Introduction to Worldviews: Dr. Greg Bahnsen
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Digging Deeper into our Worldview
Dennis Edwards and other sources
Truth in Relation to our Worldview
A worldview is the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world around us. “[It’s] any ideology, philosophy, theology, movement or religion that provides an overarching approach to understanding God, the world and man’s relations to God and the world,” so says David Noebel, author of Understanding the Times.
Dr. Jeff Myers from Summit Ministries writes that, “A worldview is a pattern of ideas, beliefs, convictions, and habits that help us make sense of God, the world, and our relationship to God and the world.”
“A worldview is a conceptual scheme by which we consciously or unconsciously place or fit everything we believe and by which we interpret and judge reality.” “A worldview is, first of all, an explanation and interpretation of the world and second, an application of this view to life.” (Phillips, W. Gary, and Brown, Williams E., Making Sense of Your World from a Biblical Viewpoint, Moody Press, Chicago, p. 29, 1991.)
The Biblical Worldview Institute says a Biblical worldview is an overarching view of the world based on God’s revealed truth found in the Bible, which directs every aspect of our life in this world. A Biblical worldview shapes our beliefs about God, Creation, Humanity, Moral Order, and Purpose. It helps answer the following questions.
1. God – To whom or what do I ultimately answer?
2. Creation – What comprises reality?
3. Humanity – Who am I, and how did I get here?
4. Moral Order – How do I determine right and wrong?
5. Purpose – Is there a reason and purpose for my existence?
Del Tacket from Focus on the Family says, “A Biblical worldview is based on the infallible Word of God. When you believe the Bible is entirely true, then you allow it to be the foundation of everything you say and do.”
Our worldview determines how we interpret the facts of life. It is not facts or evidence that determines our worldview. It’s our worldview that determines how we interprets the facts of life. You don’t pick up a fossil with a date on it. Your worldview will determine how you calculate the date of the fossil. You look at the stars and if your worldview is atheistic, you will say, “Wow, look what random non-directed evolutionary processes can do.” If you have a Biblical worldview, you’d say, “Wow, isn’t our God amazing to be able to create such a magnificent universe.” Your worldview will affect what you think about the beginnings of the universe, the beginnings of life, about the moral issues of abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality.
Our worldview will influence our morality, our ethics (rules of conduct in a particular cultural setting), our behaviour, and how we interpret and interact with the world around us. The Nazis were operating according to their worldview. They were following their ethics, their social construct. To condemn the Nazis, the judges said there was a Higher Power whose laws they, the Nazis, had disobeyed. There was conflict in Worldviews. The social construct of the Nazis was diametrically opposed to the Judeo – Christian worldview. The conflict was a conflict in Worldviews.
An important aspect of our Biblical worldview is the search for truth in any given situation or statement of fact. Truth is part of what God is. Jesus said He was the Truth. Therefore, in a Biblical worldview, we should always look for and follow that which is true. It’s God’s Word that helps us discern truth. (Heb. 4:12.) We look to the Word to confirm what is true. (Ps. 119:105, & 160) Is it contrary to God’s Word? As we study the Bible, we should look for patterns of truth in the stories, and incidents which we read about. Biblical concepts will help us decide what is true or false in any given situation. Jn 5:39, Isa. 8:20, Acts 17:11, Matt. 22:29.
The translators of the Bible into English under King James the 1st wrote the following paragraphs within an eighteen-page introduction to the reading of the Bible. That lengthy explanatory introduction was found in Bible up until the end of the 19th century.
“The Scriptures can make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15-17). If we be ignorant, they will instruct us. If we are out of the way, they will bring us home; if we are out of order, they will reform us. If in heaviness, they will comfort us; if dull in spirit, they will quicken us. If cold, they will inflame us. “Take up and read, take up and read the Scriptures,” said the supernatural voice to Saint Augustine who wrote, “Whatsoever is in Scriptures, believe me, is high and divine; there is verily truth, and a doctrine most fit for the refreshing and renewing of men’s minds, and truly so tempered, that every one may draw from thence that which is sufficient for him, if he come and draw with a devout and pious mind, as true religion requires.” (Isaiah 55:1-3). “Love the Scriptures, and wisdom will love thee,” said Saint Jerome.
