Culture keeps shifting, faster than most families and schools can keep up. What once felt stable now feels uncertain, and leaders are left wondering how to respond without panic, compromise, or fear. The real challenge is knowing where to stand when everything around you moves. This is easier with with biblical worldview.

In this episode of Clearly Christian, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School, welcomes Jerry Nelson, Chief Ministry Officer at Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Together, they explore how intentional spiritual formation prepares Christian schools, leaders and parents to navigate today’s cultural moment with clarity and confidence.

This episode challenges viewers and listeners to see cultural pressure as a proving ground for biblical worldview formation. It’s an opportunity that can be seized. And it’s a reminder that spiritual maturity doesn’t happen automatically. Intentional preparation today determines how faithfully the next generation will live tomorrow.

Takeaways

-— Cultural moments are temporary, but God’s story is bigger and ongoing

— Spiritual formation is not a program or checklist to get crossed off in a list of things to do.

— Christian education must teach from a biblical worldview. It’s not good enough to “sprinkle” the bible in.

— Families are the first institution God established, and schools should support, not replace them

— Unity in Christ must guide how diversity is understood and practiced

— Crisis reveals the strength of a school’s formation. Truth reveals itself when the times are toughest.

— Human dignity begins with realizing we are made in the image of God

— Discipleship is the pathway to resilience in a rapidly changing culture

Chapters

00:13 Introduction

00:41 Our Shifting Culture

04:10 About Jerry Nelson

09:52 Impact of a Christian Education

14:50 The Spiritual Formation Journey Map

20:35 Owning Spiritual Formation

24:06 Flourishing Families

28:44 A Parent’s Roles in Education

35:25 Unity in the Face of Diversity

43:36 The Virtualization of our World

46:41 Contact and Podcast Information

48:02 Chalkboard Points

Helpful Links:

Jerry Nelson, Chief Ministry Officer, ACSI: ACSI.org/spiritualformation

Grafted Together Podcast: ACSI.org/graftedtogether

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

Are you a leader of an organization? And if so, are you afraid to talk about money? Many are and that’s a problem. Even more so with a not-for-profit organization where asking for money feels taboo. When leaders operate in survival mode, hoping things work out instead of planning for growth, excellence becomes harder to sustain, innovation slows down, and long-term impact is compromised

In this “Extra Credit” episode of the Clearly Christian Podcast, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School dives deeper into his recent podcast conversation with Justin Savini, Advancement Director at Dlmarva Christian School, CEO of Savini Solutions

It’s a deeper dive exploring how mindset, leadership, and business discipline intersect with mission-driven work. Cy talks about profit, margin, and strategic planning as essential tools for excellence, particularly in Christian education.

Takeaways

-A scarcity mindset keeps organizations stuck in survival mode

-Excellence has a real cost, and avoiding it undermines mission

-Fundraising is a leadership responsibility, not a side task

-Operating at break-even prevents long-term improvement

S-trong products and reputations retain support even in hard times

-Strategic planning must be revisited annually, not every three to five years. Things change too fast.

-Margin creates freedom to innovate instead of constantly reacting

Purpose and profit are not opposites. They go together and support each other in accomplishing the things worth doing.

Chapters

00:13 — Introduction

01:33 — Justin Savini Example of Enthusiastic Fundraising

03:29 — Operating at a Loss

06:17 — Planning for Success

09:03 — Who Owns Fundraising

12:21 — Consistent Strategic Planning

Helpful Links:

Justin Savini, Delmarva Christian Schools: https://www.delmarvachristian.org/ and Savini Solutions: https://www.savinisolutions.com/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

Any successful business understands that without revenue, it can not last, let alone succeed. You can have vision, talent, and good intentions, but if the money isn’t there, success isn’t possible. Nonprofits and Christian schools aren’t exempt from that reality. Calling it “mission-driven” doesn’t change the math. Sustainability still matters.

In this episode of Clearly Christian, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School, talks with Justin Savini, Advancement Director at Delmarva Christian School and founder of Savini Solutions. They challenge long-held assumptions about fundraising, profit, and purpose in Christian schools and nonprofit organizations.

