Lisa Fields: Hello. Welcome to the Jew three Project podcast. I’m your host, Lisa Fields. I’m the founder of the Jew three Project. Well, thank you for watching another episode of the Jude three Project podcast. As always, I’m your host, Lisa Fields, the founder of the Jude three Project. And today, I am so excited because we have a special guest. We’re pausing from our series on my book, When Heroes Fall. If you’ve been following us, you know we’ve been doing a series, but we’re pausing that, to have a conversation with a, a young man that’s been interning with us this summer. And so I am so excited to have Ethan with us, joining us to just have a conversation about our teen curriculum and what God is doing through him. This is a teen curriculum, that we have had. It came out, like, a few months ago. And so if you don’t know about it, faith that makes sense. And so we had Ethan go through it. That was one of his first assignments as an intern. And so I’m so excited to have Ethan here, to talk about this with me. Hi, Ethan.
Ethan: Hi, everybody.
Lisa Fields: I’m Ethan, and I’m 14, and I’m going into ninth grade. And I’m interning with the Jude three project, and I’m excited to be here. So you’re you’ve been, interning with us. Mhmm. And so we’re so excited to have you. You I met you maybe a year or two ago. I had dinner with you and your parents, and I was just so impressed, by your apologetic knowledge, that you were very passionate about apologetics. What makes you so passionate about apologetics?
Ethan: Well, honestly, it’s just love for the Lord, and that’s what it really comes down to. And I think one of the common misconceptions that parents and older people have about teens is that we don’t have passion for God and that we’re not intellectually curious. And, honestly, there are actually a lot of questions that teens have about faith. Like, can you hear God? Where is God in suffering? And many people are silently wrestling with depression and suicidal thoughts. And even at church camp, some of the common questions that I heard were about suicidal thoughts, depression, and what is repentance? So we’re very, intellectually curious. And one of the things that made me successful when I was able to talk to them is being vulnerable and showing empathy and telling them that God’s silence is not necessarily his absence in your life. And that was one of the things that really was helpful in reminding them that Psalm thirty four eighteen says, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. And sometimes, guys, it’s as simple as sharing your story. When you take the first step, God acts on that. He acts on that little amount of faith. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Lisa Fields: So you’ve went through our teen curriculum. Mhmm. And I told you when you were look were looking at it when I first assigned it to you Mhmm. I said, tell me everything you like about it. Read it. Tell me everything you like, what you don’t like. Yep. What did the the curriculum teach you? Like, what do you think why do you think it was helpful for
Ethan: folks your age? Yeah. It was very helpful because it’s very, it’s very easy to read. The content is very good. Even if you read, like, a page a day, you’ll get so much out of it. And like miss Lisa said earlier, I’d already delved into Apologetics thoroughly, and I was enriched. So if I’m enriched, everyone’s gonna be enriched. Mhmm. One of my favorite topics we talked about was lament and being honest about prayer. And lament is what the book calls a biblical language during suffering. And, you know, I’ve gone through certain things. I’m struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, But the Lord has restored me, praise to God, through that. And reading about lament was particularly helpful because, unfortunately, many parents and teens, have gone through, you know, just pray it away or something like that. But there are many deep wounds going on, through that. And, you know, once you lament, it’s like you’re crying out to God as you’re like, you know, I’m showing up. You know, I’m angry. I’m frustrated. Or even been times where I’ve been in what I have a designated prayer space, and I’ve cursed at God. And I’ve been like, what are we doing here? Is this the route you want me to take? And, really, in that prayer space, I’ve wrestled. I’ve cried. I’ve doubted. Mhmm. And I realized that God was enough through it, you know, and that he’s not scared of your questions and that he is mighty to save. It says in Hebrews seven twenty five that he’s able to save to the uttermost. Mhmm. So really reading about Lament, on page 54 saying that if you believe God requires you to be happy to be holy, then every moment of grief feels like a sin. The silence isolates the sufferer and confirms their worst fear, which is that they are too broken for community and too messy for God. And a challenge I’d have for teens is once you get around godly community, people who want you to be closer to Christ and who want you to follow Jesus more, share your story. You know, it may be scary at first, but would you be shocked is is that many people have similar testimonies, similar stories. And, yeah, so that’s what my best advice would be for them. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Lisa Fields: As you’re thinking through, like, the curriculum, what are some ways that other ways you think it’ll connect with the next generation?
