Koinonia

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Koinonia Worldview Study Based on Total Truth,
CAL Senior Curriculum, several other sources
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Goals

• Be able to liberate Christianity from its
  cultural captivity unleashing its power
• Be able to identify the secular/sacred divide
• Be able to develop practical / workable steps for
  creating a Christian worldview in our life
• Be able to apply a worldview grid to cut through
  the maze of ideals and ideologies we encounter

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KEY

• To be positively convinced that Christianity is
  not just religious truth, but that it is Total
  Truth truth about the whole of reality!

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There are billions of people in the world

• We all have a view of the world

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Which view is right?
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Humanity is evolving from praying to God, to
playing God.
Francis Schaeffer How Should We Then Live
Would you agree w/ this statement?
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Why Think Worldviewishly
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Colossians 28
See to it that no one takes you captive through
philosophy and empty deception, according to the
tradition of men, according to the elementary
principles of the world, rather than according to
Christ.

• we are not to be deceived and taken captive

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Romans 122

• do not be conformed to this world, but be
  transformed by the renewing of your minds

• we are to stay informed in order to be
  transformed, to keep us from conforming

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II Corinthians 104,5

• for the weapons of our warfare are divinely
  powerful fordestroying speculations and every
  lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of
  God, taking every thought captive to the
  obedience of Christ.

• we are to be prepared to use reason and logic
  to capture and overthrow those things not of God

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I Peter 315,16

• But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
  who asks you to give the reason for the hope that
  you have. But do this with gentleness and
  respect

• we are to always be prepared to - give an answer
  for our hope in Christ

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• The gospel is like a caged lion. It does not
  need to be defended, it just needs to be let out
  of its cage.
• Charles Spurgeon

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Losing or Culture Children

• Circle the Wagons
• Scopes Trial 1925
• Politics Not Enough
• Heart vs. Brain

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Heart vs. Brain
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Private Sphere vs. Public Sphere
Private Sphere Individual Choice (Personal
Preferences, Morals Personal beliefs, Religion,
Nonrational, Noncognitive, Subjective, Relative
to Particular groups)
Public Sphere Binding on Everyone (Scientific
Knowledge, Facts, Rational, Verifiable,
Objective, Universally Valid)
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We are kept out of the Debate

• Feelings vs. Science
• When we debate, we are said to be pushing our
  subjective bias
• Political Correctness
• When matters of public policy are debated, no
  religions should have a seat at the table
  Christopher Reeve

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What is a Worldview?
A way at looking at everything in the world. How
we think and live.
Love the Lord your God with all of your heart,
soul, strength, and mind Luke 1027
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Why Think Worldviewishly

• To Mature Spiritually

• To Develop Insight

• To Gain Understanding

• To Practice Discernment

• To Activate Our Beliefs

• To Challenge the Culture

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Why Think Worldviewishly

• To Mature Spiritually

• This enables Christians to deepen their faith to
  submit their minds to Christ

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Why Think Worldviewishly

• To Develop Insight

• This enables Christians to
• think deeply and broadly, not in
• bits and pieces.

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Why Think Worldviewishly

• To Gain Understanding

• This enables Christians to better comprehend
  theirs and other worldviews

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Why Think Worldviewishly

• To Practice Discernment

• This enables Christians to
  analyze the culture around them

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Why Think Worldviewishly

• To Activate Our Beliefs

• This enables Christians to live out their
  worldview

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Why Think Worldviewishly

• To Challenge the Culture

• This enables Christians to engage the
  issues

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• Challenging the culture Three Approaches
  

WITHDRAW
Offended by Culture
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Alanis
Christianity taught me to view God as vengeful
and judgmental. Over the last few years, though,
Ive realized that God is compassionate and has
no preference about how we live our lives. . . I
dont think God prefers one choice over another.
He or she or it notes rather than judges.
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• Engaging your culture Three Approaches
  

Offended by Culture
WITHDRAW
Delighted by Culture
ASSIMILATE
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(No Transcript)
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• Challenging the Culture Three Approaches
  

Offended by Culture
WITHDRAW
Delighted by Culture
ASSIMILATE
Distressed by Culture
ENGAGE
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Understanding Worldviews
How To Think Worldviewishly
1. Know what a worldview is
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1. Know what a worldview is
A worldview is first of all an explanation and
interpretation of the world, and second,
an application of this view to life. W. Gary
Phillips and William E. Brown Making Sense of
Your World, p. 29.
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How To Think Worldviewishly
1. Know what a worldview is
2. Know how a worldview operates
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2. Know how a worldview operates
Explanation
Focus Biblical Instruction Goal Think
Biblically
Interpretation
Focus Personal/Cultural Evaluation Goal
Discernment
Your view OF the world
Application
Focus Personal Decision making Goal Christ
likeness
Your view FOR the world
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How To Think Worldviewishly
1. Know what a worldview is
2. Know how a worldview operates
3. Know the different worldviews
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Understanding Worldviews
I am convinced that for any of us to be fully
conscious intellectually we should not only be
able to detect the worldviews of others but be
aware of our own why it is ours and why in
light of so many options we think it is true.
James Sire - The Universe Next Door
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3. Know the different Worldviews
Ultimate Questions
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Lifes Ultimate Questions

• Where did everything come from?
• Who are we?
• Why are we here?
• How should we live?
• What happens after we die?

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Understanding Worldviews
3. Know the different Worldviews
Ultimate Questions
Naturalism
Transcen- dentalism
Theism
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The Cultural Challenge
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was
greatly distressed to see that the city was full
of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogues, . .
.as well as in the market- place day by day. . .
. Men of Athens, I see that in every way you
are very religious. For as I walked around and
looked carefully at your objects of worship. .
. Acts 1716-34
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The Cultural Challenge
Pauls Motivation
greatly distressed
Pauls Method
sought to understand the culture (v. 23)
started where they were (vv. 22-23)
positive about the truth he found (v. 22)
knew and quoted their sources (vv. 23,28)
communicated the Gospel (vv. 18,30-31)
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The Cultural Challenge
I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as
many as possible. . . . I have become all things
to all men so that by all possible means, I
might save some. - 1 Corinthians 919, 22
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"...which way ought I to go from
here?" 'That depends a good
deal on where you want to get to,'...
"I don't much care where...so
long as I get somewhere 'Oh, you're
sure to do that,'.. Lewis Carrol - Alices
Adventures In Wonderland
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• I believe people are as they think. The choices
  we make in the next decade will mold irrevocably
  the direction of culture and the lives of our
  children.

Francis A. Schaeffer How Should We Then Live
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Comments!!!