“Why need we speak of three or four uses of the Scriptures, when whatsoever is to be believed, or practised, or hoped for, is contained in them? Or why should we write three or four sentences from the Church Fathers, since whosoever is worthy of the name of a Father, from Christ’s time downward, has likewise written not only of the riches, but also of the perfection of the Scripture? ‘I adore the fulness of the Scripture,’ says Tertullian against Hermogenes. And again, to Apelles, a heretic of the same stamp, he says, ‘I do not admit that which you bring and conclude of your own head without Scripture.’”
“The Scriptures then being acknowledged to be so full and so perfect, how can we excuse ourselves of negligence, if we do not study them, of curiosity, if we be not content with them?”
Besides reading and trying to follow what is written in God’s revealed Word, the Bible, we should also listen to God’s still small voice of conscience. The inner voice will speak to us and help to discern how to apply God’s Word to our lives. It can help us to discern whether we should accept the ideas and thoughts we are confronted with daily or not. Isaiah 30:21. 1 Kings 19:11-12. Deut. 30:14.
Ultimately, we believe that God is the originator of all truth and is the Ultimate Truth. We are made in His image, as we find in Gen. 1:27. As a result of being made in God’s image, God has placed a moral compass within our hearts to gauge truth and error. All men, even the unregenerated, have the moral compass within them, which we commonly refer to as our conscience. Rom. 2:14-15. But some men suppress the truth of conscience and the truths that are revealed in nature, and their hearts become darkened. Rom 1:18-32. Jn 3:19-21. Isa 5:20-24. 1 Tim 4:1-2. Jer 8:12. 1 Cor 2:14. 2 Thes 2:10-12.
Since God has given us a free-will, as is shown in Genesis 2, we have the choice of whether to follow the still small voice of conscience or not. We have the choice of whether we will listen to what God has said in His written Word and follow its leadings and how it speaks to our heart, or not. Deut. 28:1-2, & 15. Deut. 30:15-20. Remember God’s Word says that His word is not dead, but alive. Hebrews 4:12; John 6:63. God’s Word will speak to us if we take time to listen to it. Luke 16:19-31.
In Genesis 3 we see that Eve was deceived by the serpent, but the Bible says that Adam sinned. God had told Adam specifically not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil before Eve was created. Gen. 2:15-18. Since we don’t see God telling Eve about that commandment, maybe God left it up to Adam to transmit the information. Eve was more susceptible to the Serpents lies as a result. In Romans, Paul explains what Adam has done and what Jesus has done to redeem us.
“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.” Rom 5:12-19. NLT
Jesus broke the curse that was upon mankind through Adam’s sin and reopened the gates of heaven to all those that believe. (Jn 1:12. Jn 3:16. Rom 10:13. Hebrews 9:14-15). That’s our Biblical worldview. It has God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit as the principal and centre of our thinking and acting. God’s Word is the principal filter through which we judge all things to be true or false. We have put on the mind of Christ and are therefore able to judge all things. Jn 7:24. 1 Sam16:7; 1 Cor. 2:15-16. Phil. 2:2-13.
Our Biblical worldview helps us to interpret the world around us. We see and understand the world and all that is in it, and all that occurs through the lens of our Biblical understanding. We have the filter of Romans 8:28 that says that all things that happen in our lives will work together for good because we love and trust God. The filter of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 helps us to be thankful in every situation. We have the lens of 1 Corinthians 13 that admonishes us that love is the highest virtue. John 13 teaches us that the greatest among us must be servant of all. The many other Biblical filters or lenses enable us to face the world and all that confronts us daily with faith and hope and love and joy. It’s our Biblical worldview and the mind of Christ that makes us overcomers and knowledgeable of the truth that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are more than conquerors through Him that loves us. Romans 8:35-39.
