The World is dark. Our culture is dark, and it seems like people are not only living in darkness but loving the darkness. In Scripture we read: “The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19).

Many families are looking for a response to this darkness—a response to all of the tragedies, sin, confusion, evil, and division we see in our culture. Parents are looking for ways to disciple their children through it all, equipping them with a biblical response to this world.

Discipling our kids and preparing them to be a light to this culture is one of the best responses we can have as parents (Matt. 5:14-16). And as our children navigate these dark cultural waters, we can lead well, helping them respond biblically to the world around them:  

5 Biblical Responses to the World Around Us / How to Respond to our Culture

Confess our own sin

It is easy to complain about our sinful culture. It is tempting to condemn it all outright. However, until we turn from our sins and put our faith in Jesus, we too are walking in darkness. If we confess our sins, he will forgives us (1 John 1:9) and call us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Even as Christians we are to examine our own hearts and lives, confessing our own sins so that we may shine as lights to this dark generation (Phil. 2:15). Let us encourage our families with God’s Word:

“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:5-9).

Cry out to God

Often times, the sin of our culture and the evil we see can be overwhelmingly discouraging. We read another news story filled with depravity and we leave feeling depressed and hopeless. But what if such news led us to prayer instead of despair? What if our first response was to pray? When we see the darkness around us and our hearts are broken by the sin of this fallen culture, let us cry out to God. Don’t lose heart, for the Lord is just and merciful. “The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining” (1 John 1:8).

Call the lost to repentance

We daily see how destructive sin is to those around us. Such sin should grieve the heart of a believer. Families and individuals are on paths of destruction, shame, fear, guilt, and death, and as Christians, we have Good News for them all. Let us joyfully and boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, calling the lost to repent of their sin and put their faith in Jesus. We are to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), for only the Lord can bring revival to this nation.

Cultivate a biblical worldview in our HEARTS & HOMES

Our families are daily navigating a dark and sinful culture that knows nothing of Christ—a culture that celebrates sin and cancels anyone who doesn’t celebrate it too. Christian parents must feel the weight of this and urgently disciple their children, teaching them how to filter all they see, hear, and encounter through the lens of God’s Word. It is inevitable that they will be exposed to evil in this world, and, therefore, it is imperative that they are equipped to “discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).

Carry the Light of the Gospel to the Dark & Dying World

Part of this call to family discipleship is a call to disciple our children to be light to the darkness.

We are to lead our families to let their light shine before others so that all who know them may see the light of Christ in them and glorify God the Father (Matt. 5:16). This is the sort of transformation we are praying for in our nation: light to the darkness.

“Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12).

Parents are called to Shepherd and Send their children. We shepherd our children, discipling them, teaching them the Word of God, praying with and for them, leading them to know Jesus Christ as their Lord. And we send them out as light to the darkness so that God may use them to love, serve, share, and lead, for our world is desperate for a generation of Christians bold in their faith and genuine in their love.  

As you lead your family to embrace these biblical responses, we hope part one of this article will encourage you to reject these 5 UNHEALTHY RESPONSES TO THE WORLD AROUND US as you disciple your children, teaching them HOW NOT TO RESPOND TO OUR CULTURE.

Jonathan Williams, Ph.D. (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the founder and executive director of Gospel Family Ministries. This ministry focuses on strengthening family ministry in the local church and cultivating family worship in the Christian home. Jonathan is the author of “A Practical Theology of Family Worship” and “Gospel Family.” He also teaches as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX, and is the managing editor of The Southwestern D6 Family Ministry Journal. Previously, Jonathan served for 10 years as the senior pastor of Wilcrest Baptist Church, a multi-ethnic church of more than 50 nations. He lives in Texas with his wife and three children.