the primacy that God places on family, to govern and guide our engagement in family. And as you rightly pointed out, one of the greatest weapons, if not the greatest weapons, that God has given us to establish multi generational faithfulness to the King of Kings. And the Lord of Lords is the family. And with the privilege to rear children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And unfortunately, people who hate God seem to understand that more than others. You know, you have people like Lennon who said, you know, give me your children at 4 years old, in one generation, I'll change the world. You know, wicked people have understood that. But unfortunately the people of God have been a little bit slow on uptick in this regard. But I believe this film is a vital resource in reversing that reality. And it's something that I believe can happen in a far more quick manner than we think that it can happen. To that point, brother, McDowell, what do you think in terms of, when people say, well, man, look how far gone we are, can we really make an about face in our nation? If we respond to the Lord's command to us to rear our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, with the cultivation of the mind at the center, can we have an about face within a generation or two?
Stephen McDowell Well, absolutely. You know, God's seed is good. You plant God's seed in good soil, it produces abundant fruit. I love the saying, you can count how many seeds are in an apple, but you cannot count how many apples are in a seed. One seed has the potential of producing millions of pieces of fruit. Now, secular seeds are bad. Weeds grow, but they're not good. They don't produce good stuff. But God's seed, it's so powerful that for a hundred years we've been kicking God out of schools and government and everything else, but we are still the most free and prosperous nation in the world, even after backsliding for generations. That shows you the power of truth in God's seed. So there are, you know, I've been doing this ministry almost 50 years. When I first started, there was not so many people, you know, aware and teaching these kind of things of impacting culture and worldview. In the late 70s, 10 or 15,000 homeschoolers, perhaps in America today, there are 3 to 5 million. Most of those are Christians. And new seeds have been planted and are being planted and we already see some good fruit coming forth, from that.
Revival and Hope: Planting Seeds of Truth for Societal Transformation and National Renewal
So yes, because God, you know, God knows the frailty of man and our tendency for the fire to go out. So throughout history he sent revival. And revival is not just, you know, kind of a one time little outpouring and people get saved. But biblical revival results in the permanent transformation of society and societal, institutions and laws. And so God, I believe, is pouring out his spirit in America. He is awakening a lot of people. You know, American Family Radio and ministries like that in the past number of decades are an indication God is doing something. He's awakening people. We're sowing seeds that used to not be there. so God hasn't given up on us. I still believe he has a plan in accordance with the vision of the Founders for America to be a city set upon a hill, an example to the nations. So he is at work. Good. Seeds are being planted. Now we've got a lot to do. we, we haven't tanked out but you know, we've got a whole lot more. But I love Jon Quincy Adams. The sixth president said, he said, duty is ours. The results are the Lord's. And so the fact that there are many people recognizing their duty, acting upon their duty is an indication to me God is bringing forth the fruit.
Duty and Worship: Embracing God's Purpose and Investing in His Kingdom Through Personal Calling
We can't cause seeds to grow, but we sow the seed, we can water the sea, we can pull up the weeds. So yes, I do have hope. But I also recognize it's going to take a whole lot of prayer, a whole lot of work, a whole lot of God's mercy, to turn this nation around.
Abraham Hamilton III I'm so encouraged and moved and stirred by what you said because it is so true. I was talking earlier, in the first segment before you came on from Philippians chapter one, when the apostle Paul being keenly aware of, that he may very well be at the end of his life, and he remarks on not knowing which to choose to be with Jesus or to be engaged in fruitful life labor. And I said there's nobody who can persuade me that Paul was confused as to which one is better. But he loved the Lord. So much so that even though he was in a 1st century Roman Empire dominated world, that he didn't have an escapist orientation because he loved God's purpose for him and so that put him in that position. Yes, I want to be in Jesus presence, but I likewise want to fulfill all he's called me to in the here and now. And I feel that there's a similar reality on our standpoint that the focal point that we need to have is not kind of limiting it to an external analysis and observation based on how we feel, the nation is succeeding or not, but giving ourselves wholly to what God has called us to personally, that we find ourselves being poured out in service of our Lord's purpose, out of a worship filled, response to the transcendent eternal gift of salvation.
Advancing God's Kingdom: Fulfilling Our Duty in Every Sphere of Life for Liberty and Fruitfulness
And as we respond in that manner, embracing Jon Quincy Adams statement, duty is ours, results are the Lord's, that we invest ourselves in duty in a worship filled response to the one who saved our souls. Do you see that as a means by which the body of Christ in our nation right now. I'm grateful for what the Lord is doing all over the world, but I desire for the believer in our nation to respond to our Lord's call. Is that a way for the believer here to invest ourselves in what God is calling us to?
Stephen McDowell Yes, if, you know, all of God's people working together. If we fulfill our calling and duty, we're all together inching forward the kingdom of God. Biblical education will advance God's kingdom with good fruit. It will. It can't help but do that. It will produce and advance liberty. And again, all of us fulfill our duty in whatever God's called us to do. So if we're a businessman, we conduct our business providing a needed good or service to our fellow man, do it in a biblical manner that's actually advancing God's kingdom. Parents, if we assume responsibility to train our children and do all our other responsibilities, we're advancing, God's kingdom. Farmers, when they produce, you know, food, excellent food at the cheapest price, that's advancing God's kingdom. So we do that in every sphere.
