At a Glance
Have you ever pondered the essence of your worldview, its framework, and how it influences your reality? Do you have a biblical worldview? If not, what worldview are you viewing the world through? Our guest, Dr. Jeff Myers, President of Summit Ministries and author of Truth Changes Everything, embodies the journey of discovering and embracing the transformative Biblical worldview. This episode peels back the layers of postmodern thinking, its impact on faith, self-perception, and the role of Summit Ministries in shaping young minds to champion Biblical truth. During the conversation, we challenge misconceptions surrounding worldview, biblical justice, truth, and societal transformation. Join us and Dr. Myers on this enlightening journey to understand and embrace a Biblical worldview.
What You'll Hear
- Introduction (1:18)
- Exploring Post-Modernism and Biblical Worldview (21:06)
- Let’s Define Worldview (33:54)
- Truth Changes Everything (42:17)
- Should Christians Transform Culture? (49:41)
- Conclusion (54:48)
Dr. Jeff Myers is president of Summit Ministries. As an educator and entrepreneur, Dr. Myers has become one of America’s most respected authorities on youth leadership development. Focus on the Family founder James Dobson referred to him as “a very gifted and inspirational leader.” Evangelist Josh McDowell called him “a man who is 100% sold out to preparing the next generation to reflect the character of Christ in the culture.” Through his speaking engagements and media appearances, Dr. Myers has become a fresh voice offering humor and insight from a Christian worldview. He is the author of 16 books, including Understanding the Faith, Understanding the Times, and Understanding the Culture textbooks which are studied by tens of thousands of students. Dr. Myers holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Denver. He continues to engage college students through an exclusive Signature Leadership Course series offered with Unbound, a project-based education company that prepares high school and college students to become leaders for Christ in the real world. Jeff and his wife Stephanie and their family live in Colorado.
Using the link above, you can read the transcript, listen along, and adjust the speed of the podcast while you listen.
"Jesus’ followers--who believe that Jesus is the truth--changed the course of history and the value of human life, and science and medical care and art, education, law, politics and even how we understand everyday work."
Dr. Jeff Myers (44:56)
There’s a parallel between the diminishing number of young people with a biblical worldview and a significant rise in anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and aimlessness. Today, 75% of young people say they do not have a sense of purpose that gives meaning to their lives.
Quotes
- 6:50 “Well, you know, [as a young person] I’d go to church and ask does anybody know what Christianity has to say about guys like Frederick Nietzsche? And they’re like Fred who? We never met that guy, you know. And I thought not only do these people not have the answers, they don’t even know the questions. That was in my arrogant high school age mind. That’s how it went down. So I decided that, without being rude about it, I would just graduate from church when I graduated from high school, which is something that happens to a lot of young adults. We think possibly up to 70% of young people who were significantly involved in church in their high school years are no longer even attending by the time they reach their mid-20s. They have completely lost the plot.” Jeff
- 12:08 “and so David Noble looked at those ten different areas: theology, philosophy, ethics, biology, psychology, sociology, law, politics, economics and history and said the Marxists have a clear plan for how they’re going to infiltrate all these institutions and change the world. Do Christians have anything to say about these ten areas? And you realize that at the time no one had ever compiled this. There were individual thinkers specifically in theology, but not so much in the other areas. I mean, who in the 1950s ever heard of a Christian economist?” Jeff
- 19:23 “There is a strong parallel between the number of young people who are leaving the church, the diminishing number of young people who see a biblical worldview as plausible, and a significant rise in anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and aimlessness. Just to put some statistics to it, 75% of the young adults we work with say they do not have a sense of purpose that gives meaning to their lives.” Jeff
- 22:05 “it’s almost as if postmodernism sort of diminished humanity’s immune system to false ideas and then we all caught the cold of radical autonomy.” Jeff
- 24:07 “So we begin by engaging students where they are. We can also bring up the facts. Look, three fourths of you say you don’t have a sense of purpose that gives meaning to your life. Are you willing to explore the possibility not just that truth exists and can be discovered, but that Jesus is the truth?” Jeff
- 26:59 “There’s the old story of the counterfeiter. Well, you just teach people to identify the counterfeit bill. That’s all you have to do, and the way you do that is by making them so familiar with the real bill that they can instantly see a counterfeit when they sense one. And we say, sure, but that’s not what the Secret Service exists to do. They exist to stop the counterfeiters from polluting the currency, right? So it’s not just about identifying the counterfeit bill. It’s about identifying the techniques the counterfeiters use to pollute the currency and destroy the nation, and then stopping them.” Jeff
- 40:13 “truth does exist and it’s not just a mathematical proposition, it’s not just a logical proposition, it’s a person, it’s Jesus.” Jeff
- 41:37 “we have to realize that if your theology is correct, then it will have something to say about the nature of reality itself, which will then give you some indication of what gives life value. It seems to me that if your worldview can’t help you grapple intelligently with those questions, then it’s either that you don’t understand it very well or it’s not very well formed.” Jeff
- 44:56 “Jesus’ followers who believe that Jesus is the truth changed the course of history and the value of human life, and science and medical care and art, education, law, politics and even how we understand everyday work.” Jeff
- 47:28 The Bible has brought new words into languages. There are 1,100 words that were added to the English language in order to complete the first translation of the Bible into English by Wycliffe.
- 51:48 “The word transform I use just as a word nerd. You go back to the Greek, Romans 12:2, for example, ‘Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ The word transform, the Greek word metamorphóō. Oh, from which we get our word metamorphosis. It’s such a straightforward word in Greek that even if you didn’t know how to read a word of Greek, you could look at that word and figure out that it is the root for the word metamorphosis. Well metamorphosis means a complete and permanent change into something you were designed to be all along. It is an unfolding. It’s not a controlling, it’s an unfolding. I am not interested as a Christian in getting control of the world and turning back the clock to the 1950s.” Jeff
Go Deeper
Truth Changes Everything: How People of Faith Can Transform the World in Times of Crisis
By Dr. Jeff Myers
America has passed a tipping point. A majority of Americans now say that truth is up to the individual and that ultimate truth cannot be known. Learning to “speak our own truths” was supposed to lead to dignity and harmony. Instead, our society struggles with unprecedented levels of social conflict, purposelessness, and loss of identity. And still, the “Truth versus truths” tension continues to grow.
Is all hope lost? In this inspiring book, Dr. Jeff Myers tells the fascinating stories of Jesus-followers who lived for Truth and transformed their world in times of crisis. These inspiring figures led the way in human dignity, science, art, medicine, education, politics, justice, and even the idea of meaningful work.
No matter what is going on around us, the truth is worth fighting for. If you long for a positive, restorative role in our own chaotic era, it’s time to discover how truth changes everything.
Recommended links
The Kingdomizer Training Program
More than a million people have now been trained in 115 countries.
Our Kingdomizer Training Program was first designed for missionaries, indigenous pastors, and workers in relief and development. As these individuals explored our basic biblical worldview teaching, they began to experience personal transformation that would ripple into their families, churches, communities, and even nations.
If you have a heart for the poor and a love for the Bible, we invite you to explore how you can be part of God’s transforming work in the world, and learn why thinking about a biblical worldview can make all the difference in people flourishing. Get started with our completely free Kingdomizer Training Program today!