Ethan: Some other ways that we’ll connect with the next generation. I think I mean, it it has really great questions. I mean, every chapter is essentially a question about something that is relevant to teens today, like human suffering and is Christianity a white man’s religion, hypocrisy in the church, the supremacy of Christ, new age, religions, etcetera, etcetera. But one of the things that I loved about it, it’s so applicable. You know, you can I would suggest reading from the beginning to the end, obviously, but if there’s a particular, chapter that, you know, catches your eye, it’s really helpful? And if you go through it, even for the strong Christians, you know, it’ll give, apologetic application, and it will help you and equip you with, things to evangelize to other people. And if you’re a beginner, it’s very easy to read. And if you read it from the beginning to the end or, just that chapter, you’ll leave, forever changed. Mhmm.
Lisa Fields: What is your burner for your generation? I know you’ve you talked to me about, like, your passion for evangelism and how you’ve been able to get up at different, events that you were at camps and, you know, ask for time to share the gospel. And you’ve got, like was it, like, five minutes at one camp to share the gospel? Yes. Yes. Yes. What is your passion when you’re up there communicating the gospel? Mhmm. Because I always like, I’m like, you’re amazing to be this passionate about Christ at at your age. What is what is your burden for your generation about, the gospel? Mhmm.
Ethan: You know, one of my big burdens is that many of many teens are spiritual scripturally illiterate. You know? We have the Bible accessible. You can get it on your app. But a lot of us just don’t read the Bible as much. And, you know, first Timothy four says to not look down on those who are young. Because if I can do it, you can do it. Anyone can do it. And James is and think about it like a math term, input and output. If you put this amount into God, he’ll put that much into you. And that’s backed up by scripture. James four eight says, draw near to God, and God will draw near to you. Mhmm. So my burden for Christ is to teach them of the unadulterated truth Mhmm. Of Jesus is that Jesus is not only just a friend, but he is also savior and lord Mhmm. And realizing that he’s the son of God and that and really explaining repentance and grace. Those are my big things. And what I want my ministry to focus on is grace and truth. There are a lot of people who’ve gone through certain situations, and you need grace. But you then again, you need to teach them how to repent and to focus towards Christ, to turn from those sinful habits and turn them into godly habits because believing in Christ is not just believing, oh, I believe in god. It’s believing, trusting, and repenting, turning from that sin. So those are the three things I really want teens to know. Mhmm.
Lisa Fields: When you think about, like, the loss, you have such a boldness. I remember you were telling me, in in our in our team meeting, the other day that, you felt led of the Lord to share your faith. You felt God pressing your heart to ask someone, that you were talking to, like, what is your relationship with God? You know, as a young person, many people struggle with sharing their faith. Like, not just young, but old. You you you you’re very bold. Mhmm. You wanna know as other Christians. I remember you asking me in one meeting, have you led someone to the Lord? Mhmm. Like, you’re very bold in your in your proclamation, and I I appreciate that about you as a young man. What gives you that boldness? What what makes you, want to, do what the scripture tells and go and tell the uttermost parts of the earth?
Ethan: I would say, eternity is at stake. You know? That would be the best thing, to to explain. And my mom and my dad actually forced me to, read a poem that I did not like. It was, it was from Benjamin E. Mays. It was called I have only just a minute, just sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me, can’t refuse it. Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it, but it’s up to me to use it. Take account if I abuse it. I must suffer if I lose it. I have only just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it. And just realizing that, you know, I went through a scare where I thought I was gonna pass out and I thought I was gonna die or, you know, that sort of stuff. But realizing that you can be in tip top shape, you can be doing all the right things. You don’t know when you’re gonna die. And, you know, that boldness is like, you know, that person the next day may not have another chance, so let me be bold. But it’s not like, oh, you know, I’m a superhero. I do all this stuff. It was hard for me too. There were many opportunities that I missed when I was young because I was like, oh, I don’t have all the answers or stuff. But what I would encourage you to do is to read about, the woman at the well. The woman at the well, she had no evangelism training, and look at how God used her to be the first woman evangelist to her city. You don’t need to be, prepared or anything. Just do it. And really stepping back and realizing, hey. I can’t save anybody. You can give the most the greatest logical framework, and people are still not gonna believe. But it’s the holy spirit who convicts, so I am just the vessel. So just going out. It’s like and it’s just simple sharing your story. Like, hey. Maybe, God, rescued me out of a certain pit, and, you know, I just wanted to share my story. There have been times where I have not said the right things, and I’ve just been like, oh, you know, I’ve been too hard on people, too condescending, or x, y, and z, but God will use that. And sometimes it’s just about intent. You know? Like, oh, this person was really nice to me today. Something’s different about him Mhmm. And or her. And, really, another thing is living your life for Christ, being an ambassador for him. That’s the biggest thing. And sometimes, in my at my school, you know, you can’t give a 150 gospel presentations to individual per people. You don’t have time. So I may select a few people that I know really I can really reach and you know? But one of the things is try to live your life where if you were convicted for being a Christian, there would be enough evidence to convict you. You don’t have to say, oh, oh, I’m a Christian. Yes. You should be bold. You know? I believe in Jesus x, y, and z. But you wanna have fruit. You know? The fruit of the spirit. You know? You wanna, act like Christ. Be a Christ. One of the terms, like, we had at camp is being a consistent character Christian so that someone can and people have said to me, like, there’s something different about you. What is it? And then I point them back to Christ because Psalm a 115 verse one says, not to me, but to god be the glory. Mhmm.