Confidence in God's Plan: Sowing Seeds of Truth for National Turnaround and His Glory
We don't have to think, oh, you know, I'm not a preacher or I can't make a film or something like that. We just do our duty in every area, in every sphere of life, and we will inch forward the kingdom of God. So, and this is good news, because I can do that. You know, I might not know the president. I might not be able to enact a law, but I can fulfill my duty and responsibility to my family, my community, my church, and I can do that. And if each of us understand and act that way, we can have great confidence. God will bring forth the fruit because he's the one that's directing the events of history. He has a plan for history. They will be fulfilled.
Abraham Hamilton III Amen.
Stephen McDowell Where America fits in, you know, that's up to him, but it's up to us too, because we have a responsibility in that. But I know God is moving among the nations. I've been to many nations. He's pouring out his spirit in an, unprecedented way among all the nations. And I believe he's at work in the United States as well.
Abraham Hamilton III Amen. Educated for Liberty is the film. You can watch it for free at educated for liberty.com liberty educatedforliberty.com. watch it. Share it with your friends, family and loved ones. And let's live for the glory of our king.
Dr. Jessica Peck The m views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American family radio.
Embracing Our Role as Believers and Ambassadors in a World of Darkness
Abraham Hamilton III Darkness is not an affirmative force. It simply reoccupies the space vacated by the light.
Stephen McDowell This is the Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio.
Abraham Hamilton III It should be uncomfortable for a believer to live as a hypocrite, delivering people
Stephen McDowell out of the bondage of mainstream media and the philosophies of this world.
Abraham Hamilton III God has called you and me to be his ambassadors even in this dark moment. Let's not miss our moment.
Stephen McDowell And now, the Hamilton Corner.
The Importance of Intentionality, Gratitude, and Heavenly-Mindedness for Earthly Good
Abraham Hamilton III Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Hamilton Corner. My name is Abraham Hamilton iii, host of the program, joined by producer extraordinaire, often imitated, never duplicated, the real J. Mac. Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready to rock and roll with today's edition of the program. At this very moment, many of you, if not most of you, are making your transition from your part time jobs where you generate an income, to your full time jobs where you cultivate an outcome. And as you do so, I want to remind you to do it with intentionality, understanding the primacy that God places on family and allowing that to govern, guide and instruct our engagement. You know, before coming on, Jeff, and I were talking about being grateful and how circumstances, small things, sometimes can remind us of our need to be grateful. Certain things we take, you know, for granted. You know, my own family, we having a little situation with hot water and all following the ice storm we just had. But it's easy to take for granted small things like turning on your faucet and having hot water to come out and forgetting that man. That's a blessing from God. and I want to have a conversation with us this morning from Philippians, sorry, this evening from Philippians, chapter one, verses 15 through 24. And there's sometimes an expression that's offered and I know what people mean when they say this. You're so heavenly, minded that you're no earthly good, you know. And the truth is for a person who is properly heavily minded, that person will be maximally good in the earth because it is the reality of the eternal hope, the blessed hope, that really provides outsized and appropriate meaning to the time we get to live in the here and now.
Cultivating Outcome: A Believer's Obligation and Opportunity in Ministry
So we're going to get into that in a moment. But as you're making your transition to your full time jobs, and I'm describing it that way intentionally because outcome cultivation is the obligation and opportunity of every believer. And we need to truly have a radical recalibration of our mindsets concerning what it is God gives us the opportunity, opportunities to participate in and to be a part of, you know. So in Philippians chapter one, you're going to see from the text the Apostle Paul is writing. He's incarcerated at the time, and he's writing to the church at Philippi. And the text will bear. Will demonstrate that he's keenly aware of, that his natural life may be ending, you know, and he has some things to share with us, inspired by the Spirit of God. And I truly commend this to you for your consideration and to also ponder how might the truths conveyed from this scripture, inform your lives? How should you respond in light of the truths contained here? So, Philippians chapter one, verses 15 through 24.
Paul's Rejoicing in the Proclamation of Christ Amidst Varied Motivations
I'm going to read it first all the way through, then kind of dig into it a bit. The Apostle Paul is writing. He says this. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from goodwill. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.
Paul's Expectation of Deliverance: Exaltation of Christ Through Prayers and the Spirit
For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me, and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better. Yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake, man. Lord, thank you for your word. So the apostle Paul is writing, and he's confronting people who are proclaiming the gospel with false motivations and some who are doing it genuinely. But the point of Paul's rejoicing is that Christ is being proclaimed.
Understanding Deliverance: Paul's Perspective on God's Work in Incarceration
Then he goes on to say in verse 19, for I know that this will work out for my deliverance. Now, most people, when you point out or would say to a person who is incarcerated that the Lord God is at work, the Lord is making himself known through his people, and that there is a direct application to how it will work out for my benefit, for my deliverance. That incarcerated person might immediately conflict that the deliverance of the Lord will come through. What. What would you expect? You would expect. Well, he surely deliverance means I'm getting out of jail. I'm getting out. But that's not what Paul says at all. Paul's concept of the circumstances that he is. That he is in at the time he is addressing the church at Philippi, and that the Lord's work will work out for his deliverance. He explains what his deliverance is and even adds a personal investment in his own deliverance. He says, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers. Right, the prayers of the saints. Well, what are the saints praying for? Release him from jail. That's not what Paul is talking about, guys. I know that this is turned out for my deliverance through your prayers and. And the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, verse 20. According to my earnest expectation, the people of God are praying. The Spirit of God is at work on Paul's behalf. And Paul has an earnest expectation and a hope based on all of those things coalescing together the prayer of the saints, the Spirit of the Lord, and his own expectation and hope. What is that expectation and hope? What is his expected deliverance from the Lord? That he will not be put to shame in anything. But that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body.
