February 2018

We have been looking at what it takes to grow healthy trees.  Growing healthy trees is a metaphor for raising young people to be disciples of Jesus who can engage today’s postmodern culture by thinking and acting from a biblical worldview.  In last week’s blog I asked the readers to identify some of the lies that are foundational to a secular worldview.  These lies are what keeps people and societies in bondage.  If we don’t identify them, we will not be able to break the chains that they have on our individual lives, families, churches and communities.  Here is the list of lies that I posted last week.  I have added  some additional lies that various readers shared  with me last week.

• Man’s happiness is the most important goal in life.
• The government is to provide for all of its citizen’s needs.
• Gender is a personal choice.
• Tolerance is the ultimate value that humans are to exhibit.
• Man is a mere mechanistic creature of nature of equal value to all other forms of life.
• Making money is the primary goal of work and one works to be able to consume.
• Popularity is important in determining one’s identity.
• Creation Evolution is presented as a scientific fact. Young earth is presented as a child’s story.
• I cannot be fulfilled unless I have ____________________
• The government is responsible to provide all of one’s needs.

However, it is not enough just to simply identify a long list of lies that are enslaving us.  We must go beyond merely knowing what they are to understanding how they actually impact our lives.

This leads us to another step that we must take if we are going to educate our children to think and act from a biblical worldview.  It is important to know how these lies that in a secular worldview soil get into our lives.  Let’s go back to the illustration of a tree planted in the ground.  I shared with you how I learned from the work of the Disciple the Nations that the soil represents the prevailing worldview of the culture.  The roots of the tree then represent the beliefs of the individual or group.

When a tree is planted in the soil, its roots immediately start trying to find nutrients in the soil.  Those nutrients are absorbed by the roots.  When we plant our children in soil that is based on a secular, man-centered worldview, our children will immediately begin absorbing the lies from that worldview soil into their roots.

As this takes place, the falsehoods from the prevailing worldview form the beliefs of the person absorbing them.  The roots or beliefs will continue to grow and seek out more of the lies that are found in the secular worldview that is feeding them.  In turn, they develop more and deeper held beliefs based on the worldview from which they are feeding.

When you look at the list of lies that a secular worldview feeds a person, family, church, or a community, what would you say is the most devastating lie in the list.  Again, you can do this on your own or get together with some other Christians and discuss it together.  Once you identify the lie you want to focus on, try to identify the beliefs that this lie produces.  Here are some questions you need to answer.

1. What are some of the beliefs that are formed by individuals or groups that come from this lie?
2. Where did this lie come from?
3. Can you trace the historical roots of this lie?

In doing this exercise, it is important to distinguish between beliefs and actions.  Actions always follow beliefs because we live what we really belief.  We need to recognize and understand that false beliefs are a result of feeding off of lies from a secular, man-centered worldview.  I look forward to seeing what lie you choose to study and what beliefs you see coming from this lie.  Next week we will study how the false beliefs of a root system formed by the lies of a secular worldview shapes the lives of individuals.

We have seen in previous posts that the soil in which we plant our children is very important if we are going to raise strong, healthy trees.  I explained how the soil is representative of the prevailing worldview of an individual, home, church, or school.  It was also pointed out that the prevailing worldview of a teacher, school or other institution will be either secular or biblical in nature.  A secular education is built on a secular or man-centered worldview.  On the other hand, a biblical education is built on a biblical or God-centered worldview.

It is important to remember that a secular worldview is predicated on lies while a biblical worldview is grounded in truth.  It is not enough to simply know that a secular worldview’s soil is filled with lies that will feed the children who are planted in it.  We must also be able to identify these lies.  These lies or Satan’s truth claims will shape the beliefs of the children who are planted in this type of soil.  As this happens it forms the culture of society that will be held in captivity by these lies.

When we enroll our children in a school, we are, in essence, “planting” them in some type of soil.  Since the majority of Christian parents enroll their children in secular schools, the majority of our children are being planted in a secular worldview soil.  As soon as that young child is planted his/her tender, fibrous roots start drinking in the nutrients that are in the soil.  Yes, they will take in some truth.  However, the main nutrients that they will absorb will be lies or Satan’s “truth claims”.  The question that I must raise is this.

Are Christian parents even aware of the lies that their children may be drinking in on a daily basis from their secular education?