In conclusion what is the Christian Biblical worldview? The following definition is offered as a working model from Answers in Genesis:
The Christian worldview sees and understands God the Creator and His creation, that is, man and the world, primarily through the lens of God's special revelation, the Holy Scriptures; and secondarily through the lens of God's natural revelation in creation as interpreted by human reason and reconciled by and with Scripture. The ultimate purpose is to believe and behave in accordance with God's will and, thereby, glorify God with one's mind and life, both now and in eternity.
What essentially distinguishes the Christian worldview from other worldviews? At the heart of the matter, a Christian worldview contrasts with competing worldviews in that it recognizes that God is the unique source of all truth, and relates all truth back to an understanding of God and His purposes for this life and the next.
Professor of Philosophy Arthur Holmes, formerly from Wheaton College, summarizes the unique implications of a Christian worldview when relating absolute truth to God.
1. To say that truth is absolute rather than relative means that it is unchanging and universally the same. (There is no true for you and not true for me.)
2. Truth is absolute not in or of itself, but because it derives ultimately from the one, eternal God. It is grounded in his “metaphysical objectivity,” and that of His creation.
3. Absolute propositional truth, therefore, depends on the absolute personal truth (or fidelity) of God, who can be trusted in all He does and says.
A Christian worldview provides a framework by which we understand the world and all of its reality from God's perspective and, therefore, order our lives accordingly to God's will.
Jeremiah 9:23-24. Thus, says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.
Truth in Relation to our Worldview
A worldview is the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world around us. “[It’s] any ideology, philosophy, theology, movement or religion that provides an overarching approach to understanding God, the world and man’s relations to God and the world,” so says David Noebel, author of Understanding the Times.
Dr. Jeff Myers from Summit Ministries writes that, “A worldview is a pattern of ideas, beliefs, convictions, and habits that help us make sense of God, the world, and our relationship to God and the world.”
“A worldview is a conceptual scheme by which we consciously or unconsciously place or fit everything we believe and by which we interpret and judge reality.” “A worldview is, first of all, an explanation and interpretation of the world and second, an application of this view to life.” (Phillips, W. Gary, and Brown, Williams E., Making Sense of Your World from a Biblical Viewpoint, Moody Press, Chicago, p. 29, 1991.)
The Biblical Worldview Institute says a Biblical worldview is an overarching view of the world based on God’s revealed truth found in the Bible, which directs every aspect of our life in this world. A Biblical worldview shapes our beliefs about God, Creation, Humanity, Moral Order, and Purpose. It helps answer the following questions.
1. God – To whom or what do I ultimately answer?
2. Creation – What comprises reality?
3. Humanity – Who am I, and how did I get here?
4. Moral Order – How do I determine right and wrong?
5. Purpose – Is there a reason and purpose for my existence?
Del Tacket from Focus on the Family says, “A Biblical worldview is based on the infallible Word of God. When you believe the Bible is entirely true, then you allow it to be the foundation of everything you say and do.”
Our worldview determines how we interpret the facts of life. It is not facts or evidence that determines our worldview. It’s our worldview that determines how we interprets the facts of life. You don’t pick up a fossil with a date on it. Your worldview will determine how you calculate the date of the fossil. You look at the stars and if your worldview is atheistic, you will say, “Wow, look what random non-directed evolutionary processes can do.” If you have a Biblical worldview, you’d say, “Wow, isn’t our God amazing to be able to create such a magnificent universe.” Your worldview will affect what you think about the beginnings of the universe, the beginnings of life, about the moral issues of abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality.
Our worldview will influence our morality, our ethics (rules of conduct in a particular cultural setting), our behaviour, and how we interpret and interact with the world around us. The Nazis were operating according to their worldview. They were following their ethics, their social construct. To condemn the Nazis, the judges said there was a Higher Power whose laws they, the Nazis, had disobeyed. There was conflict in Worldviews. The social construct of the Nazis was diametrically opposed to the Judeo – Christian worldview. The conflict was a conflict in Worldviews.