Christ Exalted in Life or Death: Paul's Earnest Expectation and Hope for Believers
Paul is saying that the circumstances that work out for his deliverance, following the prayers of the saints, the work of the Spirit of God, and according to his earnest expectation and hope, is that he will not be put to shame. How is he not being shamed? That Christ, even in these circumstances, will be exalted in his natural, temporal, physical life. Engagement. Then he adds this. Whether by life or by death, guys, Paul is saying that his deliverance and his expectation that will result in him not being shamed is that even in these circumstances where he's incarcerated, he ultimately faces martyrdom via execution at the hands of Nero. His earnest expectation is that Christ will be exalted in his body. Oh, brethren, that that would be our greatest desire. That our earnest expectation and our hope would be that Christ would be exalted in us and through us in the lives that we live, or even if that life requires us to lay down our lives, that Christ would be exalted. Then he goes on to state a, familiar and somewhat popular passage of Scripture. For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain. Then he offers this but if I'm to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me. To live on in the flesh will mean fruitful labor for me. This concept of fruitful labor for Paul put him in a position where he doesn't know what to choose. This is what the text says.
The Tension of Heavenly Desire and Earthly Necessity: Paul's Dilemma and its Meaning
Look at verse 23 in Philippians, chapter one. He says, I'm hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart. I want to be with Jesus in the tangible presence of my Lord. And he says, for that is very much better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you, and I don't know which to choose. There is no one who will ever be able to persuade me that Paul was confused as to what was the better circumstance for himself being in the tangible presence of Jesus in heaven or to be on earth where you still have to do things like, you know, sweat have to do things, you know. No, no, one will be able to convince me that Paul was confused. Well, what is this tension that Paul is expressing that he doesn't know which to choose? The tension that he is expressing is the tension that flows from him loving his Lord so much so that he loves the Lord's purpose for him. This idea of being so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good is actually a misnomer for those who are appropriately heavenly minded. Having this blessed hope, this earnest eternal expectation, gives appropriate and necessary significance to our engagement in the here and now. Remember Acts 17. For he has determined before time the boundaries of our habitations and the times in which we will live. Why? So that men should seek God.
God's Ordained Moment: Living with Purpose and Discipleship in the Present Era
Brothers and sisters, God has ordained for you and me to be alive right now in the 21st century. He's not surprised by all of the craziness that is happening in our world. The sexual confusion, the trans. Insanity, you know, the current cultivation and stoking the flames of lawlessness. That's happening like in Minnesota and other places. God knows about all of that. But he's ordained you and me for this moment. If we love the Lord as we say we love the Lord, we simultaneously will love his purposes for us. That we would have a similar disposition like the apostle Paul. Yes, Lord, I want to be in your tangible presence. I likewise want to be all that you called me to be. I, likewise want to fulfill all that you called me to fulfill. And because I have this blessed hope that I want to be able to stand at the judgment seat of Christ and have a triumphal entry into the eternal state, that as the quality of my Life as a believer is evaluated to determine whether or not my life consists of wood or hay or stubble, or whether or not it consists of precious stone, eternal investment, that I want to stand before you in that stage, at that time, being able to lift up holy hands and to glorify your holy name. Because like the Apostle Paul said, man, I have fought the good fight. I have finished my race, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith.
Biblical Perspective on Heavenly-Mindedness, Modern Babylon, and the Abundant Life
This idea of being heavily minded, so heavenly minded that you are of, no earthly good, is a misnomer. Biblically. Now we understand the realities. You know, living in the earth, where sin and the evidence of the fall are all around us, where, you know, we read about Daniel and his friends in the Book of Daniel, though they were Yaled when they entered Babylon during the Babylonian exile. Yaled, meaning that they were, minors, they were boys when they arrived in Babylon, but they had a time prior to being in Babylon. Well, we in many ways are living in, in a modern day Babylon and nevertheless called to be faithful to the Lord. I simply want to encourage you and to challenge you. What will you do with the moment that God has ordained for you? What will I do with the moment that God has ordained for me? If we love the Lord as much as we say we love the Lord, that that love should be evident in how we live our lives. What is our personal true life definition of success? How do we evaluate whether or not we're living the quote unquote good life? I would challenge, that we shouldn't seek to live the good life. We should seek to live the abundant life. What is the abundant life? Is the abundant life made evident by the quantity of consumerism that we enjoy? The accumulation of material possessions, the number of vacations that we take? Or is the abundant life reflected in us living lives given wholly to fulfilling our Lord's purpose? It's not that the Lord doesn't want us to enjoy life. He gave us bodies that require fuel. And then he gave us an incentive to fuel our bodies by giving us taste buds where we can distinguish vanilla ice cream from mashed potatoes. But my challenge and my encouragement is to ascribe towards a life disposition similar to the Apostle Paul to where you, where we mature, to the place where Paul says, I know it's far better to be in the presence of our Lord, but because he's ordained me to serve his purposes in this time, man, I don't know which to choose.
