Back-to-School: Nurturing Minds and Souls with Christian Education

In this episode of the Defender Podcast, host Dr. Rick Morton discuss back-to-school challenges and the importance of education with guests Ann Maura Hinton, Director of Bridge Educational Services, and her husband, Robbie Hinton, from Cary Christian School in North Carolina. They emphasize the significance of a holistic approach to education that nurtures both the mind and soul, aligning with a biblical worldview. Robbie highlights the role of Christian education in shaping children's character and spiritual growth, urging parents to prepare their hearts and their children's hearts for the school year. The conversation touches on the importance of community, relationships, and the responsibility of parents to guide their children in interpreting and internalizing truth from a Christian perspective. Robbie also offers advice for parents whose children are in non-Christian schools, emphasizing prayer, preparation, and fostering resilience and joy in their children's learning journeys.

GUEST
Robbie Hinton is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Knoxville with a degree in Marketing and holds a master's degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He served as a pastor with the Presbyterian Church of America for 10 years and has been a headmaster in classical Christian education for the past 20 years. Currently, Robbie is the headmaster at Cary Christian School in Cary, NC. The best thing about Robbie is that he is married to Ann Maura Hinton, who serves on the Bridge team at Lifeline.

HOST

Herbie Newell is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms.

CO-HOST

Dr. Rick Morton is the Vice President of Engagement at Lifeline Children's Services.

BRIDGE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

When children struggle to reach their potential in learning, it can be really difficult. Bridge Educational Services is here to support you in public, private, or homeschooling settings. Our services provide resources and tutoring built on God’s design and modern brain science, creating a learning environment that values the whole child. 

As the new school year begins, you might be seeking additional help or support for your child.We offer educational screenings, one-on-one therapy, and consulting to help families navigate their child’s educational journey. To learn more, visit LifelineChild.org/Bridge.

LIFELINE CHILDREN'S SERVICES

The mission of Lifeline Children’s Services is to equip the Body of Christ to manifest the gospel to vulnerable children. Our vision is for vulnerable children and their communities to be transformed by the gospel and to make disciples. 

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Creators & Guests

Host

Rick Morton

As Vice President of Engagement, Rick Morton shepherds the ministry’s outreach to individual, church, and organizational ministry partners as well as the ministry’s commitment to publishing resources that aid families and churches in discipling orphans and vulnerable children. Prior to Lifeline, Rick served for 15 years as a college and seminary professor, and he also served local churches in Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He is an accomplished writer and sought after speaker. Most notably, Rick is the co-author of the popular Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-centered Adoption and Orphan Care and the author of KnowOrphans: Mobilizing the Church for Global Orphanology. Rick and his lovely wife Denise have been married for over 32 years, and they have 3 children, all of whom joined their family through international adoption. God has continued to grow their family, and he now enjoys the role of “Doc” to his precious granddaughter!

Guest

Ann Maura Hinton

Ann Maura joined the Lifeline team in August of 2017 and serves as the Director of Bridge Educational Services. She brings with her over 25 years teaching experiences in a variety of different settings and with a variety of different disabilities. She loves to learn and is constantly looking for new ways to help build a bridge from frustration to hope alongside families in need. She is a certified Cognitive Developmental Therapist and has earned her master’s and undergraduate degree in Special Education. Originally from Madisonville, TN, she headed to the University of Tennessee and earned her master’s degree in special education. Ann Maura is a wife and mom of three, and she loves spending time with them.

Guest

Robbie Hinton

Robbie Hinton is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Knoxville with a degree in Marketing and holds a master's degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He served as a pastor with the Presbyterian Church of America for 10 years and has been a headmaster in classical Christian education for the past 20 years. Currently, Robbie is the headmaster at Cary Christian School in Cary, NC. The best thing about Robbie is that he is married to Ann Maura Hinton, who serves on the Bridge team at Lifeline.

What is The Defender Podcast?

The Defender Podcast is a ministry of Lifeline Children's Services where we seek to equip the body of Christ to manifest the gospel to vulnerable children and families. We hope this podcast will provide encouragement, inspiration, and ways to connect with others who have a heart for the orphan.

Herbie Newell: 00:02

Welcome to the defender podcast, a resource to help mobilize and equip the body of Christ to manifest the gospel to orphans and vulnerable children. This podcast is a ministry of Lifeline Children Services, and I'm your host, Herbie Newell.

