Spiritual Growth Q&A

How can we help our adolescent son find biblical answers to his deep questions about social justice, the meaning of life, the existence of God, and his own purpose as an individual? We want to point him in the right direction on these important issues and equip him with a solid Christian worldview. Can you …

Do you have any suggestions for more effective ways to worship and study the Bible together as a family? We’ve tried hard to have regular devotions at our house, but it’s been difficult and discouraging because our children seem so bored and uninvolved. Can you help us?

Should we force our 18-year-old son to worship with us? He’s a Christian but recently decided to stop going to church. Since he lives in our home and we still support him, we think he should follow the rules we establish. But we don’t want to drive him away from the Lord.

How can we best relate to our grown child who has completely rejected his Christian faith and upbringing? After graduating from high school he moved in with his girlfriend and became involved with drug and alcohol abuse. Our hearts ache to reach out to him, but we don’t want to appear to be condoning his …

At what age do you recommend that we start introducing our child to the worship service at church? What’s the best way to go about it?

Is it wrong to tell children what they should believe about God? Isn’t that a form of “indoctrination?” I’m thinking it’s better to allow kids to make up their own minds.

How can I teach my kids anything about God when I don’t fully understand who He is? This is something that most Christians seem to take for granted, but I have to confess that it’s always been hard for me to grasp. Given my own difficulties in this area, how can I possibly be of …

As Christian parents, how do we prepare ourselves to give our kids an accurate understanding of God and the kind of solid biblical teaching they’re going to need later on? How can we help them “succeed” in those areas of life that matter to us most – the areas where unseen values take precedence over …

What’s the best way to teach young children the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, and appropriate and inappropriate behavior? We understand the importance of early spiritual training, and we’ve been praying with our child and reading her Bible stories ever since she was old enough to listen and understand. But the challenge …

As a parent, how should I deal with my children when mass shootings, natural disasters, and other tragic events involving loss of life occur? Should I do my best to shield them from this information – an almost impossible task in the face of today’s constant news media cycle? Or should I try to talk to …

Is there any way we can limit or control the kind of music our teenager listens to? I could really use some help setting fair and reasonable standards in this area. I’m disturbed by some of the “artists” he likes, the image they project, and the lyrics of the songs they sing. What should I …

How can I help my 7-year-old daughter understand the proper use of prayer? I’ve tried to teach her that talking to God is simply a way of staying close to Him, but lately she’s been using prayer to ask for everything she wants, such as getting a new toy, going to the movies, or winning …

Can you offer any guidance to parents whose child has recently become a member of a cult? Our family has been completely blindsided by this. We have no clue what our options are or what we ought to do, practically, legally, and otherwise. We really need your help!

Can you help us with our adolescent daughter who is having doubts about God? She has been raised in a solid Christian home, and her faith has always been very important to her. But recently she seems to be struggling with doubt. Last week she asked me how Christians can be sure they’re right when …

How do I handle my children’s questions about God in the midst of disaster and trauma? Over the past month our community has been devastated by a terrible flood. The physical impact of this disaster has been overwhelming, of course. But I’m also deeply concerned about what it may be doing to my children’s faith …