Session 1 - Class Introduction Questions

1. Does God really exist?

• Yes 100%
• No 0%
• Unknown 0%

Biblical Worldview: Yes

2. What is the character and nature of God?

• God is a loving God 36%
• God is a Spirit 21%
• God is Almighty 11%
• God is holy 8%
• God is a loving and “just” God 7%
• Other 17%

Biblical Worldview: God is a personal and knowable God unmatched in power and authority. Holy and loving, faithful and just and is always right.

3. (Part 1). Was the world created?

• Yes 100%
• No 0%
• Unknown 0%

Biblical Worldview: Yes, God created all things.

3. (Part 2). If created, how and why was it created?

How

• By God (Spoken) 38%
• Unknown 62%

Why

• Created for man 23%
• Created for God’s glory 17%
• Created for both God’s glory and for man 9%
• Unknown 40%
• Other 11%

Biblical Worldview: The world was created by God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit for the purpose of bringing glory to Him and for His pleasure. God spoke and it was so!

4. What is the nature and purpose of humanity?

Nature

• Created in God’s image 16%
• Sinful 38%
• Unknown 46%

Purpose

• Praise, Worship and glorify God 26%
• Show God’s love to others 12%
• Serve God 21%
• Tell others about Jesus 9%
• Unknown 19%
• Other 13%

Biblical Worldview: Man was created perfect however once sin entered the world through Adam mankind’s nature is sinful. Man’s purpose is to serve and worship the True God. Created for His pleasure so we would have pleasure in knowing Him, bringing glory to Him.

5. What spiritual authorities exist?

• God or part of Trinity 37%
• God, angels, devil and demons 9%
• Word and Sacraments 17%
• None 26%
• Other 11%

Biblical Worldview: Even though God is the highest authority the Bible teaches that the Devil does have some authority here on Earth.

6. Is there a literal hell?

• Yes 94%
• No 2%
• Unknown 4%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible teaches that there is a literal hell. Hell is the final and permanent location for all unbelievers. Unfortunately it is often confused in the Bible with Hades/Sheol a temporary location.

7. Does the Devil exist?

• Yes 100%
• No 0%
• Unknown 0%

Biblical Worldview: The Devil has 33 names or titles in the Bible. He is very real and we as Christians need to understand we are at war with the him and powers of darkness every day.

8. What is truth?

• Jesus/God 19%
• Word of God 36%
• Knowledge of good and evil 9%
• Other 15%
• Unknown 21%

Biblical Worldview: God’s Word is True. God is Truth. Jesus being Truth also came into this world to testify to the truth (John 18:37). The definition of truth is where the statement matches reality.

9. How old is the Earth?

• Thousands of years 31%
• Millions of years 7%
• Billions of years 8%
• Always existed (infinite) 10%
• Other 6%
• Unknown 38%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible does not give us a date for creation. Although by examining all of the genealogies and ages of the people found in the Bible scholars have calculated that the Bible teaches the Earth is a little over 6,000 years old.

10. Is the Book of Genesis a tale of fiction or the truth?

• Truth 96%
• Fiction 0%
• Some parts contain metaphors 4%
• Unknown 0%

Biblical Worldview: The first book of the Bible is considered not only true it is a vital book to establish many fundamental concepts including the “Fall of Man” and the need for a Savior!

11. Do you believe that Jesus died for you?

• Yes 100%
• No 0%
• Unknown 0%

Biblical Worldview: God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins. In His death and consequent resurrection Jesus paid for 100% of our sins.

12. Who wrote the Bible?

• Men through the inspiration of God 56%
• People of God 27%
• God 10%
• Unknown 7%

Biblical Worldview: Both the Old Testament and New Testament teach that all Scripture is given to men through the inspiration of God.

13. Is there a Holy Spirit?

• Yes 95%
• No 0%
• Unknown 5%
• If so, what is His function? To lead, comfort and sustain our faith 33%
• To guide and empower us to do God’s will 29%
• Other 16%
• Unknown 22%

Biblical Worldview: The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead. In the New Testament Jesus told us that the Spirit will be given to all believers to serve as our Counselor and source of Truth. Paul tells us that the Spirit was given to us as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance and through Him we have unending access to the power and wisdom of God.