Rick Morton: 00:18

Alright. Welcome back to the Defender podcast. I'm Rick Morton. Today is August 7th, And we are today, we have the pleasure of sitting down with a couple of dear friends to talk a little bit about back to school and education in general. And we're gonna get we're gonna get into a bunch of things with regard to schooling and education.

Rick Morton: 00:43

And so I will get to introductions here in just a moment. But before we get there, it is the beginning of August, which means school is just about ready to be back in session. And that means it's a prime appropriate time for us to talk about Bridge Educational Services. And I can say this from personal experience. When when you have kids that are struggling in school and, struggling to reach their their full potential in learning, it can be really difficult as a parent.

Rick Morton: 01:14

And, we want you to know that Bridge Educational Services is here to support you, whether that be through schooling in a private setting, a public setting, or homeschooling. Our services provide resources and tutoring, built on God's design and modern brain science, with a creative learning environment that values the whole child. As the new school year begins, you may need additional support or additional help for your child. We offer educational screenings, 1 on 1 therapy, consulting help to help your family. We just have a little bit of everything.

Rick Morton: 01:53

And you can find more information out about Bridge at lifelinechild.org slash bridge. Or you can visit our show notes to find out more. But right now is a great time for you to connect with Bridge Educational Services if if you have need of some help coming alongside your family. And it is it just so happens today. On the podcast, I have one of our one of our regular guests that is has been with us many times, the director of Bridge Educational Services, Ann Mara Hinton.

Rick Morton: 02:25

And but Ann Mara has brought she's brought somebody along with her. And I'm just tickled to death about this. With her is her hub her her hubby. I didn't do I just did that. That's we're gonna have to edit that out.

Rick Morton: 02:39

We're not gonna edit that out. Robbie, you're the hubby. So, her with her is her husband, Robbie Hinton. Robbie is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, a graduate of Reformed Theological education. Currently, that is as at Cary Christian School in Cary, North Carolina.

Rick Morton: 03:07

And I have been I've been duty bound to say on this on this bio, Robbie, that it says that the best thing about you is that you're married to Amar Hinton.

Robby Hinton: 03:18

So Well, my mom would agree with that. So

Rick Morton: 03:24

Man, welcome to the podcast, y'all.

Ann Maura Hinton: 03:27

Thank you.

Rick Morton: 03:28

Thank you, Ray. There's a lot of there's a lot of Vol energy happening on this podcast right now. So I, for our friends in Alabama, we'll apologize for

Ann Maura Hinton: 03:38

what's in my hand.

Rick Morton: 03:40

No. We we can't we can't start call we we need to probably wait until about the beginning of November to have a conversation about college football, and then we'll all know where we are. But

Ann Maura Hinton: 03:49

e e. Evelyn. Evelyn. Evelyn. Evelyn.

Ann Maura Hinton: 03:52

Evelyn. Evelyn.

Rick Morton: 03:56

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Am I gonna have to break into rammer jammer here just to Well, but no, seriously, I Robbie Amore and I were actually talking a couple weeks ago about, about a podcast and about doing something for the beginning of school.

Rick Morton: 04:16

And and, you know, she said, you you need to ask Robbie to come on the podcast and talk about the beginning of school. And I I thought, man, that's a great idea. Because I love talking to you. I love our conversations. I think you're really one of the most thoughtful people that I know and and really spend and I know you've spent a great deal of time thinking about the the task of learning and the task of that we have in in preparing our kids for the future and preparing them well.

Rick Morton: 04:55

And so before we get into talking about school, before we start talking about what what this school year is going to bring for all of us, I kind of want to I want to start in a little bit of a different place. And I want to talk about learning and the nature of learning. Because I think I think many times we get so focused on school, we get focused on the the curriculum and the lesson plans and the structure and standardized tests and benchmarks and all these kind of things. And sometimes in the midst of all that, we can sort of miss learning in in the midst of what we think about about school. And so, as the as the as the head of a Christian school, as somebody who thinks about this a lot, how do you draw a distinction between learning and the the task of what we of what we do in school?

Rick Morton: 05:55

And I'm doing air quotes if people can't see.

Robby Hinton: 05:57

Yeah. That's right. You know, it's a great question is hopefully there's not a big distinction between the 2, what learning is and the task we do in school. I know a lot of times there is. But because the task the task of school, of course, is the hard things we do.

