by Dr. Matthew Bennett
an article originally published by Always Ready Ministries
People function on the basis of their worldview more consistently than even they themselves may realize. The problem is not outward things. The problem is having, and then acting upon, the right worldview—the worldview which gives men and women the truth of what is.
—Francis Schaeffer—
It never fails. Whenever I have the opportunity to speak on ministry to Muslims, I find myself tempted to make a joke that has fallen flat every time I have shared it. I usually begin by saying, “No matter how devout and informed your audience is, you never are speaking with the embodiment of Islam.”
So far, so good—but then I make a terrible mistake. Rather than stopping with that important point and quitting while ahead, I continue, “Well, of course, you may meet someone named Islam on the street, but that’s not what I am talking about.”
Crickets. Awkward, extended crickets. You see, most of my audiences are not familiar with Muslim names, one of which is, in fact, Islam.
Even if they are familiar, the joke still stinks. The underlying point, however, is quite important for effective personal evangelism.
World Religions and Worldviews
Obviously, it’s helpful to have a decent grasp of a person’s faith system when you’re engaging in a conversation with him or her. With such an understanding, you’re able to ask informed questions and identify where the person’s belief system diverges from thetenets of Christianity.
Still, even if you’re an authority on world religions, it’s critical to remember you’re conversing with a person, not a religious system. Though religion leaves indelible marks on one’s outlook, each person appropriates and articulates its particulars in ways thatexpose his or her own underlying concerns, intentions, and hopes.
Though religion leaves indelible marks on one’s outlook, an individual appropriates and articulates its particulars in ways that expose his or her own underlying concerns, intentions, and hopes.
This individual expression of how to understand the world and one’s place in it often is called a worldview. A worldview consists of the basic presuppositions a person holds about eternity, God, life, and the world. While everyone has a worldview, the average person is unaware of the specific assumptions he or she holds within it. Thus, people rarely evaluate their most foundational beliefs about life, nor do they automatically understand their need to do so. In some ways,a worldview is like the lenses of one’s glasses. Though one looks at the world through them, it is rare that one actually looks at them.
This is more than unfortunate, and it even can be disastrous. Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 declare, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.” As believers who’ve been set free by the truth of the gospel, we need to be able to help people see the truth for themselves. Always Ready Ministries was started in part with this in mind.
Questions for Excavating Worldviews
Without being pushy or awkward, you can use the following five questions to help you uncover a person’s worldview. These questions relate universally to the human experience, so you can ask them naturally without sounding overly philosophical.1 They also can make it easier for you to introduce biblical answers in your conversations with others. After they’ve shared their perspective on a matter with you, you’ve earned the right to share your perspective with them.2
There’s more! It’s critical that you ask these questions, not only of others to help you learn what they believe, but also of yourself to become consciously familiar with the presuppositions of your own worldview.
Ask these questions, not only of others to help you learn what they believe, but also of yourself to become consciously familiar with the presuppositions of your own worldview.
First of all, by virtue of being born into the material world, we are all forced to ask, Where are we? Gently probing into where people believe the universe came from can help to open up questions about origins and the God who stands intentionally behind them.
Second, as humans who are surrounded by other humans, we find ourselves asking, Who are we? This question is particularlyimportant at the present cultural moment in the United States. What distinguishes humans from the rest of the material world and its inhabitants? If one believes in human dignity, on what principles or ideals does the person’s belief rest? While people regularly claim they regard people as having inherent worth, what this means in practical terms from individual to individual depends on underlying assumptions. These presuppositions need to be explored and examined.
Third, when we encounter things like pain, heartbreak, and brokenness, we all must ask, What is wrong? When death rears its ugly head, for example, we inherently know something is not it should be, or as was originally intended. When we are treated unfairly—and significantly, all of us have an innate sense of what is just and fair—we react with visceral disgust. When we hear about disasters that wipe out thousands, we recoil, knowing something is wrong. But what is it? People rely on their presuppositions about life to come up with an answer.
Related to this, the fourth question is, What is the solution? How can the brokenness around us be remedied? Is there anything we can do to fix it? Many people throw themselves into things likehumanitarian projects or in other ways take steps to fight against the injustices and brokenness they see around them. In a way, they also are asking, “Is there any hope?”
Finally, in some ways, all four of these questions point to a fifth: Why? Why does anything exist? In particular, why do we exist? What is our purpose on this earth? Can we find a purpose that transcends us, or does life end abruptly with one’s last breath? Once you can get people to grapple with this issue, they just might begin to tell you about their deepest motivations and assumptions regarding the world. If they trust you enough to share their honest answers to these and similar questions, listen well! When you’regiven a chance to respond, share the gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ points to a hope and purpose that really does transcend each person. It invites all people to become part of a meaningful, eternal story bigger than themselves and rooted in truth.
Real People and Real Conversations
At the end of the day, you may find yourself speaking with someone named Islam. Yet, even if you don’t, remember that no one you engage is the incarnation of a belief system. Instead, each one is a human being trying to make sense of both the world, and of his or her world. Strategic questions posed in the context of a caring conversation can prove fruitful in inviting a person to examine his or her assumptions about life and eternity. When examinations reveal unsatisfactory answers, opportunities arise to share the gospel—the best news ever proclaimed! Because each individual is made in God’s image, he or she is “wired” to find ultimate satisfaction in a relationship the Creator.
Ask God to help you carve out such opportunities, then to help you take advantage of them for His glory and others’ benefit.
Dr. Matthew Bennett is Assistant Professor of Missions and Theology at Cedarville University.
November 26, 2018
Access other articles published by Always Ready Ministries here.
Copyright © 2018 by Always Ready Ministries. All rights reserved.
Notes:
1For a more philosophical treatment, see James Sire’s The Universe Next Door.
2This principle, which is called the law of conversational sharing, was championed by Dr. Mark Corts in his evangelism program ShareLife.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.