At a Glance
Thankfulness is a focus in many American homes in the month of November. But have you ever considered that thankfulness is not a universally valued characteristic? Not to mention that the amount of gratitude we see on a daily basis actually seems to be decreasing today.
How does one’s sense of privilege or status result in a lack of gratitude toward others? How does belief in the significance of each person’s life cultivate gratitude within a person? Does belief in the goodness and sovereignty of God inspire thankfulness in the midst of trying times?
Our office team gathered together to reflect on these questions and share our favorite biblical passages about the priority and results of thankfulness in the Christian life. We discussed why the biblical worldview places such an emphasis on gratitude, and contrasted this with different worldviews. In conclusion, we considered how essential thankfulness is for building thriving, flourishing cultures in families, communities, and nations. Join us for this thoughtful and encouraging discussion!
What You'll Hear
- Introduction (2:36)
- Thankfulness in the Bible (6:32)
- Exploring Worldviews and Thankfulness (21:51)
- How to practice gratitude (36:26)
- Conclusion (58:37)
Using the link above, you can read the transcript or listen along while highlighted text follows the podcast audio.
"The biblical worldview is ultimately about gratitude and service versus power as in other worldviews."
John Bottimore (27:17)
Quotes
- 11:25 “I see gratitude as kind of the foundation of worship.” Shawn
- 12:28 “More than anything else in the whole entire world, that is our primary reason as Christians to be thankful… we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken and a salvation that cannot be shaken, and so out of that outflows all of our other reasons to be thankful.” Chloe
- 24:19 “This idea that we stand shoulder to shoulder with one another on an equal footing and owe each other respect and dignity and gratitude for serving one another just seems like a fundamentally foundational element for healthy culture.” Dwight
- 26:36 “The biblical worldview is timeless. It’s based on the truths of Scripture. It doesn’t change with shifting winds and tides of society and all. So this call, to be thankful amidst all circumstances which do change, is also timeless.” John
- 27:17 “The biblical worldview is ultimately about gratitude and service versus power as in other worldviews. And what we always say, the work on the cross is done. So the biblical worldview is about ‘done,’ not ‘do,’ and other worldviews are about do.” John
- 33:33 “Gratitude spills into an appreciation for beauty. It puts us in a place where we can pause and recognize things outside ourselves. It gives us a rhythm for finding peace, and when people are marked by this, it’s going to make a difference wherever they go.” Tim
Go Deeper
Thanksgiving Day in All Circumstances
Blog from Darrow Miller and Friends
…Apparently even in these bountiful times in the United States, giving thanks to God has been ignored or, at best, reduced to family and friends gathering around the TV to watch football. Often we forget to thank God when things are good, while our forefathers gave thanks to God even in desperate times. Thanksgiving Day was launched in the midst of real hardship…
Thanksgiving and Pilgrims: Good or Evil?
Blog from Darrow Miller and Friends
…Thanksgiving naysayers point to such language as clear indication that the holiday is rooted in genocide and its celebration has no place in a “woke” society. But early European newcomers must not be dumped into one history bin. Nor should all the tribal people they met, for that matter.
Some Indians received the immigrants with friendship; others became hostile. Some settlers—including the Pilgrims—approached their new neighbors in Christian charity and integrity. Others, including some of the later Puritans, were less pacific. Bottom line: the Pilgrims and the Puritans are two different groups. It’s easy to confuse them: similar name, similar stories, two religious communities who came from Europe to the New World in the early 17th century. But the distinctions matter. Pilgrims and Wampanoags celebrated the first Thanksgiving…
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When the principles of the Bible are understood as a comprehensive worldview, it has tremendous power to work transformation in individuals, families, communities, and even nations. Too often, Christians are ineffective because they have absorbed cultural thinking that is not in alignment with truth.
Not all worldviews are equal. Some lead to brokenness and poverty, while the biblical worldview leads to God’s intended flourishing and the blessing of the nations. Our Kingdomizer Training Program can help you understand the biblical worldview and discover areas in your own thinking that need to be transformed by God’s Word.
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I thank that these teaching of Biblical Worldview has changed my perception and ministry. And has transformed my fellow pastors, church Leaders and members in MALAWI especially in the hard to reach areas through the trainings which I have been conducting.