Robby Hinton: 06:14

It's the assignments we participate in. It's writing a paper, taking a test, engaging in a conversation with a teacher. But hopefully all of that is learning. Hopefully those are what I would call learning is, it's an opportunity to engage the mind and the soul, in an activity that's gonna align the thoughts and the affections of a human being. So, hopefully, those tasks are ordering our thoughts and our feelings.

Rick Morton: 06:47

You know, I I think you introduced a couple of things in that definition that I that I think are are definitely worth time to explore and and to kind of unpack. And and I think, 1, the idea of of the soul as part of the objective in learning. That may not be what everybody's thinking, just frankly, listen listen to our our podcast because because I think we've become so conditioned in our culture to think about learning in terms of of the transformation of knowledge or the transformation of information. We've not we've not really thought of learning in terms of shaping the person so much. And so, could you dive in a little bit more and and talk about from even from the perspective of what you're doing there at Cary Christian School and what you're trying to lead your team to do there?

Rick Morton: 07:44

Why is it so important as as parents of of kids that are Christ followers for us to to think about how how what we do in learning with them about how it shapes their soul?

Robby Hinton: 07:58

That's a great question. And if you look at Romans chapter 12, when he talks you know, the apostle Paul sets this up this idea that we're to be a living sacrifice.

Rick Morton: 08:06

Mhmm.

Robby Hinton: 08:07

Your subject is the next thing he's gonna say is, now that you're a living sacrifice, you repented of your sins, you started dying to your sins. Now what you need to do is place your faith in Christ. Mhmm. He says instead is, we need to renew our minds. That's right.

Robby Hinton: 08:23

And he goes into this sentence or this clause about learning to discern things as God discerns them so that we know what is good and we know what the perfect is. And, and so the idea is, is that you can't you cannot pull out this idea of who we are as human beings, as image bearers of God, away from education. Mhmm. Because what we're learning, shapes who we are as people. And that's, of course, you know, you're talking about the idea of the misconceptions of education.

Robby Hinton: 08:55

I mean, this is what we deal with here at Cary Christian School. I mean, this is I mean, I'm in Cary, North Carolina. We are, I am 10 miles from NC State. I'm 10 miles from 10 miles from, from the University of North Carolina. Our parents love education and college means a lot.

Robby Hinton: 09:14

I mean, this is the highest per capita rate of PhDs, from what I understand any place in America. And so education matters here. Yeah. And sadly, most people don't begin with, I want my child educated because I want them to develop who they are in Christ. They don't begin with I want their soul to be developed.

Robby Hinton: 09:35

They say, I want them to go to college.

Rick Morton: 09:37

Mhmm.

Robby Hinton: 09:38

And, I want them. And so education ends up being something we endure, just so we can get to the next step. And I think that's a sad thing. And I hope students and I hope as people are thinking about school getting started, they're not going, oh, it's time for that hard thing we have to endure so that we can eventually, get to college. And then one day we can if as we endure college long enough, then we can endure a job long enough, and then we can retire, live on a beach somewhere and waste the rest of our life.

Robby Hinton: 10:14

Hopefully, they realize my child's going to school so that they can learn how to glorify God and how to enjoy him forever.

Rick Morton: 10:24

Yeah. What a concept. Right? That that learning those things that we do in the process of education, it's it's about it's about spiritual formation. Yeah.

Rick Morton: 10:35

More than it's about anything else. Right? Like it's it's about it. It's part of the process of of of our being formed into the image of Christ. And and I think so much of what we experience many times, in just in the routine of what happens around us at the beginning of school and and even how we how we shape and think about education.

Rick Morton: 10:59

We get lulled to sleep into the idea that this is somehow a fulfilling of an obligation or a box to check or a thing to do. It's it's not it's not about it's not about what we're becoming. It's not about what we're in the process of being. And what a missed opportunity. You know, when you when you back up and think that as, you know, as parents, our responsibility is to present our kids completing Christ.

Rick Morton: 11:33

Right? Like, we're we're supposed to be part of their they're becoming like Jesus. And parents parenting is about discipleship.

Robby Hinton: 11:41

That's right. And and so, you know, the whole idea of a school is you're placing a child in a a community. And what you hope is, is that's a learning community that you don't think you should have to say that about school, that school is first a community and then it's a learning community. But it's a community because this is a place where relationships form. I mean whenever you drop your child off at school, they're developing some of the closest relationships they'll ever have in life.

