Our culture tends to embrace the “bigger is better” mantra. Bigger homes‚ cars‚ social media followings‚ moments—we want everything to be unforgettable‚ monumental‚ picturesque. And yet it hasn’t been the big‚ exciting moments of my life that have shaped me. The little moments have proved the most meaningful. How sweet it is to look back at my childhood and discover the small things were the biggest. My parents understood this well. They took the talents and treasures God entrusted to them and‚ instead of burying them‚ invested them for the everyday good of our family (Matt. 25:14–30). My dad‚ a pastor‚ didn’t relegate his pastoral wisdom or theological knowledge to the church. Instead‚ he used his gifts to shepherd my young heart through bedtime stories and gospel conversations. My mom‚ a teacher‚ stewarded homeschool lessons to teach me about faithful women in ministry. Both used moments of discipline to teach me the gospel. I learned from my parents to redeem small things for the glory of God. After all‚ he’s never made a meaningless moment. Beyond Bedtime When I was 2‚ my parents gave me a stuffed mouse for Christmas. My dad contrived a world of stories around this little gray friend‚ replete with hilarious mishaps and biblical themes. I begged to hear them every night. In these stories‚ my mouse lived in the walls of the Baptist church my dad pastors‚ and he was always learning truths the hard way. Bedtime became more than just bedtime. It was something Dad redeemed to teach me about obedience‚ grace‚ and the gospel. I still have that stuffed mouse tucked away in my old room. He’s a symbol of a sweet‚ gospel-saturated childhood I cherish. Bedtime became more than just bedtime. It was something Dad redeemed to teach me about obedience‚ grace‚ and the gospel. My dad has a wealth of spiritual and theological knowledge—and multiple seminary degrees. But he’s never been above bedtime stories with simple truths. And these fanciful‚ made-up stories slowly gave way to deeper conversations about the gospel as I grew. Thoughtful Teaching My mom was intentional with our homeschool assignments‚ especially when it came to reading. Whenever possible‚ she encouraged me to read books that inspired me and drew me outside of myself to marvel at Christ in the lives of others. And so‚ when friends were reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid at school‚ I was reading biographies of women who were anything but wimpy. Stories of women like Elisabeth Elliot‚ Susannah Spurgeon‚ and Ann Judson shaped me. I didn’t just read about them—I asked God to make me like them. I’m so grateful my mom was thoughtful as she planned our school assignments. I had to learn to read. But teaching me to read while I simultaneously learned about women who inspired me to follow Jesus meant an ordinary school assignment worked for my spiritual good. Gospel-Focused Discipline My parents used moments of discipline to point me to the gospel. Their discipline reflected the heart of the Father‚ who is “merciful and gracious‚ slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ps. 103:8). My dad has a pastoral gentleness about him that blesses not only our church but also me. He was faithful to address my sin when I argued with my mom or was ungracious to my little brother‚ but after discipline always came a warm hug and a gentle reminder: “I love you.” In these interactions‚ I learned about the heart of Jesus‚ who‚ by his sacrificial death‚ said the same thing. After discipline always came a warm hug and a gentle reminder: ‘I love you.’ In these interactions‚ I learned about the heart of Jesus. Both Mom and Dad used moments of discipline to explain the gospel to me. They pointed me to “the God of all grace” who died to pay for the sins I’d committed (1 Pet. 5:10). Over years of faithful shepherding‚ these gospel seeds planted in painful moments bore much fruit‚ just as Hebrews 12:11 explains: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant‚ but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Small Moments‚ Big Influence Through bedtimes‚ schoolwork‚ and discipline‚ my parents made small moments significant. But the best part is‚ these are just examples. There are so many ways to be faithful in the little things. Christian parent‚ God has uniquely equipped you to redeem the mundane for good. Don’t bury your gifts‚ the talents God has entrusted to you‚ but instead invest them to bless your children. Choose simple‚ sacrificial faithfulness‚ and you might find the small things become the biggest things that influence your children.

Amid the myriad of voices on social media‚ it’s challenging to discern truth from lies. Prominent influencers‚ self-proclaimed Christians‚ and “exvangelicals” spread ideas that are quickly absorbed by wide audiences. Some of these ideas may appear truthful and biblically sound‚ but the lies are glaring to the attuned ear. They easily seep into Gen Z’s minds and hearts through algorithms that reward constant consumption. Only a sure understanding of the gospel can prepare young adults to hold misleading voices accountable. Weak theology and cultural beliefs cannot stand in the presence of the gospel’s truth. So equipping young adults’ minds with the sound reasoning of apologetics will help them engage the culture without falling prey to it. Gen Z’s Curious Skepticism Many Gen Zers are skeptical of Christianity. They regard biblical values as irrelevant to modern culture‚ and they reject biblical teaching. As a result‚ loneliness and emptiness plague my generation. There’s a clear need for a relationship with a loving God. Weak theology and cultural beliefs cannot stand in the presence of the gospel’s truth. But despite their reluctance to hear about Scripture‚ Gen Zers are still curious about faith. They have honest questions about all kinds of theological matters—from social injustice to God’s sovereignty. Robust apologetics‚ then‚ provides opportunities to give answers rooted in logic and truth. While apologetics is an effective “pre-evangelism” method‚ it’s also necessary for those already involved in church—as evidenced by the fact that more and more Gen Zers leave churches each year. I watched my peers cycle through varying levels of involvement in youth group. Few of my friends continued attending as subjective truth appeared more tantalizing than the truth of the Bible. By senior year‚ the majority of my friends with whom I’d grown up singing hymns and sharing prayer requests had chosen paths leading away from God. Many had developed concerns about the Christian faith‚ but they lacked enough biblical understanding to rebut their questions and doubts. Many of their misunderstandings were never corrected. I finally realized the importance of apologetics in youth ministry after transferring to a Christian school and enrolling in an apologetics class. I had an outlet for my questions and access to answers digestible for my high school mind. Through this class‚ my faith became my own—I grew to grasp why I believed what I’d been raised to believe. Power of Apologetics Incorporating apologetics in our evangelistic efforts encourages young adults to think biblically. Proverbs 9:10 is clear: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom‚ and knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Answering questions about Christ or the historicity of the Bible requires deep biblical knowledge; superficial knowledge doesn’t cut it. Only by discipling Gen Z in this practice will they gain a solid biblical foundation for a meaningful‚ intimate relationship with God. I grew to grasp why I believed what I’d been raised to believe. Apologetics can be relational too. Since Gen Zers often struggle with loneliness due to lack of face-to-face interaction‚ seeking out the lost for intentional conversation can meet both spiritual and emotional needs. United by shared experiences‚ we Gen Zers can easily connect. And as churches disciple us to become faithful apologists‚ we’ll be positioned to bridge the gap between skeptics and believers among our peers. Gen Z is a lost generation‚ guided by self-actualization and overwhelmed by isolation. We’ll only reach them with the support of our brothers and sisters in the church. We need continual prayer and steadfast guidance to see the saving power of Jesus take root in my generation. Only Christ can save‚ but we must commit to planting the seeds of truth in Gen Z hearts.

Damn‚ Dabo! Who the hell hit you

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