Lisa Fields: Yeah. I’m you know, I’m thoroughly impressed by you, Ethan. You you were calling verses better than I can sometimes. But when you when you when you think about the generation, when they hear when you’re sharing your gospel, what is that what is that process like in how they think about the messaging you’re communicating? Is it like, I haven’t heard this before? Do you get a lot of, I haven’t heard this before. I’ve heard it before, but I didn’t really understand what I was hearing. How was that kind of it’s mostly the latter. I haven’t, like, I’ve heard this before, but not in that way kinda Mhmm. Way.
Ethan: Because, one of the biggest epidemics in the American church is cultural Christianity, and cultural Christianity is like, Billy Graham put it well, God doesn’t have grandchildren. You know? It’s not because, oh, I, went to church, or my grandma’s, on the you know, an elder in the church or all that sort of stuff. You know, that can’t save. It’s the scripture says to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. And, really, I think what the church can do better is, like, focusing on repentance and grace, because a lot of people I’ve talked to is like, you know, have you repented x, y, and z? And that’s where a lot of them are like, oh, what is repentance? Repentance is actually one of the most important parts of being a Christian. You have to, a, have faith, believe that Christ is Lord, and then second, repent, and really turn from him. So that’s what I’ve seen, in teens today, and just helping them be more biblically literate. You know, it’s simple. You can shoot for a goal. Just read one Bible chapter a day. I would, if you’re a beginner, what I would suggest is reading Matthew, then reading the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and then reading some parts of the New Testament and then going to the Old Testament to read about God’s plan for your life and just really staying consistent. Have a strong prayer life. Prayer is hard sometimes, but being really honest with him. So maybe designate a prayer space and then, and then really focus on the word. Part of, Romans ten seventeen says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. You know, I’m able to quote scripture and remember them off the top of my head because, you know, my parents have done a great job. Just it’s just been around me for so long, and you’re really saturated in the word, and just trying to dig into the word. You know? You don’t have to memorize a 100 verses at once. Just start with one. And, you know, just like, Jesus, multiplying the, the food to thousands, you know, you give him your offering. You give him all that you can, and he’ll multiply it. Mhmm.
Lisa Fields: So, Ethan, as I think through, you know, you’re talking to young people, people your age, do you think for
Ethan: they’re able to hear you better because you are their their peers? Yeah. I think being a peer is definitely impactful, but the strongest part is it’s your testimony, to be, really direct there. It’s definitely your testimony because, you know, I’ve gone through suicidal thoughts, depression, and doing, you know, the wrong things and, you know, really being empathetic and helping other people. And, like, you know, they’re struggling with this, and I’m struggling with this. So, like, they’re like, hey. I’ve struggled with this. Are you struggling with this also? And many people are like, yeah. I’ve been struggling with this. And a lot of the triggers or the causes are similar. And then I say, you know, god has restored me. Here’s how god has restored you. And specifically peers and teens, you know, speaking up, being bold. And it can be small things. It can just be, you know, praying for people, if you have the boldness to. And like Nike says, just do it. You know? You can if God is for you, who can be against you? Romans eight thirty one. And just really trusting that God will make a way where there seems to be no way. And it’s and, you know, it’s hard, but, you know, I’ve gotten great training. I’ve been doing this since since I was little. And once you train, you get better just like riding a bike. You know, know, you ride a bike, you know, you fall, but then, you know, your dad let’s pretend dad is God, you know, puts you back on the bike, gives you a few pointers, and then you’re cycling faster than any than everyone on the block. You know? Mhmm. So just trusting in God’s plan for that. Yeah. Yeah.