Citizenship in God's Kingdom: Being Salt and Light in a World of Darkness and Abortion
God has ordained you and me for this moment, guys. By his divine providence, we have been made, citizens of the greatest nation in the history of this world. Our engagement is for our king. And because our king has deposited us here, we are invested to be salt and light in the time and the land where he's deposited us.
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Introduction to Stephen McDowell: A Lifetime of Discipling Nations and Transforming Culture for Christ
Stephen McDowell Shining light into the darkness. This is the Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio.
Abraham Hamilton III Welcome back to the Hamilton Corner. Abraham Hamilton III here, and I am just delighted to have on the program with me a, brother in Christ, a shepherd in the Lord's body. you know, I view him as a general, frankly, in the Lord's army. M. It's a brother who is the president and co founder of the Providence Foundation. He's led the Providence foundation for 42 years. In counting, I learned that, he's trained people from 100 countries to apply biblical truth in all spheres of life. He's traveled to 45 nations and six continents where he's consulted with government officials, assisted in writing political documents, advised political parties, and started Christian schools and biblical worldview training centers. He's authored and co authored over 40 books, videos and training courses. And his books and writings have been translated into 18 languages and distributed to more than 1 million people. He holds a master's degree in geophysics, which I just learned, and he also has served as a pastor, for several years. Prior to, founding the Providence foundation, he's been an adjunct professor at Regent University, and he and his wife live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they have four children and 10 grandchildren. My guest is none other than Steven McDowell, as I mentioned, president and co founder of The Providence Foundation. Mr. McDowell. Thank you, Brother McDowell, for joining me here on the Hamilton Corner.
Stephen McDowell Well, it's great to be with you Abraham. And I appreciate all that you've been doing to transmit the truth. It's great to spend a little time with you.
Abraham Hamilton III Oh, the pleasure is mine and I am confident that the audience here will enjoy, what you have to share now.
Lessons from Ministry: The Truth of God's Principles and the Consequences of Disobedience
One, just a personal thing, that I, that I am grateful to be able to do when I get the opportunity to talk to people like you. You know, being in ministry for 48 years, you know, you've been in ministry longer than I've been alive. You know, and not only being in ministry, being faithful for that time period, what is, you know, one thing that would come to mind that you've learned over that time period, that you would say is probably one of the most important or the top two or three most important things you've learned in serving the Lord for that, duration, faithfully for approaching, really half a century now.
Stephen McDowell Well, there's a whole lot of things. Obviously something that always comes back to me as a teacher and what God has me doing and teaching Biblical worldview, is that what God says is true. M and his principles work. And if we obey his truth, if it's personally, in our family, in our nation, we are blessed, we have good fruit. But if we disobey him, we go backwards like Jeremiah said. So that comes over all over and over again. You know, I remind people, like ask the question, why has Venezuela suffered so much in the last few decades? Why, the average person lost 10kg of weight and they can't feed their own people? It's because we live in God's world. We don't live in the made up world of Karl Marx. Those principles don't work. But God's principles work and produce good fruit. We just need to discover them and apply them and we'll bring flourishing.
Abraham Hamilton III Oh, man, that's so true. It's almost like rebelling against God has consequences.
Stephen McDowell Yeah, yeah, we learn that in the Bible, don't we?
Abraham Hamilton III And in real life we certainly do.
The Providence Foundation's Mission: Discipling Nations Through Biblical Worldview Education
You know, some people may be aware, some may not be aware. The mission of the Providence foundation, is that it is a Christian educational organization whose mission is to train and network leaders to transform their culture for Christ and to teach all citizens how to disciple nations. How to disciple nations, which is what Jesus commands us as recorded in Matthew 28.
Stephen McDowell Yeah, he said to go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations. Matthew Henry, the great Bible commentary read by the founders of America said, the principal intention of this passage is clear. It's to do your Utmost to make the nations Christian nations. That's our job, that's our task. What he meant by that is not with a national church, but he meant build your nation upon biblical principles. Every nation is built upon a set of principles that are ultimately rooted in what they consider to be ultimate. It's their God. The founders of America built this nation upon biblical principles. That's why we became the most free and prosperous nation in history. Not perfect. We had problems, but they looked to the Scripture. How do we deal with things that face us and produce good fruit?
Abraham Hamilton III M. Now one other thing I learned in preparing for this interview is that you actually have a master's degree in geophysics. So how do you go from being a geophysicist, basically by training, to surrendering to the Lord and becoming basically a biblical worldview teacher and a disciple maker in that regard?
Stephen McDowell Well, I grew up in a church, but it's what I call a head only church. You know, it didn't really introduce me to the living God. So my mom got saved during the Jesus revolution the late 60s and gave me books and Bibles.
