The DADI Question

Introduction and Review

Let’s go ahead and review just a little about what we have done so far.

Who remembers the theme verse?

Let’s read it all together.

Matthew 5:13–16 KJV 1900

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

This series is about recognizing that there is no sacred/secular divide in this life.

What is, in your words, the idea of a sacred/secular divide? It is the idea/philosophy/way of thinking that states that God is relevant in some areas of life, and irrelevant in others.

In what areas of life is God commonly seen as irrelevant (or just not thought of) for those who hold this dualistic view? Recreation, work, food, hobbies, differing friend groups (sacred v. “secular” friend groups), etc.

In what areas of life would God be considered relevant? Church, devotional times, worship times, church activities, spiritual disciplines, etc.

What gives purpose to our values and ultimately drives our behavior? Our worldview.

How would you define “worldview”?

A worldview is a “big picture” of reality shaped by conscious or subconscious assumptions about the following five areas: God, Creation, Humanity, Moral Order, and Purpose.

A Good Example

Today, we are going to talk about setting goals in our workplace/homes/friend groups. Though we recognize that there are many goals that can exist at the same time in each environment, we want to take one goal tonight and develop it with a Biblical Worldview.

Before we do that, I want us to go to the book of Philippians.

Philippians 3:17 KJV 1900

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

This evening, I want to look at an example. It is not an example from the pages of the Bible, but one from more recent history. The man we will be discussing today journaled extensively and is known for his deep faith and trust in the Lord. You may be familiar with him for other reasons as he has a prominent place in our history books. The example of a live lived out from a clear Biblical worldview will be the life of George Washington Carver.

George Washington Carver was born in about 1865, the son of slaves. His father was killed in a log hauling accident a few weeks after Carver was born. While still an infant, he was kidnapped, along with his mother and his sister, by thieves wanting to make some money by selling them to another slave owner. Moses Carver, their current owner, sent someone after them with a good racehorse to buy them back. The thieves took the horse and left George lying on the ground, sick with whooping cough. His mother and sister were never heard from again.

Carver’s relationship with the Lord began early in life. He wrote: “I was just a mere boy when converted, hardly ten years old. There isn’t much of a story to it. God just came into my heart one afternoon while I was alone in the loft of our big barn while I was shelling corn to carry to the mill to be ground to meal.” (Federer, 75)

At age 26, Carver wrote to friends in Montana, Mr. and Mrs. Milholland: “Oh how I wish the people would wake up from their lethargy and come out soul and body for Christ.” He continued, “Let us pray that the Lord will completely guide us in all things, and that we may gladly be led by Him.” (Federer, 23)

Carver was exceptionally curious, and had a passion for learning—especially about plants. He became the first African American to study at Iowa State College, where he earned a degree in agriculture. After graduating, he became the first African American faculty member at that same college.

At the age of 31, Carver was invited by Booker T. Washington to come to Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. In Washington’s invitation to Carver, he wrote: “Our students are poor, often starving…We teach them to read and write, but words cannot feed stomachs. They need to learn how to plant and harvest crops…I cannot o! er you money, position or fame…These things I now ask you to give up. I o! er you in their place work—hard work—the challenge of bringing people from degradation, poverty and waste to full manhood.” (Federer, 14) Carver’s response was: “I…shall be glad to cooperate with you in doing all I can through Christ who strengtheneth me to better the condition of our people.” (Federer, 15)

Carver did just that, creating 300 uses of the peanut and 118 uses of the sweet potato. In the process, he turned around the economy of the South. Among his many creations were: printer’s ink, instant coffee, chili sauce, mayonnaise, molasses, meat tenderizer, shaving cream, wood stain, adhesives, axle grease, bleach, linoleum, and fuel briquettes.

In 1920, at the age of 55, in a speech given to a YMCA group, Carver said: “…the Great Creator taught me to take the peanut apart and put it together again. And out of the process came forth all these products!” (Federer, 36)

In 1921, when speaking before the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee in Washington D.C., he was asked: “Dr. Carver, how did you learn all of these things?” Carver answered: “From an old book.” “What book?” asked the Chairman. Carver replied, “The Bible.” The Chairman inquired, “Does the Bible tell about peanuts?” “No, Sir,” Dr. Carver replied, “But it tells about the God who made the peanut. I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut, and He did.” (Federer, 36)

Carver named his laboratory at Tuskegee “God’s Little Workshop.” In a speech given at the age of 59, he said: “God is going to reveal to us things He never revealed before if we put our hands in His. No books ever go into my laboratory. The thing I am to do and the way of doing it are revealed to me. The method is revealed to me the moment I am inspired to create something new. Without God to draw aside the curtain I would be helpless.” (Federer, 53) Carver locked the door to his lab when he was creating things. He claimed: “Only alone can I draw close enough to God to discover His secrets.” (Federer, 53)