An important aspect of our Biblical worldview is the search for truth in any given situation or statement of fact. Truth is part of what God is. Jesus said He was the Truth. Therefore, in a Biblical worldview, we should always look for and follow that which is true. It’s God’s Word that helps us discern truth. (Heb. 4:12.) We look to the Word to confirm what is true. (Ps. 119:105, & 160) Is it contrary to God’s Word? As we study the Bible, we should look for patterns of truth in the stories, and incidents which we read about. Biblical concepts will help us decide what is true or false in any given situation. Jn 5:39, Isa. 8:20, Acts 17:11, Matt. 22:29.
The translators of the Bible into English under King James the 1st wrote the following paragraphs within an eighteen-page introduction to the reading of the Bible. That lengthy explanatory introduction was found in Bible up until the end of the 19th century.
“The Scriptures can make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15-17). If we be ignorant, they will instruct us. If we are out of the way, they will bring us home; if we are out of order, they will reform us. If in heaviness, they will comfort us; if dull in spirit, they will quicken us. If cold, they will inflame us. “Take up and read, take up and read the Scriptures,” said the supernatural voice to Saint Augustine who wrote, “Whatsoever is in Scriptures, believe me, is high and divine; there is verily truth, and a doctrine most fit for the refreshing and renewing of men’s minds, and truly so tempered, that every one may draw from thence that which is sufficient for him, if he come and draw with a devout and pious mind, as true religion requires.” (Isaiah 55:1-3). “Love the Scriptures, and wisdom will love thee,” said Saint Jerome.
“Why need we speak of three or four uses of the Scriptures, when whatsoever is to be believed, or practised, or hoped for, is contained in them? Or why should we write three or four sentences from the Church Fathers, since whosoever is worthy of the name of a Father, from Christ’s time downward, has likewise written not only of the riches, but also of the perfection of the Scripture? ‘I adore the fulness of the Scripture,’ says Tertullian against Hermogenes. And again, to Apelles, a heretic of the same stamp, he says, ‘I do not admit that which you bring and conclude of your own head without Scripture.’”
“The Scriptures then being acknowledged to be so full and so perfect, how can we excuse ourselves of negligence, if we do not study them, of curiosity, if we be not content with them?”
Besides reading and trying to follow what is written in God’s revealed Word, the Bible, we should also listen to God’s still small voice of conscience. The inner voice will speak to us and help to discern how to apply God’s Word to our lives. It can help us to discern whether we should accept the ideas and thoughts we are confronted with daily or not. Isaiah 30:21. 1 Kings 19:11-12. Deut. 30:14.
Ultimately, we believe that God is the originator of all truth and is the Ultimate Truth. We are made in His image, as we find in Gen. 1:27. As a result of being made in God’s image, God has placed a moral compass within our hearts to gauge truth and error. All men, even the unregenerated, have the moral compass within them, which we commonly refer to as our conscience. Rom. 2:14-15. But some men suppress the truth of conscience and the truths that are revealed in nature, and their hearts become darkened. Rom 1:18-32. Jn 3:19-21. Isa 5:20-24. 1 Tim 4:1-2. Jer 8:12. 1 Cor 2:14. 2 Thes 2:10-12.
Since God has given us a free-will, as is shown in Genesis 2, we have the choice of whether to follow the still small voice of conscience or not. We have the choice of whether we will listen to what God has said in His written Word and follow its leadings and how it speaks to our heart, or not. Deut. 28:1-2, & 15. Deut. 30:15-20. Remember God’s Word says that His word is not dead, but alive. Hebrews 4:12; John 6:63. God’s Word will speak to us if we take time to listen to it. Luke 16:19-31.