From Geophysics to Discipling Nations: Stephen McDowell's Journey and the Transformation of Culture
And after God chased me down for a number of years while I discovered God is alive and real. And at that time I was studying undergraduate school at the University of North Carolina, studying physics. I was going to be an astronomer. I love science and things and so but when I, God revealed himself and I saw the God of of the Creator. God of the Bible is alive and real and he has a purpose and a mission for me that over a few years in graduate school I began to recognize a calling of God. So when I finished graduate school I had an opportunity to go work for an oil company with oil exploration or to go help start a church at a university. So I chose the latter not for the money, but I believe that's God's calling. So about six years I pastored churches and began to, as I studied and read the Bible, see that the Bible not only tells us how to have a personal relationship to God, to transform men, but the Bible has principles of transforming culture, transforming life. It speaks to all of life and, and it's our duty to learn what God says and apply. That's how we disciple nations, by teaching all that Jesus commanded. And Jesus taught all kinds of subjects, not just personal pietistic subjects, but economic, governmental, familial, every area of life he addressed and the Scripture addressed. And so to help facilitate training the church in these wonderful principles, I resigned my pastorate and in 1984 went to help Start the Providence foundation, which teaches biblical principles of law, government, education, economics. And I've been doing that for 42 years.
Abraham Hamilton III That is profound. You know, you said earlier in quoting Matthew, Henry's commentary on Matthew 28, that he said the instruction of the passage is clear, that the disciples of Christ should seek basically to Christianized nations, you know, and as you mentioned, not advocating for a national church, but to have the institutions built upon the truth of God's holy word. Well, I'm sure you're aware that today having that statement, where the word Christian is said right before a nation kind of makes you a Christian nationalist.
Addressing Christian Nationalism and the Mandate to Exert King Jesus' Crown Rights on Earth
how do you address that whole phenomenon? And people who listen to this show and watch the show know where I stand. That's kind of absurd. But how do you navigate that when you assert rightly what Matthew Henry explained, that Matthew 28 is directing the disciples of Christ to be and to do?
Stephen McDowell Yeah. You know, anytime someone uses a phrase like Christian nationalism or anything else, you have to ask them, what do you mean? How do you define that? Everybody has a different understanding of terms. So I always have to find out, well, what are you talking meaning when you're asking the question? But, But it's our duty. It's our task. See, God is sovereign over all things. He created all things. He's sovereign over this earth. He's a king of kings, the Lord of lords. And so he demands that everybody submit to his truth. And it's for our good, because if we obey him, we're blessed, as we were talking about before. So my duty as an ambassador for Christ is to exert the crown rights of King Jesus in every sphere of life. Life. And when Jesus came into the world and he rose again in bodily form, and gave us the mission. All right, now go out. I've, bound Satan, and I've given you the capacity to reclaim the earth. It was given up at the fall. And fulfill the mission that I created Adam and Eve to do in the very beginning, which was to rule over the earth, take dominion, cultivate the earth, because God's given that to us. And so in the past 2,000 years, in the Christian era, that is what the church is supposed to be doing. Satan's, bound, but we've got to plunder what he stole or what was given up up to him. And that includes reclaiming education, reclaiming government, reclaiming the family, the biblical family, biblical morality, the value of life. God speaks to all of these things, and it's our task, to do that. And unfortunately, the church, especially in the last hundred years, has relegated. They've preached a truncated gospel message. They preached only part of the gospel, the part that says, we're sinners, we need a redeemer, and Christ came to redeem us and restore our relationship and get us to heaven. This is true, it's central. But that's not all the truth. Because what the Bible teaches, God created all things good, very good. This earth man fell. Jesus came to redeem, but not just to get us to heaven. But what does the Lord's Prayer say? Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So his task, our task, is to bring his kingdom, his government, his rule, his authority to earth, just like it is in heaven.
The Cultural Mandate: Bringing God's Kingdom and Will to Earth Through Mind Cultivation
So I would submit that, making Christian nations is central to that aspect of the mission, that the cultural mandate, some has called it, or the Creation Commission, the part of the Great Commission that Jesus gave us.
Abraham Hamilton III Now I've often, lamented and decried on this program, though Jesus instructed, when he was asked what's the greatest commandment? And he gave two he quotes from Deuteronomy 6 and says, you should love the Lord with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength. Jesus. And answering in that way, literally lays out that the cultivation of the mind is central to being a worshiper of the Lord. But in our nation, and though we have texts like Proverbs 1:7, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, the, fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding that we have an entire system of instruction and mind cultivation that denies the knowledge of God. And I've simply said that we shouldn't be surprised, surprised if we have relegated mind cultivation generationally to people who hate God, that that results in a society comprised of God haters. And so if we are going to be obedient to the Lord's command and executing the Great Commission, the body of Christ has to once again lead in cultivating the mind. And I've had the privilege in participating in a film that the Providence foundation has commissioned called Educated for Liberty, and that you are the host and the moderator for, what caused you to want to participate in this film.
Educated for Liberty: A Film on Biblical Education's Role in Freedom and Cultural Transformation
And in a moment here we're going to play a snippet from the trailer, and then talk a little bit more how people can watch it. But what made you want to, participate in the creation of this film?
