A Christian World View?
by Loretta Abbott

During the mid 1990's, I was involved with the administrative staff of a Christian School that spent time praying, brainstorming, and developing what we believed was God's vision for that school. The vision we wrote was, "Training up today's generation for the future with a Biblical worldview." To be honest with you I am not sure we totally understood what it meant to have a Biblical worldview, nor did we realize we were going to be in the mainstream with that vision statement, but obviously God knew the importance of training the next generation with a Biblical worldview. In the 21st Century, the term "worldview" has become a buzzword. There are worldview conferences, colleges, books, classes, etc. Christian groups have taken great efforts to include terms like "Christian worldview" or "Biblical worldview" on their brochures and promotional materials.

What is a worldview?
Every person has a worldview. Here's how some have defined it: "How we view the world. Our ideas about the world that determine how we live, decisions we make, and our response to others. The ideas we have that determine our thoughts, decisions, and actions." (Rewired Worldview Curriculum by Chuck Colson and Teen Mania) "A worldview is your belief system - a total way of looking at the world, the way you understand reality, or what the world is all about. A worldview is the 'Big Picture' of life, and it is a coherent view that gives meaning to the individual pieces of your life." (Worldviews in Focus: Thinking Like a Christian by David Noebel and Chuck Edwards) In other words, your worldview is what you believe, which in turn affects your value system which then determines your behavior and actions.

Jesus is the basis of a Christian worldview.
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:6-8

Beliefs set in stone?
Several years ago, George Barna, a famous American pollster, wrote a book about children and their worldview. Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions is a very thought provoking and disconcerting book, because it exposes the worldview of American children, and explains the necessity of training children in a Biblical worldview. Something George Barna says the American church has not done well. He gives a lot of statistics to back his claim stating only 3 percent of the nation's 13 year-olds have a biblical worldview, which serves as the foundation for their decision-making. He also stated that most people will die with the belief they had at age 13. The statistics are not favorable toward adults becoming a Christian, and yet the main focus of most churches is on adults.

Youth as the focus.
In 1607 one congregation of Separatists from England migrated to Holland because the religious tolerance there permitted them to preach and practice their faith freely without fear of interference from the Church of England. After a decade in Holland, however, they noticed their children were picking up the Dutch language and habits and threatened the spiritual growth of the congregation and the cultural heritage of their community. It was at that point they obtained a land grant to settle in the New World where they would have the right to worship freely. They understood how important it was for their children to learn the Christian faith and culture. They were willing to brave the journey and accompanying trials to America to ensure strong Christian teaching, because they knew their children were the future of Christianity.

Christian education is critical.
For a child, it is pretty hard to dilute the 30-35 weekly hours of secular humanistic teaching they receive in school with 2-4 hours of church activity. One day the great evangelist, Dwight L. Moody told a friend he had led three and a half people to the Lord the night before. His friend replied, "oh, you led three adults and one child to the Lord." Moody's response was, "No, I led 3 children and 1 adult to the Lord. The adult has already wasted half of his life and the children have their whole life to live for the Lord.

If we do not teach our Christian children and young adults to have a Biblical worldview, who will? Where are the pastors and congregations who will stand up and be the ones to say, "I will." I will be one to teach the children a Biblical worldview. They are not going to get it in the world. I do not believe Christian schools are simply a frill in our American churches and culture. They are critical to the preservation of Christianity in America.