14. What is the occult?

• Satanic practices 41%
• All false religions 17%
• Other 13%
• Unknown 29%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible teaches that any practice involving the supernatural that is not of God is to be considered witchcraft, sorcery, divination, the art of a medium or spiritist and should be considered in opposition to God and not permitted for any Christian to be involved with.

15. Is Allah the Father of Jesus?

• Yes 2%
• No 75%
• Other 6%
• Unknown 17%

Biblical Worldview: The Koran teaches that Allah is the God of the Old Testament however there are several major differences that make it abundantly clear they are not the same.

16. Is science and religion compatible?

• Yes 55%
• No 17%
• Other 22%
• Unknown 6%

Biblical Worldview: Secular Humanism is also known as Scientific Humanism contending that if science can’t prove something to be true then it is not. The Bible however has shown to be true as science has been slowly catching up with God’s Word.

17. Does the Bible contain contradictions?

• Yes 17%
• No 68%
• Other 4%
• Unknown 11%

Biblical Worldview: This is often one of the first things non­believers say about the Bible. In actuality the Bible does not contain any contradictions. Each supposed contradiction can be rationally explained without loosing any integrity.

18. Does the Bible teach reincarnation?

• Yes 9%
• No 78%
• Other 0%
• Unknown 13%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible does not teach reincarnation. Resurrection is often confused with reincarnation however there is a substantial difference.

19. Can you have assurance of your own salvation?

• Yes 93%
• No 5%
• Other 2%
• Unknown 0%

Biblical Worldview: John in his first epistle probably said it best “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13)

20. Should Christianity be tolerant of other faith beliefs?

• Yes 15%
• No 54%
• Tolerate but not accept 19%
• Other 2%
• Unknown 10%

Biblical Worldview: Tolerance is a word whose definition is often misunderstood. Tolerance does not mean acceptance. Since Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6) we are to teach that all other religions are false. Peter reminds us “do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)

21. What gender is God?

• Male 34%
• Female 0%
• Neither 25%
• Spirit 9%
• Trinity 4%
• Unknown 28%

Biblical Worldview: The language of the Bible clearly identifies all three of the Godhead as being male. The terms cannot be translated to mean something different.

22. Does science support the Bible?

• Yes 42%
• No 27%
• Not always 23%
• Unknown 8%

Biblical Worldview: This is one of the more hotly debated subjects on our planet today. Science can and does support the Bible. Some theories come close like the “Big Bang Theory” but not in their entirety.

23. Has history proven the Bible wrong?

• Yes 42%
• No 27%
• Not always 23%
• Unknown 8%

Biblical Worldview: Actually the opposite is true. Biblical history matches and often amplify secular history. Modern archeological discoveries continue to prove the Bible as being historically accurate.

24. Does the Bible contain errors?

• Yes 2%
• No 87%
• Some translations do contain errors 4%
• Other 2%
• Unknown 5%

Biblical Worldview: Most Bible translations contain some translational or transcriptional errors. However the original texts are considered inerrant.

25. Do demons exist?

• Yes 89%
• No 0%
• Unknown 11%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible teaches that demons are very real much of Jesus’ ministry involved the casting out of demons. There is some debate as to what demons are. Some people believe the demons of the Bible were only mental disorders.

26. Why did Jesus have to die?

• Died to save sinners 89%
• Fulfill prophecy 4%
• Other 3%
• Unknown 4%

Biblical Worldview: God requires 100% compliance with His Law. Since Adam, a human being, fell into sin the Law required a human being to lead a perfect life to access heaven. Jesus became man (incarnate) so that He could take our sins and die so that we could if we desire to accept Him as our Savior and have eternal life with Him. This was God’s plan from the beginning of time.

27. Is Biblical prophecy important?

• Yes 88%
• No 2%
• Unknown 10%

Biblical Worldview: Prophecy is very important in God’s Word. In a sense it is God’s signature. Since He and He alone knows the beginning from the end he informs us that His Word is indeed from Him when those prophecies are indeed fulfilled exactly on the day and hour they were prophesied. The Bible contains several hundred prophecies.

28 Can something be true to you and not to me?

• Yes 41%
• No 50%
• Unknown 9%

Biblical Worldview: While it is true that for some things they can be true to you and not for me such as the name of my father is James and that may or may not be true for you. A statement is either true or false based on reality.

