The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity

University apologist, director, and popular speaker Alex McFarland has spent the last two decades answering questions about Christian worldview and the Bible from children, teens, and parents. In The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask about Christianity, he summarizes questions today’s children and teens are asking about God, the Bible, and the problem of evil. Alex’s experiences have taught him that how adults answer questions about God is as important as, if not more important than, what kids ask. He provides parents with teaching strategies that will help them reach their children intellectually and spiritually. Today’s kids and teens are looking for authenticity, integrity, and straightforward truth. Alex comes alongside parents and gives them tools to effectively answer not only their children’s toughest academic questions but also the questions that plague their hearts.

Children have tough questions about the Christian faith. Many times, it seems parents struggle to answer these questions confidently. What do we do when they ask, "Why does God allow suffering?" "Can we trust the Bible?" "What is a Christian worldview?" In The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity small group curriculum, author and speaker Alex McFarland offers insight and clarity to parents who are unsure how to handle these daunting questions. In six 30-minute video sessions, Alex helps us better understand our own faith and how to communicate it to our children.This Participant's Workbook includes discussion-oriented questions based on the video sessions with spaces and wide margins for note taking as well as key passages from Alex's book The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity (Tyndale House, 2013).

Answers questions about the Bible.

Respected scholars provide thorough yet accessible answers to the deep spiritual questions that most often challenge one's faith and the ability to share it with others.

Answers to Their Hard Questions about Christianity How do we know Jesus existed? Are Christians less intelligent than atheists? How can a loving God send people to hell? In a culture of secularism and skepticism, your kids are bound to encounter questions like these and many more—and you have both the duty and honor of equipping them with the training they need for a lasting faith. From author and speaker Natasha Crain, Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side provides 40 concise, compelling responses to culture’s most common challenges to Christianity. As you read, you will build a strong foundation of Christian apologetics as you survey the many reasons for being confident in the truth of Christianity gain the wisdom and encouragement to have honest, informed, and age-appropriate discussions about faith with your children discover tools for teaching your kids the critical thinking skills they’ll need to navigate differing worldviews An excellent starting point, refresher course, or reference guide for every Christian parent, this book prepares you to answer your kids’ questions about Christianity with clarity and keep the door open for ongoing conversation about why they can be confident in Christ.

Written by Rebecca McLaughlin, Author of Confronting Christianity In a world of increasing ideological diversity, kids are being challenged to think through their own beliefs at an early age. Questions like How can you believe the Bible is true?; Why can't we just agree that love is love?; and Isn't Christianity against diversity? can seem like roadblocks for kids who are following Jesus, as well as for those who might otherwise consider faith in Christ. In this helpful book—written both for Christian kids and for those who think Jesus is just a fairy tale character—Rebecca McLaughlin invites readers ages 12–15 to dig deep into hard questions for themselves and perhaps discover that the things that once looked like roadblocks to faith might actually be signposts.

Christian parenting is hard work--and it's getting harder. Parents have a deep desire to pass on their faith, but fear that today's increasingly skeptical and hostile world will eventually lead their kids to reject the truth of Christianity. That leaves many parents feeling overwhelmed--uncertain of what they can do to help their children, given the difficulty and extent of the faith challenges they will face. This practical and timely resource gives parents the confidence of knowing what to discuss with their children and how to discuss it in order to facilitate impactful conversations that will form the basis of a lifelong faith. In a friendly, parent-to-parent voice, Natasha Crain identifies 30 specific conversations about God that parents must have with their children, organizing them under the categories of - the existence of God - science and God - the nature of God - believing in God - the difference God makes Chapters are sequenced in a curriculum-oriented way to provide a cumulative learning experience, making this book a flexible resource for use in multiple settings: homes, church classes, youth groups, small groups, private Christian schools, and homeschools. Every chapter has a step-by-step conversation guide with discussion questions and tips, and content is readily adaptable for use with kids of any age (elementary through high school). Endorsements: "My prayer is that God will use this book to both motivate and equip you to help your kids develop convictions about their faith."--From the foreword by Sean McDowell, PhD, Biola University professor, speaker, and author of more than eighteen books, including A New Kind of Apologist "I can't think of a more relevant or more needed book for parents raising kids in today's culture. This book on apologetics will lead parents in critical conversations that will help grow and guide kids to be lifelong followers of Christ."--Kristen Welch, author of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World "Hey parents: Do you want to reduce the chances that your child will follow the crowd to the point of rejecting Christ and the values and truths you hold so dearly? Then you need to have the conversations that Natasha Crain so brilliantly describes in this book. Prevent heartbreak later by reading and heeding this book now!"--Frank Turek, PhD, president of CrossExamined Ministries and author of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist and Stealing from God "May this book lead to thousands more Moms and Dads engaging with their kids through an intelligent faith. And may there be tens of thousands more kids who feel loved because the adults in their lives take their questions seriously."--Jeff Myers, PhD, president, Summit Ministries

