RenewaNation logo

The RenewaNation Blog

Wisdom for shaping how children see the world

Practical, biblical insight for parents, pastors, and educators — 618+ articles on family discipleship, church ministry, and Christian education.

Articles

Connecting Vision, Mission and PracticeThe RenewaNation Review

Connecting Vision, Mission and Practice

When taking a road trip, the driver must first know a destination before he can embark on the journey. Without a clear route, he is sure to run into many detours that could have been avoidable had his sights been set on the destination from the beginning. These detours could result in additional…

Brian MashburnNov 21, 20187 min
Paying for Christian School (K-12) with 529 PlansThe RenewaNation Review

Paying for Christian School (K-12) with 529 Plans

The recent passage of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act allows for 529 Savings Plans, which previously could only be used for qualified college expenses, to now be used for private school tuition. This is good news for parents whose state offers an income tax deduction for 529 contributions or who anticipate…

Brian MashburnNov 17, 20183 min
The RenewaNation Review

Post-truth

The 2016 Oxford Dictionary word of the year was post-truth.post-truth /ˌpəʊs(t)ˈtruːθ/ Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotional and personal belief. 1What does that mean? You and I would call it a…

Brian MashburnNov 14, 20183 min
3 Reasons You Need to Help Families Develop a Biblical WorldviewThe RenewaNation Review

3 Reasons You Need to Help Families Develop a Biblical Worldview

I recently read an article that reported on George Barna’s speech to an Ohio pro-life organization. The report caused me great alarm as it revealed the state of Americans in relation to their worldview. Barna told the pro-life advocates that their movement faces some major challenges in the days…

Brian MashburnNov 10, 20185 min
Why Worldview MattersThe RenewaNation Review

Why Worldview Matters

Every parent, grandparent, and pastor I know all want to see their children grow up to know, love, and follow Jesus for a lifetime. We want our children to smell like the scent of heaven and to spend eternity there.Unfortunately, many Christian young people are unprepared to navigate the tidal wave…

Brian MashburnNov 7, 201810 min
Hearing God in the DarkThe RenewaNation Review

Hearing God in the Dark

The marshmallows were bought, the camp chairs were set up, babies had taken good naps, and all was ready for the perfect backyard bonfire night. We had worked hard to build our own stone fire pit, and the boys had found their ideal roasting sticks. The first hour was pure bliss of burnt…

Brian MashburnNov 3, 20183 min
God's Providence in American HistoryThe RenewaNation Review

God's Providence in American History

The Founders of America had a providential view of history. In an address to the United States Congress in 1866, historian George Bancroft reflected this predominant philosophy when he said: “That God rules in the affairs of men is as certain as any truth of physical science.” 1American history is…

Brian MashburnOct 31, 20188 min
The Renewanation Review | The Bible and America's FoundingThe RenewaNation Review

The Renewanation Review | The Bible and America's Founding

Modern historians discount the role of religion in the events of the past. Because of their secular bias, they prefer to focus on things like trade imbalances, poverty, and technological innovations. These are the things that motivate people to make history, not belief in God and the Bible.But not…

Brian MashburnOct 27, 20186 min
The Renewanation Review | The Tragic Consequences of False IdeasThe RenewaNation Review

The Renewanation Review | The Tragic Consequences of False Ideas

On April 8, 2018, 23-year-old Casey James Lawhorn murdered his mom and his good friend, Avery. Casey decided to write a lengthy Facebook post to detail why and how he committed these horrific murders. After describing in grotesque detail how he killed his friend and mother, he made some statements…

Brian MashburnOct 24, 20182 min
The Renewanation Review | Not Far AwayThe RenewaNation Review

The Renewanation Review | Not Far Away

Not far away, in the center of town, stands a large church. The sermons are replete with Scripture, and the congregation has a reputation as “Bible-believing” people. This is why what I’m about to say is so hard to believe. The difficulty isn’t obvious to most, and many who attend the church don’t…

Brian MashburnOct 20, 20186 min
The Renewanation Review | What is Biblical Worldview?The RenewaNation Review

The Renewanation Review | What is Biblical Worldview?

Creation. Marriage. Divorce. Jesus. Gender. Education. Abortion. Parenting. Flat earth. Islam. Immigration. Vaccines. The Bible. Climate change. Did any of these words generate a response in your mind? Did you silently state agreement or disagreement as you read some of the words? Did any personal…

Brian MashburnOct 17, 20187 min
How To Start A Christian School With Limited FundsThe RenewaNation Review

How To Start A Christian School With Limited Funds

By Jeff Keaton - Founder, CEO & President of RenewaNationIn 2002, God placed on my heart a call for the church I was pastoring to start a Christian school. At that time, I was unable to locate someone to lead us through the process in any significant way. However, it was God’s plan, and we…

Brian MashburnAug 16, 201810 min