Questions From Teenagers on God, Faith, and Life in General

A few years ago when I was leading a youth ministry, we did a series that attempted to address questions teenagers in our youth ministry were asking. Each week, the message centered around a particular question voted on by students. To get the initial questions, we asked students one Sunday to write any question they had about God, faith, or life in general on a 3 x 5 card. I was impressed at how many actually submitted a question, and the things they asked provided a lot of insight for me. For me, the best one was about why we have a coffee shop at our church when Jesus drove out the merchants in the temple. Here's the complete list of questions, mostly as they were written, but occasionally edited for clarification's sake:

What do we do when we have doubts?

How can we become stronger in our faith?

Spiritual worship: like ghosts and stuff…I don’t understand it.

What does the Bible say about ghosts and other “supernatural” stuff?

Can ghosts and evil things get me?

Will we have a second chance to go to heaven?

What is heaven like? Do we get to experience life there like we get to on Earth? 

Will we see it the way we see Earth through our eyes?

How do you know if you are for sure going to heaven, like, if you asked God into your heart but you still aren’t sure you are going to heaven?

If you are not a Christian and believe that God died on the cross to relieve us of our sins, can they still go to heaven?

What is heaven like? What is hell like?

What is an unforgiveable sin?

Are there “unforgiveable” sins?

Is the unforgiveable sin knowing the Holy Spirit and accepting its existence and then opposing it, or is it having Satan in you without you knowing about it and then claiming it’s the Holy Spirit & vice versa?

How do I know I’m saved?

How to talk to your friends about God/religion, or how to talk about your religion with someone of a different religion?

Why are there differences in books, for example Matthew and Mark when they describe the same situation?

I’ve read many stories and testimonies of Christian brothers and sisters, including Jesus, and almost all SKIP a portion in their lives: the teenage years. So, how and what is an effective (way) to show, shine, and represent our faith as hormonally crazy teenagers?

Why does God allow trials, tribulations, and suffering?

Why do Christians question their faith?

How do you know God is real besides “look all around you”?

How he was made! (I assume, “How was God made?”)

In Genesis, Adam and Eve leave the garden and cities are already there and other people. Please explain.

How do we know if the Bible is true?

What is the best way to approach some(one) who isn’t Christian and ask them to church?

How did people know about God before the Bible?

How did people stay alive so long back in the Old Testament?

How do we know God is real?

How did Dinos exist if not in the Bible?

What if you are trying to get things figured out with your faith but the people you are around aren’t supportive?

How did the people before Moses know how they were doing was right or wrong if they didn’t have the 10 Commandments?

It’s hard to show God’s love. How can we show God’s love to our Mormon friends and just friends in general? And not just the service of this I want to go in depth.

What is the meaning of life?

Get to know God more.

What’s the meaning of life?

Why is it ok for the church to sell coffee and other products when Jesus was outraged when merchants were selling things in the temple?

How do you know he (God) is really there?

How are you supposed to know when you’re making a decision if it’s right? Or when it honors God over yourself?

Life in general

Why?

Traditionally, doesn’t Lent only take place Mon-Sat?

Why does school suck?

What is the best way to read the Bible?

Does God know what we will do?

How do we know God is working in us?

How do we know God is speaking to us?

What do we do when we find out a friend wants to commit suicide?

Why is it wrong to be sexually promiscuous?

Why is envy one of the seven deadly sins?

How do we minister if we are already in a Christian school?

How can we make our faith stronger?

Does Jesus love us all equally?

QUESTION: What's the best question you've ever been asked by a teenager?