As part of the Rev. Charlie Curb Center for Faith Leadership at Belmont University, the Jesus Worldview Initiative provides programming and resources to advance the following of Jesus as the defining priority of Christian faith and practice.
Led by Dr. John Pierce, the initiative grew out of his editorial writings in Nurturing Faith Journal. Numerous presentations to churches and other organizations, annual retreats for congregational leaders, and published resources have resulted.
Following his 24-year editorship, Dr. Pierce brings this second and expanding phase of the Jesus Worldview Initiative to Belmont University beginning January 2024.
Make a Gift
The Jesus Worldview Initiative programming depends on designated, charitable giving. Here are some ways to give:
- Give a gift by check or credit card using the link below
- Make a gift by check payable and mailed to Belmont University (and designated for Jesus Worldview Initiative) to: Attn: Rev. Charlie Curb Center for Faith Leadership, 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212.
- Give through a Donor Advised Fund by contacting JDPworldview@gmail.com or calling (615) 460-6073.
The Mission
In this well-focused and collaborative second phase, the Jesus Worldview Initiative will strategically articulate, apply and advance a faith perspective rooted firmly in the priority of following Jesus as revealed in his life and teachings.
Often the terms “biblical worldview” and “Christian worldview” are used to define a narrow religious-political ideology that diminishes or dismisses the central figure of the Christian Bible and Christianity: Jesus.
However, the values and attributes — that Jesus compels his followers to emulate — are revealed clearly in the Gospels and prioritized in his summarizing call to love God with all our being and our broadly defined neighbors.
The Jesus Worldview Initiative provides a much-needed lens for seeing the ways the primary call to follow Jesus are actually present in or absent from Christian expressions today.
In response, the initiative provides ways to refocus on following Jesus more intently as the highest priority for individual Christians, churches and other organizations.
Looking Ahead
The Jesus Worldview Initiative will reach a wider audience through new resources, including:
- Presentations to churches and other Christian organizations
- Retreats, conferences and workshops
- Timely, published articles
- A resource-based web presence with a preaching/teaching library
- An E-newsletter to keep supporters and other interested persons informed
Now & Next
The Jesus Worldview Initiative: Seeing and seeking life through a Jesus lens
The mission of the Jesus Worldview Initiative (JWI) — to articulate and advance the following of Jesus as the defining priority of the Christian faith — continues to be explored and shared in creative and expanded ways.
In January 2023, the initiative became affiliated with Belmont University through its Rev. Charlie Curb Center for Faith Leadership, led by Jon Roebuck.
Nearing the two-year mark is a good time to recall how the initiative has continued to take shape and fulfill its mission.
Likewise, the initiative stands at a good time and place to envision future ways to use its resources effectively in offering a clearer lens for seeing and seeking to live through the life, teachings and calling of Jesus.
Belmont provides vital institutional support for the JWI including processing and reporting designated giving, collaboration with Curb Center staff and others within the university, and use of meeting space and other resources of the university.
Operational and programming funds for the JWI come from designated, charitable gifts. With very low overhead, these gifts directly fund the projects and programs the initiative undertakes.
A volunteer Advisory Board provides ongoing guidance to the initiative’s director who serves in a contract role following retirement from the editorship of Nurturing Faith Journal. The director and advisors engage with Curb Center and other university leaders.
Most aspects of the JWI were carried over when the initiative affiliated with Belmont University, including retreats and presentations to churches or other organizations. Others have been added or expanded.
Small group retreats
The 10th small-group retreat for invited congregational leaders occurred in September. An earlier grant from the Baugh Foundation, with the remaining funds transferred from Good Faith Media to Belmont, was designated for these retreats. By partnering with other organizations those funds were stretched over a long period. Additional funding will be needed to continue these retreats which allow for in-depth conversations around the Jesus Worldview mission. Intentional ecumenical participation in the retreats has expanded the initiative into more faith traditions.
Church/organization presentations
Invitations to share the Jesus Worldview Initiative purpose and priority take different shapes. Volunteer facilitators (Guy Sayles, David White, John Franke, Jack Glasgow) also engage in these presentations jointly or independently.
Over the past two years these presentations, among others, have included:
- "Jesus Worldview Sunday" emphasis in joint adult classes and worship
- Workshop leadership at Belmont University for the Curb Center
- Vestry retreat at an Episcopal conference center in North Carolina
- Keynote speaker/worship leaders for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia annual meeting
- Leading Jesus Worldview conversations at the Wild Goose Festival
- Joint regional workshop presentations with the Center for Healthy Churches
- Numerous and varied ppresentations to church groups and others
Website development
A newly created website (jesusworldview.org) has given a fresh online face to the initiative allowing for promotional posts, opinion columns and other information and resources including the online library.
Resource library
A generous, annual gift from Maralene and Miles Wesner of Idabel, OK, provided the means for creating an ever-expanding online resource library. The Wesner Library was launched at the recent conference. Additional content submissions are welcomed.
Newsletter
An electronic newsletter allows for direct communications with those who've expressed interest in keeping up with the initiative's various programs, projects and other resources.
Peer groups
The first ministers peer group specifically focused on the Jesus Worldview missions was formed by four participants in the 2024 retreat — expanding to seven members in four states. Facilitator Guy Sayles will engage with this group and has offered guidance to others who wish to form peer groups around this focus.
Jesus Worldview Conference
The first open-invitation conference — with the theme, “Life through a Jesus lens” — was held in October in Nashville. Gifted speakers and panelists joined eight outstanding musicians to provide the programming. The conference was made possible by generous gifts from members of the JWI advisory board, registration fees and support from the Curb Center. A survey of participants and potential funding support will determine future conference possibilities.
An Advisory Board Retreat, set for April 2026, will focus on imagining and prioritizing future projects and programming. Ideas already under consideration include expanded social media; Nashville-based and regional conferences; continued engagement with singer-songwriters exploring fresh ways of expressing faith; and developing potential new resources. Widely agreed upon is that the need to articulate and advance the following of Jesus as the defining priority of the Christian faith — encouraging all who profess such a commitment to see and seek to live more faithfully through a Jesus lens — remains highly relevant.
The extent of the initiative’s future efforts will be reflected by available financial support — expressed in the mantra, “Support determines scale.”
For those wishing to be (or continue to be) a key part of advancing the Jesus Worldview movement, these are the ways to provide needed and appreciated support:
- To give online, please visit jesusworldview.org/give and follow the link to the Belmont giving site. Please change the "Designation" box to "Jesus Worldview Initiative" before completing the gift.
- To give by check, payable to Belmont University, please mark for "Jesus Worldview Initiative" and send to: Dr. Jon Roebuck, Charlie Curb Center, 1900 Belmont Blvd, Nashville, TN 37212.
- To give through a Donor Advised Fund, the university's EIN is 62-0465076. Please be sure the gift is marked for "Jesus Worldview Initiative" and sent to Belmont university, Attn: Debbie Sprang, Office of Development, MS11500, Fidelity 105, 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212.
To notify how your gift has been made so it can be tracked — or to ask any questions or share ideas, please reach out to John Pierce at jdpworldview@gmail.com at or 770-539-4084.
Leadership
Dr. John D. Pierce
