The War of Worldviews

We are in a perpetual war. It began over 6,000 years ago in the Garden of Eden and has been fought on all soils where man’s feet have trod without abatement. The final battle of this epic war will end with Christ’s second coming and undeniable proclamation that He is Lord. At that time, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess what we Christians have known all along, Jesus Christ reigns supreme and there is nobody in second place.

Obviously, the weapons in this conflict are not physical swords and spears but are ideas, philosophies and theories dressed in thin robes of “facts.” This battle is not for the weak of heart. There is no neutrality, and no cease fire agreements are on the horizon. To make matters worse, we have all been drafted on one side or the other. We can claim neither ignorance nor innocence. This is the reality of worldviews.

While there have been numerous skirmishes throughout man’s history, this period is unique because for the first time any worldview can be shared with people on the other side of the world, crossing ethnic and cultural divides in a nanosecond. Because our perspective is now global in existence rather than local, we seldom get to see the consequences of bad ideas, whether on an individual or national level. Instead, a hip website and chattering social media covers a multitude of ideological sins. Recently, a veteran homeschool mother of eight was rebuked by a much younger mother because the former said things that were diametrically opposed to what a favorite blogger of the young mom shared on a marriage and family post. When the elder woman went to the blog, she was she was deeply troubled by what she read. Upon further investigation, this blogger and been married and divorced several times, yet she felt qualified to give comment on others’ marriages. We should not export what doesn’t work in our own lives.

With anybody an expert who yields a computer and a website, now more than ever it is important for us and our children to understand the power of worldviews. How can almost a thousand people follow a drug addicted, adulterating heretic into the wilderness of Guyana and drink poisonous Kool-Aid? Simple, they lacked a biblical worldview and were deceived by a charismatic leader with religious jargon, as were political figures like Walter Mondale and Jimmy Carter’s wife, Rosalynn, who both met with Jim Jones on several occasions.

We either hold to a biblical worldview or some type of counterfeit. Be warned. Many people use spiritual jargon that is not biblical. Consider Jude’s warning:

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated
for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God
into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. –Jude 1:4

The result of not having a biblical worldview is a compromised church, full of sincere people, who see and think more like the world than like Christ. As Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Still, with the rise of technology and the continual indoctrination from public schools and colleges, we must take Jude’s warning seriously. Consider this diagram from Barna:

The trajectory is obvious.  The church is in retreat.  It is incumbent on parents to raise their children at home in the fear and admonition in the Lord so that they will think like Christians, so they can act as Christians, calling the church to revival and reformation.

Please join us in prayer this month—and fasting on the second Tuesday—as we pray for the following worldview needs:

1. Pray that parents will have an understanding of the power of worldviews and will engage their children on appropriate levels.
   • so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. –2 Cor. 2:11
   • The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. –Proverbs 22:3
     
      
2. Pray that parents will search out and find biblical resources on worldview teaching.  (Some include Worldview Academy, Summit Ministries, Nehemiah Institute)
   • “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. –Matt. 7:7
   • My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; –Hosea 4:6
     
      
3. Pray that parents and children alike would have a burden to read, study and learn about worldview issues.
   • For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. –Ezra 7:10
   • yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,
     
     ⁴ if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures ⁵ then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.⁶ For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; –Proverbs 2:3-6
     
      
4. Pray that parents would have an increased awareness of the inputs in their own home—from literature to media to technology—that lead their children to think more like a secularist than a Biblicist.
   • But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. –Mark 3:27
   • Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. –Proverbs 4:23
     
      
5. Pray for parents and children to have a greater degree of discernment into vain philosophies of man that may sound noble but lack biblical backing.
   • See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. –Col. 2:8
   • And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, –Phil. 1:9
   • Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. –Mal. 3:18
     
      
6. Pray that God might give parents and children the tongue of the learned that they could have a clear understanding of a biblical worldview and articulate it in an impactful way.
   • and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, –1 Cor. 2:4
   • The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. –Proverbs 16:1
     
      
7. Pray for children who are leaving the protection of their parents’ homes, whether that be attending college or going to work, to have a heart soft toward the things of God but a forehead strong against the influences of the world.
   • Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”–Ezekiel 3:9
   • Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”–Joshua 1:9
     
      
8. Pray that God will bring godly influences into the lives of our children even as He cuts off negative influences.
   • Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; –1 Timothy 4:7
   • Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. –Eph. 5:11
   • Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” –Luke 7:35
     
      
9. Pray that God would bless organizations that specialize in worldview issues.
   • then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. –Lev. 26:4
     
      
10. A growing number of homeschoolers are buying into the philosophies of today.  Please pray that ICHE will have wisdom in order to meet the needs at this hour in the church’s history.
    • But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. –Acts 6:10
    • for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. –Luke 21:15