As this portion of our Caney Creek Church website has begun and you read about “Standing on the Biblical Worldview Rock”, you may be wondering, “what is a Biblical worldview?”

Good question. First what is a worldview? Then we will look at Biblical worldview.

A worldview is simply the lens through which you (and I and every other person on the planet) views life. We all have general perceptions about how life works. In a sense it is as though every person is wearing some sort of sunglasses that give the world they see a particular perspective.

For instance, people in Western civilization tend to emphasize the individual; people from Eastern culture tend to emphasize the family or group. You could say Western worldview generally emphasizes the individual whereas the Eastern worldview emphasizes the family or the group.

One dictionary defines worldview as “a particular philosophy of life or conception of the world.” Another “the way someone thinks about the world.” Thus two individuals could witness a similar event and have significantly different perspectives on it.

So what about a Biblical worldview or a Christian worldview.

Chuck Colson, a man who I held in high esteem for many years prior to his passing in 2012 (and continue to do so), writes in one of his excellent books, How Now Shall We Live? “The church’s singular failure in recent decades has been the failure to see Christianity as a life system, or worldview that governs every area of existence.”

He goes on, “Most of all, our failure to see Christianity as a comprehensive framework of truth has crippled our efforts to have a redemptive effect on the surrounding culture. At its most fundamental level, the so-called culture war is a clash of belief systems.”

A Biblical worldview therefore embraces the scriptures found in the Old and New Testaments as a comprehensive way of looking at every facet of life. It takes God’s Word at face value when it states, “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” (2 Peter 1:3, New King James Version).

Thus the scriptures offer truth about every facet of life and encouragement to apply that truth on a day by day basis at home, at work, at play, in our civic responsibilities and at church. A Biblical worldview may very well be at odds with current cultural trends. Colson adds, that the clash of belief systems is “a clash of principle against principle, of worldview against worldview. Only when we see this can we effectively evangelize a post-Christian culture, bringing righteousness to bear in the world around us.”

I am committed to living and sharing a Biblical worldview. I have the privilege of being a Colson Fellow with the Colson Center for Christian Worldview and look forward to passing on what I have been blessed to learn and apply (albeit imperfectly) with my church, Caney Creek Church in Wharton, Texas and others who may access these posts.

As you are inspired, please feel free to share your thoughts and questions.

Respectfully,
Peter H. Johnston