Join us for practical sessions on equipping kids to think critically, biblically, and missionally.
Explore the relationship between kids, the Bible, worldview, apologetics, and their spiritual growth.
Get recommended reading for you and your child from Foundation Worldview.
Answers to your questions to equip you to help the kids that God has placed in your care.
Invite us to speak at your next event.
Learn more about the journey that led to us equipping kids to carefully evaluate every idea they encounter.
Meet Elizabeth Urbanowicz, the classroom teacher who developed these materials for her students.
Meet members of our team who have contributed to curriculum development.
Hear from real users of the Foundation Curriculum.
Learn what we believe about God, Jesus, Scripture, and more.
Explaining New Spirituality to Our Children
New spirituality is a worldview that has infiltrated most areas of our society. It bombards our children with its false truth claims in everything from TV shows to memes, fitness ads to food labels. Training our children to navigate their encounters with new spirituality can be difficult. Messages such as “be true to yourself” and “follow your heart” sound inspirational and are woven into most kids’ entertainment, but can lead to a self-seeking faith. In this article, we'll discuss how we can prepare our children to recognize truth from falsehood when new spiritualist messages bombard them every day.
Expose the Idol
Anytime we want our children to understand the teachings of another worldview, the first thing we must do is expose the idol. What person or object has this worldview substituted for God? In new spirituality, that idol is self.
The new spiritualist worldview teaches that “god” is in everything. Christians can easily confuse this concept with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But the new spiritualist concept of god is vastly different. New spirituality claims that god is not just in everything, he is everything. This means that every person is god. If you are god and I am god, we each become our own object of worship.
Reveal How the Idol Contrasts God
Once we expose our children to new spirituality’s idol of self, we need to show them how this idol directly opposes what God has revealed about Himself. Scripture is clear that God is the only proper object of worship (Ex. 20:1-2, Is. 45:5, Ps. 86:10, Luke 4:8). He is near His creation, but He is separate from it (Ps. 139:7-12, Is. 55:9, Col. 1:16-17). God is not manifested in different parts of creation such as rocks, trees, or animals. And, while the Holy Spirit does indwell Christians, we do not become God when we surrender our lives to Jesus.
We need to show our children that God has created us to worship Him. When we recognize God’s lordship and submit ourselves to Him, we align ourselves with reality, and God satisfies our souls. This is not true of new spirituality. We want to help our children see that worship of self leads to disaster. When we worship ourselves, we focus on what is best for us, causing disappointment, hurt, and chaos (Is. 44:20, Rom. 1:18-32, James 4:1-4).
Conclusion
Once we have exposed our children to the new spiritualist idol of self and contrasted it with reality, we can then help them see the connection between the worship of self and other new spirituality teachings – such as those on origins, identity, and morality. For more information on preparing our children to navigate new spirituality in our culture, check out Unit Two in Foundation Comparative Worldview Curriculum.
About Elizabeth Urbanowicz
Elizabeth Urbanowicz is a follower of Jesus who is passionate about equipping kids to understand the truth of the Christian worldview. Elizabeth holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Gordon College, an M.S.Ed. in Education from Northern Illinois University, and an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Elizabeth spent the first decade of her professional career teaching elementary students at a Christian school. Elizabeth now works full time on developing comparative worldview and apologetics resources for children. Her goal is to prepare the next generation to be lifelong critical thinkers and, most importantly, lifelong disciples of Jesus.
Related Posts and insights
The Missing Piece of Gratitude in Christian Family Life
In this episode of the Foundation Worldview Podcast, Elizabeth Urbanowicz explores a crucial but often overlooked element of gratitude—giving thanks in and for suffering. She unpacks four key Scripture passages to help parents model and teach this biblical grace to their children. Discover how gratitude for challenging circumstances can shape character, deepen hope, and conform us to the image of Christ. Tune in for practical tips to incorporate gratitude into your family’s daily rhythms and routines.
Why Words Matter: Helping Kids Think About Terms Like "Racist"
Words have power, but how do we help kids use them wisely? In this episode of the Foundation Worldview Podcast, we explore a thoughtful, biblical approach to discussing terms like "racist" with children. Learn a four-step process to investigate meanings, apply Scripture, compare worldviews, and take action. This practical episode equips parents, teachers, and ministry leaders to guide children in evaluating ideas through the lens of a biblical worldview. Discover how intentional training in careful thinking can help kids stand firm in truth and avoid cultural confusion.
Seeking Biblical Mental Health Support for Kids
Seeking a mental health provider for your child? In today’s episode, we tackle the tough question of how to find a counselor who doesn’t just claim faith, but practices from a biblical worldview. Listen in as we discuss practical questions to ask and key factors to consider to ensure your child receives guidance that aligns with God’s truth.