Robby Hinton: 12:08

Mhmm. Or some of the most transformative either for good or ill, relationships they will ever have. And so that's a community. And so you're placing them in a community where you hope, they will develop relationships that will help them to learn. And therefore, what we're hoping is in that place is that that community, those relationships, and that learning process that's happening there is, as you said, growing them in Christ and helping them to be like Christ, as they grow up and as they grow older.

Rick Morton: 12:43

Yeah. And and just just to be clear, I think, like, we're talking about the process of education contributing to to our kids being able to operate out of a biblical worldview. And Right. Like, you know, part of the framework in this and so why why do we want our kids to be formed intellectually formed well? Why do we why do we want them to be able to think well?

Rick Morton: 13:09

We want them to be able to do that so that they're able to interpret their world in terms of those things that God has said is true. Yeah. Or true. Sorry that you said that. Can't use proper grammar.

Rick Morton: 13:20

But at least, you know,

Ann Maura Hinton: 13:21

I could

Rick Morton: 13:23

I could come play there. I've got a PhD. But, no. But but but like the the but the reality is that I think and so what's hard for a lot of people, I think, in this is when we when we're sort of, you know, girding up our loins to get ready to go to school. As parents, we're also maybe we're in a school environment where we're at odds theologically and philosophically with with what's going on in the school environment.

Rick Morton: 13:55

And and and the fact is that part of the anxiety in all this is is we're sending our kids into a place where where they're going to learn things and they're going to learn things that are important, but they're not going to learn them from a biblical worldview. So put you in a little bit of an unfair position because that's not what you're about at Carey Christian. I mean, part of what you guys are about is trying to come alongside families and and to you know, pull together and be a part of the equation of what parents are are doing. What like, what advice would you have for moms and dads that are going into a school year with the anxiety, absent of sending them an application to hear it, Krishna? What advice would you have to them in in knowing that you're kind of you're kind of sending your kids maybe to Babylon?

Robby Hinton: 14:50

Well, that is a tough question because, you know, my my job is, Christian education. One of the great loves of my life is Christian education. You know, I would tell a parent if they're in a situation where their child, is gonna be heading into a school that may be teaching or or they're in any place. They're heading their their their child's going to a place that's gonna make them anxious. Yeah.

Robby Hinton: 15:13

Well, one, pray. This is the moment where we're called to believe. And this is and, of course, this is what I would say about parents sending their kids to a Christian school or a non Christian school. What you the first step in preparing your child from for school is to prepare your heart as a parent to send them off. And we even tell our parents this, is that, we have a outside of our campus, there's this big beautiful oak tree.

Robby Hinton: 15:42

And, and we always ask them that if would they prepare their heart before they drive past the oak tree? And would they prepare the heart of their child before they drive past the oak tree? Yeah. And and that would be my encouragement to a parent is to do your job. And that job is to get yourself spiritually and mentally prepared for school.

Robby Hinton: 16:06

Don't come into school on 2 wheels flying in the 1st day of school, which is hard to do because life is crazy. Don't don't think about the spiritual well-being of your child or your the spiritual well-being of your child's teacher. After you drop them off, think about all of that before you bring them. And and sit with your child and pray with them and talk to them about school and prepare them to think about what they will be thinking about at school. Okay.

Robby Hinton: 16:36

So I would say that to a, a parent, wherever you're taking your child to school is what you should be doing is preparing your family for a time of hard things, because school is hard. A time of busyness, because fall is busy. And prepare a time of thinking because that's what we're supposed to be doing. And so get yourself spiritually mentally prepared. Get your family spiritually, mentally prepared for fall.

Rick Morton: 17:06

You know, I I I think I think back to seminary days. And it it drives me back to a place of I remember a refrain that I heard a lot in seminary. And and it was, well, all truth is God's truth.

Robby Hinton: 17:28

Right. For sure.

Rick Morton: 17:30

And it's it's true. Like that that was a that was a true axiom. I'm afraid at times it was not laid down on a necessarily a true road. But at least it was at least at least it was a it was a true axiom. But I think, you know, part of what as parents we have to accept is is our responsibility.

Rick Morton: 17:51

It's part of what God's invested to us as parents is that all truth is God's truth. But but there is the responsibility to help our kids, and I won't make up a word, to think Christianly about that truth. And so some of the dissonance, some of the anxiety, quite honestly, I think, comes from the fact that we know that at times we're sending our kids into an environment. And it doesn't matter whether your kids are in a Christian school, a public school. There's enough environments that we send our kids into sports teams, other places where we're where we're interacting in the community, where our kids are coming up against truth and where they're and they're and where they're in where they're internalizing truth.

