In each of us there is a personalized and malleable core belief system, this matrix of beliefs is called a worldview. Our worldview is the lens through which we see, interpret, and operate in the world around us. It, at the very basic level, dictates what we love and what we sacrifice for. This means that each parent, without fail, will raise their children according to their own worldview and, without fail, we will raise their children toward what they love and sacrifice for, thus making worldview one of the most important topics we need to understand as parents.

What exactly is a worldview? James H. Olthuis, in On Worldviews, puts it succinctly together as this: A worldview is a framework of fundamental beliefs through which we interpret the world and our calling and future in it. Worldviews don’t need to be fully articulated.

Do I have a worldview? Each of us has a worldview (whether we articulate it or not) and each of us operates out of that worldview (Proverbs 4:23), it is like our motherboard. We spend money, enjoy entertainment, and parent our kids according to our worldview. We see an example of this when “Stonewall” Jackson said, “My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death.” Jackson believed he was just as safe on a warhorse as he was in bed because he believed God was sovereign.

What is the biblical worldview? James W. Sire, in The Universe Next Door, puts it forward as this: The triune, personal God of the Bible exists; he created the universe and everything in it for his glory; human beings are his special creation; he reveals himself to us and he can be known by us. The biblical worldview equips us to glorify God in all that we desire, think, and do.

How do I shape my worldview? Any info intake can shape our beliefs if we let it. Think about your intake sources: news, social media, Google, entertainment, Bible, or even your own heart. Each of these sources vies to impact your worldview.

How can I reveal my false views and build up my biblical views? Romans 12:1-2 says that we are to renew and transform ourselves with the Bible. Christians pattern their actions around God’s Word, fill our minds with God’s Word, and align our desires with God’s desires. The more we transform ourselves with God’s Word the more our worldview matches God’s, and vice versa.

How do I communicate the biblical worldview to my children? We always teach our kids what we believe, whether we want to or not. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 tells us that God has designed the family to be a hub of worldview transfer. Parents are to explain and imitate God, his character and truth, to their children. We explain our decisions, foster conversations and questions, and live out a visible, disciplined Christian life before our children so that they may see the world through the biblical lens as we see it.