In Genesis 3 we see that Eve was deceived by the serpent, but the Bible says that Adam sinned. God had told Adam specifically not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil before Eve was created. Gen. 2:15-18. Since we don’t see God telling Eve about that commandment, maybe God left it up to Adam to transmit the information. Eve was more susceptible to the Serpents lies as a result. In Romans, Paul explains what Adam has done and what Jesus has done to redeem us.
“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.” Rom 5:12-19. NLT
Jesus broke the curse that was upon mankind through Adam’s sin and reopened the gates of heaven to all those that believe. (Jn 1:12. Jn 3:16. Rom 10:13. Hebrews 9:14-15). That’s our Biblical worldview. It has God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit as the principal and centre of our thinking and acting. God’s Word is the principal filter through which we judge all things to be true or false. We have put on the mind of Christ and are therefore able to judge all things. Jn 7:24. 1 Sam16:7; 1 Cor. 2:15-16. Phil. 2:2-13.
Our Biblical worldview helps us to interpret the world around us. We see and understand the world and all that is in it, and all that occurs through the lens of our Biblical understanding. We have the filter of Romans 8:28 that says that all things that happen in our lives will work together for good because we love and trust God. The filter of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 helps us to be thankful in every situation. We have the lens of 1 Corinthians 13 that admonishes us that love is the highest virtue. John 13 teaches us that the greatest among us must be servant of all. The many other Biblical filters or lenses enable us to face the world and all that confronts us daily with faith and hope and love and joy. It’s our Biblical worldview and the mind of Christ that makes us overcomers and knowledgeable of the truth that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are more than conquerors through Him that loves us. Romans 8:35-39.
In conclusion what is the Christian Biblical worldview? The following definition is offered as a working model from Answers in Genesis:
The Christian worldview sees and understands God the Creator and His creation, that is, man and the world, primarily through the lens of God's special revelation, the Holy Scriptures; and secondarily through the lens of God's natural revelation in creation as interpreted by human reason and reconciled by and with Scripture. The ultimate purpose is to believe and behave in accordance with God's will and, thereby, glorify God with one's mind and life, both now and in eternity.
What essentially distinguishes the Christian worldview from other worldviews? At the heart of the matter, a Christian worldview contrasts with competing worldviews in that it recognizes that God is the unique source of all truth, and relates all truth back to an understanding of God and His purposes for this life and the next.
Professor of Philosophy Arthur Holmes, formerly from Wheaton College, summarizes the unique implications of a Christian worldview when relating absolute truth to God.
1. To say that truth is absolute rather than relative means that it is unchanging and universally the same. (There is no true for you and not true for me.)
2. Truth is absolute not in or of itself, but because it derives ultimately from the one, eternal God. It is grounded in his “metaphysical objectivity,” and that of His creation.
3. Absolute propositional truth, therefore, depends on the absolute personal truth (or fidelity) of God, who can be trusted in all He does and says.
A Christian worldview provides a framework by which we understand the world and all of its reality from God's perspective and, therefore, order our lives accordingly to God's will.
Jeremiah 9:23-24. Thus, says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.
Monday, April 15, 2024
What is a Worldview: Jeff Myers at Summit Ministries
WORLDVIEW https://www.summit.org/worldview/
What is a worldview?
According to Dr. Jeff Myers, a worldview is “a pattern of ideas, beliefs, convictions, and habits that help us make sense of God, the world, and our relationship to God and the world.”
There are hundreds of worldviews in operation in the world today. At Summit, we study the worldviews of people because it helps us to understand what they believe and, more importantly, why they believe what they believe. This gives us insight into how we can have conversations with them about the Christian worldview.
Why Does Worldview Matter?
Worldview matters because it is the lens through which people see the world. Your worldview is an invisible, but very real, filter that you use to understand why things are the way they are. Understanding your own worldview is just as important as understanding the worldviews of the people around you.
What are My Assumptions?
We all make assumptions about things we don’t fully understand. We assume people’s intentions and motivations. All of these assumptions come from our worldview or our understanding of other people’s worldviews.