Justin shares why fundraising shouldn’t live on the margins of an organization, how scarcity thinking holds schools back, and why mission-driven work still requires clear financial responsibility.

When organizations align purpose with financial clarity, they move from surviving year to year to building something sustainable, resilient, and worthy of the mission they claim to serve.

Takeaways

-Fundraising is a necessary and strategic function of the organization

-Purpose and profit work together, and can help provide for each other

-Scarcity mindset limits growth more than lack of vision

-Nonprofit organizations are allowed to generate surplus and build reserves

-Healthy fundraising focuses on relationships and not simply transactions

-Financial margin creates space for excellence and long-term impact

-Leadership teams must stop avoiding money conversations and own them

-Investing in fundraising infrastructure is one of the few roles that can multiply resources

-Mission stalls when organizations refuse to think like responsible businesses

Chapters

00:13 Introduction

00:35 Thinking Differently About Fundraising

04:33 About Justin Savini

09:46 Mission Driven Fundraising

16:12 Communicating Expectations

22:35 Profit and Purpose in Partnership

26:24 Changing the Fundraising Mindset

30:14 Strategic Planning with Savini Solutions

39:58 Overcoming Hesitation towards Fundraising

46:56 Nonprofit vs For Loss

51:37 Contact Information

53:29 Chalkboard Points

Helpful Links:

Justin Savini, Delmarva Christian Schools: https://www.delmarvachristian.org/ and Savini Solutions: https://www.savinisolutions.com/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

Leaders rarely wake up one day intending to abandon their mission. Instead, pressure, growth, fear, and convenience quietly begin to reshape decisions until the original purpose feels distant. We call that Mission Drift, and it can hurt an organization now and for a long time to come. 

In this “Extra Credit” episode of the Clearly Christian Podcast, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School dives deeper into his recent podcast conversation with Dr. Jay McCurry, Provost at Randall University.

Dr. Smith explains how organizations can appear successful on the surface while slowly losing their identity underneath, and highlights how generational change, economic downturns, and unclear messaging can pull leaders off course.

The point is that clarity, shared responsibility, and long-term thinking can help organizations stay anchored even as people, customers, and circumstances change. The mission must be protected on purpose, or it will eventually fade on its own.

Takeaways

— Mission drift shows up gradually through small compromises made under pressure.

— Growth, enrollment, or revenue can mask deeper problems if identity and purpose are no longer clear.

— Economic stress is one of the most common moments when leaders feel tempted to abandon their original mission.

— Changing who you serve in order to survive can reshape who you are, whether you intend it or not.

— Organizations that stay on mission during hard seasons usually choose improvement over reinvention.

— A clearly stated mission helps customers, families, and employees understand not just what you do, but why you exist.

— Generational transitions are a major risk point for drift if the founding purpose is not actively protected.

— Mission alignment works best when responsibility is shared, with the team.

— Purpose has to be revisited, reinforced, and defended regularly, or it will slowly fade on its own.

Chapters

00:13 — Why Mission Drift Matters

01:36— Defining the Drift

04:08 — How Organizations Lose Their Way

08:25 — The Value of Mission

10:39 — Staying Aligned as People Change

Helpful Links: 

Dr. Jay McCurry, Randall University: https://ru.edu/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

Leaders feel the tension every day between staying true to what matters most and the constant pressure to adapt, adjust, and survive. But when the mission itself begins to fade, the cost is far greater than declining enrollment or public criticism. The question becomes whether Christian education still forms hearts and minds for truth, or is left to quietly blend into everything else.

In this episode of Clearly Christian, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School, talks with Dr. Jay McCurry, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Randall University. They talk about mission, what it means to operate on purpose, and the daily and diligent fight to make sure never to drift off course. 

