Introduction
Dorthy L. Sayers, an influential writer, and friend to Lewis and Tolkien introduced her essay, The Lost Tools of Learning, with a timeless thought. In the context of speaking on subjects outside of your field, she stated that “Too much specialization is not a good thing.” She continues with, “For if we are not all teachers, we have all, at some point time or other, been taught.” Sayers was making the point that one does not have to be an expert in a certain field to have an opinion on it. Whether or not the amateur’s opinion is valid is determined by how true it is. Oftentimes, we can feel frustrated by receiving constructive criticism from someone outside of our field. When the criticism is unfounded, then the frustration is valid. When the criticism is valid, the frustration is unfounded. So I am going to be completely transparent. I am not a parent, but I was once a child. I am not a youth pastor, but I was once a teen in the church. It is worth noting though, that I am a teacher. A teacher that is discipling today’s youth. I understand that I am about to speak outside of my field. But as you continue to read, please let the words of Sayers ring in your mind, “Too much specialization is not a good thing.”
An Uncensored Jesus
The more I become rooted in my own beliefs, I am painfully aware of biases. Everyone has them. Keep in mind, bias is not inherently wrong. I am biased towards God’s Word. What the Bible says is what I adhere to. Unfortunately, to cater to some of their biases, modern evangelicals/fundamentalists have become very selective in what information they choose to include in their teachings. This type of cherry-picking has led to very biased, ignorant theology, and this issue is easily inherited by future generations. I have met many people who hold to beliefs solely because they were taught to believe a certain way by an authority figure. This could be a parent, teacher, youth pastor, pastor, or any authority figure in a child’s/adolescent’s life.
There is a lot of accountability that comes with teaching others, and this is why James teaches that a lot of his readers should not become a teacher (Jas. 3:1). Teaching others is a great responsibility, and to whom much is given, much is required (Lk. 12:48). Now apply this to the context of teaching the next generation. On a technicality, I am a part of Gen Z, yet I feel like there is a chasm between me and my students. The generational gap is growing quicker and wider than ever before. This is to the point where my age bracket is being called Zillennials because we resemble the Millennials more than the younger Gen Z kids. Despite being of the same generation, I feel as though I am teaching the next generation. Teachers are teaching the next generation. Parents are teaching the literal next generation. Youth pastors are teaching the next generation. All of these groups are held accountable to the standard of teachers – as James presents it -because they are shaping the theology/worldview of the next generation. Heaven forbid we screw that up because Jesus had strong words about people who cause children (or any believer) to stumble (Matt. 18:6).
I hope that I have made it clear how serious it is to be a teacher. Whether you serve in the church, the school, or the home, you have a serious responsibility. To be a pastor is to be a shepherd of a group. The gift of pastoring is the outworking of the Holy Spirit in your life. There is, of course, a church office with specific requirements. I am not speaking about the office of the pastor, but rather the gift of the pastor. The teacher serves as the shepherd of their students, the parents serve as the shepherds of their children, and the youth pastor serves as the shepherd of his students. In all of these capacities, the shepherd is responsible for presenting information in light of Scripture; therefore, we are wise to learn from Paul who did not shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Paul was not biased in how he taught the Word. He did not omit anything from the Scriptures for the sake of peace. No matter how offensive or difficult, Paul left his listeners with what the Bible says — completely uncensored.
Jesus certainly made statements that were offensive. He did not fit into the mold of Victorian English, proper speak. Jesus spoke on difficult topics. God inspired the Bible that is filled with R-rated content. The books of the O.T. prophets are littered with intense imagery. God has never shied away from saying what needs to be said; therefore, who are we to be more proper than the Creator of the universe? Who are we to clean up the Word of God? Who are we to edit and omit for the sake of not offending others? Why are we not teaching the next generation what the Bible says about the difficult topics when the postmodern world is chomping at the bits? If our Bible is void of sex, drunkenness, violence, paganism, and whatever other dirty topics, then our students/children will never have a theology of sex, alcohol, life, religion, and whatever else they will face in the world.
Who’s in Charge Here?
There are three institutions of God: the home, the church, and the government. For the sake of this article, I am highlighting the church and the home. Each institution is distinct, and each one holds distinct responsibilities. The home does not dictate the church, and the church does not dictate the home. What I mean is that the church does not decide what your family wears, and your family does not decide what color the carpet will be in the auditorium. So who is in charge? Each institution is subordinate to Scripture and ultimately Christ is above all. The role of the youth pastor in the life of a child is not the same as their parents, but both of these roles work under the authority of Jesus Christ. Now, what about teachers? As a Christian educator, I see my work as an extension of the church’s ministry; therefore, I work within a church context (similar to a youth pastor).
This is important to discuss because the different institutions need to understand their boundaries. The youth pastor is not responsible for teaching their students about the birds and the bees; however, the parents are certainly responsible for sharing this information. Some discipleship opportunities are reserved for the home, but some information is unavoidable. For example, middle school Biology will come whether you like it or not, so do you want your kids to receive that information with a biblical worldview or with confusion? My point is that the home and the church complement each other in the discipleship of the next generation, so we have to work together. When the home is doing what it should be and the church is doing what it should be, then discipleship is a seamless experience for the child. As a teacher, I have received countless questions from Christian students about sexuality, substances, religion, and many other hot-button issues. Surprisingly, these questions are often followed by an opinion on the matter (however poorly developed). I recognize it is not my place to get into the gritty details of homosexuality with someone else’s child, but the fact that kids are already formulating opinions on these matters means that someone does not respect those boundaries. I, with your church’s youth pastor, may respect that some discipleship opportunities are reserved for the parents, but the pagans do not.