The Honest, Loving Answers Children Need to Hear What should you say when your five-year-old asks about his dying grandma? Or when your seven-year-old wonders if the devil is real? Or when the sixth graders in your Sunday school class are talking about a tragedy they heard about on the news? When it comes to the dark and tragic aspects of our world, it can be hard to know what to say and how much. Mother/daughter team Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson will carefully walk you through difficult conversations, one topic at a time. Speaking from personal experience, informed by child development research, these two moms offer practical insights and age-appropriate guidance. Talking about tough topics may not be as hard as you think, and, more important, you'll see how these conversations can lead to meaningful discussions of God's unchanging goodness. "I love this book! I will recommend it again and again. It is street-level theology for children that drips with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Parents, read it, live with it, share it daily with your children, and not only will they learn and grow, you will, too."--Paul David Tripp, president, Paul Tripp Ministries "This is a scripturally rooted and profoundly wise guide for parents who desire to weave gospel truths into the answers to their kids' toughest questions. I highly recommend this book. It takes the pressure off of parents to have all the perfect answers, reveals the radical nature of God's grace, and weaves the 'scarlet thread of redemption' through every answer."--Jeannie Cunnion, MSW, author of Parenting the Wholehearted Child "These hard questions aren't random--children wonder about these issues, and they impact our everyday lives. Now talking about these questions doesn't have to be overwhelming for lack of resources. I'm so thankful for Elyse and Jessica's hard work, precision, and focus on Christ in this book."--Gloria Furman, author of Glimpses of Grace and Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full "Martin Luther once said he measured his ability as a preacher by his ability to communicate the gospel to the young. This book is filled with such gospel truth, so simply articulated. No one has helped me connect the gospel to parenting more than Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson."--J. D. Greear, PhD, author of Ready to Launch: Jesus-Centered Parenting in a Child-Centered World and Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart "As a mother of seven, I'm always interested in grace-filled, Bible-based answers to the tough questions of this life. Elyse and Jessica do a beautiful job of balancing truth with grace, while offering parents practical, solid answers to topics that many parents cringe over. I'll be looking at this great guide again and again, not because it contains all the answers, but because the authors humbly point parents back to the only source of truth that's ever existed: the Bible."--Heidi St. John, author and speaker "This is a great book to help answer the big theological questions of little children."--Pastor Mark Driscoll "Elyse and Jessica have written a must-have book for parents and those involved with ministry to children. It provides helpful, gracious, wise, and faithful answers to some of the most difficult questions children can ask about the Christian faith.."--Justin S. Holcomb, Episcopal priest and seminary professor The Honest, Loving Answers Children Need to Hear What should you say when your five-year-old asks about his dying grandma? Or when your seven-year-old wonders if the devil is real? Or when the sixth graders in your Sunday school class are talking about a tragedy they heard about on the news? When it comes to the dark and tragic aspects of our world, it can be hard to know what to say and how much. Mother/daughter team Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson will carefully walk you through difficult conversations, one topic at a time. Speaking from personal experience, informed by child development research, these two moms offer practical insights and age-appropriate guidance. Talking about tough topics may not be as hard as you think, and, more important, you'll see how these conversations can lead to meaningful discussions of God's unchanging goodness. "I love this book! I will recommend it again and again. It is street-level theology for children that drips with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Parents, read it, live with it, share it daily with your children, and not only will they learn and grow, you will, too."--Paul David Tripp, president, Paul Tripp Ministries "This is a scripturally rooted and profoundly wise guide for parents who desire to weave gospel truths into the answers to their kids' toughest questions. I highly recommend this book. It takes the pressure off of parents to have all the perfect answers, reveals the radical nature of God's grace, and weaves the 'scarlet thread of redemption' through every answer."--Jeannie Cunnion, MSW, author of Parenting the Wholehearted Child "These hard questions aren't random--children wonder about these issues, and they impact our everyday lives. Now talking about these questions doesn't have to be overwhelming for lack of resources. I'm so thankful for Elyse and Jessica's hard work, precision, and focus on Christ in this book."--Gloria Furman, author of Glimpses of Grace and Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full "Martin Luther once said he measured his ability as a preacher by his ability to communicate the gospel to the young. This book is filled with such gospel truth, so simply articulated. No one has helped me connect the gospel to parenting more than Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson."--J. D. Greear, PhD, author of Ready to Launch: Jesus-Centered Parenting in a Child-Centered World and Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart "As a mother of seven, I'm always interested in grace-filled, Bible-based answers to the tough questions of this life. Elyse and Jessica do a beautiful job of balancing truth with grace, while offering parents practical, solid answers to topics that many parents cringe over. I'll be looking at this great guide again and again, not because it contains all the answers, but because the authors humbly point parents back to the only source of truth that's ever existed: the Bible."--Heidi St. John, author and speaker "This is a great book to help answer the big theological questions of little children."--Pastor Mark Driscoll "Elyse and Jessica have written a must-have book for parents and those involved with ministry to children. It provides helpful, gracious, wise, and faithful answers to some of the most difficult questions children can ask about the Christian faith.."--Justin S. Holcomb, Episcopal priest and seminary professor