Changes will happen, and if you’re not operating on purpose with a mission, the path can become gray. Gen Z students arrive spiritually curious yet morally confused. Newer faculty bring expertise and passion, but frequently lack formal biblical worldview training. And the expectation to grow and to succeed can contribute to leaders taking shortcuts to meet goals. Without intentional development, modeling, accountability, and constant communication, sacred–secular division quietly takes root.

Whether in a Christian school environment, a corporate office or a small town business, Dr. McCurry emphasizes that worldview must shape everything. Mission drift is not defeated through slogans or programs, but through clear conviction, relational leadership, spiritual formation, and an unwavering commitment to live what is taught.

Takeaways

-Mission drift is driven most powerfully by financial pressure and cultural conformity

-Hybrid worldviews are now common among both students and younger faculty

-Worldview must shape hiring, curriculum, policies, athletics, and student life

-Sacred–secular divide weakens Christian education from the inside out

-Clear conviction builds trust with families rather than driving them away

-One-on-one relationships remain the most effective leadership influence

-Consistent communication is essential for sustaining mission clarity

-Christian education exists to form disciples, not just award credentials

Chapters

00:13 Why Mission Drift Is the Real Threat

05:58 Financial Pressure vs. Biblical Conviction

10:56 What a Provost Really Protects

13:23 Curriculum, Athletics, and Mission Fit

16:11 When Someone Isn’t a Mission Fit

18:30 Gen Z and Hybrid Worldviews

20:50 Training Others to Think Christianly

25:59 Why Clear Communication Matters

31:08 Trust, Loyalty, and Bold Conviction

33:29 Why Christian Education Still Matters

36:41 Chalkboard Points

Helpful Links: 

Dr. Jay McCurry, Randall University: https://ru.edu/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

We talk a lot about culture, pressures, and influences, but underneath all of it is a deeper question: Who is actually forming the worldview our kids will carry into adulthood? And are we, as adults, consistent enough in our own thinking to give them clarity instead of confusion?

In this “Extra Credit” episode of the Clearly Christian Podcast, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School dives deeper into his recent podcast conversation with Billy Hutchinson of the Colson Educators Program.

Cy digs into the pressures students face, the intellectual hunger young people have for answers, and the struggle of Christian teachers in public schools who feel silenced or sidelined.

It’s an important conversation for anyone invested in teaching, parenting, or shaping young minds. If you care about how the next generation learns to think biblically, then this episode is for you.

Takeaways

-The worldview a teacher carries into the classroom is shaped by years of training and influences, not just their faith

-Students often encounter mixed messages when different teachers approach truth inconsistently

-A “hybrid worldview” develops when biblical truth is placed in one box and secular ideas in another

-Kids face overwhelming cultural noise, making clarity and confidence even more crucial

-Intellectual skepticism is now a leading barrier to faith for young adults

-Christian teachers in public schools often feel unable to speak truth without risking their jobs

-Parents face increasing challenges competing with the worldview messages their kids receive elsewhere

-Christian education must start with God’s truth, not attach it after the fact

Chapters

00:13 Intro

01:46 A Teachers’s Worldview?

03:22 Mixed Messages

06:31 Cultural Noise

08:34 Public School Tension

11:10 “Your Truth” Problem

12:40 Teachers Under Pressure

14:49 How Colson Helps

16:24 Final Thoughts

Helpful Links: 

Billy Hutchinson, Educators Specialist at The Colson Center: https://colsoncenter.org/

Truth Rising: https://www.watchtruthrising.com/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

When truth is uncertain and authority feels fractured, how do Christian educators help students see clearly? Young minds are desperate for credibility, and it’s up to teachers to guide them toward what’s real, good, and true.

In this episode of Clearly Christian, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School, sits down with Billy Hutchison, Educator Specialist at the Colson Center, to discuss how teachers can shape a generation that not only knows truth but lives it.

Together, they explore how the worldview of a teacher shapes the worldview of a student, why credibility and consistency are vital in today’s schools, and how even classroom methods and our pedagogy must align with Christian truth.

When we fill students’ minds with truth, we shape their hearts for Christ. Learn more about that mission and how you can make an impact in your schools and home on the Clearly Christian podcast.