What are the Big Stories?
We all tell stories about the world that explain why things are the way they are. These big stories (also known as meta-narratives) are at the heart of our worldview. The characters and narrative flow of these big stories shape the way we think and act—they’re a huge part of our worldview.
How Do I Navigate the World?
Another reason worldview matters is because it is what helps us to navigate everyday life. The way we interact with each other, the decisions we make, and the values we hold all flow from our worldview.
Understanding the Christian Worldview
More than 2 billion people in the world claim to be Christians, nearly a third of the world’s population. What they mean by “Christian,” of course, varies widely—some people claim to hold a Christian worldview because their parents were Christian or because they live in a predominantly Christian country.
Still, no one doubts that Christianity is a dominant influence in the world. The Christian worldview is built on the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Messiah prophesied for centuries among the Israelites in the Jewish Scriptures. Christians believe that God has revealed himself in the Bible as well as in nature, but especially in the person of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus Christ was God incarnated as a human being, his life is the center of the human story.
We Were Created by God
One of the first things to know about the Christian worldview is that it states that we were created by God. We were made in His image, to bear His likeness in the world. This is a fundamental aspect of this worldview.
We Have Forgotten Who We Are
In the Christian worldview, it is clear that there are gaps between the way God made us and the world and the way things currently are. One of those gaps is between how we were created to live and how we actually live. Our worldview says that, in some ways, we have forgotten who we are and therefore need to be brought back to the relationship we were created for—a relationship with God.
Jesus Came to Bring Us Back
Jesus came into the world to bring us back to God—back to His way of living and back to His way of relating. This is foundational to our worldview. Jesus is the only way for us to get back to the life we were created to live. He showed us what it means to live from this worldview and made the way for each of us to step into this different kind of life.
Inviting Others to See How We See
A big part of the Christian worldview involves inviting others to see the world in the way we see it. It involves helping others to see, the best we can, that God created them and wants them to live in a relationship with Him. That worldview has changed billions of people’s lives throughout the centuries and that worldview is still changing lives today.
For more information about Christian worldview, visit the free resources section of our website.
Competing Worldviews
Researchers have cited that only a minority of believers possess a proper biblical worldview. And the faithful would be well advised to know the precepts of the other five major worldviews at odds with Christianity. This is the breakdown that Dr. Jeff Myers explains in his book The Secret Battle of Ideas about God.
Secularism. Life is about control. We can use our intelligence to harness evolution and make life turn out the way we want. Secularists don’t ask what God wants or what history requires of us but instead what we think best serves us during our lifetimes.
Marxism. Life is about capital. Marxism demands a forcible overthrow of all existing social structures: government, the economy, religion, and family.
Postmodernism. Life is about context. “Capital T” truth cannot be known to exist; we create only “lowercase t” truths for ourselves. We need to be “post”-modern, this worldview argues, investing our time uncovering the ways religious and scientific people try to trick us into thinking they’re right.
New Spirituality. Life is about consciousness. With new spirituality, higher consciousness is at the core of reality, a force some people call “god.” Spirituality isn’t just a thing; it is the only thing.
Islam. Life is about conquering. A sixth-century nomad named Muhammad claimed that an angel revealed humanity’s need to unite around sincere worship of one God: Allah, in Arabic. Considering itself to be the one true religion, Islam teaches that we all are born Muslim (“those who submit”). Disbelief must be conquered through jihad
For more resources on understanding worldviews and their effects on the way we live out our faith, download this eBook and Summit’s Worldview Chart.
Who is Summit Ministries?
Summit Ministries exists to cultivate rising generations to resolutely champion a biblical worldview. We accomplish this in several ways.
Developing Free Worldview Resources
Hosting Student Conferences
Providing Curriculum for both Christian Schools and Homeschoolers
Developing Free Worldview Resources
We have a huge archive of worldview resources in the form of videos and articles. These are all developed from the standpoint of apologetics—providing a defense for the Christian faith and a biblical worldview.
