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TWO WORLDVIEWS—WHICH WILL YOU PICK? PART 1

     A few years before the pandemic, I was invited to teach on the spiritual dangers of Modern Street Gangs at my district Vacation Youth Conference. This annual gathering lasted a week and brought young people from many of the churches in our area for a summer get together to magnify the Lord and to learn more about the Christian religion.

     It was an honor that turned into a disappointment, as the older youth whom I had been assigned not only did not see the need for strong spiritual teaching, but they also had little grasp of the basics of the Christian faith. We’re talking about young people from 15 to 18 years old who had been attending this Conference for five to ten years and were mere babes in the faith in terms of spiritual doctrine. Further, the Director of the Conference had held the job for a number of years and didn’t see the need for a perceived ‘outsider’ teaching ‘her children’ anything of which she didn’t have a direct hand.

     The Director, by the end of the week, lost her position because of her attitude. The District Moderator received some negative reports on this long-serving Director, and she was cashiered out of leadership very quietly. Her story provided a vivid illustration as to what troubles church youth programs are having in these last days. It is rare—I repeat RARE—for the youth of many churches to be grounded in the basics of church doctrine in order to carry forth a Christian worldview to counteract the evils of our modern age.

     It is even MORE rare for our modern Christian youth to know how to share their faith.

     Ask the average church-attending teenager what they have learned in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, or a Youth Conference about Jesus, the KJV Bible, basic doctrines of their church or how to win souls to Christ, and you wind up with a lot of blank stares. Ask these SAME young people about the latest Christian video, current fashions, or teen speak going on amongst themselves and you would be hard pressed to get a word in edgewise. Toss in some social media chatter, and you have a firm grasp of how our churches have busy youth programs—but no discipleship teaching. Youth Pastors—but NO youth evangelism training.

     We have Christian youth who lack the grounding to contend for their faith.

     I would advise any concerned Christian parent to get a copy of the 2010 DVD Documentary Divided by The Leclerc Brothers. If you REALLY want to get a birds-eye view as to how church youth programs have done more to divide Christian families rather than build them up THIS 50 minute video will open your eyes. This video holds a firm place in my library. It still packs a powerful punch more than 15 years after it was released.

     The reason I bring this matter to the table in this series is an illustration as to how ‘cut up’ the modern church has become. If our young people aren’t being taught the necessities of the Christian faith—and their parents are not teaching such basics at home—how far behind are our teens on the realities of Bible Prophecy, evangelism, or other ‘bedrock’ issues of our faith. It is any wonder that Modern Street Gangs have had a heyday IN our church recruiting church youth INTO the gang life?

     It USED to be that there was a concern over losing our youth when they graduated high school and went off to college. Sadly, because of the unfolding of Bible Prophecy in these last days, churches NOW should be concerned as to whether or not their youth can make the transition from elementary to middle school and not be dragged away from home and church by the satanic worldview of our current society.

     The Book of Jude urges Christians—with no age limit—to contend for the faith.

     Let me plug this in at this point. There are two worldviews in existence on earth. Satan is the prince of the power of the air, and the ruler of earth. His worldview is very apparent (otherwise known as the spirit of the age). However, the worldview of Jesus Christ is also in play and overrules the satanic worldview. Individuals MUST decide which worldview to follow—the worldview with Satan at the center, or the worldview with Jesus at the center.

     The individual has the freedom to only choose one and follow one.

     The Satanic worldview buffets the Christian daily. Recently, the US Supreme Court ruled—at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 term--that parents had the right to opt their elementary school children out of programs that highlighted LGBTQ+ materials (Mahmoud v Taylor) Montgomery County Board of Education, in the Washington D. C. suburbs. At the center of the controversy, an elementary school had a few teachers who wanted to teach such a curriculum. Of course, many parents opted their kids out of the program. The parents were of a variety of beliefs and faiths—but were united in NOT wanting their children indoctrinated on the LGBTQ mafia. The school lost sooooo many children from the classes that the school mandated that no more children could leave the teaching, regardless of the religious views of the parents. In short, the children would be held ‘hostage’ to the whim of those teaching the materials—meaning that the rights of the parents over their children were being nullified by the school and school district.

     The parents brought forth the case on religious grounds and parental authority. One may read the history of the case, as well as the opinions involved on scotusblog.com.

     As I wrap up this first segment, please remember this: In general, a student spends five days a week at school (40 hours), and one day a week (maybe two) at church. This means that a young person spends more hours in school than at church. Further, private, charter and parochial schools are NO guarantee that the rights and religious faith of the home will be supported. Those who support the spirit of the age have been creeping into non-public schools AND public schools.

     IF one wants to understand Bible Prophecy, they must be grounded in the right worldview.

     More to come.

     Mike Ramey is a Retired Minister, KJV Bible Teacher, syndicated columnist and Bible Prophecy Specialist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a Circuit rider of the Funky Electronic Frontier. “Street Level Bible Prophecy” is one of a variety of his columns appearing and abounding in print and cyberspace, written from a biblical, business, and common-sense perspective since 1996. Catch Mike Ramey’s columns on X (Twitter), Substack, Faithwriters.com, LinkedIn and in fine publications like this one! To drop him a line—or a whine—the address is still the same: mgmikeramey@yahoo.com. ©2025 Barnstorm Communications International.