What is a Christian Worldview?
A Christian worldview is a comprehensive understanding of
the world that is formed by the authority of the Bible and
the person of Jesus Christ. It provides unique answers to all
the questions of life. These answers, in turn, provide a solid
foundation for unique attitudes and actions that shape lives
and history in ways no other worldview has or ever can do.
A Christian worldview is primarily formed when the
things we learn are framed within the context of God’s truth
claims found in the Bible and are supported by our life
experience with those who taught us.
Four Ts Essential to Passing on a Christian Worldview
Training
Time
=
Truth They
Will Trust
=
Traditions
(Kept &
Passed On)
The Bible speaks about training children up in a way that
when they are old, they won’t depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).
Training is the combination of the truth claims we teach
and the reality of how our pupil experiences that truth, for
experience will determine the extent to which the truth
claim will be trusted or rejected. Perhaps this adds fresh
perspective to the statement, “Practice what you preach!”
There are those who don’t like the word tradition because
they see it as old-fashioned. Let me suggest that it is not.
Tradition really demonstrates itself in two ways: Things we
value so much that we practice or do regularly and things so
important or valuable to us that we intentionally pass them
on to those we love.
Valuable Traditions
My wife and I were both blessed to be raised in Christian
homes. But when we started our family we decided we would
do something different with our children. We committed to
spend time with each one at the end of the day just talking
about their day and praying with them while tucking them
into bed. We did that almost without fail for each of our six
children until the day they left home. It became so much a
part of their lives that some asked if we’d call them at night
as they were leaving for college!
One of our sons, Ben, joined the Marine Corps. After
serving two terms in Afghanistan and battling severe
post-traumatic stress and other injuries, he was medically
discharged. Many days were very dark for him. He once told
me he felt his experience had robbed him of innocence.
Then Ben called one day to tell us he and his wife were
expecting their first baby. He expressed how he felt like God
might give him back some innocence through this new child.
Later he called again with exciting news. The doctor said
their developing baby could hear. The words that followed
were like music to our ears. He said, “So guess what I’ve
started doing? Every night I’ve been getting down close to the
baby and talking and praying with him before we go to bed.”
Questions to Consider:
Does it matter what and how our kids
are taught?
Does it matter what kind of time we
spend with them?
Does it matter if they learn to trust
God’s truth claims through our lives
and others who influence them?
Do traditions matter when it comes to
living and passing on our faith?
The Scriptures are clear, and life proves these things do
matter. Experience shows that proper parenting and educat-
ing of children—the discipline of making disciples—takes
an incredible amount of intentionality. It doesn’t just happen
because we want it to. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Train up
a child in the way he should go—but be sure you go that way
yourself.” Simply put, disciples emulate those who lead them.
The mission of Renewanation is to promote, support, and
expand the work of making disciples of Jesus among school-
age children. That is the work of Christian parenting. It is
also the work of Christian education.
Melvin Adams is President & COO of Renewanation. A minister
and educator, Melvin’s 33-year career includes organizational
leadership and ministry in the U.S. and several countries around
the world. While leading his family, influencing people for Jesus,
and building Renewanation, he pursues interests in conservative
politics, culinary experimentation, and some very small time ag-
riculture. He and his wife, Sandy, have six children and eight
grandchildren. They reside in Hardy, Virginia.
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