Phase 1: Introduction to a Biblical Worldview
The primary purpose of Phase 1 is to introduce you to a biblical worldview and then to develop that worldview "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." (Eph 4:13-16)
"Everyone has a worldview. Whether or not we realize it, we all have certain presuppositions and biases that affect the way we view all of life and reality. A worldview is like a set of lenses which taint our vision or alter the way we perceive the world around us. Our worldview is formed by our education, our upbringing, the culture we live in, the books we read, the media and movies we absorb, etc. For many people their worldview is simply something they have absorbed by osmosis from their surrounding cultural influences. They have never thought strategically about what they believe and wouldn't be able to give a rational defense of their beliefs to others." Israel Wayne, www.christianworldview.net
"Citing the findings from a just-completed national survey of 2,033 adults that showed only 4% of adults have a biblical worldview as the basis of their decision-making, researcher George Barna described the outcome. 'If Jesus Christ came to this planet as a model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like Jesus. Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience and priorities of Jesus. The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what we think - our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions. Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life. We're often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance.'" www.barna.org, "A Biblical Worldview has a Radical Effect on a Person's Life'"
Your worldview is the deeply held frame of reference that affects the way you perceive everything in your life. Everyone has a worldview. We all have a conceptual window through which we interpret all of reality. Part of the reason for the sacred-secular split in our thoughts, words, and actions is that our faith is "bolted on" to our existing worldview. We may still see the world through the lens of a distinctly unbiblical worldview.
Phase 1 represents the greatest amount of "surface area" of L2, i.e. the points of contact or connection with the ministries and mission of L2. These points of connection include the worship, preaching and teaching, children's ministry, fellowship, Lord's Supper and baptism that occur on a typical Sunday; coaching and counseling; communications such as the weekly L2Today email newsletter and The Messenger (the Sunday bulletin that is available at worship services); and "connection groups" and classes, e.g. ASOBI (Association to Stomp Out Biblical Ignorance – our bi-weekly Q&A sessions), Ladies' Wine and Cheese, Men's Habana, and the Newcomer's Class.
Learning is a lifelong process. All these things are designed to introduce you to a biblical worldview. However, in a sense, we never get out of Phase 1. We will all be constantly learning and developing our worldview and knowledge of the Word as we are "conformed to the image of his Son" (Rom 8:29).
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, (Eph 4:11-13)
All who come to L2 are automatically part of this process, although those who participate regularly in the teaching, groups, and classes will benefit the most.
While we really never leave Phase 1, there is movement into the other phases. This process is like a jawbreaker candy i.e., layers are added. When you have been introduced to a solid biblical worldview and are ready to make the commitment, you may move into Phase 2.