At age 60 he wrote to Rev. Lyman Ward: “Pray for me please that everything said and done will be to His glory. I am not interested in science or anything else that leaves God out of it.” (Federer, 56)

Also at age 60, he wrote to Robert Johnson: “Living for others is really the Christ life after all. Oh, the satisfaction, happiness and joy one gets out of it…I know that my redeemer lives. Thank God I love humanity; complexion doesn’t interest me one single bit.” (Federer, 57)

At age 63, Carver said: “Man, who needed a purpose, a mission, to keep him alive, had one. He could be…God’s co-worker…My purpose alone must be God’s purpose…As I worked on projects which fulfilled a real human need, forces were working through me which amazed me. I would often go to sleep with an apparently insoluble problem. When I woke the answer was there.” In a letter he wrote: “After I leave this world, I do not believe I am through.” (Federer, 67-68)

At age 75, he wrote to Rev. Haygood: “…if we do not take Christ seriously in our every day life, all is a failure because it is an every day affair.” (Federer, 84)

He once remarked: “The secret of my success? It is simple. It is found in the Bible, ‘In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.’” (Federer, 86)

More than twenty years after Carver’s death, Clarence Mason, director of the Carver Research Foundation at Tuskegee, said of Carver: “…I have the most profound respect and admiration for Dr. Carver because he turned away from the field in which he was most skilled and best trained [botany], to work in an area which he felt he could do the most good for the people in his community [chemistry].” (Ferrell, 48)

Carver said of his relationship with the Lord: “…all my life I have risen regularly at four o’clock and have gone into the woods and talked with God. There he gives me my orders for the day.” (Ferrell, 58) He also said: “How I thank God every day that I can walk and talk with Him.” (Federer, 61)

We can all thank God he did.

-References in this section are from George Washington Carver: His Life & Faith in His Own Words, by William J. Federer, published by Amerisearch, Inc, St. Louis, MO, 2002, and Fruits of Creation, by John S. Ferrell, published by Macalester Park, Shakopee, MN, 1995.

The DADI Question

We have looked at theory, and last week we started to make things more practical. Today, we are going to do some more practical work by answering the DADI question. The DADI Question helps us to see how our beliefs should/will affect our behavior.

DADI stands for Discover, Apply, Develop, and Implement

The DADI question is this:

With respect to my work as a , what can I DADI (Discover, Apply, Develop, and Implement) in connection with the biblical view of God, Creation, Humanity, Moral Order, or Purpose?

To answer this question, make sure you have your DADI handout in front of you. First, we are going to look at the example we have from George Washington Carver.

One wonders how Dr. Carver might have answered The DADI Question. Based on what is known about the man and his worldview, the following DADI Question answers are close to what Dr. Carver may have written. They are speculative, of course, to provide an example of how The DADI Question works.

“With respect to my work as an innovator of new products from plants, what can I DADI (Discover, Apply, Develop and Implement) in connection with the biblical view of GOD?”

God and Creation

Humans and Moral Order

So now that we have seen Dr. Carver’s DADI Plan, let’s fill out our own.

Look at the Personalizing the DADI Question sheet.

We are going to take a moment to split up into two groups - men and women. Then, we will help each other go through these steps.

Step 1 - Fill in the blank of the DADI question:

With respect to my work as a , what can I DADI (Discover, Apply, Develop, and Implement) in connection with the biblical view of God, Creation, Humanity, Moral Order, or Purpose?

Step 2 - Select a biblical premise that rings a particular bell with you in relation to your work. Write this in the DISCOVERY section of the grid on the next page after the words I Believe. [Pass out 50 Biblical Premises Sheets]

Step 3 - In the APPLY area, dream a bit. Think about how the biblical premise you have identified in the DISCOVERY section could specifically APPLY to your work. Ask God to help you think outside the box. Catch a vision. Be specific. Avoid broad generalizations. I Could...

Step 4 - In the DEVELOP area, write what you will need to develop in order to bring what you have written in the APPLY section to reality. What discipline is necessary? What training is required?

I Must...

Step 5 - In the IMPLEMENT area, write specific action steps you will take as the Lord leads, and grants you His grace. I Will…

Take a moment to fill these out.

Review DADI Plans

We are back! Now let’s review some of these, and if you weren’t able to finish, we will help each other out as a group.

What we have done today, hopefully, is to provide yet another tool that will help you best implement a biblical worldview in the various areas of your life.

Any Questions or Comments?