Rick Morton: 18:41

But that truth is not being interpreted in a way that that helps them to think rightly about Christ, about to think rightly about God as creator, to think rightly about, you know, the the the order of the universe and all those sorts of things. And we have to acknowledge that our responsibility as parents is no matter what our kids are learning or not learning at school, That to help them to think Christianly about those things that they're learning and about to interpret truth well. Well, that that rests on us as mom and dad.

Robby Hinton: 19:24

Yeah. I would absolutely agree. And we can see that every year, without fail, you can take your best students, the ones who are the best academically, the ones who are best socially. And those are the I I go, I wanna meet your daddy. I wanna meet your mom.

Robby Hinton: 19:41

Because you know there's something going on there that, at home that, that family, loves the Lord. That family is, they care about the development of their child. And and it and it and it that's even true when you can see a child who's struggling academically in school, but they have this ability to persevere. And one of the things, Anne encourages me to think about is the goal is is you do a hard thing, but it's how fast can you get back to joy? How can it how fast can it stop the moment of play?

Robby Hinton: 20:15

Right. And so you have a child who has this resiliency to do hard things and yet say, do something hard. They may not do well on the test. But then they bounce back and say, hey, what's next? Let's get back to it.

Robby Hinton: 20:29

And they wanna keep learning. You can tell at home, there's a mom and dad who loves him. There's a mom and dad who's teaching them how to love the Lord. There's a mom and dad who's saying, hey, this isn't about finding your identity and your accomplishments. This is about finding your identity in Christ.

Robby Hinton: 20:46

And so all of that's being framed at home so that, when they come to school, they're not saying this is an opportunity for me to prove myself. Myself. This is just an opportunity for me to enjoy who I am in Christ and to grow in Christ.

Rick Morton: 21:03

That's good. Wow. I I think the that is that is that's framed so differently. I think than than the mainstream of culture is is is puts us on the road toward. And and so I I think we need reminding.

Rick Morton: 21:26

Right? Like we need, we we are we're leaky buckets. We, you know, we we forget. And we need reminding about what the task is. Why why is it that we're sending our kids to school?

Rick Morton: 21:42

What is it we want to see accomplished in their lives? And it's not it's not they get into the right college, so that they get the right degree, so that they get the right job, so that they can marry the right person, live in the right place, and have, you know, have the right family life. It's it's that they they're able to follow Jesus and they're able to do it thoughtfully.

Robby Hinton: 22:05

What is it? Herbie says, this is not about white picket fences or,

Rick Morton: 22:10

bicycles or houses in cul de sacs with, you know, bedrooms to themselves and all that sort of thing. It's not. It it's it's it's about so much more than that. And not if there's anything wrong with any of that

Robby Hinton: 22:23

stuff. That's exactly right.

Rick Morton: 22:25

But but none of those none of those things are are necessarily the object. They're you know, maybe the fruit of of some of the objects or the trappings of it. So, alright. So, a couple of couple more questions just to we could sit here and do this all day. That's that's the the joke of this is is that is that you and I could require we could record about an 8 hour podcast here and spend a lot of time at it.

Rick Morton: 22:52

But but I think a couple more questions. As as we're thinking just about helping people to get get ready for school, How how as a parent can we've talked about what what we do and and what school does. How do how do and how do we support the school as a parent? What are what are you looking for as a leader to in me as a parent in order to in order to help you do what I've delegated to you to to do in my child's life?

Robby Hinton: 23:29

Thank you for that. I appreciate that question. I think the first thing I would ask, this seems like a strange question, but you've raised children, so you'll understand exactly. My what I always ask parents is, hey, have a meal with your kids at least 3 times a week. And it's always interesting when you have kindergarten parents who are like, well, of course, we will do that.

Rick Morton: 23:52

And it's not gonna be a problem.

Robby Hinton: 23:54

But as you know, as they get older, the meals go away. And so the first thing is is we ask our parents is to have have at least 3 meals a week where everybody's sitting at the table. IPhones are put aside and we're all, we're all engaging in a good conversation together as a family. I think you would it's amazing how much that changes everything. Not only does it change the disposition of the family, it creates understanding.

