Are You Ready?

December 3rd, 2025

Our teens are hurting and they want the truth! The call to minister to them, answer their questions, and give them tools to impact their culture is louder and clearer than ever before. Join Holly Varnum in today's blog as she shares a compelling experience and statistics that should lead us to action in training and equipping today's youth in the truth of the Scriptures.

I need to ask you this question . . .

How bold are you? Are you ready to “give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15 NKJV)? If you’re at all like me, you may have grown up in a church where the Bible and Bible Doctrines were solidly preached, but the application of how to defend these teachings in a secular world was lacking. In fact, the first time I heard the word “apologetics” was actually AFTER I went to a three-year Bible college! Please don’t get me wrong; I am not here to lay any blame on teachers or pastors—just relaying the reality of the late 20th century. I was taught and encouraged to present the Gospel but not to defend WHY I believed what I believed.

I really do believe that the leaders of a generation or more ago were trained and prepared for ministry based upon the cultural climate of that time, and that makes sense, right? In my formative years, for example, there was a common understanding of Bible narratives—most people inherently knew of Noah, Moses, Job, the account of Jonah and the big fish, Daniel in the lions’ den, the birth of Jesus, His crucifixion and resurrection, etc. Most people knew of the Bible and at least had a measure of respect for God, even if they didn’t want to know Him or didn't believe they could encounter Him personally.

Not so today—it's a different world. In fact, while working with a group of 8th graders at a public school a few years ago to help them analyze a poem that contained a reference to Eden, I discovered that only a small handful of the almost 70 students I worked with even knew who Adam and Eve were! The good news about that is that God gave me the opportunity to tell the biblical account of Genesis 1-3 that day (planting a seed) to these students, properly laying the foundationfor them to understand the poem.

They are ready to hear a message of hope. Are we ready to share it?

My point is this: Our young people (tweens, teens, and twenty-somethings) today are growing up in a society where God is seen as unnecessary, and evolution is taught as fact. Many of our youth are depressed, aimless, and disengaged, and teen suicide rates are at an all-time high. There’s an obvious correlation here. Without God, and believing they are a product of random, chance processes, life has no purpose for this generation. In a recent Barna poll, when asked about their view of their future, 56% of Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) say that they expect the worst. How disheartening! But, instead of being discouraged by this statistic, we need to see this data as an opportunity to bring hope to this generation with love, truth, and grace. They are ready to hear a message of hope. Are we ready to share it?

Our president and founder, Carl Kerby, when interviewed on “The Schaftlein Report'' TV show, clearly and lovingly answered the question young adults are asking about what there is to hope for.

That’s amazing news--so wonderful in fact, that we shouldn’t keep it to ourselves! Being bold in our faith in a world growing increasingly cynical and antagonistic to biblical truth can be scary at first, but the more we are in the Word and talking to our Lord about it, the more we understand our calling in this, and the bolder we will become for Christ.

So, how can you get started? Well, if you’ve ever wondered how to clearly and concisely present the Gospel message, please take the next three minutes to watch this video.

And, if you don’t feel confident presenting this on your own yet, feel free to share that video with your family and friends. At Reasons for Hope,* we are committed to providing you with the tools you need to learn, grow, and become bold in your faith.

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Author Bio:
Dr. Holly Varnum, Director of Curriculum Development for Reasons for Hope, serves as the Managing Editor for our book projects and weekly blogs, writes blogs and curricular materials to support many of our media resources, speaks at conferences, and trains Christian educators. With degrees in education, curriculum and instruction, and educational administration, she comes with over three decades of experience in working with teens and adults in camp ministry, teaching and administration, and curriculum writing (A Beka Book, Focus on the Family, and Answers in Genesis to name a few). God has provided her with a well-rounded educational perspective through service in Christian schools, charter schools, public schools, homeschooling, Christian camps, and local church ministry. She has been a classroom teacher, instructional coach, administrator, camp counselor, Sunday School teacher, ladies’ Bible Study teacher, and conference speaker. She is so blessed to share her passion for God’s truth within the context of Reasons for Hope.

Holly and her husband, Paul, also enjoy any time they can spend with their three grown daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren (so far!). They live in southern New Jersey, and yes, they eat lobster (properly pronounced “lobstah”) and crab whenever they get a chance!

To learn more about Holly, or to book her as a speaker for educational, ladies', or girls' events, click HERE.