Almost everyone is aware that the secularization of America is well underway and has been for a long time. Professing humanists and functional humanists do not see a problem with America being secularized. The Christian community however, is somewhat divided on the matter. Some Christians see secularization as inevitable; others see it as unbiblical and a major threat to the future of the church and our nation; and the rest don't seem to see the issue at all.

We, at the Nehemiah Institute, view that the secularization of America, or perhaps better stated, the loss of a biblical worldview in America, as the greatest problem facing the church and the Christian school movement today.

For twenty years we have been watching the "worldview matter" in Christian schools with our worldview assessment program known as the PEERS Test. The PEERS Test rates worldview understanding into one of four classifications: Biblical Theism, Moderate Christian, Secular Humanism, or Socialism. Having worked with tens of thousands of students, in nearly 1,000 Christian schools, I believe I can substantiate the claim of secularization being the greatest threat to Christian schools by the fact that only 5.9% of students have scored in the Biblical Theism category, and over half scoring in the bottom two categories. Sadly, the majority of youth from Christian homes, even those in Christian schools, are more prone to perpetuate the secularization of our culture rather than reverse the trend with a mature biblical worldview. The Word of God gives clear warning about such a situation, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8) However, the youth in our nation have been spoiled by vain deceit for decades.

Yet I remain optimistic about the future of Christian education by seeing many Christian schools that have successfully made the transition to a solid biblical-worldview school. I have spoken at many of these schools and visited with their students. Interacting with youth from 15 to 18 years old who truly embrace a biblical worldview is a joy and a reason to rejoice at what God is doing in our nation. We just need more, many more Christian schools making the same transition.

Does your school have a biblical worldview or is it following the trend of secular humanism? The PEERS Test can assess your school. We recommend that the administrator, faculty, and at least two high school grades, preferably sophomores and seniors, first take the test. This initial assessment will give you an "in house" look at worldview understanding between leadership and students and also reveal if the trend is going in the right direction.

The cost for online PEERS testing is $10 per person. However, AOP schools can receive a 10% discount by using coupon code AOP712 when setting up an online account. The discount applies to all products purchased on our website at www.nehemiahinstitute.com. Also, new this year at Nehemiah Institute are Worldview Kits designed for individuals at various levels of understanding and for specific leadership positions. I recommend Christian school administrators obtain item #304 Worldview Kit. This kit contains a collection of worldview assessment and training materials for the administrator of a Christian school that has high school grade levels. Sample materials are included for students and faculty. Descriptions of the Kits are provided on the website at http://www.nehemiahinstitute.com/shop. Should you have questions about our products or services, I would be pleased to take your call at 1-800-948-3101.

By Dan Smithwick, Nehemiah Institute

P.S. Graduates with a mature biblical worldview will become your strongest alumni supporters!