Stephen McDowell Well, of course, my work at the Providence foundation for the past 42 years has been all about biblical education. And I, have the same concerns and have for decades that you've just expressed. And so we've written lots of books, we put out DVDs, and so we decided we need to provide a easy way for millions of Americans to understand, the value and the importance of education. We call this film Educated for Liberty. Because to live in liberty is difficult. The default state of sinful man is not to live free. You leave man to himself, he won't spy, you know, he won't become more and more free and prosperous, he'll spiral downward into more bondage. And so to live in liberty, it takes a lot of effort, education, knowledge, character, truth. In essence, it takes the Christian faith because Christianity changes the heart. The only religion, if you will, if you want to call it a religion, that changes the heart. But it also gives us principles of how to live. So in this film it explores how home centered biblical education produced the free and flourishing nation of America. But the last hundred plus years secular education has led to great moral and academic decline. And when government took over schools and a secular philosophy captivated our government schools, it's sowing bad seeds that we're seeing the fruit of today for generate for centuries. In the beginning we sowed good seeds. That's why colleges were started to train godly ministers, schools were started teach people to read the Bible. Bible centered good seeds were planted, produced good fruit. Unfortunately in the last many generations we've been producing a lot of bad fruit. But the solution then is to restore biblical education to our nation. And the good news is God is doing that. And this film is our contribution which people can see free by the [email protected] it's our contribution to help show parents you have the right and responsibility to govern the education of your children. And you might delegate aspects of that to others, but it's still your responsibility. And parent churches ought to help them in that responsibility.
Reversing National Decline: The Critical Role of Family and Christian Discipleship in Education
So it's primarily the God gives families the primary responsibility, not civil government who've assumed that responsibility primarily because families have given it up. And we see the bad fruit of that today.
Abraham Hamilton III You know, I've said there are a couple things I want to say in light of this and we won't have time to get to it before the next segment. But I want to play a, snippet from the trailer for the audience here. But I've said that there is no way to reverse course in our nation if we continue to seed the discipleship of subsequent generations. Of Americans to the world. There's no way around it because a lot of the negative things we see in government policies, for example, that we see in social, statistics that are indicative of negative benchmarks, of our society, all of them highlight and really, amplify deficiencies that abound in the home, starting with the cultivation of the mind. Do you think I'm overstating that case?
Stephen McDowell No, not at all. I think the primary reason for the decline of America, is government control of education because education is discipleship, as you know, talked about in the film. And everyone's going to be discipled. So we're going to either be discipled toward Christ and his truth or we're going to be discipled to anti Christian ideology. And so we now 90% almost of youth in America are being discipled toward anti Christian ideas. and you, we have to take that back. We have to, beginning with Christians, reassume that responsibility or there is no hope.
The Critical Importance of Educating for Liberty and Supporting Pro-Life Ministries
I agree, with you.
Abraham Hamilton III All right, I gotta break in right here because the disrespectful music, that's what I call a bumper music. It's disrespectful because we're having a great conversation, but we'll continue it on the other side of the break. My guest is the president and co founder of the Providence Foundation. We're discussing the brand new film that you can see with for free, no charge by going to educated for liberty dot com. More on our conversation. More of our conversation with Steven McDowell on the other side of the brink. Stay with us,
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Restoring Biblical Education: Addressing the Erosion of Christian Influence in Children's Upbringing
Stephen McDowell the Hamilton Corner podcast and one minute commentaries are [email protected] back to the Hamilton corner on American Family Radio.
Abraham Hamilton III Welcome back to the Hamilton Corner. Steve McDowell, President Co founder of the Providence foundation, is our guest. We're discussing the film Educated for Liberty that you can watch right now by going to educatedforliberty.com. Stephen McDowell is the moderator of the film. I've had the privilege to be a part of the film, and I have to tell you, it's a wonderful, wonderful resource, that will bolster your commitment, frankly, to the Lord and your discipleship responsibilities and will provide some resources for you to enable you to do that. Well, Brother McDowell, I had the opportunity one time to address a group of pastors, and I was talking about this very topic, and I just say it very plainly. You know, where do you think the ideas that the young people in your church are struggling? Where do you think they come from? You know, I said, do you think that they're at home and their parents are telling them, hey, you need to go and, you know, smoke weed, you need to fornicate, you need to, you know, steal, you need to go rob. You need to do where these ideas are coming from. And he was like, nah, I don't think the parents are doing it. I said, where do you think it's coming from? They say, well, probably it's coming from their peers and what they're learning at schools. And I said, by seeding this ground outside of what God mandated, as you said in the previous segment, God has called parents, really and fathers ultimately be responsible for the paideia and new theseia of our children. Ultimately, we're responsible for it. But by ceding that to God haters, we as pastors are working against ourselves. We are creating the environments that are working the circumstances that are working against our efforts to rear our children in the nurturing admonition of the Lord. Who else does that? That's like running on a treadmill and eating ice cream sundae at the same time.
Reclaiming Our Greatest Weapon: The Power of Biblical Education for Transforming Families and Nations
Why would we continue to do that when we see the evidences of it? You know, and so when I said that there were a couple pastors, the lights went on in their heads. But because we've done things in this way for so long, even though it really is a relatively recent departure from the way we've done things dating back to our founding era, that some people have kind of been imprisoned by the most recent practices, is that something that you have found, as you alluded to earlier, that we need to appeal to get Christians to understand that this is something that parents and families need to lead out on in their own homes?
