January 2020

 

I want to continue trying to answer the question I was asked a couple of weeks ago by one of this blog’s subscribers.  He asked why is it so essential that our children be given a biblical worldview?

It is important to understand that developing a biblical worldview cannot be the ultimate end for education.  However, the ultimate end for education requires that a biblical worldview be developed.

Last week I shared how the ultimate end of education must lead the student to understand God’s purpose for why He created man in His image.  The main reason for this was that man could know God.  I agree with J.I. Packer who said,

Once you become aware that the main business you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems will fall in place of their own accord.

A biblical worldview is the only belief system that can lead a person to know the true God.  Knowing God causes us to discover another reason why biblical worldview development must have the highest priority in a child’s education.

First, we must remember that a biblical worldview can be defined as what the Bible says is true about:

• God
• Creation
• Mankind
• Knowledge
• Morality (right & wrong)
• Purpose
• Future

A biblical worldview fulfills the greatest need that every person has.  This need is the desire to find true significance.  A biblical worldview is the only worldview that gives life authentic meaning.

It begins with a knowledge of God which will in turn give meaning to all the other components of life.  For example:

• a biblical worldview defines what it means to be human.  This provides meaningful answers to such things as the sanctity of all human life, including the life of the unborn, the gender dysphoria that is plaguing society, and the value and worth of all individuals regardless of color of skin, mental ability or economic status, etc.
• a biblical worldview provides the only universal moral code by which society can function and survive.  No other worldview can explain why evil exists and that right and wrong are not determined by those in power but is a reflection of the very nature of God.
•  a biblical worldview gives meaning to work.  Other worldviews view work as something to be avoided or, at best, tolerated.  A biblical worldview leads a person to see work as a vocation that is pursued so one can be a steward of some part of God’s magnificent creation for His glory.

I am sure that you can articulate some other ways that a biblical worldview gives true meaning to one’s life.  In closing, I want to share something that Dr. Albert Mohler recently stated in his January 14th The Briefing.

 

When the Christian biblical worldview is not the basic structure of societal thought, then the confusions between the Creator and creation and between humanity and the rest of creation become not only possible, but inevitable.

The home, church and/or school cannot strive to help the next generation develop a biblical worldview just so that our children adopt a similar perspective on life.  Parents, church leaders and educators must be committed to a higher goal of having future generations not only think but, more importantly, act from a biblical worldview.  When this happens, culture is changed because life has true significance.

Be sure to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

 

 

Last week I wrote about the need for Christians to develop a biblical worldview so that they are equipped to give a biblical worldview to the next generation.  The key point that I made was that you can only give what you possess.

One reader posted a comment that was quite profound.  As you read this person’s comment (emphasis mine) in its entirety, I believe you will find his questions to be extremely important.  He writes:

It’s clearly a very serious problem and our churches and our nations are suffering the consequences of its absence [a biblical worldview] right now.  But the larger question, the one that needs to be answered, and answered well, is – “Why? Why should we bother teaching a biblical worldview in the first place? Why do we need it?”  Isn’t it enough just to ‘get everyone saved’ and then wait for our entry into Heaven or for the Lord’s return, whichever comes first?  On the other hand, would it be good enough to just have every Christian adopt the same perspective on life (i.e. worldview), leaving the world around us largely unchanged while we maintain a lukewarm but biblically correct faith?  Can a biblical worldview be our highest goal or should it be an essential part of something even more important? Maybe we need to declare what that something is.

As I contemplated the questions in this comment, I realized that having our children and youth develop a biblical worldview cannot be the ultimate end of their education.  Developing a biblical worldview must be a means to a greater end.

Throughout this week, I have wrestled with why do we need a biblical worldview and what is the ultimate end that requires us to develop such a belief system?  The answers to these questions are not easy ones to grapple with.  In fact, they cannot be answered in merely one blog post.

In an effort to answer these questions, I was reminded about the importance of understanding one’s purpose.  Understanding one’s purpose gives meaning to life.  Therefore, developing a biblical worldview must be an essential component for knowing and fulfilling God’s purpose for mankind.

It was fascinating to study God’s Word and see something that God stresses over and over again when it comes to His purpose for you and me.  God created man in His image so that man would know Him.  I have been completely enthralled by this truth over the past several months.

This past week I have been studying the account of God bringing the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.  I was amazed at the number of times God said that He was going to do something so that someone would know that I am the Lord.  God does miraculous works for one reason — so that He will be known.

J.I. Packer asks a series of questions that all have the same answer.

• What were we made for?  To know God.
• What aim should we have in life?  To know God.
• What is eternal life that Jesus gives?   To know God.
• What is the best thing in life?  To know God.
• What in humans gives God most pleasure?  Knowledge of Himself.

How does one’s worldview relate to knowing God?  I have shared some basic components of every worldview in other articles.  Every worldview is made up of one’s beliefs about:

• God
• Creation
• Man
• Knowledge
• Right and Wrong
• Purpose
• Future

All of these components are important building blocks that form one’s worldview.   However, the foundational building block of any and every worldview is one’s beliefs about God.  What one believes and knows about God shapes every other component of one’s worldview.

