As a new believer in the early 70s, I don't recall ever hearing the term worldview used in the same sentence as Christian. Quite frankly, I don't even think the word ever graced the edges of my ears, let alone had the opportunity to enter into my auditory system and be processed by my brain.

Please understand this does not mean I was part of a liberal church. On the contrary, I was highly encouraged to study the Bible on a consistent basis. Should any doubt this claim; I still possess my first well worn Thompson Chain Bible, replete with personal markings and notes throughout.

It was in the early 80s that I was first challenged in this regard, though still without referral to the word worldview. Capital punishment was a major issue then and a dear friend (much more intellectually blessed than me) broached the topic one day and began to express his thoughts on the matter, complete with biblical quotations. I shared my feelings, giving no thought to even one scriptural reference. He patiently listened and then graciously challenged me to consider approaching the subject from a biblical perspective.

It wasn't until sometime in the 90s when I first heard the words Christian and worldview coupled together. As an avid listener to Focus on the Family, I recall hearing Dr. Dobson share his microphone with Dr. David Noebel from Summit Ministries, who articulately explained his ministry and its role in training Christian youth to think biblically.

From that point on, I became increasingly concerned about the moral issues of the day and the thought processes which led to them. Still actively involved in Christian education, I was more aware of the toll humanistic thought was taking on our youth. Even then, I seldom, if ever, used the terminology "Christian worldview."

Within the past six years, the term has become a regular part of my vocabulary; however, my recent involvement in the Centurions program with Chuck Colson's Breakpoint ministry brought my understanding of a Christian worldview to an entirely new level. Thanks to the sponsorship of Alpha Omega Publications, I was able to participate in this challenging year-long program comprised of three residencies in Lansdowne, Virginia, monthly teleconferences, and intense curriculum content.

Mr. Colson clarified from the beginning he intended to do more than to impart knowledge to the participants. If that was the only result after a year, he considered it a failure. Gaining clearer knowledge was certainly an integral part of the program, but the overarching theme was transformation in Christ-common people bringing transformation to others by living out their faith in their homes, workplaces and communities on a daily basis-365 days out of the year.

I found this to be very similar to the goals of Christian education and chose the title "Worldview 365" for this series of articles to be featured in upcoming issues of the School Messenger. I plan to convey some of the subject matter I learned, and together we will explore topics relating to a Christian worldview and to your students. I certainly don't claim to be an expert, so I can't promise great words of wisdom or philosophical eloquence, but can promise thought provoking content.

Roy Faletti
Vice President of Educational Services