Questions Christians Hope no one will Ask

It happens to all of us, someone asks a question, and we think, why did you have to ask that? That familiar thought could happen for several different reasons. It could be that they want a simple answer to a complicated question. It could be that it's an answer you have accepted, but really haven’t studied. It could be that the answer is one the world deems unacceptable, or worse (we think worse), hateful. Whatever it is, when the question is asked, it’s almost as if you feel backed into a corner looking to defend yourself from the blows coming your way if you attempt to answer.

This scenario is often more real than most of us would like to admit…and I’m not just talking to the teens, adults feel this way too, youth are not alone. So, what do we do about it, well, the best thing we can do is study and increase our understanding of those questions/topics. Not with the goal of approval or understanding from men, but with the goal of drawing near to God. The answers do not come from searching for loopholes or watering down God’s word to appease the world. God instructs us through Paul in Romans 12:2 that just the opposite is required of us..”And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

However, on top of studying these questions and having the knowledge to answer them, we need to pray for the understanding & love needed to address these questions and concerns in a way that brings Glory to God and his Kingdom. Being correct means very little if we lose the opportunity to save souls in the process. We must be careful not to allow our own pride or arrogance to close shut the hearts that God opens to us. 

Which brings us back to the questions Christians hope no one will ask. A book written by Mark Mittelberg, we'll dive into these questions and hopefully grow from the discussion that results. We realize there are some questions that are hard to answer without offending or upsetting people. Questions that when answered may end friendships, divide families, and in today’s “woke” society even lose us our jobs. No wonder we feel backed into corners. Instead of walking around hoping no one will ask them, let’s talk about them and the strategies we can use to answer them.

This fall I’ll get the conversation started in these youth corners (and Wednesday nights in class with Ken Reed and I), but parents, grandparents, and youth, it is up to you to continue the conversation at home. Use it as an opportunity for family devotionals to draw nearer to God as you strengthen your abilities to answer the questions people are asking.