Therefore, it is essential that every child develop a biblical worldview because it is the only worldview that will lead them to know the true God.  So, one part of the answer to why it is essential for Christians to develop a biblical worldview is so that they will know Him.  Here are some questions I have asked myself this week.  How would you answer them?

1. Do I know God or do I merely know some things about God?
2. Are my beliefs about God in line with how He is revealed in Scripture?
3. What impact does my knowledge of God have on my everyday life?

Knowing God must be our highest goal in life.  However, there is more to answering the question, why is it essential for us to develop a biblical worldview?  Next week I will share some other answers I have found to this penetrating question.

Be sure to share your thoughts to this question by leaving a comment below.

 

2019 is in the rearview mirror.  I think you will agree with me that it was a year that was marked by overwhelming moral decay throughout society.  We continue to see the vast majority of our children leaving the church.  How do we survive the assault on biblical values that once guided life in America?

At a recent worldview conference I was speaking at, George Barna told the audience that biblical education is our last hope.  The reason this is true is because children and youth spend more time at school than they do at church and at home (when you don’t count sleeping).

He went on to say that we must give our children a biblical worldview if there is any hope that they will be able to stand against the culture that is trying to destroy everything we believe to be true.  However, there is a problem.  We can only give the next generation what we, ourselves, possess!

These facts have haunted me for the last several weeks.  Are we going to be up to the challenge?  I do not believe we are ready to accept this challenge unless some things drastically change.  Today, I am announcing that I am determined to do all I can to equip Christians to be able to take on this overwhelming test.

While visiting family in El Paso over the holidays, the pastor preaching the new year sermon said something that I cannot get out of my mind.  He asked us, what is your plan to make sure that 2020 is not merely a repeat of 2019?

According to Barna’s research, only 9% of Christians possess a biblical worldview.  Even worse is the reality that only 4%, 1 out of 25, millennials have developed a biblical worldview.  Barna went on to explain that a young person’s worldview is pretty much shaped by the age of 13.  This means, that the primary parenting generation today is the millennial generation.  As I have been speaking in various Christian schools around the country, I am finding out that the primary teaching generation is fast becoming the millennial generation.

With that being said, it becomes evident that the home, church and school are not equipped to give the next generation a biblical worldview.  This is because one can only give what one possesses!

This is the major thing that must change if we are going to successfully engage in today’s culture war.  I am determined to make this my highest priority in ministry in 2020.  I want to do everything possible to help the home, church and school equip Christian parents, church leaders and educators with a biblical worldview and biblical philosophy of education.  If this is not accomplished, we will continue to see our children and youth adopt the secular, atheistic worldview of the culture and leave the faith.

Here is my plan to bring about this change.

1. I have written to several key pastors asking them to share with me how I can engage pastors to address the issue of education biblically.
2. I have written to an influential seminary president asking him what seminaries can do to challenge future pastors and church leaders to address the issue of education biblically.
3. I will continue to challenge every head of a Christian school to make it his/her top priority to conduct intentional, ongoing staff development in the areas of biblical worldview formation and biblical philosophy of education.  This is absolutely necessary if Christian schools are going to remain true to God’s ultimate purpose of education.
4. I am in the process of developing additional resources and activities that will lead parents, pastors and educators to know the truth so they can be made free.
5. I have set a goal to enlist at least 100 more schools to become KEM Prime Members so that their staffs will have access to the resources necessary to equip them to accept this challenge.
6. I have committed to conducting as many live staff and/or board training sessions as my calendar will allow.

Last year there were over 6,000 videos viewed on the KEM Prime Member website.  This far exceeded what I had thought would take place.  But, it is not enough.  This needs to be doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled if we are going to be able to make a difference.

As I have prayed about this, I have asked myself what would happen if 10,000 board members, administrators, and teachers developed a strong, biblical worldview and embraced a biblical philosophy of education?  This may appear to be too big of a goal but when one breaks it down, it is actually quite low.

If a Christian school has a board and staff membership of only 30 individuals, it would take a little more than 300 schools to reach this goal.  If the number of schools increased to 500, it would result in 15,000 Christians educators equipped to give students a biblical worldview education.  It is not only mandatory that this takes place, but it is also very achievable.

When I was serving the Lord at Lynchburg Christian Academy, Dr. Jerry Falwell regularly challenged us by saying,

It is not a question if the rabbit can climb the tree, it has to!

The rabbit has to climb the tree!  However, it won’t happen unless each and every one of us commits himself/herself to pursuing this goal together.  Here is my challenge to you.

Do you want 2020 to be just a repeat of 2019?

If not, what needs to change in your life and ministry?

Would you join with me to do everything possible to give the next generation a biblical worldview education?  Let’s make 2020 a year that we see God do a miracle in the hearts and minds of thousands of children and youth.  It can happen!  It must happen!  It begins with you and me!

Be sure to leave a comment or email me with any suggestions you might have to help achieve this goal.