Three Tips for Parents Raising the Next Generation of Case Makers

If you’re a Christian Case Maker (a Christian interested in making the case for what you believe) and you’re also a parent, you’re probably interested in raising your son or daughter to become a Case Maker as well. I have four kids of my own, so I definitely understand this desire. I want my kids to have the tools and truths they’ll need to be good Christian ambassadors. I want them to understand their worldview and defend it against competing ideas. Parents often contact me to ask what they can do to raise up a generation of competent Christian Case Makers. Here are three quick tips to get you started:

Don’t Defer – Be a Good Case Maker
It’s often said that some things are caught rather than taught, and that’s also true when it comes to transferring a worldview to the next generation. Our kids are watching us and copying our Christian example. That truth often scares me, but it’s the reality of our situation. What kind of Jesus follower are you in front of your kids? Are you someone who openly discusses your worldview around the dinner table? Have you provided your kids with examples of winsome Christian case making as you engage people with other beliefs? Do your kids know they can come to you for answers when they encounter objections related to their faith? Are you prepared to answer their concerns or questions? As parents, we can’t defer this responsibility; we can’t offer our kids a book or a video when they’ve come to us for an answer. We need to be good Christian Case Makers and the first line of defense for our kids. It’s often said that some things are caught rather than taught, and that’s also true when it comes to transferring a worldview to the next generation. Share on X

Don’t Delay – Pick a Good Youth Group
OK, I’m going to say something controversial here: Whatever church you may be in right now, if it’s not a place that helps you equip your kids to make the case for what they believe, find a new church. I know how that probably sounds, but all of us pick a church for one reason or another. Sometimes we make this decision based on the teaching of a pastor or the style of worship. If you’ve got kids, I think it’s fair (at least for a season) to pick a church on the basis of its ability to train your kids. It’s quite likely a church that’s great in one area, may not be great in another. That means you’re probably going to have to sacrifice something for yourself in order to get something important for your kids. It’s worth it. Take the time to find the youth ministry doing the best job in this area and join them in this important mission.

Don’t Deny – Provide a Good Opportunity
You and I both know, however, that many youth groups are more concerned about eating pizza and playing games than they are about developing Case Makers. That’s just the sad reality we live in. As parents, we’re going to need to do something to pick up the slack. I began by volunteering in a youth ministry class; many of my friends began as small group leaders. Whatever it takes, be patient and begin to humbly offer your services until you’ve earned the right to help shape the ministry. In addition to this, consider the value of additional outside training like the Summit Worldview Academy. Yes, I know it’s more expensive than the average summer camp, but that’s because it’s not the average summer camp. My family is probably just like yours; We raised our family on one income and we had four kids. We were often financially strapped. But we did what it took to get our kids the training they needed, even if we could only do it once. We stayed on the lookout for good opportunities to supplement what we had already taught our kids.

If you’re a parent, you already know how quickly time flies. I can’t believe I have adult children, and I fret about whether I’ve done a good job equipping them over the years. That’s why Susie and I decided to write kid’s books: Cold-Case Christianity for Kids, God’s Crime Scene for Kids, and our latest, Forensic Faith for Kids. Our experience as parents, youth leaders and pastors taught us that young people begin to question their faith in junior high. We wanted to provide a resource that would answer critical questions kids might have before they even begin to ask them.

We wrote this trilogy of kids books to help children study the evidence for Christianity, investigate the evidence for God’s existence, and learn how to share the truth with others. Each book is designed and written to follow the adult books chapter by chapter, so parents can learn how to make the case first, then become the best Christian apologists their kids will ever know. The adult books will provide parents with the foundation they need to guide their kids through their junior high and high school years.

Parents can read the material together with their kids, even as their young Christians work through the Case Makers Academy online materials (including videos, fill-in sheets, activity sheets and the opportunity to earn a certificate of graduation). Leaders (like pastors and teachers) who can use the books (along with the free associated teaching resources) to train up larger groups of kids in a classroom or ministry setting. If there’s one thing we’ve learned as parents, authors and youth leaders, it’s the need to be intentional. Let’s model a rational Christian life for our kids, put them in a church setting that can help them grow and provide them with intentional opportunities to learn.

For more information about strategies to help you teach Christian worldview to the next generation, please read So the Next Generation Will Know: Training Young Christians in a Challenging World. This book teaches parents, youth pastors and Christian educators practical, accessible strategies and principles they can employ to teach the youngest Christians the truth of Christianity. The book is accompanied by an eight-session So the Next Generation Will Know DVD Set (and Participant’s Guide) to help individuals or small groups examine the evidence and make the case.

J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Adj. Professor of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, author of Cold-Case Christianity, God’s Crime Scene, and Forensic Faith, and creator of the Case Makers Academy for kids.

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