Summit Ministries

Help: High School Curriculum FAQs

Have another Question?
1. Why is it important to teach worldview thinking?
Christians need to understand that the truth of God's word applies to all of life. They need to be able to discern truth from error, whether sitting in a university classroom or watching the evening news.
2. What is the goal of this curriculum?
The first goal is defensive. We want to protect Christian youth from deception by anti-Christian worldviews. A recent UCLA dissertation showed that of the college freshmen who identified themselves as "born-again" when they entered college, only 50% identified themselves that way when they graduated!
The second goal is offensive. We want to train up Christian leaders who can actively champion the truth of Christianity in a culture of relativism, paganism, hedonism and confusion.
3. What training is required to teach this class?
The key components for a successful teacher are a heart-felt vision for worldview thinking and a willingness to invest time and energy in communicating that vision. The video format, along with the discussions and projects, makes it simple to teach the course without extensive background or training. However, many educators find they benefit from "catching the big picture" through the Summit Ministries' Adult Conference.
4. What materials does each student need?
Each student should have a copy of the Understanding the Times textbook and a Student Manual. Students will find these resources invaluable as they continue developing their worldview thinking. The manuals are consumables while the textbooks are reusable.
5. Do we just watch videos?
Absolutely not! The videos will communicate the information, but students need to interact with that information to really understand the times. So we've packed the Teacher Manual with ideas for discussions, review activities, integrating current events, handouts, projects, field trips, leadership speeches, term papers, readings, and tests.
6. Does this curriculum come without videos?
No. A few years ago we helped ACSI develop a curriculum based on the Understanding the Times textbook which does not use videos. Summit Ministries no longer carries this edition because of the confusion it has caused having two curricula with the same title. Also ACSI will be slowly fazing out this edition. If you are an ACSI member school and are interested in purchasing this curriculum, please contact ACSI to place an order.
6. How can I place an order?
You can do one of the following to order your curriculum products:
  • Order online through our store
  • Order via the mail (or by fax) using our printable order form
  • Order over the phone by calling 888-638-9772.