Hosting Student Conferences
Every summer, hundreds of students attend one of our Student Conferences in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. During these conferences, students hear from some of the foremost minds in Christianity, as they learn to defend their faith and prepare for college. The result is hundreds of students who have taken ownership of their faith and know why they believe what they believe.
Providing Christian School and Homeschool Curriculum
Another way we encourage rising generations to stand strong in a biblical worldview is through providing bible curriculum for Christian Schools and Homeschools. Thousands of kids are using these tools to understand their faith (at an age-appropriate level) and then be ready with a defense of why they believe what they believe. The study of apologetics can begin at a young age, even though it will look differently than it does later on in life.
The Focus of Summit Ministries
We are focused on helping people approach and understand life from a Christian, biblical worldview. In our culture today, there are many competing worldviews that offer an explanation for the big questions in life. Through the study and application of apologetics, we provide a solid foundation for people to feel confident in a biblical worldview.
What Areas Does Summit Ministries study?
Answers for the biggest questions in life are being offered all around us. How do we sort through this barrage of assumptions and assertions? We have identified ten areas where the biblical worldview can guide our thinking and our behavior. These areas are woven into our homeschool curriculum right from the start, in ways that are age-appropriate.
Theology
Philosophy
Ethics
Biology
Psychology
Sociology
Law
Politics
Economics
History
These 10 areas provide a comprehensive worldview that is based on biblical principles. Through the consistent application of apologetics to these 10 topics, we teach people how to defend their faith with confidence.
Philosophy
Ethics
Biology
Psychology
Sociology
Law
Politics
Economics
History
These 10 areas provide a comprehensive worldview that is based on biblical principles. Through the consistent application of apologetics to these 10 topics, we teach people how to defend their faith with confidence.
The History of Summit Ministries
An alarming number of Christians stumble while in college and around half will renounce their faith because they simply do not have a defense for what they believe. David Noebel, our founder and former president, almost joined those statistics while he was a philosophy student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Dr. Noebel founded Summit Ministries in 1962 to help ground Christians in their faith, thereby enabling them to face the barrage of challenges on college campuses.
Our home is a turn-of- the-century hotel (formerly known as The Grandview), luxurious by early 20th century standards. Around this hotel, we have built our home in a complex of buildings dubbed the Summit Village. This, our home base, is located in Manitou Springs, CO at the foot of Pike’s Peak.
From 1962 until 1988, we were a small series of camp-style conferences, hosting an average of 350 students each year. After sending his own son Ryan through our program, Dr. James Dobson featured Summit Ministries on the Focus on the Family radio program in 1989, which quickly grew our attendance exponentially.
Today, with our world-renowned faculty and under the direction of President Dr. Jeff Myers, we are viewed as one of the foremost leaders in training Christians in apologetics, worldview analysis, and social engagement.
A Biblical Worldview Has a Radical Effect on a Person’s Life
https://www.barna.com/research/a-biblical-worldview-has-a-radical-effect-on-a-persons-life/
December 2003
Any objective social analyst would conclude that the United States faces its fair share of moral and spiritual problems. A new research study from Barna Group suggests that a large share of the nation’s moral and spiritual challenges is directly attributable to the absence of a biblical worldview among Americans. Citing the findings from a just-completed national survey of 2033 adults that showed only 4% of adults have a biblical worldview as the basis of their decision-making, researcher George Barna described the outcome. “If Jesus Christ came to this planet as a model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like Jesus. Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience and priorities of Jesus. The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what we think – our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions. Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life. We’re often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance.”
Not Just Any Worldview
The research indicated that everyone has a worldview, but relatively few people have a biblical worldview – even among devoutly religious people. The survey discovered that only 9% of born again Christians have such a perspective on life. The numbers were even lower among other religious classifications: Protestants (7%), adults who attend mainline Protestant churches (2%) and Catholics (less than one-half of 1%). The denominations that produced the highest proportions of adults with a biblical worldview were non-denominational Protestant churches (13%), Pentecostal churches (10%) and Baptist churches (8%).
