Starting Points is taught by Pastor Matt White at One Day Academy Round Rock campus.

Starting Points is a one school year (9 month/34 week) worldview course offered through One Day Academy for students ages 12-18.

Starting Points introduces the core teachings of the Christian faith and guides the student to establish their own Christian worldview, identify worldviews in literature and media, and articulate and defend their own Christian worldview of reality.

The Apostle Paul writing in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 explains that Christians are to "examine everything carefully." We are to be examining ideas- testing and proving all things- then evaluating by discerning and weighing which ideas are true from the vast array of ideas that are flowing from society. He then explains that we are to "hold fast to that which is good."

These three words represent the focus of STARTING POINTS!

The purpose of Starting Points is to foster within the student a passion and commitment to a lifelong pursuit of Truth. The student will develop a Biblical worldview that seeks a better understanding of God as Creator, Jesus as Redeemer, the Holy Spirit as Helper, and our self in relation to God and the world in which we live.

Starting Points is a place where students can pursue guided personal reflection, interact in peer-to-peer challenging dialogue, ask curious questions with confidence and without fear, read and respond to Christian nonfiction and fiction, and be exposed to powerful personal life stories, or testimonies, of people from the past and present who have come to faith in Christ from very different backgrounds and experiences.

The student will develop critical thinking and writing skills by learning to:

  • DEVELOP a Biblical framework for your own life.

  • RECOGNIZE assumptions, ASSESS ideas and EXAMINE viewpoints and worldviews presented in literature, media and culture.

  • FOLLOW the logic and strategies for clearly communicating and defending the Biblical world view to seekers and skeptics.

A variety of learning methods will be used including:

  • Reading for comprehension and analysis

  • Lecture

  • Workbook Q & A

  • Student led inquiry and discussion

  • Book reports

  • Projects

  • Mini presentations

  • Interactive technology

  • Bible study

  • Essay writing

The curriculum also incorporates popular movies and apologetic readings through which the student is challenged in reading comprehension, critical analysis and various studies on topics such as God, the Bible, evil, morality, human nature, spirituality, apologetics, culture, and competing worldviews.

to the student...

DINoSAURS IN THE BIBLE?

When I was in 7th grade I remember sitting in my 3rd period science class and getting into a discussion about God with the kid beside me. I don't remember how it started but I clearly remember him asking me a question about the Bible that I had no clue how to answer. He got me! I was stumped. His question to me was, "So did Adam and Eve live with the dinosaurs millions of years ago? That would make them cave man and cave woman, right?" I hadn't even thought about it like that. So after school I peddled my bike home as fast I could so I could ask my dad that question. I was fortunate that my dad was also a pastor. I knew he'd have an answer for me and he did. Sitting in our living room, he opened up his worn black leather KJV Bible to Genesis chapter one and began teaching me the Biblical truths about the origins of mankind and God's creation. We read Scripture and talked until dinner time. Later that year for Christmas I asked my parents for a Bible just like my dad's. I still have it to this day. That was my first experience with Biblical apologetics (defending the faith) and articulating my Christian world view.

cAN I ASK A QUESTION?

You are at the perfect age to be asking and searching the answers to questions like, "Where did we come from?" "Why are we here?" "What happens when we die?" Or even specific questions about God, such as "Is there a God?" "How can I know God?" "What makes my God better than your God?" This is the course where you can ask questions about thoughts you've had, or like when I got stumped in 7th grade, you'll be introduced to questions you've never thought about but now you want to know!

Don't take my word for it

Click HERE to read real comments from students who have taken Starting Points.

where do i sign up?

First you must enroll in One Day Academy. If you've already done that, then Click right here to go to an online registration form.

STARTING POINTS IS JUST THE START!

The Starting Points course is preparatory to the high school courses Worldviews of the Western World I, II, and III also offered through One Day Academy. Although Starting Points is not required before taking Worldviews, it is an advantageous introduction. For a description of all the Worldviews courses offered through One Day Academy, click here.

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