Tactics and Tools

Never Graduate

Author Alan Shlemon Published on 05/10/2022

My kids are wrapping up school. They’re taking their finals. They’re finishing up. Summer is almost here. Maybe your kids are about to graduate. Should they grab their diploma and enjoy a summer free from learning? No!

They should never graduate. I don’t mean they shouldn’t finish their coursework or pick up their diploma. What I mean is, they should never stop learning. Education isn’t something that only occurs at school. It should be a lifelong process.

For those of us who are disciples of Jesus, the need for continuing education is even greater. The number of challenges to the Christian worldview—and consequently, the pressure for kids to capitulate to cultural trends—is incredibly high these days. There’s no shortage of false ideas being peddled at every turn. Believers need to stay vigilant, abreast of current trends, and knowledgeable about the challenges to our Christian convictions. All this applies not only to young believers but also to adults.

So, what can we do? I’m glad you asked. Obviously, there are many resources available online and around the world. I don’t deny that. I simply want to highlight a few opportunities Stand to Reason offers.

STR University: We offer short video courses (with quizzes to test your competency) on many relevant cultural topics, taught by STR speakers like Greg Koukl, Tim Barnett, Jon Noyes, and myself. Our newest speaker, Robby Lashua, is also getting in on the action and will be in a couple of courses before the end of 2022. Our current lineup of topics is expanding every few months. Currently, we have courses on the reliability of the Gospels, atheism, homosexuality, biblical interpretation, tactics, the resurrection, the problem of evil, the case for apologetics, relativism, and the skills of being an effective ambassador for Christ.

Reality Apologetics: This is our flagship apologetics conference equipping young believers (junior high through college) on cutting-edge cultural topics. And trust me, every adult that attends learns a ton, as well. Let me assure you that this is not your ordinary dry or overly academic apologetics conference. We design this experience to be fun, engaging, thoughtful, and practical. Every season (starting in September and ending in April) has a different theme. We just finished “Chaos to Clarity,” where we helped believers move from the chaos of our culture to the clarity that comes from the Christian worldview. Our next season begins this September. Our theme is “Seek and You Will Find.” We’ll be addressing doubt and deconstruction. Watch the trailer here, then find the nearest location, and finally, make plans to attend with as many young believers as possible.

Though there’s no substitute for attending the Reality Apologetics conference in person, keep in mind you can purchase videos of past seasons in our store.

Apologetics and Worldview Camps: Stand to Reason’s two-day apologetics conference is a great way to whet your appetite for more. The next level is to attend a two-week training camp. Both Summit Ministries and Impact 360 Institute offer excellent programs that equip young believers with the tools and experiences to handle the challenges that are certainly coming their way from today’s hostile culture. I’m proud to teach at both camps (there are other gifted speakers as well, of course). Even when my kids were too young to attend, I had them tag along with me—at least once a summer—to Summit. This summer, they’ll be with me for the full two weeks of Summit’s Georgia conference in June, and my son will also be attending Impact’s two-week Immersion program in July.

Why do I impose on my kids such an unrelenting education schedule? Because the culture’s hostility towards Christians is unrelenting. And it’s only going to get worse. My ability to influence them lasts only a few more years, so I’m going to make the most of it by equipping them for the future and teaching them that education is a lifelong process. Never graduate!