What's the "Hedgehog" for Christian Education (part 3)

OK, I'm now on the third part of this five part series of posts to seek after the single organizing idea for Christian educators in any setting. Justin and I found this next question the most difficult one to answer. After lots of discussion and reflection here's what we came up with:

What can we be the best in the world at?

I think we can be the best at raising up the most influential people in the next generation. Wow, that sounds humble, doesn't it?! Let me explain because I think this is the only conclusion we can make. It starts with the sovereignty of God and understanding his sovereign call on all of mankind as creatures made in his image. He has made us to reflect him and represent him. His call on our lives is to do that accurately. Anthony Hoekema puts it this way: "The call of God is living in harmony with the will of God in relation to God, others, and to the world."

Now, we cannot accurately reflect and represent him until God redeems us by the gospel of Jesus Christ. When God redeems someone, that person now can live the way God always wanted that person to live. In other words that person can use all of the God-reflecting gifts and capacities supremely for the glory of God! That's an exciting venture! Yes, there is much common grace in the world of education, but an educational system under a non-Christian worldview cannot do this work and therefore falls short, even fails.

So what I mean by all of this is that I think Christian education can prepare students for the call of God on their lives better than any other education system not because of ourselves but because of the gospel. I think we can better help students fulfill the responsibility God has given all of us to rule over this world for him (Now, I must qualify these statements by saying that I believe Christian educators partner with both parents and with the church in preparing students for the call of God. What we do supplements primarily the work of parents in families.) Therefore as John Murrays has said, "let us in his strength go forth and claim every realm for him who must reign until all his enemies shall have been made his footstool."