Stephen McDowell Yeah, exactly that. You know, there's three main things we want to accomplish through this film. One, to show parents you have the right and responsibility to govern the education of your children. Not just the right, but responsibility. Two, the church should assist parents in this mission. And then three, the reason the way to become a free nation and live as a free nation is to be educated in biblical truth. But you know, you were saying that Psalm 127 tells us that our children are arrows in the hands of the Lord. The greatest weapon God has given us to transform culture and affect the future is through our children. And so we're preparing them and sharpening them. We're aiming them to be effective at transmitting the kingdom of God. But unfortunately we've given our greatest weapon to the enemy. When we send them to government schools, they then are preparing them in their philosophy and turning around and using that our greatest weapon against us and against God's kingdom. Colossians 2:8 says, See, Paul writes, see to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of the world, according to the elementary principles of the world. So worldly philosophies, man centered worldly philosophies bring captivity rather. And then he goes on to say, rather than according to Christ, Christian principles bring liberty. And as we've surrendered our children, our greatest weapon to this, these secular ideas, they've been led astray. They've been led into captivity. And of course not just they, but that impacts all of life the way, because our children's education determines the future of our nation. So they've been led, led astray. And so that is then the message, well, let's take back the best weapon God has given us. Let's prepare them to accomplish what education does. It forms godly character internally, it forms a biblical worldview, and it equips youth to fulfill their godly calling, every sphere of life.
Fortifying Christians Against Captivity: The Necessity of Biblical Worldview and Education
So when we do that, we will have a tremendous impact upon the future. If we fail to do it, as you point out, we are going backwards.
Abraham Hamilton III And it should be instructive to us that when you refer to Colossians 2:8, you know, I've talked about in verse four of the same chapter, he warns against being deluded. And if the delusion is not intercepted, that delusion metastasizes into full blown captivity, as you pointed out. But we should recognize that Paul, by the spirit of God is writing this to warn Christians. He's writing to the Christians so that you won't be taken captive. This is how you should be fortified against that captivity, as you rightly pointed out. but let's do this. Jeff, would you please cue up a, snippet from the trailer from the film Educated for Liberty? Go. All worldviews are simply trying to answer the major questions of life, like where did we come from? What is our purpose for being here? A, biblical worldview is answering those questions from the authority of Scripture.
Stephen McDowell If you can't think biblically, then what you have is a bunch of secular thinking people who attend church, which will never change a community in the right direction.
Dr. Jessica Peck We're not, as a church, raising up parents that understand their responsibility in the education of their children.
Abraham Hamilton III Sunday school is fine, it's good vocation Bible school, fine and good, but it's not a knot. Education is discipleship one way or another. Discipling our children in a secularized society,
Dr. Jessica Peck or it's discipling them to Christ.
Stephen McDowell How could you possibly segregate the concept of education from the duty and responsibility of the Christian faith and that they should be trained in the Christian faith
Abraham Hamilton III and in a Christian way?
Stephen McDowell For hundreds of years in this country, the Bible was the essential book. It was the foundation of, everything. And yet here we are where it's actually controversial that we should have the Bible in education. It's truly astounding.
The Film 'Educated for Liberty': A Vital Resource for Discipling Generations and Reversing National Decline
Abraham Hamilton III That last voice you heard was my friend Alex Newman. A lot of the people in the film, you've heard them and seen them on this show. as I mentioned, I'm in this film as well. My friends, Will and Mickey Addison are in the film. the Bartons, Tim and David Barton are in the film. a host of people, who I love, admire and respect are in this film. And honestly, I don't think there's a more critical issue that needs to be discussed. And on the show on a daily basis, often say, that because I have an evening drive time show, that you're transitioning from your part time job to your full time job. And that we have an obligation to welcome the primacy that God places on family, to govern and guide our engagement in family. And as you rightly pointed out, one of the greatest weapons, if not the greatest weapons, that God has given us to establish multi generational faithfulness to the King of Kings. And the Lord of Lords is the family. And with the privilege to rear children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And unfortunately, people who hate God seem to understand that more than others. You know, you have people like Lennon who said, you know, give me your children at 4 years old, in one generation, I'll change the world. You know, wicked people have understood that. But unfortunately the people of God have been a little bit slow on uptick in this regard. But I believe this film is a vital resource in reversing that reality. And it's something that I believe can happen in a far more quick manner than we think that it can happen. To that point, brother, McDowell, what do you think in terms of, when people say, well, man, look how far gone we are, can we really make an about face in our nation? If we respond to the Lord's command to us to rear our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, with the cultivation of the mind at the center, can we have an about face within a generation or two?
Stephen McDowell Well, absolutely. You know, God's seed is good. You plant God's seed in good soil, it produces abundant fruit. I love the saying, you can count how many seeds are in an apple, but you cannot count how many apples are in a seed. One seed has the potential of producing millions of pieces of fruit. Now, secular seeds are bad. Weeds grow, but they're not good. They don't produce good stuff. But God's seed, it's so powerful that for a hundred years we've been kicking God out of schools and government and everything else, but we are still the most free and prosperous nation in the world, even after backsliding for generations. That shows you the power of truth in God's seed. So there are, you know, I've been doing this ministry almost 50 years. When I first started, there was not so many people, you know, aware and teaching these kind of things of impacting culture and worldview. In the late 70s, 10 or 15,000 homeschoolers, perhaps in America today, there are 3 to 5 million. Most of those are Christians. And new seeds have been planted and are being planted and we already see some good fruit coming forth, from that.
