George Barna, a well-known and reputable pollster regarding issues of Christianity, reports in a December 2003 edition of The Barna Update that “the research indicated that everyone has a worldview, but relatively few people have a biblical worldview—even among devoutly religious people.” He further states, “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” (www.barna.org).
The issue of worldview is extremely important in Christian schooling: not just the development of a worldview but a focus on the development of a biblical or Christian worldview. This is a driving focus of your Christian school.
We believe that students give evidence of a biblical worldview not only as they develop a deeper understanding of biblical concepts but also as they then give expression to those concepts. For example, students would understand the worth of every human being as created in the image of God, possess apologetic skill to defend their faith in God, and have the ability to articulate and defend their own biblical worldview while having at least a basic understanding of opposing worldviews.
A biblical worldview is manifest in myriad ways through daily living. It is expressed as individuals embrace and practice justice, mercy, and peacemaking in family and society; as they understand that work has dignity as an expression of the very nature of God; and as they appreciate languages and cultures of other peoples—dispelling prejudice, promoting interethnic harmony, and encouraging biblical hospitality for the “alien” or “stranger.”
The teaching, training, and nurturing of students toward their development of a continuously maturing worldview should also foster in them a commitment to lifelong learning—a desire to continue to explore, learn about, and experience God’s creation and provision for His people. You see, the formal Christian school experience is not intended to be a culmination of learning but rather a motivation to grow and learn throughout an entire lifetime.
Be assured, your child is developing a worldview. Your choice of a distinctively Christian education is a great enhancement toward the nurture and development of a particular worldview—a biblical one. But, again, as in academic/thinking development, your role as an appropriately engaged parent is vitally important. Please consider some rather straightforward questions: What role does God’s Word have in your home? Do your children see you embracing Scripture as a meaningful part of life? Do you grasp any of the opportunities to discuss the ideas that vie for your child’s mind in the entertainment media? Could you talk about how these varying ideas either reflect or reject biblical concepts?
What your children witness in these areas will give evidence to the level of your desire and willingness as an engaged parent, in partnership with your Christian school, to strengthen your child’s development of a biblical worldview. I believe that you will be astounded at the effectiveness of this engagement.
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