How Do You Know?

I spent a day last week teaching and challenging the high school students at a fine Christian school.  We talked most about how to keep our faith in the midst of a contradictory world.

The seniors will soon blast off, and most of them are going to secular universities around the country - places that can be quite challenging and contradictory to keeping your faith in God.

In fact, we're hearing that about 3 out of 4 Christian students drop their faith by the end of their first year in college.  That's an abrupt about-face on such an important subject, don't you think? 

So I asked, as I often do, "How do you know that God exists?  And if he exists, how do you know his name is Yahweh?  How do you know that Jesus is who the Bible says he is?".  

Really, how do you know?

I ask these questions because I know that these students will soon face a barrage of questions just like that from their college professors.  All too often, the intent of the prof is to corrode the student's core beliefs.  

And I think the best way to prepare these young men and women is to start the process BEFORE they're away from the influences of parents, church and Christian school.  I'd rather start the discussion and the discovery process sooner rather than later - while there's still time to help make things clear.

I want the students to be comfortable in the uncertainty that will (certainly!) come their way, and to know why they believe what they believe.

The students' answers and the resulting discussions were invigorating as always.  

And so, I thought I'd ask you, "How do YOU know?".

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