Family Q&A

Where do I find information about blended/step families?

I just got a pop-up ad when I went to the Focus website. It advertised something I wouldn’t expect Focus to support. Did Focus on the Family originate these ads? How can I stop the ads from popping up?

I’m changing my address. Will I get my next magazine and/or newsletter without interruption?

No Value

What is See You at the Pole? When does it take place?

Where can I find online information about today’s Focus broadcast? And can I hear past shows online?

Can you please remove your Facebook posts from my account?

Why are there so many different translations of the Bible? I find this confusing. Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” If that’s true, how did we end up with so many different versions of the Bible? Why do they all say different things? God doesn’t change, does He? I’ve …

How important is it for Christians to observe the Sabbath? I know that this is one of the Ten Commandments, but is it still valid for believers who are now living under grace rather than the law? And while I’m at it, how did the Sabbath get switched from Saturday to Sunday? Where in the …

How do we explain God’s command to slaughter the Canaanites in the Old Testament? There’s a lot that I find attractive about Christianity, but I have serious problems with certain parts of the Bible, especially those sections of the Old Testament that record incidents of divinely authorized genocide and “Holy War.” When the Israelites captured …

If all Christians believe and accept the same truth, why are there are so many denominations with different concepts of God? If the God Christians worship is Love, why can’t they all get together?

Should Christians avoid fantasy literature? I’m a teen girl who loves this genre, especially the works of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and George MacDonald. But recently I stumbled across an article that has caused me to wonder whether I’ve been mistaken in this regard. The author said that Christian fantasy/fiction is an …

Is it wrong to defend myself if someone attacks me? What does Jesus mean when He says, “I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:39). I’m really confused about this. Am I supposed to take this verse literally?

What’s going to happen to people who have never had an opportunity to believe in Jesus? Will they simply be condemned? All my life I’ve been taught that faith in Christ is the only path to a saving relationship with God. I still believe this, but the older I get the harder it becomes to …

Is it possible that God hates me? In Malachi 1:2-3 the Bible says that God “loved Jacob but hated Esau.” This really upsets me. For one thing, if God hated Esau, how do I know He doesn’t hate me? For another thing, if God is Love, as the New Testament says in I John 4:8, …

How can I find the right person to become involved with in a dating relationship? I’m a Christian high-schooler who is anxious to please God, but my past experiences with members of the opposite sex haven’t been very positive. What can I do to avoid this in the future?

How can I get over the anger I feel about being forced to leave my school, my friends, and my entire life behind as a result of my family moving to a new city when my dad was transferred? My parents keep telling me to snap out of it, but I can’t. In fact, there …

I’ve just become a victim of rape. I desperately need help and don’t know where to find it – what should I do now? So far, I haven’t told anyone. I’m ashamed to admit this to friends and family, and I’m afraid I’ll only make a bad situation worse if I go to the police. …

Are there resources available to help elderly people afford the rising price of health care? My mother has died and my dad is retired and living alone. He has a number of medical issues, and he’s desperately afraid that his money won’t hold out if he’s hospitalized or forced into a nursing home. How can …

What are the tell-tale signs of alcoholism? I’m worried about my husband, but I’m not sure if I have grounds for insisting that he do something about his drinking. When football season comes around, it’s five months of him and his friends sitting in front of the TV drinking beer. That doesn’t happen every night, …