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Understanding Worldviews
Objectives: by the end of this session, you will have:
1. Engaged in self-discovery of your own worldview; 2. Interacted with generalizations of worldviews from around the world; 3. Identified areas where the Bible should inform our worldview; 4. Examined values that arise from a worldview and read how that affects evangelism and community development choices.

Materials
Flip chart and paper, tape / way to post papers on the wall

A Tale of Two Stories (10 Minutes)

Worldview is basically the glasses with which we see the world. It is our outlook and perspective on what life is about, on what it means to be human and the purpose of life. Worldview is important because it affects all our relationships: with God, with others, and with creation. (from CRWRC Core Learning modules CDT M1 L2) Culture: the acquired knowledge that people use to interpret experience and generate behavior; a way of life, the way things are done in a certain place. Worldview and culture are closely related. Listen to two volunteers read the following two stories. Call out your reaction to these stories. Do they sound familiar to you? While both were seen as successes, identify how the perspective / worldview contributed towards creating the problems in the outcome. In Ethiopia, a Christian relief and development organization completed a successful agricultural project. The project had called for increased agricultural production to raise family income so that the children in families could have better nutrition, basic clothing and money for school fees. At the end of the project, family income was up. Pictures were taken, reports written and the project was granted A+ by the donors evaluating it. Is this a success story for agricultural development? It is, only if you did not go back a few months later. Doing a postproject evaluation would have revealed that the farmers spent their increased income on alcohol, prostitutes and gambling. When the farmers returned from their binge, their wives were furious that they had wasted resources intended to help their children. The successful project actually left the families and community in greater poverty. About 20 years ago, evangelical missionaries moved into the unreached agricultural communities of the poorest province of Guatemala. They journeyed there to evangelize and plant churches. The people they were working with, the Pokomchi, were the poorest people in the poorest province in one of the poorest countries in the Americas. Many people came to Christ. Churches were planted. By mission standards, the task was done. The missionaries moved on to other communities. But, in one sense, little had changed. The Pokomchi were living in as much poverty after the missionaries left as when they arrived. What was different? Now, the people were waiting to die! They had hope for heaven. Praise the Lord! But they had no hope for today. Is this a picture of success? -- from Biblical Holism and Agriculture, edited by David J. Evans, Ronald J. Vos and Keith P. Wright. The stories above are from Chapter 8, Agriculture and the Kingdom of God by Darrow Miller, pp. 141-142.

Four Basic Worldviews (15 minutes)

Review this chart of worldviews. Underline what intrigues you. Circle anything that raises questions for you.

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Worldview Animism

The Problem Events: earthquakes, floods, droughts, diseases, demonic causes Oppression of the poor through complex socio-economic structures Too many people, too few resources Sin and rebellion against God and his created order

The Solution Appease the gods through sacrifices

The Goal Survival by living in harmony with gods and nature Justice by the equal distribution of wealth

Secularism Revolutionary

Redistribute our scarce resources and destroy unjust structures Limit the number of people Transformational development of the hearts and minds of individuals as well as the principles of their culture

Secularism Evolutionary Theism

Liberty and wealth Filling the earth with the knowledge and love of God

Share with the group what you underlined or circled.

Biblical Survey (40 minutes)

The following chart lists the four basic questions and summarizes a western worldview. On your own, take 5 minutes to add your ideas to the my personal worldview column. Then make 4 groups (or 8 if more than 20 people), and have each group take one question. Using Bibles and the Scripture passages provided, summarize your groups Biblical worldview responses on chart paper. Post the summaries and have everyone take a gallery tour. Basic Human Questions Who are we as human beings? Western Worldview o We are rational, independent, autonomous creatures. We are capable of managing the world for our own purposes. Our highest calling is to love ourselves. Were on a planet that exists for our benefit alone. We are in a world where there are no other powers like gods, ancestors, spirits, angels. Reality is determined by facts and truth is determined by knowledge. Genesis 1-2 Psalm 104 My Personal Worldview Biblical Worldview Genesis 1:26-30 Deuteronomy 10:12-14 Psalm 8 Micah 6:8 Matthew 22:35-40

o Where are we? o o

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Basic Human Questions What is our problem?

Western Worldview o We do not know enough and our ignorance gets us into trouble. People still believe old superstitions and religions, which lead to misunderstanding and war.

My Personal Worldview

Biblical Worldview Genesis 3 Psalm 14 Isaiah 28:7-8, Isaiah 58-59 Amos 2, 6 Romans 1:18-3-23, 5:12 Ephesians 4:17-19

What is the answer to our problem?

Better science, more education, better technology and less superstition Become richer, stronger, more powerful

Genesis 3:9-15 Isaiah 53, 58:6-14 John 1:1-14, 3:16 Galatians 4:4-7 Ephesians 1:18-23

From CRWRC Core Learning modules TD L1

Affecting our interactions around the world (30 minutes)

Our worldview will affect how we do evangelism. Our worldview will affect how we attach meaning and purpose to interactions. Our worldview will affect how we respond to needs and community development. Break up into groups of 3 or 6. Assign one of the three appendix topics to each. Each group should read through their topic and as a group discuss: (1) what is new information, (2) what they do not agree with, and (3) what is most important to take away and apply in their situation of partnership. Share with the larger group a short summary of your topic, and one or two of your answers to each question. Write out these in a chart form. In the full group, identify the larger themes that have begun to emerge.