Takeaways

-The training of a child’s mind is inseparable from the shaping of their heart.

-Teachers don’t just transfer knowledge, they reproduce who they are as humans

-The worldview of the teacher, curriculum, and campus must align to create coherence.

-Credibility matters: students can sense when truth is uncertain or inauthentic.

-Hybrid worldviews in the classroom create confusion and erode trust.

-The Colson Educators Program equips teachers to teach with clarity, confidence, and courage.

-Faithful Christian education starts with fidelity to truth in both content and method.

-Formation matters more than curriculum.

-Seeing the world from God’s perspective transforms every subject and every student.

Chapters

0:13 – Introduction by Dr. Cy Smith

2:20 – Introducing Billy Hutchison and the Colson Educators Program

4:20– Why credibility in education matters

8:32 – Competing voices and the crisis of authority

13:03 – Integrating worldview across disciplines

15:03 – Colson Educators Resources

19:58– What hybrid worldviews look like in classrooms

23:00 – Aligning content, pedagogy, and culture

27:27 – Training Christian educators vs. educators who are Christians

33:30 – Moving beyond biblical integration

36:06 – The “second Renaissance” of Christian education

41:27 – Truth Rising and the Educators Edition

46:20 – How to access Colson Educators resources

48:39 – Closing and Chalkboard Points

Helpful Links: 

To learn more about Colson Educators, visit https://colsoneducators.org/.

To get equipped to teach from a Christian worldview, complete the free Worldview Formation 101 course by visiting https://courses.colsoneducation.org/worldview-formation-101

To earn free CEUs by watching Truth Rising the documentary, visit: https://courses.colsoneducation.org/truth-rising-documentary

To earn free CEUs by completing the Truth Rising: Educators Edition study, visit: https://courses.colsoneducation.org/truth-rising-educators-study

Email Billy Hutchinson of Colson Educators at [email protected].

Billy Hutchinson, Educators Specialist at The Colson Center: https://colsoncenter.org/

Truth Rising: https://www.watchtruthrising.com/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

Sometimes you walk away from a conversation realizing you’re living through a turning point — not just personally, but culturally. Questions about truth, identity, and who gets to define “normal” aren’t abstract anymore. They’re shaping our kids, our communities, and the future they will inherit.

In this “Extra Credit” episode of the Clearly Christian Podcast, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School expands on the core themes from his recent discussion with John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center.

Cy reflects on conversations happening inside Mansfield Christian Schools every day. Today’s students crave authenticity, meaningful relationships, and trustworthy guidance. And while the challenges facing Christian families are real — hostility toward faith, cultural confusion, and even attacks on Christian institutions — there is also tremendous encouragement: bold clarity is resonating, and people are hungry for truth and conviction.

Takeaways

– We can’t allow culture to redefine “normal” without evaluating truth against Scripture

– Younger generations deeply value genuine relationships with trusted adults

– Christian students thrive when their identity is anchored in being made in God’s image

– Clarity and courage in communicating truth embolden others to stand

– America risks severing itself from its founding principles and collapsing as civilizations before us did

– Schools must intentionally teach truth, hope, identity, and calling

– Bold Christian education is one of the strongest defenses against cultural decline

– Christian educators carry an eternal responsibility and opportunity

– There is great reason for hope when truth is proclaimed confidently

Chapters

00:14 – A deeper dive into the conversation

01:44 – Influence and intimidation of major voices

03:07 – Who defines “normal”?

05:58 – What we can learn from students

10:33 – Standing boldly in today’s culture

12:54 – A civilizational moment and Truth Rising

15:57 – Why the Colson Center matters

Helpful Links: 

John Stonestreet, The Colson Center and Breakpoint Radio: https://colsoncenter.org/ and https://www.breakpoint.org/

Truth Rising: https://www.watchtruthrising.com/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

When confusion becomes the cultural norm, the call to live with conviction becomes louder. In today's culture, truth is treated as opinion and meaning seems negotiable, our role as image-bearers of God has never been more crucial. The Christian must not only recognize this moment but also respond to it, clarifying what it means to be human, what it means to shape culture, and why these truths matter for every generation.

