Biblical Christian Worldview

Quick Quote – Source – Jeff Hilles

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective – With every issue, there will always be extreme opinions. I recently responded to a reader who stated that Christian preachers were calling for the execution of gay people.

I am sure one can find extreme views such as this if we look hard enough. However, in most cases, the extremes on both sides of an issue are in the minority. But they do garner media attention and gaslight viewers into believing extreme positions are mainstream. It is important to look to the middle of the bell curve, rather than the vocal extremes when evaluating the popular direction on an issue, especially a divisive one. 

From the center of the bell curve, Christians don’t hate gay people, they don’t want to turn America into a Christofascist state, and most realize there are times when abortion is an appropriate medical need. 

"Let us know what you think."

This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Quick Quote – Source – Jeff Hilles

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective – In our publications, we use the term “Biblical Christian” as a replacement for what was once termed “Christian”. That is because so many Christians have lost their way theologically. Many who associated themselves within the boundaries of Christianity did so, not because of a love for God, but because it was where the “good” people hung out. Many are now disassociating themselves from true Biblical Christians as we have come under more social scrutiny for our unchanging beliefs. 

There is a set of core theological beliefs (here) that are both clear from Scripture, and necessary for salvation. They hinge around Rom 10:9 and Eph 2:8–9. As harsh as it may sound, Christians, or those who used to consider themselves Christians, who believe they are earning their way to Heaven by being good people, are sadly heading in the opposite direction… they are not Christians rooted in God’s word. Instead, they have been inoculated with dead Christianity. 

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This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Quick Quote - Source - Jeff Hilles

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective - Science is a wonderful and important construct of the application of man’s intellect and curiosity applied to God’s creation.

Many unbelievers, critical of the Christian view that puts religion above science, point out that past theologians have been wrong in areas such as a belief in a flat earth. However, this serves to prove the point that all mankind, including theologians, know only a small fraction of the secrets contained in the universe and God’s omniscient understanding of His creation.

Matthew 11:25 - At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.

The beauty and complexity of our world are continuously being displayed by science as it explores deeper and deeper into God's creation.

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This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Quick Quote - Source - Jeff Hilles

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective - A greenhouse is intended to be a place of protection where seeds can grow under a controlled environment of nurturing. However, in many cases, at a point in the maturing process, plants outgrow their confined enclosure and, to continue to thrive and be of value to the one who invested the time to cultivate them, the plants leave the safety of the greenhouse and face the world.

This illustration can be applied to Christians as well. The former tagline for our medium-sized church was, “Greenhouse for the Great Commission”. Like plants, Christians need to be nurtured and disciplined in the early stages of their sanctification. However, to truly grow in our faith, we ultimately need to leave the protection of our church and share our faith with a lost and dying world.

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This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Quick Quote Source - Darrell Harrelson

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective - Throughout history, there has been so much fighting over land based on who came first and who has the right to occupy it. Today, this is being played out on the world stage in places like Gaza, Ukraine, Taiwan, and potentially Korea.

God began mankind with Adam and Eve and the rest of us have populated the world from that small but significant beginning. We have been told to love the Lord, and through this, to love and care for each other as the summary of all of God's commands. Yet, sadly, our sin nature continues to overwhelm our behavior.

The endpoint of our current behavior of selfishness is coming when God will return those of us who have trusted Him, back to a sinless state and the world will be renewed as a New Heaven and New Earth (Rev. 21-22).

"Let us know what you think."

This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Quick Quote - Source - Jeff Hilles

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective - We always seem to compare ourselves, to ourselves rather than to Jesus as a benchmark for how we should behave. When we look at the gap between us and Christ, any moral superiority we think there is between one faction and another becomes infinitesimal and irrelevant.

Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:10-12 - as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

This is a harsh reality using Christ, who was without sin (2 Cor. 5:21), as our benchmark. The good news is that God provided a way for all that we have done wrong to be forgiven, by accepting His son, Jesus, as our Lord and Savior.

"Let us know what you think."

This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Quick Quote - Source - Jeff Hilles

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective - So many Christians view the New Testament and, in particular, Jesus, expressing the importance of love. Jesus put love as the highest command when He said...

Mark 12:29-31 - Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 'There is no other commandment greater than these.”

1 John 4:8 - Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

However, God and His Son, Jesus Christ, have much more to teach us than a single word. Further, there is a hierarchy of love that begins with a love for God and His commands which allow us to express a true love for our neighbor. Given the consequences which follow death, the greatest love one can show his fellow man is to share the full truth of saving faith in Christ. For some, that revelation can be seen as tough love because it takes control of our lives out of our hands and into His.

Hebrews 12:6 - For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

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This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Overview

The Salem Media Group is a bellwether for Christian media. They own and operate 95 radio stations in 38 American markets, with 3200 affiliates. Further, Salem has multiple internet publications, along with magazine and book publishing enterprises (details here). Headquartered in Irving, TX, Salem represents the largest single Christian media organization in the country. From their latest annual report, Salem's 2023 revenue fell $8m from the previous year, resulting in an operating loss of $46 million (here).

Details

Salem Media Group continues to struggle due to declining broadcast revenues and "changing audience behaviors" (here). To offset losses, the company sold its headquarters ($6.2m), divested of other real estate holdings ($8.2m), and sold six of its radio stations in South Carolina and Kentucky for an estimated $11m and its publishing arm for $4m. Pending divestments represent another $10m in movie and land sales along with a recently failed $30m sale of its Church Products division. Stock prices for the company have trended down from a high of $28/share in 2004, to its current value of 38 cents/share, voluntarily delisting from the NASDAQ this past January (details).

What's Happening

Americans are turning away from all forms of traditional media, and especially Christian media. What we see in churches, book sales, crusades, radio stations, television programming, libraries, schools, and higher education has a single theme running through it. The United States is changing and Christians are having to choose between accepting that change or holding fast to their traditional values.

"Let us know what you think."

This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Quick Quote - Source - Erwin Lutzer

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective - The distractions of this life are intended to both pacify and nullify our witness for the Lord. Within boundaries, the less we have the less we need, and the harder it is for earthly things to sweep us away from an eternal focus. The reason the Bible says that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matt. 19:24) is that worldly wealth breeds pride, corruption, and earthly power. A perfect recipe from which Satan extracts his payment. 4

"Let us know what you think."

This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.

Quick Quote – Source – Jeff Hilles

A Biblical Christian worldview perspective – Nearly every religion in the world offers a formula for eternal bliss. Both the recognition of an afterlife and its risks/returns are documented in sacred texts throughout history. 

What separates Christianity from all others is the truth that God does not demand mankind to earn our way into Heaven. Instead, He provided His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross at Calvary and by His resurrection from the dead on Easter morning, offered evidence of His power and love for all humanity. 

Biblical Christians serve God out of their hearts through an appreciation for eternal salvation, rather than the fear of our efforts falling short in comparison to others. Serving our Lord results from our salvation rather than an attempt to gain salvation.

"Let us know what you think."

This podcast is based on original BCWorldview.org content. Some episodes are narrated using an AI-generated version of the author's own voice.