29. Is evolution a proven fact?

• Yes 11%
• No 81%
• Other 4%
• Unknown 4%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible teaches Creation. Evolution is not compatible with Creation. Although Microevolution (small­scale changes within a species) has been proven and continues today (such as the large variety of dogs).

30. Does the Bible mention dinosaurs?

• Yes 15%
• No 43%
• Not by that name 20%
• Unknown 22% * Biblical Worldview: The term “dinosaur” was coined by Sir Richard Owen in 1842 (Greek for ‘fearfully great lizard’) however the Bible does describe large animals referred to as a Behemoth (Job 40:15) and a Leviathan (Job 3:8, 41:1; Psalms 74:14, 104:26 and Isaiah 27:1) both created by God and fit the descriptions of what we call dinosaurs today.

31. What is a worldview?

• How one views and interprets the world 9%
• Outside the teaching of the Bible 11%
• Other (12 different definitions) 33%
• Unknown 47%

Biblical Worldview: The term “worldview” is a relatively new term. It is often referred to as a paradigm (from the Greek meaning ‘to show’ or ‘an example’). Everyone has a ‘worldview’, in it’s simplest form it is a collection of values, knowledge and interpretations from life that each of us use to make decisions everyday. Collected from interactions with people, the world, our training, our upbringing, etc. starting from birth and has the potential of changing everyday. A Biblical Worldview is one that aligns with the entire Word of God.

32. Do you believe in miracles?

• Yes 98%
• No 0%
• Unknown 2%

Biblical Worldview: Several people in the Old Testament performed miracles. Jesus also performed many miracles. God can and does intercede supernaturally and still does today. Miracles play a major role in getting unbeliever’s attention.

33. If the Bible had a prophecy not yet fulfilled what do you expect God to do about it?

• God will fulfill in His time yet future 90%
• Unknown 10%

Biblical Worldview: God means what He says and says what He means. Since God said it He is faithful and will fulfill all prophecy. There is an enormous amount of prophecy that has not been fulfilled therefore we know it will be fulfilled. God is not a liar (Numbers 23:19 and Hebrews 6:18) nor does He change His mind (Malachi 3:6 and James 1:17). Our God is a loving God who delights in keeping His promises!

34. Do all religions point or lead you to heaven?

• Yes 4%
• No 87%
• Point yes but not lead 6%
• Unknown 3%

Biblical Worldview: Many religions will try to point you to heaven or their version of the afterlife but only Christianity can point and lead you to the true heaven.

35. Can we know God personally?

• Yes 98%
• Unknown 2%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible teaches that God in both the Old Testament (Tabernacle) and the New Testament desires to dwell with us to be close to us, to be our God! The Holy Spirit dwells in us so we can have a truly intimate relationship. God knows us better than we know ourselves.

36. Will Jesus return to the Earth?

• Yes 93%
• Unknown 7%
• If so when?
• End of Time 26%
• In God’s Time 43%
• Other 7%
• Unknown 24%

Biblical Worldview: Even the oldest prophecy recorded in the Bible refers to Jesus’ Second Coming to Earth as well as several hundred other prophecies promising His return. Jesus himself stated He would be back however not as a suffering servant but as a God seeking justice.

37. Was Noah Jewish?

• Yes 33%
• No 33%
• Unknown 34%

Biblical Worldview: Abraham was the father of Judaism ten generations after Noah so no Noah was not Jewish.

38. Is the Bible the inspired Word of God?

• Yes 100%
• No 0%
• Unknown 0%
• How do you know that? Believe it to be true 21%
• Bible says it is 37%
• Other 15%
• Unknown 27%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible was written by men inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). We know it to be true for all of the following: The Bible says it is, the Holy Spirit has revealed and continues to illuminate the truth to us as we grow closer to God (process of sanctification) and we can defend it rationally (1 Peter 3:15).

