Sep 19, 2023 | News
Speaking recently at Family Research Council’s Pray Vote Stand event, researcher George Barna attributed our societal problems to a transition from a biblical worldview to alternative philosophies.
Christian post reports that Barna contends parents err in prioritizing “academic achievement, emotional happiness, and good health” over “worldview development,” and wanting their children to be a “good person” as opposed to being a disciple of Christ. Currently, Barna says, “less than 1 percent of adolescents and teens are on track to have a biblical worldview.” This means our world is in desperate need of true disciples.
Barna notes that a disciple is not simply someone who believes in God, but rather is someone who follows Jesus’ teachings and adheres to His commandments. Doing so requires us to be counter-cultural. A disciple’s life should look radically different from those around him, and will almost certainly involve some level of cultural challenge or even persecution.
It’s not wrong to want children to do well in school, be emotionally and physically healthy, or be a good person. But they should first and foremost be disciples who see the world through the lens of Scripture. Without a biblical worldview, children will ultimately struggle in every area because such a worldview grounds them and prepares them for discerning true from false, good from evil, and right from wrong. This calls for intentional, purposeful parenting.
A crucial part of instilling a biblical worldview in our children, especially in our modern culture, is teaching them what the Bible has to say about the value of life.
For example, Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Similarly, Isaiah 49:1 says, “The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.” Lastly, the sixth commandment forbids the direct and intentional killing of another person.
God makes it very clear. Christianity and abortion are entirely incompatible.
Unfortunately, we are now living in a state where innocent lives are once again being taken under the guise of “healthcare.” Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin resumed abortions yesterday in Madison and Milwaukee. The Associated Press reports that appointments at the Milwaukee clinic were completely filled within 24 hours of Planned Parenthood announcing that it would resume abortions, despite the fact that our state’s pre-Roe abortion ban is still in place. (Our press release in response to PPWI’s illegal, life-taking decision is available HERE.)
The good news is that this battle is far from over. Please pray for our judicial system and all those involved. As Christians, we are called to do everything in our power to end abortion in Wisconsin. Doing so will require that we raise up the next generation to be disciples of Christ who see life, from the moment of conception, through a biblical worldview.
May 12, 2023 | News
Christian Post reports that a recent survey from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University indicates over 69% of Americans identify as Christians. However, only 4% of Americans have a biblical worldview, which is defined as a means of experiencing, interpreting, and responding to reality in light of biblical perspectives so that every decision is consistent with God’s principles and commands.
Simultaneously, the percentage of believers who say they “have a unique, God-given purpose or calling” has decreased from 88% to 46%. The percentage of those who claim they are “deeply committed to practicing” their faith has fallen from 85% to 50%.
This is sobering news, and it indicates that the culture is shaping Christians more than Christians are shaping the culture. However, this can be remedied as Christians study God’s Word daily and seek His wisdom. And of course, families reading and studying the Bible together is one of the best ways to instill a biblical worldview in the next generation.
“A biblical worldview is critical because that’s what enables you to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ,” said George Barna, the director of research at the Cultural Research Center. “If that’s your goal in life, what you’re saying is ‘I want to think like Jesus so that I can live like Jesus. But in order to do that, notice first, as Romans 12 talks to us about, you have to have your mind ‘renewed,’ you must be ‘transformed’ by that ‘renewing of your mind’ with God’s principles at the core of all of your thoughts so that you can in fact live like Christ.”
Thankfully, the findings of the study aren’t all bad. The good news is that those who are devout Christians are more involved than ever before in the political sphere.
In 2020, a staggering 99% of spiritually active and politically engaged conservatives turned out to vote.
“[There is a] core of Bible-believing Christians in America who don’t want to just sit and tell other people what to do, but they want to make things happen,” said Barna. “I’ve been doing this in politics for 40 something years now, been involved in a lot of national elections, worked with four presidential candidates. I’ve never seen anything like that. So it’s unprecedented. But it’s because they feel that this is an urgent time. This is not a time to sit back. If you care about the country, if you care about the kingdom, you’ve got to dig in.”
Christians, now is the time to not only stay involved politically, but to encourage fellow believers who have been influenced by our secular culture to re-engage with God’s Word. The only way to make real, lasting change is to point one another to the Source of Truth!
Jul 8, 2022 | News, Wisconsin Family Voice
Wisconsin has increasingly deviated from biblical principles. In order to restore our culture and change the course of our state, we need to raise up Christians who are equipped with godly character to be leaders in their families, schools, and professions.
For the second year in a row, Wisconsin Family Council is hosting LEAD Wisconsin, a week-long camp built on a government and civics platform with the purpose of equipping teens to become effective godly leaders who engage the culture from a biblical perspective.
Last year, we had an unbelievable week carrying out that purpose! We saw three campers come to faith in Christ, spontaneous revival, and amazing work all week long as the teens heard practical presentations on biblical worldview, gained leadership experience, and grappled with the bills they supported and opposed.
This year, from July 10-15, campers ages 13-19 will again experience authentic leadership simulations, engage in biblical worldview discussions, take part in faith-building worship, and build relationships with other teens.
Over 100 campers are attending this year and almost half are alumni from last year. Over 40 crew members will come to minister to the teens as counselors, chaperones, and other camp helpers.
First year campers are in the Assembly Track while returning campers are in either the Senate Track or the Media Track. Only five campers are in the Media Track, selected by an application process.
Alumni campers will role-play as state senators and take up challenging tasks by offering amendments to bills and engaging in open debate.
Through the media track, campers will cover all camp events. The LEAD News Network’s (LNN) print publication, “The LEADer,” is a daily newspaper featuring the latest news, updates and opinion pieces—all written by the Media Track campers. LNN produces a broadcast shown at the end of the week during the commissioning ceremony. This track focuses on Journalism and Reporting, Writing and Research, Videography and Photography, Interviewing, Editing, and Media Ethics.
For all LEAD WI attendees, trained instructors will discuss abortion, religious freedom, worldviews, creationism, leadership, marriage and family, racial issues, and social media. The teens will gain crucial life-skills that they will need as Christian leaders in a secular culture.
Joseph Backholm with Family Research Council is our worldview speaker this year. Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA will also join us for an afternoon.
Other speakers include Pastor Curtis McMiller from Kenosha; Jacky Drewry with Anchor of Hope pregnancy care/medical center in Sheboygan; Daniel Suhr, former legal counsel to Gov. Scott Walker and former Chief of Staff for Lt. Gov Rebecca Kleefisch; and Dave Gerry, a Christian businessman in Madison.
Sustaining the vitality of our society depends on the modeling of and transferring of those moral and social ideals to the next generation. This is exactly what WFC intends to do.
Please pray for LEAD WI during the week of July 10-15: for our speakers as they prepare and deliver, for our teens as they listen and engage, and for God to move in amazing ways as we help build the next generation of Christian leaders.
