May I Ask You a Question?

October 15th, 2021

I discovered that only a small handful of the almost 70 students I worked with even knew who Adam and Eve were!

So, I need to ask you this question. . .

How bold are you? Are you ready to “give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15 NKJV)? If you’re at all like me, you may have grown up in a church where the Bible and Bible Doctrines were solidly preached, but the application of how to defend these teachings in a secular world was lacking. In fact, the first time I heard the word “apologetics” was actually AFTER I went to a three-year Bible college! Please don’t get me wrong; I am not here to lay any blame on teachers or pastors--just relaying the reality of the late 20th century. I was taught and encouraged to present the Gospel but not to defend WHY I believed what I believed.

I really do believe that the leaders of a generation or more ago were trained and prepared for ministry based upon the cultural climate of that time, and that makes sense, right? In my formative years, for example, there was a common understanding of Bible narratives--most people inherently knew of Noah, Moses, Job, the account of Jonah and the big fish, Daniel in the lions’ den, the birth of Jesus, His crucifixion and resurrection, etc. Most people knew of the Bible and at least had a measure of respect for God even if they didn’t want to know Him or didn't believe they could encounter Him personally.

Not so today--it's a different world. In fact, while working with a group of 8th graders in a public school a couple of years ago to help them analyze a poem that contained a reference to Eden, I discovered that only a small handful of the almost 70 students I worked with even knew who Adam and Eve were! The good news about that is God gave me the opportunity to tell the biblical account of Genesis 1-3 that day (planting a seed) to these students to properly lay the foundation of knowledge for them to understand the poem.

They are ready to hear a message of hope. Are we ready to share it?

My point is this: Our young people (tweens, teens, and twenty-somethings) today are growing up in a society where God is seen as unnecessary, and evolution is taught as fact. Many of our youth are depressed, aimless, and disengaged, and teen suicide rates are at an all-time high. There’s an obvious correlation here. Without God, and believing they are a product of random, chance processes, life has no purpose for this generation. In a recent Barna poll, when asked about their view of their future, 56% of Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) say that they expect the worst. How disheartening! But, instead of being discouraged by this statistic, we need to see this data as an opportunity to bring hope to this generation with love, truth, and grace. They are ready to hear a message of hope. Are we ready to share it?

Our president and founder, Carl Kerby, was recently interviewed on “The Schaftlein Report'' TV show, where he clearly and lovingly answered the question young adults are asking about what there is to hope for.

That’s amazing news--so wonderful in fact, that we shouldn’t keep it to ourselves! Being bold in our faith in a world growing increasingly cynical and antagonistic to biblical truth can be scary at first, but the more we are in the Word and talking to our Lord about it, the more we understand our calling in this, and the bolder we will become for Christ.

So, how can you get started? Well, if you’ve ever wondered how to clearly and concisely present the Gospel message, please take the next three minutes to watch this video.

And, if you don’t feel confident presenting this on your own yet, feel free to share that video with your family and friends. At Reasons for Hope,* we are committed to providing you with the tools you need to learn, grow, and become bold in your faith.

To have free access to this video and dozens of other Reasons for Hope* resources, download our FREE APP--Reasons for Hope (look for the blue asterisk).

Here’s another short video to walk you through the process. Be bold!

*Jesus

Holly Varnum, Director of Curriculum Development at Reasons for Hope* joined us September 2021 to launch curricular materials to support many of our media resources. With degrees in education, curriculum and instruction, and educational administration, she comes with over three decades of experience in working with teens and adults in camp ministry, teaching and administration, and curriculum writing (A Beka Book, Focus on the Family, and Answers in Genesis to name a few). God has provided her with a well-rounded educational perspective through service in Christian schools, charter schools, public schools, Christian camps, and local church ministry. She has been a classroom teacher, instructional coach, administrator, camp counselor, Sunday School teacher, ladies’ Bible Study teacher, and conference speaker and looks forward to using her passion for God’s truth within the context of RforH*.

Her hobbies include cooking and baking, hiking, camping, travel, and working on do-it-yourself projects. Holly and her husband, Paul, (RforH*’s new Director of Media Content) also enjoy any time they can spend with their three grown daughters, two sons-in-law, and two grandchildren (so far!). They live in the beautiful state of Maine, and yes, eat lobster (properly pronounced “lobstah”) whenever they get a chance!