Soon your child will walk across a graduation stage. You will remember the first day of school and wonder how the years passed so quickly. Then comes the question every family must face: What happens next?

College? A technical program? An apprenticeship? Work?

As Christian parents, we have another question to help our children answer: How will you use your “work” to serve God and the people He places in your life?

That question belongs at the center of career planning. Our children need practical skills and a way to support themselves. They also need a purpose that carries them beyond the next paycheck.

1. Choose a vocation through which you can serve God

A nurse serves through caring for patients. An electrician protects families by doing safe, honest work. A teacher helps children develop their abilities. A business owner serves through useful products, fair treatment and keeping promises.

Christian service reaches into every honest vocation.

Colossians 3:23–24 says:

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”

Before asking your senior which school they prefer, ask what abilities they have, whose needs they notice and what work they are willing to learn to do well.

Then examine the opportunities and costs.

The paths that we as parents followed may not be the “right path” for our children.

The economy, inflation, and the challenge that AI brings are just a few of the points that not only confuse parents but also frustrate and confuse our children who are preparing to graduate. Their big question is “Does the American Dream still exist for them?”

Pew Research Center found that 87% of Americans believe buying a home is harder for today’s young adults than for their parents’ generation. Eighty-two percent say the same about paying for college and saving for the future, while 80% say covering basic expenses is harder.

Harvard’s fall 2026 Youth Poll found that 69% of Americans ages 18–29 felt more fearful than hopeful about America’s future. Only 25% expected to be financially better off than their parents at the same age.

Parents can help turn those fears into practical questions: What training do I need? What will it cost? What can I earn? How can I serve?

Many parents promote Appalachian Bible College, whose goal is to train students for a life of service, regardless of their vocation

All ABC students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree double-major, with their first major being Bible/Theology and their second major being a ministry-specific major, such as Pastoral Ministry, Missions, Biblical Counseling, and the newest major – Organizational Management. Its Elementary Education program offers a State Licensure concentration for students pursuing the public-school teaching pathway.

ABC offers a 100% Tuition scholarship for full-time, resident students their first year at ABC’s main campus. This “BIG Scholarship” will be combined with Pell Grant and other ABC aid to equal 100% of tuition. For 2026-27, that’s $18,120 in guaranteed minimum aid for those that qualify.

ABC states that “every Christian can benefit from at least a year of Bible college. While this scholarship will certainly provide big financial benefits to many students, our greater desire is that it will have BIG spiritual impact by ‘Biblically Inspiring Godliness’ as students build a solid foundation upon God’s Word regardless of their vocation.”

Could you imagine the inspiration of being a carpenter and explaining God’s word to all the people you work with?

2. Christian education is not just “school” but must permeate all five points of the student’s life.

The five areas represented in the His Good News logo—family, work, church, government and school—remind us that Christian education should be the foundation out of which all other vocations grow.

Our children learn what we believe by watching how we live in each of them.

In the family, they learn responsibility, generosity and how to handle disagreements. They watch us spend money, keep promises and care for others.

At work, faith becomes visible through honesty, competence and service. Employees learn to give a fair day’s work. Employers learn to exercise authority responsibly.

In the church, young people learn Scripture, worship and fellowship. They also need adults who will explain how biblical principles guide difficult workplace decisions.

In government, they learn the responsibilities of citizenship: seeking truth, practicing justice, respecting others and holding authority accountable.

In school, they develop knowledge and skills while encountering ideas about success, human worth and life’s purpose. Parents and churches can help them examine those ideas through Scripture.

Graduation changes the setting of their education. It does not end it.

First Corinthians 10:31 says:

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

That principle belongs in a workshop, hospital, classroom and public office as surely as it belongs in a church.