Robby Hinton: 24:25

Because if you're only framing of your your child's teacher is what they say when they get in the car, when they get out of when they walk out of the school. Are your only understanding of your child's teacher is what they say when they're frustrated because they're studying to studying for a test? That's probably an unfair understanding of that teacher or what's going on in the school. You want to create a time, where you can sit with your Children, you can hear about their life in a in a manner where they're at ease, where they're just kind of talking and chatting and little funny stories come up about school or remarkable moments come up about school and they can just, engage, in a real conversation. The second thing I would say is, is that when those hard moments do come up and, you know, you hear about something that doesn't make sense, I would ask that, and there's gonna be a lot of moments that don't make sense.

Robby Hinton: 25:23

And, and and as a headmaster of a school, I understand that we're gonna make a lot of sense here. And I'll ask his parents to be reasonable and loving. Go is just to think is to pull back. Think before you respond back to what's going on. Think about it a little bit from the perspective of the teacher and of the situation about what's going on.

Robby Hinton: 25:50

Ponder what maybe the teacher was trying to do, the bigger picture. And then I would say, the best communications always lead with questions. Hey. This didn't make sense. Could you help me out with this?

Robby Hinton: 26:05

Help me out with what's going on here. I have one father who every once in a while, he'll write me up and say, hey, mister Hinton, I'm losing the narrative. What's the story you're trying to tell? Because I'm not really feeling it right now. And I'll I'll say, alright, here's the story.

Robby Hinton: 26:20

And he'll go, oh, makes sense now. And, and I see what you're trying to do. And from that, I understand some things that are getting in the way of the story. We hope God's telling at our school. And, and he's doing that in a manner that he's helping me out.

Robby Hinton: 26:36

So prepare your family, have good conversations with your kids, and just be, curious when you engage in a conversation with a teacher.

Rick Morton: 26:47

So I'm doing this off the top of my head. I don't I don't remember the exact number. You may you may be able to fill this in. But you know, the thing about having family dinners, it work it works on a level that I forget. But it's there's an absurdly large percentage of National Merit Scholars that are that their families they they did a study some years ago that their families had regular regular family dinners.

Robby Hinton: 27:15

I would love to see that stuff.

Rick Morton: 27:17

And it's it's like it's absurdly large. It's remarkable the number of them that that sat down for regular family dinners with their family. And so, you know, even if you're not listening to what Ravi says from a spiritual perspective, investing in your kids, it'll make them smarter.

Ann Maura Hinton: 27:32

So, you

Rick Morton: 27:34

know, put the phones away and sit down around the table. You know? But but no, I think that's I think that's true. And I think, you know, you know, because sometimes our kids don't like their teachers because their teachers make them do hard things.

Robby Hinton: 27:46

That's right.

Rick Morton: 27:47

You know, sometimes sometimes they don't like their teachers because their teachers are stretching them. I you know, I think back personally, one of the one of the teachers that I like the least in the moment is one of the ones I value the most now. Because because she made me do things that I didn't want to do. And she saw potential in me in places where I didn't even know potential existed. And I use that every day now.

Rick Morton: 28:15

Like, there's not a day that goes by that I don't use the things that she taught me. And I hated being in her class. And part of the reason that I hated being, you know, in her class is because is because she she pushed me to excel. But I'm also thankful for a mom and dad that got it. And so they didn't go marching up to the school to tell her what to do.

Rick Morton: 28:43

They they in like they tried to reinforce what she was doing and and tried to help me to see that she had my best interest at heart, even when I didn't want to hear it because they saw what, you know, what she was contributing. And I think that goes to the second piece of of what you said, which is those things happen in the context of a relationship. And and I think it's it's very easy when it's very easy to not treat your kids' teachers well, and to not create the administrators of your kids' school well, when those people are largely nameless and faceless.

Robby Hinton: 29:26

That's right.

Rick Morton: 29:28

And so if if I know who they are, if if I've gotten personally engaged on some level, then it's harder for me to, you know, treat those people as objects. I I'm forced to treat them as people. And I say that with a smile on my face. Right? Like the the but but the but the truth is like, I can get mad at somebody that I don't know a whole lot easier than I can get mad at somebody I do know.

Rick Morton: 29:55

Just because if I if I know, you know, if I know what their motivations are, if I know if I know, you know, where they're coming from. And I think maybe some of the stuff that that, you know, some of us feel is that the depersonalization of education as well. That that we've created institutions where, you know, there's this chasm between between teachers and parents. And and so, what I would say as a parent is, if you're in a school where where that's not easy, then force it to happen. You know, schedule a parent teacher conference.

