This is Arturo’s story of how he came to understand the idea of a biblical worldview and how this opened up his eyes to many things about his faith, his work, helping the poor, and all of life in general. Question: Arturo talked about having lunch with the mayor of a city and being asked some hard questions. How would you have responded?
Arturo shares more about what this biblical worldview idea has taught him and how it has impacted him and others. Question: Arturo introduces the concept of God promising Biblical prosperity and yet he says it’s not about money. What then do you think this phrase “Biblical prosperity” means? What does it include?
Arturo explains more about paradigms and why it is important that our paradigms are rooted in truth. We make decisions based on our paradigms and our decisions shape our lives. Question: Arturo says it is important that people have truths in their minds as subconscious paradigms so that they will make the right decisions as they walk through life. Let’s say you want a young person to make the decision to stay in school and apply themselves. What’s the paradigm they need in order to make...
Arturo explains more about paradigms and why it is important that our paradigms are rooted in truth. We make decisions based on our paradigms and our decisions shape our lives. Question: Arturo says it is important that people have truths in their minds as subconscious paradigms so that they will make the right decisions as they walk through life. Let’s say you want a young person to make the decision to stay in school and apply themselves. What’s the paradigm they need in order ...
What is a worldview? It’s a word you will not find in the Bible but the idea is clearly there. It is Arturo’s experience that when people really grasp the concept they are immensely helped in their understanding and application of Scripture. Question: The challenge with a worldview is you don’t see it. You don’t even know you have it. It’s subconscious. Why is this also a benefit? Why do you think God made us to have a worldview?
How is a worldview formed? How does it shape a child’s life? Arturo answers these questions and why worldviews are so difficult to change. Question: Do you know someone who permanently changed some habit or way of thinking after joining the military? What changed in them? Why do you think this happened?
The culture we grow up in determines our worldview. Our culture determines how we see the world and life. It begins with the culture of our family. Question: Arturo says our culture determines our worldview. Can you give an example from your own culture?
What defines human beings is that we materialize ideas. This is what every person does. In so doing we materialize poverty and corruption. We also materialize goodness and flourishing. Question: Can you think of an idea that your parent or grandparent materialized that impacted the way you live?
Because we materialize ideas our ideas have consequences. In this episode, Arturo looks at the idea of “machismo” in the Latin culture and how this is materialized and the consequences that result. Question: What does it mean to be a man in your culture? What paradigm of manhood does your culture promote or reinforce?
Arturo talks further about how ideas have consequences and looks specifically at the idea of racism which plagues all cultures. Question: Arturo says that in every community he has ever worked or taught, race has always been an issue. Why is this?
Ideas have consequences. Truth produces a flourishing life and lies lead to injustice, corruption, and poverty. These are the fruits. Question: People seek wealth and power as ways to flourish or live well. Arturo told of a man who got wealthy and another who got power but both failed at living well. Why did they fail?
Christian believers are not well educated in how sin works and how it affects our worldview. We need a better theology of sin. Question: Arturo’s point is that a bad worldview is sin. It needs to be identified, repented of, and changed – and change comes through discipleship. Is this your understanding of sin? Is this understanding common in your church?
In this episode Arturo talks about the meaning of the word redemption because that’s what Jesus wants to give us. He explains the breadth and depth of this redemption. Question: Is your view of Christ’s redemption limited to forgiveness of sin and a restored vertical relationship with God and heaven after you die? According to Arturo, what is the wider redemption God wants to also bring to your life and the lives of others?
Arturo shares from his own experience about the important responsibility of the parent to shape their child’s worldview. Question: Are the children in your life growing in the worldview of the Kingdom? Do they consciously and subconsciously know what’s true and what’s a lie or a deception about God, about themselves, about others?
How do we change a worldview? A biblical worldview or worldview of the Kingdom is not an automatic result of our Christian conversion. It comes through a process. Question: What fundamental truth are you are currently working to internalize, to make it a natural part of your everyday view of God, and how you view life?
The very first command in the Bible is to be “Be fruitful!” What does that mean? Why is it central to God’s plan for our lives? Question: What does it mean to you to be fruitful -- at your workplace, in your relationship with your family, in your eating, your exercising, your rest, at your hobby, at your school? What does it look like to be fruitful in each of these areas of life?
Every child comes into the world invested by God with great potential. Arturo talks about how to help your child keep the first commandment -- how to help your child to be fruitful. Question: How are you encouraging the children you know to live fruitful lives?
Just as the farmer trusts that when he plants a seed and cultivates it there will be fruit, we can trust that when God blesses us and says “Be fruitful!” we can pray and he will help us develop and live fruitful lives. Question: What personal development potential have you not completed and left by the wayside? What would it take to go back and finish developing that potential?
The biblical view of human life is that all human life is sacred because we are made in the image of God and loved by God. Arturo gives examples of what happens when this view or truth is absent. Question: Human life is sacred. What impact has this truth had on your culture? What impact has the absence of this truth had in your culture?
God works. God created work as a blessing and not as a curse. Yet this is not the typical view of work. Question: Do you see the work you do as a blessing or a curse? Why?