I’m not sure about you, but I sense a spark of revival taking place in our country right now. The name of Jesus is being proclaimed, and people are being saved. Our God is truly on the move.
That said, our enemy is also at work. In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of what some have called a new wave of “fresh atheism,” often coming on the heels of something known as deconstructionism. For those unfamiliar with the term, here is a helpful definition:
Deconstructing Christianity is the process of critically examining and dismantling traditional or deeply ingrained beliefs, doctrines, and practices in order to evaluate their truth and relevance. This process is often triggered by doubt, disillusionment with the church (such as racism, abuse, or hypocrisy), or personal experiences. The goal may range from rebuilding a healthier, more authentic faith to abandoning faith altogether. Unlike simply rejecting Christianity outright, deconstruction involves intentional questioning of core beliefs, authority, and cultural interpretations.
People walking away from their faith is nothing new—it has been happening for centuries. What feels different today is how these ideas are being rebranded in ways that are appealing, trendy, and particularly influential among younger generations. Over the last few years, we’ve unfortunately seen students drift away after being shaped by clever social media videos that claim to “expose” the church as dishonest or out of touch with history and science.
“These ideas are being rebranded in ways that are appealing, trendy, and particularly influential among younger generations.”
I know this far too well. I’ve recently seen a close student of mine fall away from the faith after being exposed to videos that revealed the “truth” that Christianity is a fraud. On top of that, there were also elements of progressivism at the heart of the individual as they started to wrestle with LGBTQ views (this is another cause for the rise of deconstruction amongst our youth). Ultimately, the student disappeared and now directly opposes Christianity and the only information I get about them is when students get messages from them trying to persuade them to challenge their faith.
I’m not trying to cause panic or unnecessary anxiety. However, I do believe it’s important for you to be aware that if your student has access to social media, there’s a strong chance they may encounter these influences. Most kids will scroll right past them on their way to funny videos or makeup tutorials—but even pausing for a moment can train the algorithm to feed them more of the same content. Over time, this can create confusion, and often these questions are pondered silently. 
Many students are hesitant to voice their doubts because they fear upsetting their parents or being labeled as “bad Christians.” As strange as that may sound, I can tell you from experience that this happens far more often than we realize.
“Many students are hesitant to voice their doubts because they fear upsetting their parents or being labeled as ‘bad Christians.'”
So what can you do?
Look for natural ways to talk with your kids about Jesus, theology, philosophy, doubt, LGBTQ views, and even science. These conversations can feel intimidating—and honestly, they are—but your children need to know they can ask hard questions without shame. It’s okay not to have all the answers. Be honest when you don’t know something, and commit to searching for truth together.
The real win is open, ongoing conversation. Isolation almost always leads to deeper doubt, but walking through questions together builds trust and faith.
I still remember walking through this with one of my youth students a few years ago. He had experienced a lot of suffering in his life—some self-inflicted, but most caused by the mistakes of others. It left deep scars, making it hard for him to believe that God was truly good, or even real at all.
We had many heart-to-heart conversations, and this one felt like it might be the last. In the past, I would listen—but I was often more focused on answering his questions than truly hearing him. I became so fixated on having the right answers that I missed what he actually needed.
What he was really looking for was someone to listen.
“What he was really looking for was someone to listen.”
So, I slowed down. I chose to listen first and pursue a deeper relationship with him. Only after that did we begin working through his questions together. In the end, it was openness in conversation that built trust—and that trust created space for his faith to be strengthened.