In this episode of Clearly Christian, host Dr. Cy Smith, Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School welcomes John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center and host of Breakpoint Radio for a no holds barred discussion of our culture today, and what Christians should do about it.

Their conversation spans the meaning of the cultural mandate, the identity crisis plaguing modern humanity, and how education rooted in truth can restore clarity and purpose.

This is an important reminder that Christian educators and leaders are not merely preserving truth, they’re advancing it. This is our moment to shape culture rather than be shaped by it, to remember who we are, and to lead the next generation to do the same.

Takeaways

-Christianity offers not just a belief system but a comprehensive way of seeing reality

-Humans are culture-makers by design. The question is whether we create for God’s glory or our own

-Culture’s greatest power lies in what it normalizes

-Dehumanization is at the heart of today’s moral confusion

-We must learn to keep the story and the moment straight. Our times are temporary, but God’s redemptive story is eternal

-Every cultural collapse begins with the loss of a shared vision of what it means to be human

-Christian education represents the greatest opportunity of our time to restore meaning and identity

-Truth must be taught and modeled, even when it contradicts cultural expectations

-The film Truth Rising calls believers to courageous, public faith

-Redemption and renewal begin with rediscovering God’s image in humanity

Chapters

00:13 – Introduction: Christianity as a way of seeing all reality

02:20 – The legacy of Chuck Colson and the Colson Center

04:12 – The Christian view of culture and creation mandate

05:21 – Humans as culture-makers by design

08:24 – The danger of normalization and cultural blindness

13:33– Keeping the story and the moment straight

17:40 – Every generation’s struggle with its own moment

20:04 – Losing sight of what it means to be human

24:58 – Identity, education, and moral confusion

33:25 – Christian education’s second renaissance

38:37 – Truth Rising and our civilizational moment

49:10 – Closing reflections and the Colson Fellows Program

50:44 – Chalkboard points: shaping culture and reclaiming humanity

Helpful Links: 

John Stonestreet, The Colson Center and Breakpoint Radio: https://colsoncenter.org/ and https://www.breakpoint.org/

Truth Rising: https://www.watchtruthrising.com/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/

Great leaders often face the tension of running large organizations while still keeping things personal. It’s easy to get lost in numbers, structures, and goals, but the real challenge is staying connected—to employees, to culture, and to the people who make the mission thrive.

In this Extra Credit edition of Clearly Christian, Dr. Cy Smith and producer Bryan Lefelhoc revisit key chalkboard points from their conversation with Darren Long, Superintendent of the Christian Academy School System in Louisville, Kentucky. They dig deeper into what it means to “act smaller even as you get bigger,” and why intentional leadership matters in both education and business.

Dr. Smith highlights the dangers of blind spots, the importance of listening to feedback, and the need for leaders to foster a culture where people feel safe to speak honestly. From Monday morning meetings with staff to surveys and social media connections, he shares practical ways schools—and any organization—can stay connected at every level.

Takeaways

-Leaders must “act smaller” even as organizations grow.

-Blind spots are dangerous. Feedback must be welcomed and sought out.

-Both face-to-face and electronic communication are vital for today’s parents and staff.

-Culture determines whether feedback is honest or filtered.

-Consistent personal touchpoints build trust with employees.

-Strategic plans are only effective if accountability is clear.

-Goal-setting works best when it’s collaborative and measurable.

-Consequences for unmet goals should never come as a surprise.

-Business and education leaders alike can learn from these principles.

Chapters

00:42 – Acting Smaller While Growing Bigger

02:48 – Blind Spots and the Value of Feedback

09:19 – Staying Personal in Large Organizations

12:56 – Accountability, Goals, and Consequences

15:37– Final Reflections and Call to Action

Helpful Links:

Darin Long, Christian Academy School System: https://caschools.us/

Dr. Cy Smith, Mansfield Christian School: https://www.mcsflames.org/