“By age 25, 70% of church-raised young adults no longer hold biblical truth.” That statistic, reported by Dr. Jeff Myers of Summit Ministries, is a call to arms for Christian parents to navigate today’s minefields of culture. Schools, television and radio shows, and even friends are now more and more filled with messages which undermine the biblical world view parents go to such great effort to communicate.
The truth is, this isn’t a “public school issue.” Regardless of whether children are homeschooled, in private Christian schools, or in public classrooms, they are living in a culture that regularly challenges their faith. From radical gender ideology to activist-curriculum-laced curriculum, the push is constant. But here’s the best news: parents aren’t helpless. With the proper strategies, they can equip their children to engage with these issues with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
Basing our understanding on insights from psychologists, teachers, and religious leaders, seven practical, biblically based approaches to safeguard and equip children in a more woke school environment are as follows:
1. Teach Kids to Take Every Thought Captive
Dr. Myers cites 2 Corinthians 10:5 as a cornerstone: “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” It means assisting children in understanding that any idea they hear comes from a worldview either one that gives God glory or one that overlooks Him.
Parents can teach children to sort through messages using Scripture, beginning with the reality that God created them on purpose and with worth. When children understand that their identity comes from Christ, they’re less susceptible to messages that say they’re victims or that truth isn’t absolute. This isn’t about protecting them from tough subjects it’s about equipping them to know what aligns with God’s Word.
2. Guard Against Cultural Captivity
The data is clear: by their mid-20s, most church-raised young adults have abandoned biblical truth. Myers warns that “hollow and deceptive philosophies” often take root when parents underestimate cultural influence. Radical gender ideology, for example, is not confined to progressive cities it’s showing up in conservative communities and even Christian schools.
One grandmother Myers interviewed had five of her 13 church-raised grandchildren who are transgender. The moral of the story? Parents need to be proactive, not reactive. That is, they need to know what’s being taught, recognize early warnings of confusion, and confront them with truth and love before false beliefs have a chance to gain a foothold.
3. Prepare Them to Set Captives Free
Kids not only need to fight against deceitful ideologies but also learn how to engage others graciously and truthfully. Myers stresses that kindness has been weaponized making the Christian call to pity a means to eliminate biblical categories such as male and female.
Parents can practice dialogue, instructing children to reply respectfully yet assertively when friends or instructors instill unbiblical concepts. This better prepares them to be “ambassadors of the kingdom of God,” defined by conviction, courtesy, and compassion, Dr. Mark Yarhouse suggests.
4. Supervise and Direct Media Use
Entertainment and Internet media influence as much as classroom instruction. Parents must be gatekeepers, employing resources such as Common Sense Media or Plugged In to screen shows, movies, and games. Songs, TikTok fads, and YouTube sites have the power to normalize values that are contrary to Scripture.
Boundary-setting is not control it’s discipleship. Cultivate alternatives that are positive and faith-positive, and discuss openly why some content is off-limits. This allows children to internalize discernment and not merely do rule-following.
5. Maintain Open and Non-Adversarial Communication
Myers cautions against debating kids on hot-button issues. “You’re not going to win the debate,” he says, noting that a quick Google search often leads to activist sites offering misinformation and even resources to bypass parental authority.
Instead, observe for mood or behavioral shifts and query with open-ended questions such as, “Can you tell me more about that?” Doing so encourages the relationship, maintains conversation flowing, and allows room to steer them gently back toward God’s plan.
6. Support Parental Rights in Education
Policy changes matter. In Virginia, revised guidelines now require parental consent before minors can use bathrooms opposite their biological sex and prohibit schools from hiding gender identity changes from parents. These shifts happened because parents spoke up.
Christian parents can show up at school board meetings, write to representatives, and champion efforts that promote transparency and adhere to biblical standards. As observed in state-level reforms, grassroots activism can counteract cookie-cutter policies diminishing parental oversight.
7. Anchor Identity in Christ Daily
In a world where emotions are considered fact, children must have a constant reminder that truth is absolute. Deuteronomy 6 commands parents to “impress” God’s laws on children in the ordinary routines of life at home, on the road, morning and evening.
This involves integrating Scripture, prayer, and worship into daily activities. It also involves living out faith consistently; it’s hypocritical to hold children accountable to be committed Christians if parents aren’t closely following the Lord. A lived-out faith is the most powerful apologetic children will ever encounter.
Equipping kids who can stand strong in their faith isn’t about fear it’s about formation. By pairing biblical foundation with deliberate discussion, discerning media consumption, and informed investment in education policy, parents can provide their children with something firm on which to stand when the world around them is in flux. The hope isn’t to shelter them from culture, but to equip them to engage it confidently, clearly, and Christ-centredly.