Lisa Fields: What are you excited about with interning with you three? What has been, like, one of your greatest joys of doing the internship?
Ethan: We always start with prayer. Prayer is the bedrock of our faith. Prayer and scripture, just in worship. And, also, gratitude is very important. Mhmm. But one of the things I’m really excited about, miss Lisa’s giving me opportunity to create, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, content, for teens, and that’s gonna come out soon, maybe early August. So be on the lookout for that, guys. It’s about forty five second, videos, talking about questions like, why would God allow suffering? Why is God silent? You know? Why do Christians have hope in the middle of suffering? So those short questions, and I would encourage, your teens. Don’t put too much pressure on them in teens if you’re listening. You know, just and it’s forty five seconds. Start your day off strong. And you know it’s an 11 episode series, and, you know, you can you should go in order. And that and I found that, I believe that it will be really great, and I believe that God will speak to you through it. So be on the lookout for that. And also read the book. The book is also really good. It’s, very interesting. Faith That Makes Sense, a guide for teens and young adult wrestling with the big questions of faith. It’s a great book. I would really suggest it. Yeah.
Lisa Fields: Ethan, as you think about, kind of the work you’re doing, and the burdens on your heart and, working with you three and I gave you big assignments to do. Mhmm. Right? Because I felt you were capable. Mhmm. What did wrestling with the with these things teach you?
Ethan: It really taught me how to, be a critical thinker and to really dissect things because what, as Lisa said, is give me your worst feedback, you know, like, to really, like, analyze it. Mhmm. And it taught me, you know, the content is easy to understand and just find a way to make it easier, for people to read. It is very easy to read, but just really delve into that and really wrestling with those tough questions. And I really found that, you know, there are questions that I wondered about, like, Christianity being a white man’s religion and about the Hebrew Israelites and other sorts of things, but finding that God has an answer for everything. It’s almost like he planned this. You know? But really wrestling and finding that the Bible has an answer and just going through the curriculum has been a really blessed been a blessing. Yeah. So you feel like you’re equipped to when you’re engaging the questions and When I’m, talking to other people, you know, I can remember the stuff that’s in the book, stuff that, you know, Billy Graham would say or preachers that I’d recommend, Billy Graham, Joyce Meyer, and Joel Osteen, and just being equipped to explain,
Lisa Fields: the faith and defend the faith. That’s what Jude three is, you know, defending the faith. Yeah. Any last thoughts you would have for our audience, Ethan, that you want them to know?
Ethan: What I would say is, you know, keep fighting. You know, if you’re someone who is new to the faith, god is with you. And just remembering that, you know, it just takes one, you know, and to consistently, you know, evangelize, my three things that I would challenge you to do, find a designated prayer space. You know? Really lament if you need to and, you know, talk about your faith if you can. You know? When you’re in that prayer space, be honest with God. Really listen to him and try and hear from God. That’s something that’s kinda hard, sometimes, but it only comes with practice. And then secondly, getting in the word, every day, trying to read a chapter. And third, being grateful. And, you know, my sister will write down three things she’s grateful for, that day. And if you’re someone who’s kinda apathetic and doesn’t like the faith, I would encourage you to look at it again and just give it a try. You know? Read the book and to look through, our series called God Close to the Brokenhearted on Instagram and etcetera and try and watch those videos, and just to really receive Christ and realizing that Romans eight thirty eight through 39 says that I believe that neither angels nor demons nor any of those things can separate us from the love of God. And realizing that you are not far gone, you know, that God’s grace is amazing and that God can restore the loss. If he can do it for me, he can do it for you. Well, thank you, Ethan. This has been a rich conversation. Thank you. Like Ethan said, the resource,
Lisa Fields: even though mine says not for resale, this was a a this was a a old, first copy. So it is for sale on g3project.org. We have digital versions and print versions as well. And so, like Ethan said, it helps you become equipped to be able to engage the questions, that you’ll face in school, whether that be high school, college. And so, get the curriculum. Remember, you can catch all our past episodes at g3project.org. We have a new site that we’re so excited about that’s coming up very, very soon. It is gonna be dynamic. I think it’s gonna blow you all away. Now we could not do what we do at g three project without support from people like you. So consider being a one time giver or a monthly partner at g3project.org, where we like to say every gift helps equip. All of our resources are available on our website as well. Until next time, grace and peace, and God bless.