It's ok for you to have questions about your faith. You aren't the only one that has those questions, and you shouldn't be embarrassed by them. In Discover: Questioning Your Way to Faith, Mike McGarry explores the twenty most common questions teenagers ask.
In nearly twenty years as a youth pastor, Mike has heard just about every question students ask. Your questions are important—and they may prove to be the very thing that actually leads you into deeper faith. Discover covers a wide range of questions that teens like you ask about faith including: Why does God allow suffering? Why should we trust the Bible? Is church relevant? Does God care about my sexual identity? and more.
Mike wants you to see your questions as an opportunity to dig deeper and grow in your faith. Each chapter is short and tackles important topics such as doubt, the resurrection, tolerance, sexual issues, prayer, and more. He thinks you will be encouraged to see what God has to say.
"Who is God? Why am I here? Where are we going? If you have questions about the Christian faith or if you have friends with questions, you are not the first and won't be the last. This book will help you process your concerns with compassion and truth. Whether you are curious about the Christian faith or you are rock solid in your beliefs and want to help someone know Jesus, pick up Discover and encounter the beauty and wonder of the Christian gospel that has given hope to believers for 2,000 years."
Daniel Darling, Director, The Land Center for Cultural Engagement; bestselling author of several books, including, The Dignity Revolution, A Way with Words,and The Characters of Christmas
"As the parent of two teens, as a pastor, and especially as a former teenage questioner who was afraid to express my uncertainties, I am deeply grateful for Mike McGarry's new book. I love that Discover does not underestimate the minds and abilities of teens to think through and to grasp wonderful truths about God and his Word. This is just the kind of resource parents and youth ministers should have on hand to shepherd the next generation toward a deep, affectionate, and rich relationship with Christ."
Barnabas Piper, Pastor, Immanuel Church Nashville; author of Help my Unbelief
"In a day and age when we are encouraged to embrace a personally-formed spirituality without regard to theology, we must recognize that any God-talk or engagement with the Christian faith is all about theology. Everyone is a theologian. It's simply a matter of unintentionally doing theology poorly, or intentionally doing theology well. I'm grateful that Mike McGarry has given us a tool to use with our students that respects their ability to go deep, offers sound biblical theology, and can be used by both youth workers and parents to spark solid theological thought and discussion that will serve to build up students for a lifetime of faithfully following Jesus. "
Walt Mueller, President, Center for Parent/Youth Understanding
"As a youth pastor at my church for almost thirty years, as well as a professor of youth ministry, I will use and recommend this book enthusiastically. Mike suggests that students can read this book with a mentor or adult leader or in small groups, but I would love to buy this book and give it away to every student I could. There is also immense instructional value for small groups, student leadership teams, or one-on-one discipleship of students, to help grow their faith and transform their lives."
Danny Kwon, Pastor of Youth and Families, Yuong Sang Church; adjunct professor, Eastern University/Missio Seminary; author of Mission Tripping and A Youth Worker's Field Guide to Parents
"Today's teens grow up in a confused and skeptical world. McGarry gives pastors and churches a tool that doesn't shy away from hard questions but instead roots students in biblical truth. Discover will be a great resource for youth pastors preparing kids for baptism or confirmation."
Jared Kennedy, Editor, The Gospel Coalition; author of The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible and Keeping Your Children's Ministry on Mission
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As much as Christians might not want to admit it, it’s not unusual to question your faith. Asking and getting answers to the hard questions usually helps Christians feel more sure and solid in their faith and beliefs. This is especially true for teens who might have grown up in the church but need to discover for themselves the truths of Christianity versus just ‘believing’ because that’s what they were taught to do. Author Mike McGarry’s Discover: Questioning Your Way to Faith covers twenty hard questions that many Christians wrestle with at one point or another. These include topics such as: Can I be sure of my salvation, What is the Trinity, How can a loving God send anyone to hell, Why does God allow suffering, and How do Christians interpret the Old Testament, among many more great questions! The answers to these questions are sized perfectly for teens and busy adults, at only several pages each. McGarry cuts to the heart of each message and succinctly describes the Biblical case for each one. He doesn’t steer clear of the hard stuff. He tackles LGBTQ+, Sex and Dating, and whether Christians should be tolerant, among other hot topics. These subjects and answers may ruffle the feathers of staunch believers on either end of the belief spectrum. McGarry cites several Biblical references for each topic to give the foundation for his answers. Overall, he acknowledges many opposing viewpoints that should make all parties feel understood in their stances, no matter if the conclusion isn’t what they would ‘like’ it to be. As an adult who’s wrestled with some of these topics in my own mind, I looked forward to reading McGarry’s explanations. Most rang true for me and certainly gave me some clarity as well as fuel for more reflection. Discover is geared toward teens and, therefore, many of the circumstances that McGarry references reflect those that teens face. In spite of that targeted audience, I still feel this book would be great for doubting Christians of any age or those who are struggling with some of the core concepts of Christianity or the cultural issues of our times.