On-Demand
Session
Empowering educators to joyfully fulfill their God-given calling
From Insecurity to Confidence: Helping Students Discover their True Identity in Christ
with Jonathan Holmes of Fieldstone Counseling
Children and teens face a tremendous amount of pressure from peers and culture to find their identity in their activities, feelings, or performance. This modern way of looking at identity can be challenging to navigate for teachers and parents who grew up with a traditional view of identity rooted in predetermined roles. Jonathan Holmes explores the five core areas of identity struggles most common to teens: sports, academics, moralism, sexual orientation, and gender confusion. He then provides practical ways to help children and teenagers find their identity in something that never never changes—God’s grace.
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About Jonathan Holmes
Jonathan Holmes is the Founder and Executive Director of Fieldstone Counseling. He previously served for fifteen years on the pastoral teams of Parkside Church and Parkside Green. Jonathan graduated from The Master’s University with degrees in Biblical Counseling and History and his MA from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author and contributor to a number of books including The Company We Keep, Counsel for Couples, Rescue Skills, Rescue Plan, and the forthcoming book Grounded in Grace: Helping Kids Build Their Identity In Christ.
Jonathan serves on the Board of Trustees for CCEF (Christian Counseling Educational Foundation), the Advisory Board for ABC (Association of Biblical Counselors) and the Council Board for the BCC (Biblical Counseling Coalition). Jonathan is a Visiting Faculty member at CCEF and an instructor at Westminster Theological Seminary in the Masters of Counseling program. He and his wife, Jennifer, have four daughters.
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Herzog Foundation
The Herzog Foundation is leading a national effort to strengthen and grow Christian education across the U.S. By equipping schools and educators with resources, leadership training, and strategic support, the Foundation helps Christian schools thrive—both academically and spiritually. Through innovative media and faith-based programs, the Herzog Foundation is revitalizing education rooted in biblical values and shaping future generations with character, faith, and knowledge. Learn more at HerzogFoundation.com.
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This session was incredibly insightful—thank you, Jonathan! The phrase “feelings are not stable enough to build your identity on” really stuck with me. It’s such a clear and profound truth, especially when working with people who struggle with identity—even when they don’t realize that’s the root issue. Our likes, dislikes, and emotions are constantly changing; it’s part of being human. But Christ is our unchanging foundation. This truth also connects beautifully to sanctification—as we are being conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), our identity continues to grow and mature as we discover more of who He is through prayer, fellowship, and His Word. Such a powerful and freeing reminder!
This was so good! I have enjoyed this sesson. I teach at an International Christian School and our theme this year is “His Image, Our Idenity” with the theme verse being Isaiah 43:1.
Who God says we are ! Who God is! Who’s am I.
Thank you for the reminder that we are not our own, we belong to our Creator. This session was encouraging about how to talk with students as they struggle with their identity and how we can point them in the right direction.
Takeaways:
-feelings don’t build our identity (better passenger than a driver)
-communicate student performance doesn’t affect how I care about them
Thanks for the encouragement of Gal. 6:9.
Such powerful words of truth in this session! “I am what I do” and “I am what I feel” are such identity traps, even for Christian educators. Finding our identity in Jesus Christ is a beautiful life shift!
This entire conversation was good to hear!
My biggest take-away, Genesis 1:26– God created us in the image of God, male and female– meaning we don’t belong to ourselves, we belong to a creator for his glory.
Now what the media and the world says, “you do you” (my interpretation), but we were created for God’s use.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m not seeing the link to the previous conversation with Jonathan? So happy to know about a Christian counseling service online to recommend to my friends working in international Christian schools! I loved the idea that feelings are good, part of God’s good design, but they are not stable enough to build our identity on!
Feelings are good, but not stable enough to build our identity on.
We are not what we do or how we feel. Our identity is in who God is & what he says about us.
I have listened to Jonathan’s sessions from previous summits, and he is always so insightful! The issue of identity is so important!
Key takeaways:
Mental health issues are areas of identity.
Feelings are useless to base identity on because they change all the time!
“Feelings are good passengers, but they’re bad drivers.”
We live for Someone who is not us.
Thank you so much for this! Great things to think about related to identity. Even our students in Christian schools are confused and curious when it comes to this topic, and the conversation in this session really helps to put things in simple terms from a Biblical perspective. I already have some poster ideas in mind for my classroom based on some of the key things that stood out (Our identity is received, not achieved. Feelings are good passengers, not drivers. There is a stability in our Christ-centered identity.) Thank you!
Wow, this is so much a needed conversation. Our kids are so focused on the wrong things and are struggling in secret with their identity. The social media the school puts out for advertising, especially christian schools who are drawing on “paying customers” plays into this A LOT!!