This past Sunday I mentioned that “Questions (and doubts) are something that we should run from, but something that we should pursue.” I think the fact that we are willing to ask the question shows that we care; it shows that there is a relationship that’s present and active. What would it say about us if we never asked any questions? Think about that in the context of a marriage… What if you never asked you spouse, “why”? I think it would communicate that we didn’t care enough to enter into their thought process and that we were too absorbed with our own thing to step back and think about them. Maybe that’s a little bit unfair, but I do think that questions are a central and necessary part of any active and growing relationship.

If the above is true, that makes it all the more troubling that questions and doubt have been, to a large extent’ disallowed in the modern evangelical church. If questions are part of the life-blood if healthy relationships, why aren’t they something that we encourage in church? John the Baptist’s interaction with Jesus (in Luke 7) got me thinking about this. I love that Jesus doesn’t respond harshly to John, it’s almost as though Jesus expects that John would wonder why he was in prison about the be beheaded. I mean, what would it say about John if he didn’t at least ask the question?

I’m well aware that when I teach on Sunday mornings that there are many questions that rattle around in people’s minds. Questions like, “If God is all-loving and all-powerful, then why does the world (and my life) look the way that it does?” That’s a great question. There are many others that we could run through… but I don’t have the time (or the bandwidth on my blog) to be able to write about them all. But I think one of the things that I want to communicate is that part of the process of growing in our relationship with the Lord is not just being willing to ask the questions, but being willing to find the answers. It takes time and it takes some intellectual investment, but it’s always worth it. In fact, asking the questions and seeking the answers is the very thing that led C.S. Lewis to give his life to the Lord.

So, if you’re interested, here are some of the best resources that I know of that will help you wrestle with some of the great questions of the faith.

  • The Reason for God by Timothy Keller – This is the best (hands down) apologetics book that I have ever read. Keller engages questions that people are actually asking and he answers them in a way that is both intellectually astute and accessible for all readers. This is the book that I give to all of my friends who are skeptics and required reading for anyone who did college ministry with me in CA.
  • Stand to Reason – Greg Koukl has some excellent resources and articles on this site. There are mp3’s of messages and other helpful and easy to use resources that will engage questions and give good intellectual responses.
  • Reasons to Believe – for all the scientists out there, I highly recommend anything by Hugh Ross. He is way smarter than me and has dedicated his life to both science and Jesus. So, if you think those 2 things are in conflict, check our Reasons to Believe!

These are just a few of the many resources that have helped me engage questions of faith that I’ve had over the years. I hope they are helpful to you. Let me know some things that have been helpful to you too!