Using the Thanksgiving Break to Re-focus our Students
As students all over the country, return home from university campuses across America. The Thanksgiving table can become a powerful reminder of where our students came from.
It is no secret that the progressive nature of education today has made an impact on our students of faith. That impact could be something that weakens their faith, or, something that strengthens their faith. Often times, depending upon the maturity of our Christian students and the faith of the home.
In a recent New York Times article, university leaders have admitted the mission drift of higher education institutions all over America. “We are educational organizations and not political organizations like the RNC or the DNC,” Sian Beilock, president of Dartmouth College.
(https://www.foxnews.com/media/university-presidents-admit-colleges-lost-mission-trump-pushes-education-overhaul)
After sitting for three months in lecture rooms, hallway conversations, and countless interactions with their peers, students are returning home for a few days of rest from the educational jungle. The conversations that take place over the Thanksgiving break are crucial reminders to our students of the importance of their faith.
Of course, Thanksgiving is about family, faith, friends, football, and the feast. But, here are four great conversations to have with your children during the Christmas break.
Family
Remind students about the importance of family.
Let each person give a life update around the table while you’re eating. This can bring an immediate connection with real life and update everyone with what is going on in the lives of each person in the family.
Parents and grandparents should share stories about how they may have lived out their faith when they were in college.
Faith
Ask the questions that will get students to talk about their faith.
Have they had a chance to share their faith with anyone, have they prayed over a test, are they reading their Bible and having regular devotions, and are they attending a local church?
Maybe they are struggling with a certain course and the family could talk about how to be a witness in that classroom into the students and faculty.
Friends
Undoubtedly there will be multiple people who are in college attending your Thanksgiving festivities.
Have each of the college students share stories of how they are standing for their faith in the midst of their university experience. These shared wins can encourage everyone in the room and especially a college student who may be struggling with livingout their Faith on campus.
During thanksgiving talk about the universities like Tennessee, Baylor, Florida, Ohio State, Minnesota, Auburn, and Princeton that are seeing a growing spiritual practice like concerts of worship, prayer meetings, and water baptism right on campus across our nation.
Football
What are the great things about Christianity is that there are many athletes who are strong believers.
Take the time to talk about Christian athletes involved in professional sports. Show their boldness and courageous steps. They are taking to live their faith out in the public sector.
Many college and professional athletes are bold with their faith and this can be an encouragement to our students to show them that they are not alone.
The Feast
It is no secret that the dinner table is a spiritual place. Many conversations have happened around the meal that has been transformative in my life and the life of my family. Thanksgiving is the perfect time for this.
The table really is a place of communion and unity.
We have a rule in our family - you can talk with food in your mouth at the table! Encourage conversation on pop culture, politics, spirituality, and educational topics. Do not avoid issues that divide, but rather, use the family feast to have healthy dialogue and respectful conversations.
Finally
If you look at the headlines you will see that something is growing alongside of the woke progressive education on our university campuses across America. It is the growing spiritual awakening in Gen Z that is fueling prayer meetings and faith rallies all over America. We do not need to be afraid of the influence of progressive education on our children if we are raising faith-filled students.
Apologetics is a powerful impact on the university setting when students of faith are planted strongly in their beliefs and behavior in the face of an unbelieving campus. The thanksgiving break can be a moment that re-focuses our students on the reason for their faith presence in the education settings of our nation.