Dear Mr. Phillips,

I was so thankful that I was able to be at the 200 Year Plan conference! It was a really inspiring time. I benefitted greatly from the messages that were shared by Mr. Botkin and yourself. There were literally hundreds of important ideas shared at the conference. Some were new, some were familiar but so worth reiterating and refining. Among many things, I loved seeing how different messages tied together. A few items in particular stood out to me as I left the conference:

1. The family vision is two pronged, and the full potential of vision is lost or compromised when we miss this. First, the act of Biblical family discipleship, with all that it entails, is essential, commanded by God, and an act of joyful covenant-keeping in itself. Second, this Christ-honoring-in-itself act also is a tool for every other component of cultural reformation.

2. The message of the importance of strategic relationships fit so wonderfully with the idea of the 200 Year Plan, and Godly planning in general. Christians need to plan strategically, and when this is done it fosters the most fruitful strategic relationships as Christian patriarchs and their families identify other patriarchs and families who share their vision, network together, and advance the Kingdom with increasing effectiveness. Making strategic connections was a major component of what I was desiring to do when I came to the conference, so the discussion of these topics was very timely for me.

3. The discussion of the crossroads that the homeschool movement is at was so timely, and it needed to be said, in my opinion. I am glad you did. I believe that the situation is akin to that with creation apologetics and intelligent design: the church is at a crossroads and must choose between presuppositionally Biblical science and an easier, less controversial, “big tent” approach that is content to have an unnamed designer. In like manner, the homeschool movement must decide whether it will work to advance a specifcally Biblical vision, or take a “big tent” approach that is now comfortable and uncontroversial - and lose the covenantal vision.

4. And maybe most basically, I think the need for a long-term vision for the family - not just your children, or even just your grandchildren, but even beyond - is simply wonderful. That is the Isaiah 58:12 vision!

I also left the conference with many ideas about my own multi-generational vision. As I continue in law school, I really desire to develop Christian legal scholarship and use scholarship to claim for Christ the underlying ideas and philosophies in the legal community. But I also have a vision to be a Godly patriarch, so I was challenged by the conference to think anew of how this personal vision for legal scholarship to the glory of God fits into congruent package with my broader vision for my children (and their children, and their children’s children, etc, etc!).

Finally, besides the specific ideas shared at the conference, I so appreciated what the conference facilitated. It was a wonderful time for connecting with like-minded men - seeing long-time friends as well as making new connections. Times of fellowship like that are not things that I take for granted!... Thank you for your vision, thank you for your work. Your messages and the work of Vision Forum have been so important to me, starting probably about seven years ago when I was thirteen or fourteen, and I continue to thank the Lord for you.

For the Biblical family, L. W.