What is the best way to communicate the Gospel message to the “millennial” generation? Our church has committed itself to reaching out to this group, but I’m concerned about what I perceive as a tendency to “broaden” the Gospel’s appeal to twenty-somethings by watering it down and removing all references to sin, repentance, and judgment. …
Faith Q&As
Do we go straight to heaven when we die, or is there some kind of a “waiting period?” This is all very confusing to me. Christians talk a great deal about “going to heaven,” but Scripture never once indicates that anybody moves straight into the presence of God at the moment of death. Instead, it …
Why should I be part of the institutional church? I’m convinced that the modern church has completely lost its way. As a result I’ve embarked on a personal quest to rediscover the pure, original Christianity of the New Testament era. I recently left the church and started a small discipleship group in my home. It …
How do we reconcile the idea of “free will” with the doctrine of “indwelling sin”? I’ve always been told that God did not create evil, that human beings sin through their own free choice, and that for this reason we are all accountable before Him. But recently I heard a Bible teacher say that we …
How can Christians say that the God of the Bible never changes? I have often heard preachers and Bible teachers make this claim. I suppose this is a comforting thought, but I’m having trouble reconciling it with my own understanding of Scripture. The more I read the Bible (the Old Testament, anyway) the more confused …
When different people read and understand the Bible in a thousand different ways, how do we know who’s right? Christian ministries like yours are always quoting Scripture and talking about the authority of the Word of God. To me, this raises a huge question: how can I know whose interpretation is correct?
How can I know that I’m saved when I don’t feel saved?
What’s the relationship between “facts” and “truth”? Is there any difference between them? If so, how would you describe it?
How can I help the senior citizens I’m working with to get really enthused about their Christian commitment? They’re all dear, sweet people, and many of them are lifelong saints who have been walking with the Lord for decades. But that’s exactly where the problem lies. There’s nothing I can tell them that they haven’t …
What is “original sin?”
If God is all-powerful and all-loving, why doesn’t He do something about the mess on earth? I used to consider myself a person of faith, but the hopeless and sad state of our suffering world has left me questioning whether God cares or even exists. Can you say anything to change my mind?
Why would God “choose” the Jewish People? I’ve tried to examine Christianity with an open mind and give the Bible a fair hearing. Quite frankly though, its whole foundational premise suggesting that the Jews are God’s chosen people seems to discredit the whole religion for me. I mean seriously; a book, written by Jews, claiming …
Does the Bible say anything about being vegetarian or vegan?
How do we explain God’s command to slaughter the Canaanites in the Old Testament? I’m a Christian, but I have serious issues with the doctrine of scriptural infallibility, especially where the Old Testament is concerned. I’m particularly disturbed by the accounts of divinely authorized genocide and “Holy War” recorded in Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. When …
What’s the difference between an “unbeliever” and a person who simply has honest questions about God? I believe in the Bible, and I have often told friends and family that God can do miracles and even raise the dead. Nevertheless, when things get tough, I find it hard to trust in the Lord. Though I …
Where does homemaking fit into the Bible’s teaching on work and labor? I’ve always been happy in my role as a stay-at-home wife and mother. Then I heard a series of messages about the role of productive labor in God’s plan for mankind. Since then I’ve been having doubts. I spend my time preparing meals, …
If God is fair, just, and loving, why is there so much suffering in the world? I want to believe in His goodness, but the injustices of life have convinced me that, if He does exist, He must not care very much about what goes on in this world. Just recently, my neighbor, a good …
How can I regain my childhood faith? I was brought up as a Christian but stopped believing in God a few years ago. More recently, I’ve been feeling as if something is drawing me back to the faith of my childhood. My fear is that this is purely a matter of sentiment and emotion and …
Does God view me as “inherently evil?” I recently heard a pastor use this phrase in a sermon on the doctrine of “total depravity.” It’s been bothering me ever since. In the first place, I think it’s unbiblical. Scripture says that God made mankind in His own image, and that everything He made was inherently …
I heard that Focus on the Family doesn’t recommend gender-neutral Bible translations. What translations does Focus recommend?