Related Modules
1. Stepping Beyond our Culture 2. Spiritual Growth 3. Promoting Mutual Growth

Suggested Reading
1. For Further Reflection Worldview and Paradigms (From Core Learning Modules, TD L1, Optional Reading, available from CRWRC office)

Appendix: Topics Worldview effect on evangelism and theology

Tell-tale Signs of Other than Biblical Worldviews
Being spiritual means only going to church, studying the Bible, or praying. Being a professional teacher, lawyer, farmer, and bus driver is not considered to be spiritual.

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A person does not need to go to school to learn secular things like reading, medicine, teaching and business. Church is where everything in life is learned. Our church helps its own people; we are so poor we can not help others. If the community needs assistance, they should attend church. We are poor and do not have any resources, so how can we help ourselves? Work should be avoided; avoiding work is good. If we had money and other things, we would be willing to give. This is the way God wills it to be. Our ancestors were poor, we were born poor, we have always been poor, and we will die poor. We must be tolerant and let them live like they want to live and let us live like we want to live. Why do you want to change the way they believe? Everyone has the right to believe the way he/she wants. Just help them improve their agriculture and health levels. All I want is just to live a good life. I am poor because others made me poor. They are going to have to solve my problems; I cannot. Darryl Mortensen CRWRC Nicaragua, 2003

Worldview effect on development

Note: Include a short discussion on the questions posed below as you work through this topic. As we work with communities, what is or are our definition(s) of development? Communities that hold an animistic worldview, with a concern about the supernatural realm, likely view development as more aligned with being at peace with the spirits and powers that shape their lives. That is why it is not unusual to hear of someone killing their goat given in a goat restocking project as part of a ritual required by spiritual specialists, even though this may cost them their economic development. The biblical view of development is interesting especially when we look at the example of Jesus own development in Luke 2:52: Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Jesus development involved growth in the intellectual or mental aspect (wisdom), in the physical aspect (stature), in the spiritual aspect (in favor with God), and in the social aspect (favor with men). Implications: How do our common and/or differing views of development affect the process and strategies we use as key players in the community development process? How can the dialogue and activities in the communities where we serve enable more wholistic approaches to issues and more wholistic approaches to using the opportunities or resources God has given us? As we define success with the community in terms of indicators of their development, which indicators reflect each of these realms: the realm of wisdom, the spiritual realm, the social realm, and the physical realm? Does our greater focus (strategies, priorities) in any of these realms appropriately reflect the past and present journey of development that the community is in? Does it challenge the community to move ahead to discover its fullest potential and the saving power of Jesus Christ in all realms of life? Ida Mutoigo CRWRC East and Southern Africa 2001, revised 2004

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Web of LiesSome Non-Biblical Worldviews

Poor Non-Poor (Rich)

Marred Identity
I am worthless. I cannot do anything right. I dont deserve any better. I am doomed to failure. God does not love me. No one loves me. I have nothing to offer. I cant do anything to improve my lot. Im completely dependent on others. I cant learn anything new. I dont have any good ideas. I am poor and have nothing of value. I dont know what to do. Im better than others. I can do things better than anyone else. I deserve even better than I have. I am destined for success and/or leadership. Im Gods favorite. Everyone ought to love me. I dont need anyone else. Things will not get better unless I make them so. Even God depends on me. I dont need to learn anything new. All my ideas are good. Though I am rich, I still need more. I know what everyone else ought to do.

Community
Men are more important than women. Some people are destined to lead; Im destined to follow. Some people are destined to be rich; Im destined to be poor. I am poor because Im bad. To get ahead, I must pull someone else down. The only way to get ahead is to cheat and steal. It is most important to protect ones own interests. Anyone who disagrees with me is against me. The rich became rich by stealing. Men are more important than women. Im destined to lead; others are destined to follow. Im destined to be rich; others are destined to be poor. I am rich because Im good. To get ahead, I must pull someone else down. The only way to get ahead is to cheat and steal. It is most important to protect ones own interests. Anyone who disagrees with me is against me and is a threat. The poor are poor because theyre lazy.

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Poor

Non-Poor (Rich)

Environment (Creation)
It is a curse to have to work. Good is limited. I am at the mercy of nature. Any wealth I have is due to fate, luck, or others efforts. I need to take as much advantage as I can now of any land I have. If only I had more money I would be happy. The world is mysterious and cannot be understood. Work is for my inferiors to do. Good is limited. I have complete power over nature. All the wealth I have is solely due to my own efforts. My land is mine to do with as I please. Having more things will bring me fulfillment in life. The world is full of resources available for me to exploit.

Others
They all think they are better and smarter than we are. They all want to see us fail. They all dislike us. God is on our side. We are right; they are wrong. We are better and smarter than they are. They all want to see us fail. They all dislike us. God is on our side. We are right; they are wrong.

God
God is too far away to care about needs. God does not want me to enjoy life. God will bless me only if I am good. If there were a God, I would not be so poor. I must appease God (or the gods) in order to survive. I can please God by religious rites alone. God is irrelevant to daily life. Ken Ekstrom Food for The Hungry International, Nicaragua, 2000 God is too far away to punish my sins. God does not want me to enjoy life (but I will do so anyway). God has blessed me because I am good. I have no need of God. I need to pay God to keep him on my side. I can please God by religious rites alone. God is irrelevant to daily life.