Parent Prep

How can parents prepare their children to live faithfully in a world changing at an extraordinary pace? From artificial intelligence to shifting cultural expectations, today's students will face opportunities and challenges that previous generations couldn't have imagined.

In this conversation with Heidi St. John, author, entrepreneur, and Cedarville University professor Kary Oberbrunner discusses authentic leadership, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and why Christians are called to engage culture rather than retreat from it.

For parents preparing students for college and adulthood, the conversation offers an important reminder: Our goal shouldn't just be to keep our children safe. We want to prepare them to live courageously and faithfully pursue whatever God calls them to do.

Watch the conversation with Kary Oberbrunner and Heidi St. John on YouTube.

Timestamps

• 1:29 – Kary Oberbrunner on AI, Entrepreneurship, and Faith
• 2:49 – Kary's Journey From Perfectionism to Grace
• 4:31 – Authenticity, Suffering, and Leadership
• 7:28 – Why Entrepreneurship Matters for Christians
• 8:31 – Entrepreneurship, Risk, and Living by Faith
• 9:54 – Why Safety Shouldn't Be Our Highest Goal
• 11:18 – Following God's Calling Instead of Hiding
• 13:28 – Choosing to Please God Instead of People
• 15:11 – Why Christians Should Lead Cultural Conversations
• 15:42 – How Christians Can Engage AI Wisely
• 17:20 – The Risks of Artificial Intimacy and AI Relationships
• 18:47 – Teaching the Next Generation Discernment With AI
• 21:06 – What to Do if You Feel Overwhelmed by AI
• 22:19 – Entrepreneurship at Cedarville and Entrepreneurs for Christ

Help Your Student See That Faith Involves Risk

Entrepreneurship may seem like an unusual place to begin a conversation about faith, but Kary describes an entrepreneur simply as a "bearer of risk."

Scripture is filled with people who stepped forward in faith without knowing exactly what would happen next. That same willingness to trust God should shape how students approach their education and career as they step out in faith and take risks.

It can be tempting to want the safest possible path for your children, but safety isn't necessarily the best path forward. As a parent, you can help your student develop the courage and discernment to recognize opportunities and take appropriate risks.

Prepare Students to Lead, Not Hide

Kary also shared candidly about seasons in his life when criticism and difficult experiences made him pull back from taking action.

His experience illustrates a vital lesson: Fear of other people's opinions will keep you from using the gifts and opportunities given by God.

As young adults enter college and the workplace, they'll encounter the pressure to conform. Parents should prepare them by asking a key question: Are you trying to please people, or are you trying to please God?

Engaging With Discernment

AI already shapes our everyday lives. It shows up everywhere, from smartphones and online shopping to healthcare, education, and business.

Kary argues that Christians shouldn't reject AI just because it comes with risks, but they also shouldn't embrace every new technology without questions.

Instead, he calls students to exercise discernment.

At Cedarville, students are asked to consider how emerging technology can be used wisely from a biblical worldview. In all that they do, students are called to ask if they are honoring God and serving others.

Don't Let Artificial Intimacy Replace Real Relationships

The most concerning part of AI in recent years is its increasingly humanlike interaction.

There are plenty of AI systems now that can respond in conversational ways and create an impression of a relationship. Kary and Heidi discuss the dangers of using this "artificial" intimacy as a substitute for real human connections.

This creates an important conversation for parents to have with their students.

Where are they turning for affirmation? Who do they seek out when they're lonely? Are they exchanging healthy human relationships for fake digital ones?

AI may be able to imitate conversation and empathy, but it isn't a person created in the image of God. As AI grows in sophistication, it is necessary to help your students understand this distinction.

Be in the World, but Not of It

When it comes to confronting cultural change, Kary describes three possible approaches someone could take: reject everything, accept everything, or thoughtfully engage with the goal of transformation.

He encourages Christians to take the third approach.

While students shouldn't fear new technologies like AI, they do need a biblical foundation that allows them to evaluate new ideas without just absorbing them.

That's one of the primary reasons choosing the right college matters. College should do more than prepare your student for a profession. A distinctly Christian education will help them develop the competence and courage they need to engage their future workplaces and communities for Christ.

Why Entrepreneurship Matters for Christian Students

For Kary, entrepreneurship is about more than starting a business. It is a way to create new value by identifying a problem and offering a solution.

At Cedarville, students have opportunities to develop this mindset while considering how they can use entrepreneurship to serve God's Kingdom. Kary highlights initiatives such as Entrepreneurs for Christ, which encourages students to think about business through the lens of faith.

These opportunities are valuable for your student, whether they eventually launch a company or work within an established organization.

Questions to Discuss With Your High School Student

Consider these conversation starters as you discuss important issues like faith, their career, and changing technology with your student:

• Where might fear be keeping you from using your gifts?
• What does taking a wise risk look like?
• How should your faith shape the way you use technology?
• Where do you turn for affirmation, advice, and connection?
• How could your future education and career become opportunities to serve others and glorify God?

Technologies and the challenges they present to today's students are going to change over time. Your student's foundation shouldn't have to.

Grounding students in Scripture and encouraging authentic relationships can prepare young adults to enter an uncertain future with full confidence in Christ.