It’s the start of a new school year and that means a whole new group of students with questions. Today’s youth are being exposed to arguments against Christianity or arguments in favor of immoral behaviors from all angles. They read posts on Twitter and Facebook that are arguing in favor of immoral behaviors and how Christians are judgmental. It is imperative that students have strong Christians in their lives to help them respond to these objects.

I started the school year yesterday with my high school students by asking them what they believe and why. Many gave reasons like, “my parents taught me this” or “I was just born into this worldview.” After the discussion I gave them some time to ask me questions. One student put up her hand and asked me, “Why are you a Christian?” A few years ago I would have responded the same way that many of them did. I am a Christian because I was raised in a Christian home. However, here is the problem I had. Does being raised in a Christian home mean that I have the truth? What if someone holds to another religion because that is what their parents taught them? What makes them wrong and me right? There had to be a better reason as for why I am a Christian.

Some people may offer a testimony of how God changed their lives. Testimonies can be so powerful and many people have accepted Jesus because of a testimony. I don’t want to take away from testimonies, but a question came to my mind, “What if someone of a different religion has a testimony of how their belief system changed their life?” Many people do! How could I respond to this?

Here is what I told my student today. I am a Christian because Christianity is true. Yes, I have had incredible experiences and God has changed my life, but Christianity is true. It’s that simple. If Christianity is true then all other religions are false. I also responded to the question using something I first heard from Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason. I told my class that I am a Christian because Christianity best explains the world around us. Christianity best answers the questions that everyone is trying to answer.

Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going? These are great questions that all worldviews have to answer. I am convinced that when you compare the answers that all the religions offer, Christianity best explains our existence and answers those questions. So why am I a Christian? I’m a Christian because it is true and best explains the world around us.