Christian families are in crisis. Yes, inflation is bruising our finances, gas is expensive, and the baby formula shortage is critical. But that’s not the crisis I am talking about.
Christian families are suffering from a crisis of belief. We have a shortage of Christian parents who know what the Bible teaches, who know how to apply it to their lives, and who are passing it along to their kids.
And the crisis of belief infecting our homes mirrors a breakdown of biblical thinking in our churches and, worse, in our pulpits. It’s no coincidence that these crises are happening at the same time.
Arizona Christian University recently published studies showing that a high percentage of both pastors and parents who claim to be Christians lack a distinctive biblical worldview.
In this blog I want to address parents. I’ll take up the problem in the pulpits next time.
We lack a biblical worldview at home
ACU’s research indicates that barely 4% of parents who claim to be Christian possess a biblical worldview. And that decreases even more, to just 2%, for parents of pre-teens.
This deficiency has an obvious outcome. If nearly 98% of “Christian” parents lack a biblical worldview, then they are not teaching their kids biblical truth, or modeling biblical truth in their lifestyles, and their kids are not adopting biblical beliefs or values.
That leaves both the parents and the kids from Christian families woefully unprepared to stand up to the onslaught of unbiblical values that are thriving in our culture.
George Barna, director of research for the University’s Cultural Research Center, said, “Every parent teaches what they know and models what they believe. They can only give what they have, and what they have to give reflects their driving beliefs about life and spirituality. Parents are not the only agents of influence on their children’s worldview, but they remain both a primary influence and a gatekeeper to other influences.”
It gets worse
And it gets worse. The lack of a biblical worldview doesn’t mean that parents lack any worldview at all. But it means they are adopting an unbiblical perspective because they cannot distinguish between what is biblical and what is not.
The report shows that more than 9 out of 10 parents who claim to be Christian have a “syncretistic” or blended worldview, meaning their beliefs are a mix of multiple worldviews where “no single life philosophy is dominant.”
Rather than consistently follow Christ, these parents are trying to merge conflicting and even contradictory beliefs, resulting in a mess of confusion for them and their kids.
Furthermore, “The typical American parent is either fully unaware that there is a worldview development process, or they are aware that their child is developing a worldview, but they do not take responsibility for a role in the process,” Barna said. “Or they are aware the child’s worldview is being developed but choose or allow outsiders to accomplish that duty on the parent’s behalf.”
The research also found that “the younger the parent, the less likely they are to have a biblical worldview.” That research dovetails with the trend in our culture where younger generations are moving away from any notion of objective truth.
It matters now more than ever
Every person has a “worldview.” Your belief system, your worldview, impacts every area of your life. It informs your grasp of God, of humanity, and of your purpose on earth.
Your worldview guides your decisions, shapes your values, and determines your morals. And at no time has it been more critical than now for parents to know, cultivate, and pass along a biblical worldview.
Why? Because the most basic element of any worldview is human identity, and human identity is under assault in a culture that has shifted from education to indoctrination.
Consider what the most insidious ideologies of our time have in common. Critical Race Theory, gender-identity confusion, pro-abortion politics, and other anti-biblical ideologies all attack the identity and sense of self in our children, at their most vulnerable stage in life.
What can you do?
You cannot lead your children any farther or deeper than you have gone. That’s why the first step to cultivating a Christian worldview in your kids is making sure you are fostering and living by a biblical worldview yourself.
As Barna said, “Every parent teaches what they know and models what they believe. They can only give what they have, and what they have to give reflects their driving beliefs about life and spirituality.”
So consider what you are passing along to your kids, either intentionally or passively. Here are three areas to focus on. How are you doing in each one?
- Your personal study and growth (2 Tim. 2:15).
Cultivating a biblical worldview doesn’t happen accidentally. To foster it, you must pursue it.
Do you have an intentional plan to study the Bible and to grow in your faith? And I am not talking about simply reviewing your favorite Bible verses. Dig deeper. Study the context and history of a passage of scripture. Use reputable and reliable study tools, books, and websites. Intentionally ask and answer hard questions.
We grow when we are stretched. When was the last time you devoted time and energy to intentionally cultivating a biblical worldview?
Can you respond to Critical Race Theory with solid biblical principles? What about transgenderism? Are you equipping your kids to answer these hard questions?
- Your practical walk with Christ (1 John 2:6, Rom. 12:1-2).
Following Christ is shown in our everyday lives by our decisions, values, and reactions. And your kids see this in you every day.
If you are cultivating a biblical worldview, how does it shape the way you use your time or your money? Do your kids see a difference in you because of your relationship with Christ? What about when you get angry, or when you are mistreated at work?
By watching your walk with Christ, what would your children think matters most—who you vote for, or the God you serve?
- Your participation in a community of faith (Acts 2:42-47).
And last, a healthy biblical worldview is best fostered in a biblical community of faith. Christians need other Christians to stay faithful to Christ, and to pass along to each generation the great truths of the gospel.
If we are estranged or distanced from a community of faith, we will always adopt the values of the culture. It simply isn’t possible to equip your children with a biblical worldview if you have extracted them from the very community God designed for that purpose. Or if your view of the church is unhealthy, or unbiblical.
If your kids defined “church” by the way you talk about the church, or serve in the church, or perceive the church, what would their definition be? An inconvenience, or a place to nurture biblical relationships? A place to consume what they want, or a family to serve alongside as together we advanced the kingdom of God on earth?
Christian families are facing a crisis of belief that will have long-term impact on the next generation. Are you equipping your kids with a biblical worldview?