Worldview Assessment & Training Dan Smithwick Nehemiah Institute

This seminar will give you:  Education:Meaning of “worldview”  Information:Trends of worldview  Motivation:The why of “worldview” in every classroom  Inspiration:You can do it!

Mission statement: Undoing Dewey.

1: Meaning of Worldview

Definitions: 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. Dr. David Noebel Summit Ministries

Definitions: In simplest terms, a worldview is a set of beliefs about the most important issues in life. Dr. Ronald Nash Reformed Theological Seminary

“Worldview” verses “For my thoughts are not ______ __________, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8 “—and bringing into captivity _______ _________to the obedience of Christ.” II Cor. 10:5 thoughtsyour every thought

Common Worldviews Atheism Existentialism Hedonism Humanism Materialism Nihilism Pantheism Polytheism Postmodernism Pragmatism Socialism Theism

War of Worldviews Christian Biblical Theism Anti-Christian Atheism Existentialism Hedonism Humanism Materialism Nihilism Pantheism Pragmatism Postmodernism Socialism

P olitics How we govern E conomics How we prosper E ducation How we learn R eligion What we worship S ocial Issues How we relate Worldview Categories

PEERS Testing A Biblical worldview assessment program designed to assess how one views God, man and world around him.

Limited Government- Purpose of civil government: Limited? Expansive? or

Meaning of Biblical Worldview Education Politics Economics Education Religion Social Issues Objective knowledge

Question the significance of the Word- Politics Economics Education “Religion” Social Issues

Look elsewhere for “real life” issues Politics Economics Education Religion Social Issues Philosophers Scientists Politicians Talking Heads Media

2: Results and Trends of worldview understanding

Worldview Categories Score Range Biblical Theism Moderate Christian Secular Humanism Socialism< 0

Summary test results: (Scale: -100 to +100) Biblical Scholars: (several dozen) 87.8 Humanists: (several dozen) Christian school faculty: (500+) 52.9 Christian school students: (15,000+) 27.8 Public school students: (1000+) 7.9

Ministry Leaders Biblical Theism Moderate Christian Secular Humanism

Humanists & New Ager’s Biblical Theism Socialism

Influence on Society? Humanists Biblical Scholars Two bodies of thought

PEERS Trend Analysis Christian youth in public schools Moderate Christian

PEERS Trend Analysis Christian youth in “worldview” schools

PEERS Trend Analysis Traditional Christian schools

Worldview of youth- Shaped more by MTV, than by KJV

Your students?- What are the dominate factors shaping their worldview? Do they start with scripture? Do they have a burden for truth? Is secular culture shaping their views?

Highest scoring school Covenant Academy, Boise, ID

Lowest scoring school

3:  Worldview in every Classroom

Contributing factors- Curriculum selection State of Christian home/church Education philosophy of faculty

If this is so- Humanists Biblical Scholars Two bodies of thought Humanist Manifesto The Bible

And if this is true- God despises Humanism “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matt 25:46)

Then this is disaster in making. 90% of Christian youth Biblical Theism Humanism/Socialism

Raise the bar-

The end-- “Come, let us build—” Neh. 2:17