All right, Lecture 11: Preparing Christian Youth for a Secular World.

This is becoming more and more of a challenge. I think it's not just about preparing kids for the church, for their role in the church, helping kids get closer to God, or helping kids have a good experience in youth groups so that they're positively inclined towards church. In some ways, when they're in the youth group, when they're in the church, they are inside protective walls. I know that they experience some things at school, especially if they attend public school, but in some ways, much of their life is a protected arena. Once they graduate from high school, they start getting into a world that is more challenging, especially when it comes to worldview.

If kids have been isolated in the Christian experience, then they've learned a bunch of things about Christianity, but they've never learned how to combat things that are against that. They just know that we believe the Bible is the Word of God, but they haven't had a good conversation with someone who challenges them, asking, "Why do you believe that? Why do you think something in some book is from God? Is God's name on it or something? How do you know this? How do you know it's true? How do you know that people who say the Bible isn't true—that it was written by a bunch of people over the years, changed and rewritten—aren't correct?"

We have to prepare kids for going out into the world because the world is right there. So, how do we do that?

Basic Bible Knowledge

One basic way is to give them foundational Bible knowledge. The Bible needs to go into their minds for it to go into their hearts and, one day, be used. Basic Bible memory is important. Here are some key verses (but you can pick your own):

  • John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." This is the summary of the gospel.

  • Ephesians 2:4-5 – "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." This verse emphasizes salvation by grace, not works.

  • Romans 6:23 – "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." This verse explains the problem of sin and the solution of salvation.

  • The Lord’s Prayer – Young people should know it as a model for prayer and because they will encounter it in churches and other gatherings.

  • Philippians 2:14-16 – "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life."

  • John 13:35 – "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

  • Hebrews 10:24-25 – "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

These verses help instill biblical truths that young people will carry for life. Their young brains will memorize them quickly, even if we struggle with it.

Books of the Bible

Young people should also learn the books of the Bible—all 66 of them. When someone says, "Turn to Galatians," they should know where to find it.

Basic Bible Stories

They should also know the basic story of the Old Testament:

  • Adam and Eve

  • Noah and the Ark

  • Abraham and Sarah

  • Jacob, his wives, and his 12 sons

  • Moses

  • King David

  • The Divided Kingdom

  • The Babylonian Captivity and the Return

Without understanding these stories, biblical references may not make sense.

For the New Testament, they should understand:

  • The Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

  • The Book of Acts (early church history, introduction to Paul)

  • Paul’s Letters

  • The Letters of John and Peter

  • Revelation

Understanding the overall history of the Bible makes individual stories more meaningful.

Basic Doctrine

Doctrine organizes biblical teachings into key topics:

  • Creation – Where did the world come from?

  • Revelation – How does God reveal Himself? (General and Special Revelation)

  • God’s Nature – Who is God? What is the Trinity?

  • Sin – How did sin enter the world? What is its effect?

  • Salvation – How did God fix the sin problem?

  • The Holy Spirit – Fruits of the Spirit vs. Gifts of the Spirit

  • The Bible – How did we get the 66 books?

  • The Church – What is its role in God's mission?

  • End Times – Where is all of this going?

Understanding doctrine helps young people defend their faith.

Basic Church History

The last 2000 years are not in the Bible, but they are important:

  • The Early Church – Home churches to buildings

  • The Catholic-Orthodox Split

  • The Reformation – Martin Luther, John Calvin, Zwingli, Wycliffe

  • Denominations – Where they came from and why

  • Missions – How the gospel spread

Basic Morality

Christianity teaches right and wrong based on God's standard, not personal opinion. The Ten Commandments are a guide:

  • First four: Relationship with God

  • Last six: Relationship with others

Christian morality isn’t about restricting life but about thriving in relationships with God and others.

Worldviews

There are three major worldviews:

  • Modernism – Science and reason determine reality.

  • Postmodernism – No absolute truth, just individual experiences.

  • Biblical – Truth is revealed by God through the Bible and creation.

Young people should understand these perspectives and how they shape culture.

Real-World Issues

Young people will face difficult questions in secular universities:

  • "How can a good God allow evil?"

  • "Are you sure homosexuality is wrong?"

  • "Why do you Christians seem so unloving?"

  • "My professor says the Gospels contradict each other—can I still trust them?"

They must be prepared to answer these questions with wisdom and confidence.

Conclusion

We have one more lecture, and then you are ready to start a youth group. See you then!


Last modified: Monday, March 3, 2025, 11:06 AM