Teaching Students the Truth with Conviction, Clarity, and Compassion
Editor’s Note: this is the second article in this month’s “Cultural Apologetics” series. Cultural Apologetics enables Christians to built a bridge between the world of Scripture/theology and the world of culture. Our hope is that this series will empower youth workers to better communicate the truth and beauty and power of God’s Word to students.
“Well, maybe if you feel it, you should chase it.” These were the words from Kate to Tyler at the end of the recent blockbuster, Twisters. Although her advice was primarily related to their romantic involvement, Kate’s reasoning communicated that Tyler should base his decision not necessarily on what was right, but rather on what he felt. I think Kate’s response echoes the way Generation Z and Alpha often see the concept of truth. Instead of viewing truth as objective, something they have to recognize and model their lives by, most teenagers believe that truth is “what you feel,” something they need to decide for themselves. This notion is encapsulated by phrases such as “live your truth” and “be true to yourself.”
This can also shape their opinions of God’s Word. It would not be uncommon for today’s teenagers to approach Christianity like this: if it is something they can get “good vibes” from, they might accept its teachings; but if they’re “not feeling it,” they’d rather chase something that “makes them feel alive.” When the choice is between truth and feelings, it is tempting for students to choose what feels right rather than submit themselves to God’s Word.
How do we view God’s Word, as youth leaders? Do we only read and study Scripture when we feel like it, or do we reorient our lives around what it says? Do we discipline ourselves to study and teach the Word of God because we believe it is the source of all truth, trusting that it is the only means of salvation? Or do we selectively choose which parts we want to teach or apply?
The apostle Paul said in Colossians 1:5, “Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel. . .” Paul does not hesitate to proclaim that the good news of reconciliation with God through faith in Christ is the truth, not a truth. And that truth is the foundation of the hope of Christianity. Therefore, believing that the gospel is the truth should shape and affect not only how we study it ourselves, but also how we teach it to our teenagers each week, specifically, in three ways:
Teach With Conviction
Uncertainty about the Bible’s truthfulness will lead us to avoid making definitive statements about what it teaches. However, this does not need to be the case. There is extensive apologetic evidence, including manuscript transmission, non-Christian documentary sources, corroboration from geographic locations and archaeology, and the historicity of Jesus' resurrection, that affirms the historical reliability of the Scriptures. Furthermore, as followers of Jesus, we believe that the Bible is inspired by God, which means it is inerrant and has the power to change our lives. Each of us has experienced the truth of the gospel that has taken root within us, bringing us into restored fellowship with God through Christ.
Therefore, when we teach students difficult aspects of the gospel, such as the exclusivity of Christ, penal substitutionary atonement, the need for repentance, and the reality of Hell, we should speak with boldness and confidence. We should not only tell them these things are true, but demonstrate how and why they are true. For example, when teaching through the gospel of John, we need to be aware of common objections that students or their friends might have about Jesus’ deity, His virgin birth, and His resurrection, and provide evidence to support how we can know they are true.
Speaking with love and gentleness is absolutely essential, but we cannot soft-peddle our speech as we teach the Scriptures. Speaking with conviction while teaching the Bible will help them realize that this is not just another lecture or good idea, but a message they need to respond to. If we want our students to take the gospel seriously, then we should teach it accordingly.
Teach With Clarity
As youth leaders, it can be a daunting thought that God has called us to teach and explain His Word to the next generation. After all, James 3:1 says we will be judged and held to a higher standard because of it. Therefore, since the gospel is the Word of the truth, and getting the truth right is crucial, we need to be clear in what we teach.
This means we must follow Paul's instructions, who told Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). According to Paul, we should work hard to study the Scriptures in such a way that we rightly understand each passage we preach. There is a true meaning to every passage of Scripture that we discover through faithful study. This means we should not let our preconceptions shape how we see the text, but instead seek to rely on the Spirit to rightly interpret (handle) the Scriptures, then communicate that clearly to our students.
Teaching with clarity also involves being wise in how we teach Scripture. Sometimes, we may inadvertently read meaning into the text by selecting Bible verses that support our topic or theme. Or maybe, we miss an on-ramp to the gospel because we aren’t looking close enough. When we do things like that, not only may we teach our own opinions rather than God’s Word, but we might even obscure the gospel in the process. Part of understanding the gospel as true means working hard to find what God intended to communicate, then presenting that clearly so our students know it too.
Teach With Compassion
Theodore Roosevelt’s famous quote, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care,” still rings true today, especially when it comes to teaching the Bible. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13, if we do not have love, no matter how eloquently and intellectually we speak, our words are merely a clanging symbol. Jesus said His disciples would be known by their love, which means if we want our students to believe the gospel as true, we must also make sure to model love in how we teach (Ephesians 4:15).
First, when addressing sensitive or difficult topics, balance conviction with compassion. Simply adjusting your tone of voice, pace, or adding pauses can emphasize the importance of your message and convey meekness and humility to your students. Sometimes, loving someone is compassionately helping them recognize their sin and their need for Jesus. Other times, it is encouraging struggling students by reminding them of the grace Jesus offers to them, even when they don’t measure up. The best way to love and teach our students with compassion is by sharing the hope of the gospel, which has the power to set them free from sin and guilt (John 8:32).
Second, we should also focus on building relationships beyond just speaking from the stage. We need to be involved in students’ lives, asking about their week, following up on prayer requests they’ve shared, and sharing parts of our lives with them. They will be more likely to listen to the truth of God’s Word from someone who knows and genuinely cares for them.
The gospel is transformational. Through faith in Christ, we are a new creation. Our thoughts are reshaped, our speech is altered, and our walk is redirected. We believe that to be true, which means that should shape how we teach students each week. May we, as youth workers, stand with conviction on God’s Word, present the gospel clearly, and compassionately shepherd our students well. And trust in God’s ability to transform lives as a result.