view previous How do We Change the Culture We Live In
In my last post How do We Change the Culture We Live In? I showed you the pyramid I had designed after listening to an interview with Andy Andrews. Today I am going to start breaking each section of the pyramid down and discussing it more.
As with any good building project – one that is meant to last and be strong – you need a good foundation. It is building logic 101 – without a good, solid foundation your structure will never last or be able to withstand the test of time. It is no different with the concept of changing a culture. So what is the foundation to changing a culture (for the better)? Knowledge – what I refer to in this example as Foundational Knowledge and Understanding.
I don’t care what anyone else may say – this great country of ours was founded on Christian principles and regardless of how “religious” our Founders were or were not, they had a biblical worldview. To understand right and wrong; to understand truth and lies; to understand virtue – having knowledge and understanding of Christian principles from a biblical worldview perspective is foundational to the rest of culture structure.
Hand in hand with that are founding principles and not only knowledge of, but understanding of our founding documents. Knowing the history of our country – the real history – is critical. If we don’t know where we come from, how do we know where we are going?
If one’s “foundation” is built on anything less than these things, it will not stand the test of time, nor will it positively influence the culture. Too many in our world today base everything they do on what feels good or what everyone else is doing. Truth then becomes relative and changes with the wind – and we end up with a society of people who are only looking out for #1. We end up with a society that doesn’t know right from wrong and things get jumbled. We end up with citizens who don’t know what true freedom even is anymore.
So – how do we gain this foundational knowledge and understanding that is so absolutely necessary in order to change our culture? Simple. Educate yourself. Read and study scripture. Don’t just skim over it and let it bounce off – read it. Find a study bible or life application bible. Ask questions of your pastor. Find good resources that explain the principles that God Himself gives us. Find a biblical worldview study – The Truth Project is a great one and offers a lot of great insight. Dedicate yourself to learning more. Many call themselves Christians, but never bother to dig down deep to learn what that really means.
When it comes to founding principles and documents – the same applies. Educate yourself. Find reliable resources that teach the true history of our Founders. Wallbuilders and National Center for Constitutional Studies both have great resources available. Read the original writings and quotes of the founding fathers to learn more about them. Read, study and learn the founding documents so that you understand them in their original context and meaning.
Building this foundation will not happen in a day. It takes time to get it right and to make it strong. But as you learn these things and start focusing on what you are learning – it will influence every other thing you do and how you see the world around you. Trust me, I am experiencing it on a daily basis.
