Chaplain Brent Pollema teaches high school Bible courses at Calvary and acts as the Chaplain for both campuses, spending time with students both inside and outside of the classroom.

By Brent Pollema

Chaplain, Bible Teacher
Calvary Schools of Holland

As we watch students attempt to navigate through today’s culture, it should come as no surprise that they are being faced with new pressures, temptations and issues that we adults did not encounter as children. It makes parenting modern teens a special challenge.

Although technology and the internet are—of themselves—not inherently evil (in fact, these resources can provide great support), we find it common today that tech and the internet are often found at the root of many problems.

It is through this lens that I want to share this information with you for parenting modern teens. My goal for this email is to provide information, resources and encouragement to you from my perspective of being the Chaplain for your students.

Information for you to be aware of

–Sexting. There is a growing problem taking place throughout the country, including West Michigan, of young people being involved in what is called “sexting”. This includes the process of using inappropriate pictures and text to pressure someone to reveal themselves through social media and text portals. This can happen between strangers, casual friends, friends, or young men and women who are in a relationship.

–Sextortion. You might have seen in the news recently about a problem that is being targeted toward children and teenagers called “sextortion”. This ugly form of bullying includes the process of adults coercing young people to send compromising and indecent pictures of themselves through texting, then those pictures being used against the child to extort money or other things (like passwords, etc.).

–The Dark Web. In both of these situations, people have created apps and private portals that allow these problems to take place in secret—often in ways to hide it from parents using what is called the “dark web” to conceal online activity and even bypass security filters at home and on phones.

Resources for you to learn more

Being informed and equipped can help us protect our families and prepare our children for how to stand strong against these types of influences. Here are resources for parenting modern teens to help you learn more:

–Focus on the Family. You can click HERE for their parenting resources. This organization specializes in Christ-focused parenting support. (You can use their search option to learn more about topics like “sexting” as well as learn how to address things in an age-appropriate way.)

–Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU). You can click HERE for their “Sexual Integrity Initiative”. This faith-based organization provides biblical perspectives and support to parents on current cultural issues that students are facing.

–For internet safety – Click HERE for a link to a great internet safety resource from Focus on the Family, and click HERE for another faith-based organization with internet safety resources called “Protect Young Eyes”.

A word of encouragement

We have not been informed of situations like these occurring at Calvary Schools. But because this is a pervasive problem in our nation, including West Michigan, we want you as parents to be informed and equipped for what is happening in the larger youth culture.

I share these things with you not only as your child’s school Chaplain, but also as a parent who understands just how hard it is to raise children in this day and age. I also share this information with you to let you know that we at Calvary Schools are in this fight for the integrity and well-being of your kids with you. Along with you and the family of believers at the church you attend, we desire to see God’s pleasing and perfect will being worked out in the lives of each of our students.

God tells us in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” So don’t lose heart, don’t give up, even when the battle gets hard. Stay vigilant, get educated, talk with your children daily, and seek God’s guidance for your kids constantly in prayer.

God has given us an incredible responsibility in making us parents, but he has also given us an incredible community in which to do it. Remember that all of us here at Calvary Schools stand with you and desire the very best for your students. If you have any questions or would like to talk more about this or anything else please shoot me an email (brent.pollema@cshk12.org), call my office (396-4494, ext. 134) or let’s set up a meeting at the school to talk.

Brent Pollema is the Chaplain and Bible Teacher at Calvary Schools of Holland. He has worked in ministry for six years, formerly serving Gibson Christian Reformed Church as lead pastor for 4 1/2 years before joining the Calvary staff. Brent and his wife Karmen will celebrate 25 years of marriage this June, and they have two kids, Isaac (class of ’20) and Lydia (class of ’23).