Rick Morton: 30:30

Do something where you put yourself volunteer at the school. Do whatever's necessary for you to put yourself in places where you get to meet your kids' teachers and where you you know, where you build some sort of relationship with them. Because I think if you do have to have a hard conversation later on, that hard conversation happens over the context of relationship as well. And and, you know, and and you know as well as I do. And I I was reminded when you said that about that dad that, you know, about help me with the narrative.

Rick Morton: 31:01

Right? Well, as human beings, we complete the narrative whether we have all the facts or not.

Robby Hinton: 31:10

Right. And

Rick Morton: 31:11

and our sin nature generally means that we complete the narrative in such a way that is completely flattering to ourselves and completely unflattering to the others that are around us. And and we sort of set ourselves up to be right and to be the hero of the story no matter what. And and so I think a lot of what happens in schools that that happens when there's enmity involved, it's it's because we have completed the narrative and we've done it without, you know, without understanding rather than, you know, really seeking to to work together. And so I man, I completely affirm what you're saying there. And I think no matter the context that you and your kids are in, those are things that we can, you know, we can do and do better in.

Rick Morton: 31:55

And and the truth is that takes that takes a that takes a sacrifice on my part as a parent. It takes time to build those relationships. It takes intentionality to do it. It may take it may take breaking through even some of the veneer around the school to and and looking for ways to to do that if they if they don't want that kind of relationship. But if but if that's what my job is, if that's what God's called me to do in parenting my kids, then then that's that's part of what I, you know, have to figure out how to do.

Robby Hinton: 32:28

Because you have the other perspective. The school needs to have this perspective and the parent has to have this perspective of just being honest. This is, this is searing. This is and maybe we make it more serious than it has to be.

Rick Morton: 32:41

Yeah.

Robby Hinton: 32:41

But, I mean, we're dealing every day. We remind our teachers, on Wednesday morning, 1st day of school, when they drop, parents drop off their kids, they're dropping off the thing they love the most in life.

Rick Morton: 32:54

That's right.

Robby Hinton: 32:55

And so when a parent brings their child to school, this is something they love the most. And I'm gonna be the 1st person or your child's kindergarten teacher is gonna be the 1st person other than their mom and dad who's gonna tell them they made a mistake.

Ann Maura Hinton: 33:09

Mhmm.

Robby Hinton: 33:10

And and then over time, a teacher is going to at some point go, hey, you have fallen short.

Ann Maura Hinton: 33:17

Mhmm.

Robby Hinton: 33:17

And you have not met all the locations. And that hurts. Mhmm.

Ann Maura Hinton: 33:22

And

Robby Hinton: 33:22

so here's this thing you love so much, that you dropped off at a school, and you hope they're going to help your child to grow, in Christ or grow wiser. And then they come up and they find out someplace they didn't meet expectations. And just to realize, if this is the parent's first child and their first encounter with disappointment, over their child, they may not handle that well.

Ann Maura Hinton: 33:49

Mhmm.

Robby Hinton: 33:50

And and so as a school, we wanna help parents, 1, get used to disappointment. Get accustomed to, hey, school's gonna ask a lot of your child. School's gonna be hard. And it's okay if your child falls short. And the same thing as a parent.

Robby Hinton: 34:09

You've gotta, realize that, this is gonna be an anxious moment here at school. Again, the thing I love most as a parent is going to get disappointed in this play. They're gonna get their feelings hurt by their by their teacher. They're gonna get their feelings hurt by their classmates. If you know, my little boy is gonna have his heart broken by some little girl there.

Robby Hinton: 34:36

That's right.

Herbie Newell: 34:37

So cool.

Robby Hinton: 34:38

All of that happens at school. And how are we? We wanna be the person who's, not highly anxious as we're pulling up into the school. Okay.

Rick Morton: 34:50

So so you're evoking me to say something that's probably gonna get edited out of this podcast.

Robby Hinton: 34:56

Okay. Go right ahead.

Rick Morton: 34:57

But but the but the truth is, like, I it I think biggest lie that many of our kids have grown up with maybe not the biggest. A big lie our kids have grown up with is everybody's a winner.

Robby Hinton: 35:10

Yeah. That's right.

Rick Morton: 35:11

That's right. And I know that, like, there's there's probably a ministry out there I'm gonna get a letter from if they hear this podcast or whatever. It wouldn't be the first time. But but but the truth is like everybody's not a winner. Like people people fall short and lose.