If you were asked what are the fundamental lies in today’s secular culture that has enslaved its people, what would you say?  Many times we see the symptoms of our diseased culture and we know that it isn’t good.  However, we don’t get down to the root of the problems we face in everyday life.

I want to begin identifying some of the basic lies that are currently enslaving us, our families and our communities.  These lies, I believe, have even taken some captives in our churches.  It is important to try and discern the lies that affect the entire culture, not only in the United States but also around the globe.  Here a few that come to my mind.

• Man’s happiness is the most important goal in life.
• The government is to provide for all of its citizen’s needs.
• Gender is a personal choice.
• Tolerance is the ultimate value that humans are to exhibit.
• Man is a mere mechanistic creature of nature of equal value to all other forms of life.
• Making money is the primary goal of work and one works to be able to consume.
• Popularity is important in determining one’s identity.

I hope the readers can see that I am trying to identify some fundamental false ideas that impact everyone in our society and determine what we believe and how we act.  There are many more that can be added to this list.  Since it is so important for us to know what the lies of a secular worldview are, I am asking each of you to give me some more lies from today’s postmodern culture that are enslaving us.  You can do this on  your own or sit down with a group of people and discuss this together.  Then simply write down your ideas in the comment box below.  I will gather them together and make a final list that I will share in next week’s post.  Once we identify Satan’s truth claims that keep us in bondage, we need to see how this impacts all areas of one’s life.  I look forward to reading your comments.

Last week I shared how the soil in which a tree is planted is a major factor in the future growth and health of the tree.  I also equated the soil with the prevailing worldview held by our families, churches, schools and communities.  Finally, I pointed out that there are two worldview options that can make up the soil in which our children can be planted — a biblical worldview or a secular worldview.  The first is God-centered and grounded in truth.  The second is man-centered based on human opinion and falsehood.

There is a profound truth in Scripture that must be applied to this analogy of growing healthy trees (future generations).  In John 8 we find Jesus making this powerful statement.

 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 (NKJV)

Most Christians are very familiar with the last statement of Jesus that truth shall make (set) you free.  It doesn’t mean Christians are free to do whatever they want.  Instead it tells us that knowing truth frees us from the captivity of sin and false ideas.  We must keep in mind that truth is the person (see John 14:6), Jesus Christ.  We also know that Jesus Christ is the Word (see John 1:1-5, 14).  This is why Jesus is saying that if you want to know truth, you must continue in His Word.  Here is the key thought.  Truth frees us — it brings freedom.

Since this statement being true, the opposite is also true.  Lies enslave us — they take us captive.  With this in mind, let’s go back to our analogy of trees being planted in different kinds of soils or worldviews.  A secular worldview is man-centered and based on lies and falsehoods.  Therefore, this type of soil would look something like this picture.

The soil formed by a secular worldview would lack the necessary nutrient of truth that is needed to produce a fruitful and healthy tree.  It is important to point out that even the most secular or atheistic worldview will contain some elements of truth.  For example 2+2=4 is true in any worldview.  So we will be able to find some truth in the soil of a secular worldview.

In contrast to this type of soil, stands soil that is based on a biblical worldview.  A biblical worldview is grounded in truth.  So this type of soil can be characterized like this picture.  If you study this picture, you will find that the soil contains some falsehoods.  We must always remember that we live in a fallen world.  This means that no matter how strong of a biblical worldview that an individual or organization develops, it will also contain some error.  We can never achieve a completely renewed mind that is based totally on truth.

As we consider this analogy, we must ask the question what is the prevailing worldview of most Christians?  This is important because the worldviews held by Christians will determine the worldview that is prevalent in our homes and churches.  Just growing up in a Christian home and church does not guarantee that all parents and church leaders have developed a biblical worldview.  In fact, most studies have shown that just the opposite is true.  In one Barna study I read found that only 9-10% of pastors have a strong biblical worldview.  This would lead me to surmise that a lower percentage of Christian parents have a biblical worldview.

When it comes to schooling, we find an even more troubling dilemma facing Christians who want to grow their children in soil that will cause them to grow into strong, healthy and fruitful trees.  The majority of Christian children are in schools that are based on a secular philosophy of education.  Thus the dominant worldview in this type of school is a secular one.

A biblically-based school is built on a biblical philosophy of education (I call this a kingdom education philosophy).  Therefore, the dominant worldview in this type of school should be a biblical worldview.  To illustrate the difference in these two schooling options, consider the following picture.  Here we find the two philosophies of education that a school will operate on and the corresponding worldview soil for each type of school.