Among the most prevalent alternative worldviews was postmodernism, which seemed to be the dominant perspective among the two youngest generations (i.e., the Busters and Mosaics).
For the purposes of the research, a biblical worldview was defined as believing that absolute moral truths exist; that such truth is defined by the Bible; and firm belief in six specific religious views. Those views were that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life; God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He stills rules it today; salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned; Satan is real; a Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people; and the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings.
The Difference a Biblical Worldview Makes
One of the most striking insights from the research was the influence of such a way of thinking upon people’s behavior. Adults with a biblical worldview possessed radically different views on morality, held divergent religious beliefs, and demonstrated vastly different lifestyle choices.
People’s views on morally acceptable behavior are deeply impacted by their worldview. Upon comparing the perspectives of those who have a biblical worldview with those who do not, the former group were 31 times less likely to accept cohabitation (2% versus 62%, respectively); 18 times less likely to endorse drunkenness (2% versus 36%); 15 times less likely to condone gay sex (2% versus 31%); 12 times less likely to accept profanity 3% versus 37%); and 11 times less likely to describe adultery as morally acceptable (4% versus 44%). In addition, less than one-half of one percent of those with a biblical worldview said voluntary exposure to pornography was morally acceptable (compared to 39% of other adults), and a similarly miniscule proportion endorsed abortion (compared to 46% of adults who lack a biblical worldview).
Among the more intriguing lifestyle differences were the lesser propensity for those with a biblical worldview to gamble (they were eight times less likely to buy lottery tickets and 17 times less likely to place bets); to get drunk (three times less likely); and to view pornography (two times less common). They were also twice as likely to have discussed spiritual matters with other people in the past month and twice as likely to have fasted for religious reasons during the preceding month. While one out of every eight adults who lack a biblical worldview had sexual relations with someone other than their spouse during the prior month, less than one out of every 100 individuals who have such a worldview had done so.
Some Groups Are More Likely to Have a Biblical Worldview
Adults who have a biblical worldview possessed a somewhat different demographic profile than those who did not. For instance, individuals who attended college were much more likely than those who did not to have this perspective (6% versus 2%, respectively). Married adults were more than twice as likely as adults who had never been wed to hold such a worldview (5% versus 2%). Whites (5%) were slightly more likely than either blacks (3%) or Hispanics (3%) to hold this ideology. One of the largest gaps was between Republicans (10% of whom had a biblical worldview), Independents (2%) and Democrats (1%).
Residents of Texas and North Carolina were more likely than people in other states to have a biblical worldview. Among the states in which such a worldview was least common were Louisiana and the six states in New England. The nation’s largest state – California – was average (i.e., 4% of its residents had a biblical worldview).
Attributes such as gender, age and household income showed no statistical relationship to the possession of a biblical worldview.
Some Churches Are Helping People
The research found that one of the most effective methods of enabling people to develop a biblical worldview is by addressing seven critical questions that consistently lead to beliefs and behaviors that are in tune with biblical teaching. Outlining that process in a new book he has written as an outgrowth of the research, entitled Think Like Jesus, Barna also noted that many churches are already helping their congregants to implement such a way of addressing daily challenges and opportunities.
“The emphasis of these churches is to not only teach biblical perspectives,” according to Barna, “but also to help people connect the dots of the core principles taught. Rather than simply provide people with good material and hope they figure out what to do with it, these are churches whose services, programs, events and relationships are geared to weaving a limited number of foundational biblical principles into a way of responding to every life situation. The goal is to facilitate a means of interpreting and responding to every life situation that is consistent with God’s expectations. These are not perfect people, but once they catch on to the critical principles found in the Bible and train their minds to incorporate those views into their thinking, their behavior varies noticeably from the norm.”
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