Tactics and Tools

School Is Out, so What Is Next?

Author Alan Shlemon Published on 05/20/2021

Congratulations, student! You finished your exams. Summer is waiting. Time to let loose, binge watch your favorite television shows, or pull a few all-nighters playing some first-person shooters. Right?

Wrong! Summer break doesn’t mean you stop learning. It’s fine to celebrate your accomplishment, but now is not the time to relax and put your feet up. There is a war raging all around us. It’s not being fought with guns, tanks, and missiles. It’s a spiritual battle (2 Cor. 10:3–5). There hasn’t been a more pressing time to be vigilant about the changing culture and its attitude towards faithful followers of Jesus.

Besides, education doesn’t stop when school ends. Learning is a lifelong process. Here are three organizations that are ready to help you continue to learn so you are fully equipped to charge through the challenges this world will throw at you (2 Tim. 3:14–17).

Stand to Reason: That’s right, I’m plugging what we at Stand to Reason have been doing for decades and are now continuing to do. Of course, we have an extensive website with hundreds of articles, videos, and podcasts. What I’m excited about, though, is our new STR U, which contains online training classes on topics like tactics, relativism, homosexuality, and the Bible.

Summit Ministries: Summit has an excellent two-week summer worldview and apologetics camp. Many of the best speakers and trainers from across the country fly in to teach on worldviews, abortion, Marxism, intelligent design, homosexuality, marriage, porn, Islam, technology, evil, doubt, mental health, history, and much more. If you’re looking for a longer experience, then you should consider their Summit Semester program that lasts for three months.

Impact 360 Institute: They offer multiple programs for different age groups and time frames. There is a one-week discipleship and leadership program for high school students called Propel. They also have a two-week worldview and apologetics program for high school students called Immersion. I’ve taught at Immersion for years, and it’s an innovative program that incorporates immersive outreach experiences at a mosque and university campus. Those who are looking for a gap-year experience should consider their Fellows program.

Bottom line is that your education should not stop now. Besides, a Christian graduates when he enters Heaven, finishes the race, and is crowned with righteousness (2 Tim. 4:7–8). In the meantime, consider the many excellent—and I do mean excellent—options to continue your lifelong learning journey.