Secular campuses, come!

Dear COAH,

Our children are returning to school this week. Some have already returned to university campuses. High schools and universities are more than testing grounds for their faith. The fierce battle for faith takes place, and many of our children often lose their faith as they interact with humanistic philosophies and ideologies. Parents have the right to get nervous when their children go to secular institutions.

“How much do my children understand the gospel? Will they live by the gospel demands or compromise their faith?”

We should always take spiritual rearing seriously. For those of us rearing young children, please remember the following five dimensions of the gospel as taught by Jesus. Be sure to instill them deeply in your children’s lives:

•   The gospel events – the historic Jesus as he lived two thousand years ago in Palestine, his life, his death, and his resurrection (Acts 2:23-24). 

•   The gospel witnesses – What the Old Testament prophets prophesied all along and what the apostles witnessed.

•   The gospel affirmations – the most amazing confession ‘Jesus is Lord’ and how that confession impacts our lives when we truly mean it.

•   The gospel promises – What Jesus promises to his followers, the forgiveness of sins, the born-again experience, the new life in him, and the indwelling Spirit who guarantees the life to come.

•   The gospel demands – All that Jesus demands from us, including complete turning away from sin and returning to God, getting baptized, belonging to the body of Christ, and following Jesus as his disciples. (cf. John Stott, Christian Mission in the Modern World)

Teaching our children these dimensions of the gospel must coincide at church and home. As they receive sound gospel teaching from home and church, they must also belong to a healthy youth group that lives by the gospel. I would also emphasize that our children need to see the gospel at work in the one-on-one relationship between parents and children. Yes, this is so crucial! They will then know what to do on their campuses. Rather than worrying about them going to a secular campus, we will pray that God will use our children to evangelize their campus.

Blessings,

Pastor Minho Song