39. Should a Christian inquire a fortune‐teller or palm reader?

• Yes 0%
• No 98%
• Other 2%

Biblical Worldview: A Christian should not be involved with any non­Christian supernatural activity including seeking a fortune, reading horoscopes, using a weegee board or any other form of divination. (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10­14 and several other verses)

40. As a Christian the most important thing in life is?

• Relationship with Christ 22%
• Bring others to Christ 7%
• Trust and believe in God 22%
• Other (15 different views) 43%
• Unknown 6%

Biblical Worldview: To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Jesus who was given all authority by His father commissioned us to go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

41. Was there a global flood?

• Yes 98%
• No 0%
• Unknown 2%

Biblical Worldview: Often called “Noah’s Flood” the incident in Genesis chapters 6­9 was indeed a worldwide or global flood. There is substantial physical evidence of this phenomena. One major clue can be found in Genesis 9:8­17 when God made a covenant with Noah and all of his descendants that He would not create a flood of that magnitude again. If that flood was only a local or regional flood then God did not keep His covenant.

42. Is the Bible still relevant?

• Yes 96%
• Other 2%
• Unknown 2%

Biblical Worldview: The Bible teaches that God never changes and neither does His Word. Society changes but God does not. Our society’s rejection of God’s Word is nothing new. The Israelites in the Old Testament often had periods where they thought they didn’t need God anymore and that didn’t go so well! The Word of God never goes out­of­date.

43. Why does God allow suffering?

• Because of sin 33%
• Bring us closer to Him 19%
• Test our faithfulness 12%
• Other 17%
• Unknown 19%

Biblical Worldview: Probably high on most people’s list of questions to ask God this question is often answered with another question usually starting with the words “Well if God was a loving God…” Genesis teaches that when man sinned the world was also ‘cursed’, creation we see today is not what God intended for us. Pain and suffering is a direct result of sin. The truth is God is a loving God so much so that He sent His only Son to die for us to suffer for us. What we suffer is nothing compared to an eternity of pain and suffering.

44. What are ghosts?

• Apparitions of spirits 22%
• Not real (figment of imagination) 9%
• Demonic beings 13%
• Previous life beings 6%
• Other 4%
• Unknown 46%

Biblical Worldview: The words (both the Hebrew and Greek) used in the Bible for “ghost” are the same words that are most often translated “spirit” especially in newer Bible translations. The Bible teaches that dead unbelievers go directly to Sheol (Hebrew) or Hades (Greek) there is no in­between so ghosts are not dead humans. Jesus described His resurrected body as being flesh and bone not like a ghost/spirit (Luke 24:39).

45. What is the primary reason Christians and Christianity are under attack today?

• Satan 35%
• Belief that Christians are narrow minded 11%
• Conflict between Christianity and Science 13%
• Ignorance or unbelief 20%
• Other 15%
• Unknown 6%

Biblical Worldview: Jesus and several of the epistle writers tell us that we will not be liked by the people of this world. Since the wisdom of God is considered foolishness to the world (Read first three chapters of 1 Corinthians) people think Christians are not capable of rational thinking. Satan is using this point­of­view to slowly strip away things considered valuable to God. Once he has a foothold he moves quickly.

46. What is the definition of Apologetics?

• Defending Scripture 24%
• Doctrine 2%
• Other 7%
• Unknown 67%
• The word “apologetics” is defined as “giving an answer” or “defense” for a belief. In its simplest form Christian Apologetics is the ability to defend your faith. The proof, reason and evidence that Christianity is true.

47. What is your name?

• Name given 57%
• No name given 43%
• Peter told us in 1 Peter 3:15b “Always be prepared to give an answer (apologia) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Does that mean that 43% are not comfortable in their answers?

48. Are there any questions or subjects you want to discuss or cover in this class?

Prophecy (connecting the Old and New Testaments), How to argue to non‐Christians, Math in the Bible, Mary the mother of Jesus and what she contributes to Christianity, How to talk to Muslims about Jesus, Explain mediums and channeling, After death where does the soul go? How to discuss Christianity to atheists and atheist college professors, World history before Adam and Eve, Why do Muslims exist? Nature of the two spiritual kingdoms.

49. Do you believe in the Trinity?

• Yes 98%
• Unknown 2%

Biblical Worldview: Even though the Bible never mentions the Trinity by that term it does reveal God in three personages or personalities. This concept is beyond our comprehension.

50. Who did Cain marry?

Biblical Worldview: Cain married his sister. The ordinance to not commit incest didn’t show up until Leviticus 20 (part of the Law) given at Mount Sinai approximately 1400 years later.