OPINION:
As we continue to watch in the media — students on college campuses debating and protesting on hot topics like evolution vs. creation — we wonder how we, as parents, can best prepare our teens for these cultural conversations.
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Even before they graduate and go out into the world, our teens and pre-teens bump up against spinning and colliding views on important topics in varying degrees. Whether talking with friends, engaging in social media, or writing a report for school, our kids are exposed to many colliding views in our culture.
And it can be confusing. They want to know which viewpoint is right. Learning how to decipher and dig deeper when something just doesn’t seem “right” is important to a young mind in developing critical thinking. As a Christian parent, you want to help your teen process the different points of view using Godly discernment. This is an invaluable life skill that they can continue to use and develop the rest of their lives.
In his letter to the Romans the Apostle Paul shared, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
How do we, as parents, equip our children with discernment tools and the confidence they need to navigate colliding views and align with their faith?
One creative way to develop discernment is to sequentially walk them through the unique skills required by the following three vocations: a Detective, a Scientist, and a Reporter.
Let’s take evolution vs. creation, as an example…
Help them be a Detective. The first step is to gather the facts, just like a detective would when investigating a case. Stay objective and keep emotions out of this part of the process by looking at both sides. Good detectives are very thorough and look at all of the evidence. Find a trusted source and search for various research to help separate facts from opinions. Dig through the Bible and other sources, such as this article on evolution from Answers in Genesis.
Next help them dive into the mindset of a Scientist. Once all of the facts are gathered, now it’s time to test it by asking questions. Ask a variety of questions to challenge the hypothesis to prove if it’s true or false. Ask questions such as “Is it true or false according to the Bible? What does God say about this?” or “How do Evolutionists believe our universe was initially created?” This step teaches them to fact check against God’s Word and to view the world through the lens of the Bible.
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Finally, help them take on the role of a Reporter. Now, it’s time to be clear and concise with your conclusion, spread the truth, and share the Word of God! By understanding the most common arguments of differing views, you can make your case, discuss with others, and defend the truth!
Teens learn best by processing and experiencing things on their own. By guiding them on making decisions through these steps, they are more likely to own their conclusion. Over time, they will start connecting the dots that the Bible is the ultimate truth. They will start fact-checking what culture tells them against God’s Word. By knowing the “why” behind their faith, they will be able to discern the truth from inaccurate information and stand firm on their faith foundation.
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Kori Pennypacker is the CEO of Bible2School, where she oversees the mission and speaks to businesses, churches, and community leaders on the topic of the importance of spiritual training for children in our communities nationwide. She has over 20 years of experience in children’s ministry and leadership.
Bible2School equips communities across the nation to provide free elective Bible classes to elementary school children DURING their public school day. Their vision is that every public school in the nation would have a dynamic Bible program taught during their school day as allowed by national released time court rulings.
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