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Do you know what Brad Pitt, Jessica Simpson, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Phil Jackson have in common?
They all grew up in a religious household. Many of their parents were even pastors.
But as they got older, they begin to stray away from what they had been taught.
Some of them have even become agnostics or atheists. An example is Brad Pitt. Brad was raised in a Christian home and went to church faithfully. As he got older, he began to have some serious questions about the teachings of Jesus and the Bible. He sought help from his parents and his pastor, but still could not get the answers he was looking for. As a result, he became an athiest.
That being said, it is important to be proactive in asking and discussing the tough questions. Here are 5 big questions that you should be talking about with the pre-teens in your ministry.
1. Why are there hypocrites in the church?
This question often arises when pre-teens see someone in the church who is not practicing what they preach. Someone whose lifesyle isn’t Christ-like. Someone who tries to cause dissension. Someone who lives differently on Monday through Saturday and then another way on Sunday.
This can cause pre-teens to become disheartened with the church. Why attend church as a hypocrite? Wouldn’t it be better to not attend at all? As we discuss this with pre-teens we must remind them to always keep their eyes on Jesus. He will never let them down.
2. Does science prove that the Bible is not trustworthy?
This question comes full force as pre-teens begin learning and studying about evolution, the big bang theory, etc. This can cause pre-teens to doubt the Bible and not believe it anymore.
We must respond to this question by providing solid answers that prove the Bible is the Word of God. Share how the Bible has been trustworthy in your life over the years. Show the hundreds of prophecies that Jesus filled when He came.
3. Why do bad things happen to good people?
Be honest with the kids. Bad things happen to everyone. We live in a broken world and it rains on the just and unjust alike.
The good news – God can take bad things and turn them into good.
Yes…we all get bad news at times…but we must remember that God is at work. We must also remind kids that the worst things happened to the perfect person…Jesus. He is very acquainted with our pain and suffering. He died for our sins and went through terrible suffering…worse than we can imagine.
We must teach kids to trust God. Even when we cannot understand His reasons, we must remember that God is good, just and loving.
When things don’t make sense…trust the heart of God. We won’t always understand why things happen, but we can always trust His heart.
4. How can we say that Jesus is the only way to heaven?
We live in day where pantheism is on the rise. A person who says Jesus is the only way to heaven, is considered a bigot and intolerant. Don’t all roads lead to the same destination? How can we say that Jesus is the way and every other god is not the way?
Jesus made it very clear that He is the only Son of God and the only way to heaven. He is the only one who died and then rose again. He proved He was the Son of God. There is no other way to heaven.
5. How do we know God exists and that He created the world?
Genesis makes it very clear that God created everything. We see His glory and handiwork all around us. It could not have happened by accident. Something can’t come from nothing.
Our world is a complex thing and it had to have a creator for it to all work together. Science actually proves that the Bible is true. The universe had its origin birthed from the heart of God.
Pre-teens can ask some very deep questions. If you don’t know the answer, don’t panic. Research the topic and then come back with your answer.
Be proactive. Pre-teens need to hear these type of questions and find the answers now…before they get to college and are taught the wrong answers.
p.s. Looking for an apologetics curriculum? Here are two great ones to check out and use.
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