Sean McDowell on Creating Core Beliefs and Values

I had a great conversation with Dr. Sean McDowell on core beliefs and values that undergird a disciple making culture.  Click here to listen to the podcast.

With a seismic shift in worldview tides and an abundant availability of information, the role of belief systems and how they shape a person’s values, perception, and interactions with the world has become increasingly crucial. 

Right from the get-go, our engaging dialogue with Sean McDowell touched on various aspects of beliefs, values, discipleship models, and the impact of the evolving techno-social landscape on our belief systems.

The dialogue also delved into the potency of narratives – the ways we talk about our belief systems, the language we employ, and the stories we tell to express our faith. 

We took a substantive look at 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. This passage underscores the importance of demolishing belief strongholds through divine power, employing arguments to contest anything that threatens the knowledge of God, and making every thought obedient to Christ. This section led us to the understanding that spiritual battles are fought not with worldly weapons, but with the fortified understanding of the scripture, equipping us with divine power to counter any formidable stronghold. 

There are core values that guide you. We all have them. Your decisions and behavior will be influenced by your core values, but also by the core values of your family, church, community, and company. At Discipleship.org, we are clear on our core values and we want to encourage you to adopt them with us. We believe that these values will be key to your faithfulness to God in the future.

What are core values?

Core values are the root beliefs from which a person or organization operates.  Patrick Lencioni, the organizational guru, says that “core values are the deeply ingrained principles that guide all of a company’s actions; they serve as its cultural cornerstones.”

Collins and Porras describe the depth of our core value with these words – “core values are inherent and sacrosanct; they can never be compromised, either for convenience or short-term economic gain.”

Notice those words: inherent and sacrosanct… can never be compromised…

Our conversation closed on an emphatic note about having parents and church leaders live out their faith in the most authentic way possible. This authenticity breaks the stronghold of worldly influences and brings forth a counter-narrative, rooted in a biblical understanding of our existence. The call is not just for individuals to embody these beliefs, but for churches to nourish a culture that encourages such positive modeling of faith, thereby setting the stage for the next generation. 

Sean’s words reinforced the need for embracing questions, doubts, and seeking answers, staying committed to the truth of the scriptures, and creating meaningful, spiritually enriching conversations within the rhythm of life. The potency of this exercise lies in its simplicity – modeling our faith, building relationships and intentionally engaging kids with conversations that transmute faith into a living reality. 

The charm of the conversation with Sean McDowell lies in its human touch, the focusing not just on the abstract principles of faith and belief, but on their concrete applications and manifestations in daily life.  Click here to listen to the podcast.