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Worldview Test
By Israel Wayne
Are your children equipped to face the “Real World”? When
children finish their home training and “leave the nest”
into the secular culture around them, will they be truly
prepared to embark on such a journey. Now is the time to
begin thinking about the competing ideological forces at war
for the souls of your children. While you can still
influence their beliefs, you must begin dialoguing with them
regarding the important issues of life. There is much more
to equipping your child than simply giving them “head
knowledge.” You must win their heart by establishing a
loving relationship of trust and open communication.
Character building and discipleship must be central. You
must encourage them to love God with all their being, and
train them to be ministry minded. We must always strive to
maintain a Godly balance, aiming for the head and the heart.
Simply getting “all the right answers” on a worldview test
will not redeem a child. Just because your child has a
Biblical Worldview does not mean that he will necessarily
live according to what he knows to be true. We aren’t trying
to create intellectually superior students but, rather,
Spirit-filled Christian youth who can live out the truth in
love, and win their hearers to Christ.
What Is A Worldview
And Why Is It Important?
A worldview is a
comprehensive set of foundational beliefs regarding all of
life and reality. There are truth claims that we accept as
valid and, based on these presuppositions, we build our
philosophy of life. We need to base our entire belief system
on the truth of God’s Word. Our worldview needs to be
Scripturally sound if we intend to please God and obey His
commands.
What Are Some
Essential Components Of A Biblical Worldview?
The following are
questions you can use to encourage dialogue with your
homeschooled students. As you discuss these issues with your
teenagers or older children, you may be surprised to learn
how they respond. The purpose of a worldview test is not to
evaluate what your child knows; but rather what they
believe. As much as possible, insist on Scriptural
references for the positions various members of your family
take on these issues.
The Arts
How do we know if a
certain art form pleases God? Which is more important, the
content or the form of Art? Does Scripture give us
permission to be entertained? Do the Arts usually glorify
God or man? Why is this?
Economics
How do you define money?
How much of our wealth is ours and how much belongs to God?
Who should fund social programs like welfare, health care,
child-care, education, etc.?
Education
To whom did God give the
responsibility to teach children? Can a parent send their
child to a Christian or government school and still fulfill
their obligation to be in charge of their child’s education?
What is the primary purpose of an education?
Ethics
Does a human being ever
have the right to take another human life? Are there some
moral truths that are absolute in all cultures and nations,
regardless of whether or not they are believed and accepted
by the majority of people? Is it right for us to impose our
morality on other people?
Family
Are married women to be
submissive to their husbands in everything? Are birth
control and family planning Scripturally supported? Why did
God create families and not merely individuals? What
constitutes a family according to Scripture?
History
How do you determine
which historical events are worth studying and which are
not? Is it possible to read historical truth that isn’t
tainted by the bias of the author? Has God directed all
historical events, or have some been beyond His control or
will? What is the most important reason to study history?
Language Arts
Why do we desire to
communicate with others? Why did God confuse our ability to
dialogue with each other people? (Gen. 11:7) Why do you
suppose God has revealed Himself to us as the logos or Word,
(John 1:1) and what does this tell us about His nature?
Literature
What are the Biblical
principles we should use to determine the spiritual value of
“great books” and classic literature? How does reading
fantasy literature affect your view of reality? What is the
main purpose of story-telling?
Math
Can there be such a thing
as Christian or secular math? What does mathematics reveal
to us about the nature and character of God? If the earth
was created by chaos, why do we see logical consistency in
math?
Religion
Is there such a thing as
one true religion? Is it possible to have many paths to God
(i.e. each person follows his or her own heart)? If religion
is so good, why have so many people been killed in the name
of religion? What makes the gospel of Jesus unique among
other religions? How do we know the Bible is true? How do we
know that God exists, since we can’t see Him.
Science
What are the substantial
differences between Biblical creationism and Darwin’s
evolutionary model? Is a belief in a literal six-day
creation important? Do mutations and variations within a
species prove Darwin’s theory of natural selection? Is it
true that science is fact, and religion is faith?
Social Studies
What are some examples of
fundamental, God-given rights that apply to all people? Are
some cultures or people groups viewed as more important than
others in God’s eyes? How tolerant should we be of other
people’s lifestyles and choices?
Become
Worldview-Minded
I hope this article will
encourage you to discuss important issues together as a
family. The most important thing is not having all the right
answers, but learning how to search God’s Word for answers
to the questions that probe the mind. God cares infinitely
about the process, as well as the end result. Relationships
are built by talking together and listening to the ideas of
those you love. Don’t miss the chance to “give an answer for
the hope that lies within you,” even if it is to your own
children. But, remember, do it with meekness and fear! (1
Pet. 3:15)
Israel Wayne was home educated and currently serves as
Marketing Director for the national publication Home School
Digest. He is the author of the book, Homeschooling From A
Biblical Worldview, published by Wisdom’s Gate, and site
editor for
www.ChristianWorldview.net
Israel and his wife Brook (also a homeschool graduate) and
reside in Michigan with their five young children. Write to:
Wisdom’s Gate, P.O. Box 374, Covert, MI 49043.
1-800-343-1943,
www.WisdomsGate.org
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