Rick Morton: 35:28

And and and part of life is us learning how to respond to that and how to deal with that appropriately. And but I do think as parents, you know, sometimes the the way the equation is even pitted because of the soup we're swimming in our culture is the very first inclination is is to assume that our kids are always right and and to not give the benefit of the doubt. And and so, if there's anything, you know, I would I would say to parents is take a deep breath. You know your child. Consider your child.

Rick Morton: 36:11

But also know the people around your your kids. And and if there's if there's something wrong, approach wrong with a degree of charity that you would want, you know, for somebody to approach you with if you were dead wrong about something. And I think that that goes a long way. And in an environment where yeah, I don't know anybody. I mean, I've been around teachers all my life.

Rick Morton: 36:43

You know, having been married to 1, ended up being 1 at some point. And, you know, although I never thought I would be. Nobody goes into teaching worse people outside of outside of the body of Christ, Steve. I don't think any nobody goes into teaching because they because they want to do poor things with kids. Nobody wants to hurt kids.

Rick Morton: 37:12

And certainly, if this is a get rich quick scheme like, so nobody nobody's doing this because, you know, because there are riches at the end of the rainbow. That's right. I think we have to understand that that the even in the worst cases, the people that have people that have given their life to to be educators are doing it because because they want to they want to be a part of the the journey of our kids. They want to be part of the building of our kids. And and we we probably don't think about that and regard that enough.

Rick Morton: 37:57

And so, you know, Robbie, I'll give you the last word. But I I just wanted to say, you know, thank you. Because I think what what you do, what you do in leading your teachers, what you do in in leading your school is is such an incredible, incredibly valuable gift to the body of Christ and and to the families you serve in your community. And so, I, you know, I hear about how hard you work and what you do. And I just want to say thank you to you for for the investment that you're making.

Rick Morton: 38:37

And and say thank you on behalf of all those other folks that are out there that are laboring that, you know, that maybe do so not being recognized for what, you know, for what they do?

Robby Hinton: 38:49

Well, there is no joy like serving a teacher in a classroom. Mhmm.

Ann Maura Hinton: 38:56

But

Robby Hinton: 38:56

that's my job every day. I get there's a there's a relationship between teachers and students that's happening in our school. And it is my joy to get to serve that relationship where a teacher is pursuing the heart and the soul, of a child and helping them to discover Christ, to become wiser and smarter and and more like Christ. And so, and that's not work. That's joy.

Robby Hinton: 39:28

You know, that's what I love about school. There are things I don't like about it. But I would I love seeing teachers do their job.

Rick Morton: 39:40

That's a pretty good note to, to end this conversation as we think about the beginning of school and and where we are. And so, Robbie Hinton, thanks man. I appreciate you. We're you and I are due for a good meal and maybe an ice cream or something afterward and a very long conversation. And, and it's it's way overdue.

Rick Morton: 40:03

So I guess I need to get to Carrie pretty soon.

Robby Hinton: 40:05

Oh, man.

Rick Morton: 40:08

Well, hey. And Amara, like you didn't like, we didn't get draw you in to say a word.

Ann Maura Hinton: 40:13

Hey. I'm I'm enjoying the conversation. I'm enjoying listening to to you

Rick Morton: 40:17

guys I respect and love, and you guys are you

Rick Morton: 40:21

guys are inspiring. So it's it's good. Thank you.

Rick Morton: 40:26

Okay. Thanks, y'all. Thanks for listening to us on this edition of the Defender Podcast. We pray for you, pray for your family as you head back to school. And here at Lifeline, we wanna be here to come alongside your family and serve and, and do things to help.

Rick Morton: 40:43

So if if Bridge or something else that we're doing can help you and your family, we want to be there and we want to do that. And so until the next time, we will we will see you again on the Defender Podcast.

Herbie Newell: 41:00

Thanks for listening to the Defender Podcast. You enjoy making this podcast a part of your weekly routine, we'd love for you to take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review the Defender Podcast to make it easier for more people to find. For more information on how you and your church can partner with Lifeline, visit us at lifelinechild.org. If you want to connect with me, please visit herbynewell.com. Follow us at Lifeline on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter by searching for Lifeline Child.

Herbie Newell: 41:28

You can email us directly at info at lifelinechild.org. Beloved, will you allow God to use the gospel to you to impact the life of a child? Please contact us because we are here to defend the fatherless. We'll see you again next week for the Defender podcast.