Worldview at the Abbey is a Christian gap year program associated with Worldview Academy summer camps. Bill Jack, Jeff Baldwin, August Huckabee, and Hannah Hall founded the Abbey in 2014, and the curriculum centers around a Socratic teaching of classical texts in general education classes such as literature, political science, history, and economics, as well as teaching rhetoric, and apologetics from a Christian worldview. Along with classroom teaching, students engage in community service and leadership initiatives throughout the year to solidify the teaching in the classroom.
Listen to Worldview at the Abbey guest and Worldview Academy Founder Dr. Todd Kent speak with Dean of Student Life August Huckabee about our American culture and changes that they have noticed since moving back to the United States after living overseas.
I had the opportunity to spend this week at the annual staff training for TeenPact Leadership Schools.
TeenPact is a four day and a half-day class for high school students that takes place at different state capitols across the country. It is a student-led program that teaches high schoolers how state government works, what students can do to be involved, and what the Bible has to say about government and the political process. Through hands-on experiences, students have the opportunity to experience their state capitols, meet individuals actively involved in the legislative process (I have met Louisiana former-governor Bobby Jindal twice when he came to speak to the TeenPact class), and build relationships with like-minded individuals who are passionate about bringing a biblical mindset to politics across their state.
I have been involved with TeenPact for quite some time now. I learned about their program from an advertisement in a Worldview Academy notebook when I was a student at our summer camps; I wanted to learn what it could mean to be a Christian in politics, and if there were others out there who were asking the same questions as I.
After attending that first week, I went on to staff for the program the following year, and intern the year after that (In TeenPact vernacular, staff and interns are essentially the opposites of Worldview staff and interns).
Since that time, Worldview Academy camps have had numerous former TeenPact staff and interns be a part of the Worldview team for the summers, several TeenPact full-time staff have spent time on Worldview staff teams, and Worldview at the Abbey last year hired Ryan Funkhouser, who came directly from having worked for a year in the TeenPact office. We have shared advertising, exchanged speakers, and encouraged each other in our different spheres.
Sound like we’re close yet?
The reason Worldview and TeenPact have such a common background is because of our similar missions and visions. We want to instruct students in biblical thinking and empower them to serve Christ and lead their culture. We both believe that the future of this country and world is not too far gone to fix and improve, we believe that young people are capable of more than our culture would expect, and we believe that with encouragement and challenge, students can affect change in their spheres of influence for Christ and the improvement of the culture.
TeenPact’s state-class season is just kicking off for the year, and they are in almost every state across the nation. Do you know a high-school age student who might be interested in attending something like this? Check out TeenPact.com for more information and to find the class nearest you!
By August Huckabee, Dean of Student Life
Listen to Founder of Worldview Academy and Political Science Professor Dr. Todd Kent speak on the current situation with Syria, and different questions to be asked and answered by Christians in light of the situation.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) This is Jesus’ response to the crowds who followed him around the sea. His heart was for the people, both when they were clamoring to see him and when they were crucifying him.
Last Wednesday, the students from Worldview at the Abbey went evangelizing with the students from Worldview Academy Fall Camp. In Colorado Springs, the students engaged crowds of college students and faculty with the question, “What’s wrong with the world?” If the opportunity arose, the students asked if the problems with the world are internal or external problems. This question directs the conversation towards the problem of sin which perverts our very nature as human beings.
One of main reasons we have students engage in street evangelism at the Abbey is so that they can personally interact with the crowds. As they stare the college students in the eye, the lost cease to be an abstraction and become a series of names and faces in the students’ minds and hearts. When you are learning a lot about the errors in other’s ways, it is easy to become arrogant. This arrogance is broken down by spending time with people who are hurting.
One of the Abbey students asked a young college student, “What is your purpose in life?” The college student responded by breaking down into tears, exclaiming that she didn’t know what her purpose was. The Abbey student embraced her and explained the gospel to her. Another group of Abbey students ran across a college student who proclaimed his position with language so confusing that the Abbey students could barely understand what he was saying. This college student was likely hiding his insecurities behind his large vocabulary.
The crowds are like sheep without a shepherd. The Abbey students learned this first hand, and were filled with compassion. At the end of the day, Jesus Christ is their shepherd, and he will call them to himself. The sheep will be lost no more.
By Nathan Pegors
This Saturday we wrapped up our second semiannual Preview at the Abbey. Students from as far away as Indiana and Washington traveled to Canon City, Colorado to participate in classes taught by Bill Jack, Nathan Pegors and Jeff Baldwin and to learn more about the Worldview at the Abbey bridge year program.
The event kicked off Friday afternoon with a brief welcome in the library, followed by a discussion comparing presuppositionalism and evidentialism in our Advanced Worldview and Apologetics course taught by Nathan Pegors. After a rousing pick-up game of ultimate frisbee and a delicious dinner, students and their parents enjoyed a Night at the Movies with chancellor Bill Jack.
After breakfast on Saturday, prospective students watched our current students lead a museum tour and then reconvened in the library to hear provost Jeff Baldwin teach how to find the central theme in literature and in movies. The cafeteria provided a satisfying lunch highlighted by BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, and then it was time for a short farewell ceremony.
Ten prospective students attended the weekend with their parents. Enrollment at Worldview at the Abbey will be capped at 24 students in 2016. We will offer a second Preview at the Abbey March 18th - 19th. Contact Hannah Hall at hhall@worldview.org for more information.
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