*Foreword written by Nancy Pearcey* "Parents are the most important apologists our kids will ever know. Mama Bear Apologetics will help you navigate your kids’ questions and prepare them to become committed Christ followers.” —J. Warner Wallace "If every Christian mom would apply this book in her parenting, it would profoundly transform the next generation." —Natasha Crain #RoarLikeAMother The problem with lies is they don’t often sound like lies. They seem harmless, and even sound right. So what’s a Mama Bear to do when her kids seem to be absorbing the culture’s lies uncritically? Mama Bear Apologetics® is the book you’ve been looking for. This mom-to-mom guide will equip you to teach your kids how to form their own biblical beliefs about what is true and what is false. Through transparent life stories and clear, practical applications—including prayer strategies—this band of Mama Bears offers you tools to train yourself, so you can turn around and train your kids. Are you ready to answer the rallying cry, “Mess with our kids and we will demolish your arguments”? Join the Mama Bears and raise your voice to protect your kids—by teaching them how to think through and address the issues head-on, yet with gentleness and respect.

With clear facts and answers to the questions kids six to ten ask most, this adaptation of Lee Strobel's bestselling The Case for Faith uses kid-friendly language, examples, and easy-to-understand information to introduce children to the research, eyewitness accounts, and evidence behind the questions such as whether God allows bad things to happen, if you can have doubts and still be a Christian, and other queries about faith. Whether they’ve grown up in the church or are encountering faith for the first time, The Case for Faith for Kids is the perfect resource to answer the questions about God and faith kids 6-10 ask most. Inside, readers will discover: An introduction to the historical evidence, expert testimonies, extensive research, and scientific proof that back up what the Bible says Examples and explanations that help kids grasp each topic Answers for why Christians believe what they do, and why they can be confident in our beliefs Kid-friendly stories and examples that make the facts easy to understand Ways to talk to other people about their faith and share what they know The Case for Faith for Kids: Is a solid source of information that looks at all sides of the issue to present solid evidence behind each conclusion and fact about the Christian faith Has illustrations and callout graphics to make the topics engaging for kids six and up Is an excellent resource for Sunday schools, church libraries, and homeschooling This book can be used on its own or alongside The Case for a Creator for Kids, The Case for Christ for Kids, The Case for Grace for Kids, and The Case for Miracles for Kids to help children with faith development and answer questions they wonder about most.