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The Lies Your People Believe—and How to Counter Them

Pastor, every week when you stand before your congregation, you’re not just preaching to believers—you’re preaching into a world filled with competing worldviews. People bring those views into your church every Sunday. They shape how your members see relationships, success, money, purpose, and even God.

Worldview matters. It’s not just academic or philosophical. People live their lives based on their worldview—whether they realize it or not. If you want to see transformation in your people, you must help them change how they view the world. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (NIV).

Here are six of the most common worldviews that are shaping the people in your pews—and how God’s Word responds to each one.

1. The one with the most toys wins.

This is materialism. It’s the belief that life is about acquiring more. More stuff. More money. More success.

But Jesus said, "Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions" (Luke 12:15 NIV). Real life isn’t about what you own—it’s about who owns you. The greatest things in life aren’t things.

2. I’ve got to think of myself first.

This is the worldview of individualism. It’s the mindset behind many cultural slogans: “Have it your way.” “Obey your thirst.” “You deserve it.”

It’s a self-centered life that destroys marriages, divides churches, and corrodes communities.

Jesus taught the opposite: "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it" (Matthew 16:25 NLT).

True life comes from giving yourself away—to God and to others.

3. Do what feels good.

This is hedonism—the belief that the goal of life is to feel good, be comfortable, and have fun.

But Scripture is clear. The Message paraphrase says: "Are you addicted to thrills? What an empty life! The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied" (Proverbs 21:17).

Chasing pleasure doesn’t satisfy. It leaves people empty. God created us for more than comfort—he created us for a calling.

4. Whatever works for you.

This is pragmatism. In today’s world, the only “wrong” seems to be telling someone else they’re wrong. Truth becomes subjective. People say, “If it works for you, that’s fine.”

But the Bible warns us: "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12 NIV).

Truth isn’t whatever works. It’s what God says is right.

5. God doesn’t exist.

This is naturalism, or atheism. It claims that life is an accident, that there is no Creator and no ultimate purpose.

But Paul writes: "Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God" (Romans 1:20 NLT).

Creation points to a Creator. If there’s no God, life has no meaning. But God made you—and everyone you preach to—for a purpose.

6. You are your own god.

This is humanism—a worldview that says we are in control of our own destiny. It’s behind the belief that we’re the masters of our fate and the captains of our souls.

But Romans 1:25 says, "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator" (NIV).

Every human being is wired to worship. If we don’t worship God, we’ll worship something else—even ourselves.

A Biblical Worldview

All of these worldviews have consequences. And most people don’t even realize how deeply influenced they are by them.

There’s only one worldview that leads to the life God has planned for you: a biblical worldview. The biblical worldview says: God created us for his purposes. We are not our own. We exist for his glory.

Pastor, if you want to change people’s lives, help them change their worldview first. When their minds are renewed, their hearts will follow.

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