What is a Jesus Worldview?
A Jesus Worldview calls for seeing and seeking to live through the lens of Jesus’ life and teachings.
It is a humble perspective that recognizes our failures to do so — and the need to continually seek to align our attitudes and actions with Jesus’ example.
Through a Jesus Worldview lens we can see where expressions of the Christian faith actually align (or not) with the calling to follow Jesus. And make the needed changes.
Often the terms “biblical worldview” or “Christian worldview” are used to prescribe narrow “beliefs” that tend to downplay or even dismiss Jesus’ teachings. So a continually pressing question of faithfulness is “Where is Jesus?” in our individual and congregational lives.
Jesus called his first disciples to something greater than merely affirming some narrow list of doctrinal or political beliefs— but to believe the Good News, deny self and follow him.
That call was then extended to all would-be disciples — willing to give up self-interest to become more like Jesus.
Jesus summarized all the laws and prophetic teachings into a prioritized, two-fold commandment deemed the greatest: To love God with all one’s being and to love others as we love ourselves.
A Jesus Worldview lens helps us to see more clearly how Jesus revealed God to humanity — and to embrace that abundant life to which his followers then and now are called.
A Jesus Worldview is summed up well in the words from 1 John 4:17b (NIRV): “Love is fulfilled among us when in this world we are like Jesus.”
Contact
John D. Pierce, Director of the Jesus Worldview Initiative
Jon R. Roebuck, Executive Director
Rev. Charlie Curb Center for Faith Leadership
Belmont University, 1900 Belmont Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37212
Leadership
Former editor of Nurturing Faith Journal, John Pierce (whose writings sparked the development of this initiative) is guiding this second, well-focused phase of the Jesus Worldview Initiative.
Collaboration with individuals and organizations is a key component of the initiative. Several partners are already engaging.
Belmont University, through its Rev. Charlie Curb Center for Faith Leadership led by Jon Roebuck, hosts the Jesus Worldview Initiative.
Along with programming collaboration, the university receives and processes designated, charitable gifts made in support of the Jesus Worldview Initiative.
All operational funds for the initiative come through designated gifts.
An Advisory Council helps guide the development and implementation of the initiative’s varied programs and projects.
Communication with supporters and other interested persons is ongoing through timely columns, an updated website and an E-newsletter.
Jesus Worldview Initiative Advisory Board
Jon Roebuck – Belmont University (ex officio)
Glen Money -Pastor, Murfreesboro, TN (liaison)
Randy Brantley – Grants director, Concord, NC
Kate Byrd- Episcopal priest, Smithfield, NC
Bruce Gourley -Historian/editor, Bozeman, MT
Terry Hamrick – Consultant/coach, Asheville, NC
Andrew McGill – Health care executive, Chattanooga, TN
William Neal -Retired editor, Fayetteville, GA
Gary Skeen – Retired church benefits president, Duluth, GA
Tamara Tillman Smathers- Minister of Education, Rome, GA
David Turner – Pastor, Richmond, VA
Tim Willis – Retired chaplain/campus minister, Clemson, SC
Vickie Wiley Willis -Retired human resources leader, Murfreesboro, TN
Tom Prevost – Retired minister, Chattanooga, TN
David Brooks – Pastor, Rome, GA
Facilitators
Jack Glasgow — Author of Seeing with Jesus: Developing a Worldview Shaped by the Gospels (Nurturing Faith), Zebulon, NC,
Guy Sayles — writer/speaker, Asheville, NC
David White – Connections Pastor, Alpharetta, GA
John Franke – author/theologian, Philadelphia, PA
Background
The terms “biblical worldview” and “Christian worldview” have arisen as ways to define a narrow religious-political ideology as true Christianity by which all other expressions are judged. Whether intentionally or carelessly, these redefinitions of the Christian faith often diminish or dismiss its central figure: Jesus.
A classic example came in a press release from Barna Group in which a “practicing Christian” (for polling purposes) was defined with no reference to Jesus. And the six criteria for holding a “biblical worldview” ignored Jesus’ calling and teachings as well.
An editorial response titled “How about a Jesus worldview?” (John D. Pierce, Nurturing Faith Journal, March-April 2017) led to a series of conversations, presentations, writings, retreats and resources.
These programs and publications were carried out by Nurturing Faith and then, following a merger, with Good Faith Media.To continue this mission, the Jesus Worldview Initiative is now part of a collaborative agreement with Belmont University.