The Pastor Calling Harvard Law Back to Christianity | ATB #22

WEEK 22: The Pastor Calling Harvard Law Back to ChristianityRecorded in Hastings Hall, the oldest dorm at Harvard Law School, this week we sit down with Justin Yim — the pastor serving HLS students — to talk about something that may be quietly happening across American campuses: a renewed hunger for Christianity.We begin with a quick introduction to Justin and how he ended up doing ministry at one of the most elite and intellectually intense law schools in the world. But before getting into it too much, we open with a rapid-fire parenting debate: at what age should kids be allowed to do various things? Smartphones, social media, dating, R-rated movies, alcohol, jobs, and sleepovers — we each give a number and defend it. It’s a surprisingly revealing way to talk about authority, maturity, and how modern culture has changed childhood.From there, we dive deeper into Justin’s story. How did he enter ministry? Where did he begin? And how did he end up pastoring students at Harvard Law specifically?That leads to bigger questions about evangelism in elite institutions. How do you share the gospel with students trained to interrogate every claim? Is Harvard Law spiritually darker than other places — or just intellectually honest? What does the daily life of a Christian law student look like compared to their peers? And what does it mean to faithfully preach the gospel when persuasion is never guaranteed?Then we turn to the big question: Is a revival beginning among young people?We play a voice memo from a woman in ministry describing a surge in campus ministry participation and discuss broader signs pointing in the same direction. After decades of decline, new data suggests the rise of the religiously unaffiliated has slowed. Ministries like Cru and InterVarsity report growing attendance, the Asbury revival drew tens of thousands of primarily young worshippers, and Bible sales and Christian content engagement online have surged. We ask Justin what he’s seeing firsthand at Harvard Law: are students actually searching for faith?Finally, we close with one of the most thoughtful Girl Problems segments we’ve had yet. Several female listeners wrote in responding to our conversation about dating and careers. They raise a serious concern: many women today aren’t choosing ambitious careers out of ideology, but out of necessity. If marriage isn’t guaranteed and dating culture is dysfunctional, financial independence becomes survival. We wrestle with the tension between traditional aspirations for family and the practical realities of modern life.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction3:45 Parenting Advice from a Dad and Two Bachelors28:31 Justin’s Ministry at Harvard Law53:40 Is There a Revival Happening?1:00:05 Girl Problems