As you can see in the visual, parents will “plant” their children in some educational soil.  Their children will be nurtured and admonished in accord with the philosophy of education and worldview of the schooling choice.  This raises two questions that must be answered by all parents and Christian educators.  The first question is for Christian educators.

What are you doing to make sure that a biblical worldview is the soil from which your students will receive the nutrients necessary for their healthy growth?

The second question is for Christian parents.

What type of soil are you going to “plant” your child in?

The answers to these questions will determine if the next generation will develop into strong, healthy trees that can impact the culture for Christ.

Ever since the age of 12 I have loved landscaping.  My first job was with a company that was the largest producer of annual flowers in Western New York.  From time to time I was privileged to work at various nurseries and for a couple of landscape architects.  I even took a correspondence course in landscape design many years ago.  I have designed planting for several houses in several different states.

From this experience I have come to understand what it takes to grow healthy plants, specifically trees.  The key to growing healthy plants and trees is determined by the type of soil in which they are planted.  If the soil is poor and lacks necessary nutrients, the soil must be amended and enriched in order to produce a healthy plant.  If this doesn’t happen, the tree will eventually die.

I have a particular fondness for growing trees.  Over the years I have planted ornamental, fruit and shade trees.  Each tree was planted for a particular purpose.  Planting southern magnolias, Kwansan and Yoshino cherries, dogwoods, Japanese maples and Bradford pear trees brought joy because of their beautiful blossoms and ornamental beauty they showed at various times of the year.  It was also exciting to plant apple, peach and plum trees for the fruit they produced.  One time I planted a kumquat tree and was amazed at the amount of fruit it produced each year.  Of course, planting maple and oak trees provided enjoyment as I watched them grow from small seedlings to mighty trees that provided cooling shade during hot summer months.

One also finds many significant references to trees throughout the Bible.  Of course, the first tree we think about in the Bible is the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  When Adam ate the fruit of this tree, sin entered the world and we all know the fatal consequences that followed from that one act.  Another tree mentioned specifically in the Bible is the fig tree.  It was the leaves from this tree that Adam used to try and hide his sin from God.  We are also aware of another tree in the Garden.  This is the tree of life.  Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden so that they would not eat of this tree and live for ever in the state of sin.  The Bible also talks about the cursed tree on which Jesus, God’s Son, shed His blood for man’s sin.

There is no question that trees play an important role in God’s plan for mankind.  One of the most interesting

analogies related to trees in the Scriptures is its use as a metaphor for a  person’s life.  One of the most familiar examples of this metaphor is found in Psalms 1.  God says that a man who avoids ungodly counsel and meditates in the law of the Lord day and night is like a tree planted by the rivers of water.  Such a tree is always fruitful and prospers at all times.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
    Planted by the rivers of water,
    That brings forth its fruit in its season,
    Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:2-3 (NKJV)

When our lives are planted in the right soil, we are fruitful and prosperous.  This is important because the Scripture also emphasizes the importance of a person bearing good fruit.  In fact, we are known by the fruit we produce.

You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matthew 7:16-20 (NKJV)

So how do we grow healthy, fruitful trees?  When I use the analogy of growing a tree, I am referring to growing fruitful children, families, churches and communities.  The key is to make sure we plant them in fertile, rich soil.  The soil must have the necessary nutrients to produce healthy trees.  Recently I was studying this topic and came across a description of soil related to producing individuals and societies.  The Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA) explains that the soil we plant our children, families, churches and communities in can be described as the prevailing worldview.

The prevailing worldview held by individuals, organizations and the culture, in general, determines the richness of the soil in which these things grow and mature.  Let me explain.  Every child will be planted in a home and some form of school.  For children raised in Christian homes, they will, most likely, also be planted in a church.  The education (nutrients) that a child receives in these institutions will be determined by the worldview these institutions hold.

There are many types of worldviews that have been identified by different individuals and organizations.  However, when you boil all of the various worldview options down, you end up with only two main types.  One can have either a man-centered worldview or a God-centered worldview.  A man-centered worldview is basically secular in nature while a God-centered worldview can be described as a biblical worldview.  These two worldviews are in total opposition to one another.

The question that must be answered is what worldview is forming the soil of our homes, churches, schools and communities?  The answer may not be what we think it is.  Stay tuned for more on this very important topic.