Revival and Hope: Planting Seeds of Truth for Societal Transformation and National Renewal
So yes, because God, you know, God knows the frailty of man and our tendency for the fire to go out. So throughout history he sent revival. And revival is not just, you know, kind of a one time little outpouring and people get saved. But biblical revival results in the permanent transformation of society and societal, institutions and laws. And so God, I believe, is pouring out his spirit in America. He is awakening a lot of people. You know, American Family Radio and ministries like that in the past number of decades are an indication God is doing something. He's awakening people. We're sowing seeds that used to not be there. so God hasn't given up on us. I still believe he has a plan in accordance with the vision of the Founders for America to be a city set upon a hill, an example to the nations. So he is at work. Good. Seeds are being planted. Now we've got a lot to do. we, we haven't tanked out but you know, we've got a whole lot more. But I love Jon Quincy Adams. The sixth president said, he said, duty is ours. The results are the Lord's. And so the fact that there are many people recognizing their duty, acting upon their duty is an indication to me God is bringing forth the fruit.
Duty and Worship: Embracing God's Purpose and Investing in His Kingdom Through Personal Calling
We can't cause seeds to grow, but we sow the seed, we can water the sea, we can pull up the weeds. So yes, I do have hope. But I also recognize it's going to take a whole lot of prayer, a whole lot of work, a whole lot of God's mercy, to turn this nation around.
Abraham Hamilton III I'm so encouraged and moved and stirred by what you said because it is so true. I was talking earlier, in the first segment before you came on from Philippians chapter one, when the apostle Paul being keenly aware of, that he may very well be at the end of his life, and he remarks on not knowing which to choose to be with Jesus or to be engaged in fruitful life labor. And I said there's nobody who can persuade me that Paul was confused as to which one is better. But he loved the Lord. So much so that even though he was in a 1st century Roman Empire dominated world, that he didn't have an escapist orientation because he loved God's purpose for him and so that put him in that position. Yes, I want to be in Jesus presence, but I likewise want to fulfill all he's called me to in the here and now. And I feel that there's a similar reality on our standpoint that the focal point that we need to have is not kind of limiting it to an external analysis and observation based on how we feel, the nation is succeeding or not, but giving ourselves wholly to what God has called us to personally, that we find ourselves being poured out in service of our Lord's purpose, out of a worship filled, response to the transcendent eternal gift of salvation.
Advancing God's Kingdom: Fulfilling Our Duty in Every Sphere of Life for Liberty and Fruitfulness
And as we respond in that manner, embracing Jon Quincy Adams statement, duty is ours, results are the Lord's, that we invest ourselves in duty in a worship filled response to the one who saved our souls. Do you see that as a means by which the body of Christ in our nation right now. I'm grateful for what the Lord is doing all over the world, but I desire for the believer in our nation to respond to our Lord's call. Is that a way for the believer here to invest ourselves in what God is calling us to?
Stephen McDowell Yes, if, you know, all of God's people working together. If we fulfill our calling and duty, we're all together inching forward the kingdom of God. Biblical education will advance God's kingdom with good fruit. It will. It can't help but do that. It will produce and advance liberty. And again, all of us fulfill our duty in whatever God's called us to do. So if we're a businessman, we conduct our business providing a needed good or service to our fellow man, do it in a biblical manner that's actually advancing God's kingdom. Parents, if we assume responsibility to train our children and do all our other responsibilities, we're advancing, God's kingdom. Farmers, when they produce, you know, food, excellent food at the cheapest price, that's advancing God's kingdom. So we do that in every sphere.
Confidence in God's Plan: Sowing Seeds of Truth for National Turnaround and His Glory
We don't have to think, oh, you know, I'm not a preacher or I can't make a film or something like that. We just do our duty in every area, in every sphere of life, and we will inch forward the kingdom of God. So, and this is good news, because I can do that. You know, I might not know the president. I might not be able to enact a law, but I can fulfill my duty and responsibility to my family, my community, my church, and I can do that. And if each of us understand and act that way, we can have great confidence. God will bring forth the fruit because he's the one that's directing the events of history. He has a plan for history. They will be fulfilled.
Abraham Hamilton III Amen.
Stephen McDowell Where America fits in, you know, that's up to him, but it's up to us too, because we have a responsibility in that. But I know God is moving among the nations. I've been to many nations. He's pouring out his spirit in an, unprecedented way among all the nations. And I believe he's at work in the United States as well.
Abraham Hamilton III Amen. Educated for Liberty is the film. You can watch it for free at educated for liberty.com liberty educatedforliberty.com. watch it. Share it with your friends, family and loved ones. And let's live for the glory of our king.
Dr. Jessica Peck The m views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American family radio.
In this episode of The Hamilton Corner, Abraham Hamilton III reflects on Philippians 1 and the Apostle Paul’s conviction that Christ should be exalted in every circumstance—whether in life or in death. What does it mean to be “heavenly minded” while serving faithfully here and now? Hamilton argues that eternal hope should deepen our commitment to the work God has given us in our families, communities, and nation.
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