In the life of the child, the parents are in charge. God sees it this way. The child is responsible to honor the parents and the parents are responsible to raise them in the Word (Eph. 6:1-4; Prov. 22:6). But this is met with the reality that all teachers are shepherds who are responsible to teach the whole counsel of God; therefore, the question for parents is “Where do you want them to hear it first?” Or even more importantly, “Who do you want them to hear it from first?” Simply put, it is not your youth pastor’s job to raise your child in the Word, but they do have a job to do.
I Saw *Blank* on TikTok
The statement above has been the preface to many of the questions I receive in class. I am ever reminded that we live in a time when information is created and spread quicker than ever before. With the rise of relativism compounded with the rise of social media, we are witnessing the mass production of postmodern ideology. Truth can be created and could be anything for anyone, but who are the consumers? Anyone with an internet connection; is at risk. This means that our children/students will witness postmodern ideology. The question is no longer if they will be exposed, but rather when will they be exposed. Drag queens, atheists, witches, reprobates, communists, and whoever else is in the postmodern clown car, are all unashamedly present on social media. Shockingly, they do not respect your boundaries. Shockingly, they do not care if you want to wait to tell your kids about drugs and alcohol or sex and gender. There is no ideological Geneva convention. These pagans will philosophically choke your kids with mustard gas.
The age of exposure to pornography is getting younger and younger, and the percentage of male users to female users is hanging around 50/50. Some would go as far as to say that porn should be made for kids. There are a plethora of heresies floating around for your kids to digest. You can even learn about being a witch on TikTok. What was the reason Saul lost his life again? As a teacher, I have the privilege of being a fly on the wall. I get to hear the conversations. I get to know what kids today know about. I can assure you, social media influencers are not holding back. This is the postmodern faith. These are the pillars of atheism. The Mormons do not have to knock on your door because they can let themselves in through media.
I am certainly an advocate for restrictions. I want the innocence of children to be preserved for as long as possible. Technology is a wealth to be used for good. It is a plow to put our hands to, but many use it for evil. So do we just get rid of technology? I do not believe that restrictions are the solution to the filth that our kids/students are at risk of being exposed to. Odysseus believed that he could resist the sirens’ song by blocking his ears and tying himself to the mast of his ship. Although he survived, when the sirens sang, Odysseus wanted nothing more than to join them. He was restricted, but man did he want those sirens. Orpheus, however, saved his entire ship by playing a song that was sweeter than that of the sirens. This is all a Greek myth, but it echoes a Scriptural truth. Jesus taught that adultery begins in the heart. This means that you can cut off your hands and gouge out your eyes, but you can still be adulterous (Matt. 5:29-30). Jesus was speaking in hyperbole which means that he was exaggerating what really needed to be done. You do not need to cut off your hands and gouge out your eyes to resist temptation, but rather you need to replace your heart (the source of the temptation). Thankfully, Jesus offers that new heart.
We can restrict the next generation all we want. We can keep them ignorant of what is out there until they are on their own. Stuff their ears and tie them down. But believe it or not, there will come a day when they will not be tied to the mast, and the sirens will keep singing. Restrictions are important, but developing the right heart is what wins the war. The idea that we can just not talk about taboo topics is obsolete. I am not advocating for shepherds to take what should be kept in the dark and bring it to light, but rather we must confront what is being done before our eyes. The pagans do not keep their worship in the woods anymore; therefore, we have to start training our students/children to address what they will witness with a biblical worldview.
Teach Your Kids How to Drink
One of the most intriguing statements I have heard recently was a father speaking about the importance of training your children. He boldly proclaimed that he will teach his kids how to drink. The fundamentalist inside of me cringed, but then I thought about what he said. His reasoning was that if he did not teach his kids how to drink, then someone else would. I have encountered many people who come from sheltered backgrounds. I have met people who were raised in contexts where you did not talk about taboo topics. I have witnessed those same people be swept away into the very issues that were never discussed at home, Bible class, or youth group. Do you know what argument will never stand against the world? A non-existent one. Restricting our youth from what is out there by not talking about it will only set them up to be hit with an ideological haymaker as adults.
Responsible shepherds will teach the Word of God, and the Word of God covers taboo topics. My plea to parents is to teach your kids how to drink — even if it is to not drink — teach them! Teach your kids how to have sex because your son will be a husband someday and your daughter-in-law may end up miserable. Teach your kids how to argue because they will encounter opposition. I am not speaking about methodology, but rather theology. Give them a theology of sex, a theology of alcohol, a theology of debate because out of a good theology will come a good methodology. Youth pastors and teachers, teach your students to be sober-minded, selfless, and gracious, and you will give them a head start on all three of the issues above. The whole counsel of God is uncomfortable, but if you do not teach them, someone else will. Do not let the drunks teach them how to drink. Do not let the reprobate teach them how to have sex. Do not let the relativist teach them how to argue.
Conclusion
If you have made it this far, thank you. I understand that some random Bible teacher with no kids may seem like the least likely candidate to be saying this. This is why I am thankful for the power of Scripture. The truths of God transcend circumstance. The Bride of Christ is under attack, and the youth are leaving to never come back. Something is getting to them, and it is more compelling. I pray that you, the reader, recognize that the whole counsel of God is needed. No matter how you serve as a shepherd, give them the Word. The opposing side has its texts, doctrines, and methodology. The postmodern world wants our kids — your kids. Equip them in the home, so that we can further equip them in the church.
About the Author
Cory Woodard
Cory is the creator of The Poking Stick. He is a teacher by trade, but a constant learner in life.