Tim Barnett introduces his new Stand to Reason University course, “Uncertain Faith,” reminding us of the importance of welcoming questions when addressing doubt in the church.
Transcript
A few years ago, while celebrating my wife’s birthday, my daughter, who was six years old at the time, gets this quizzical look on her face and asks, “Dad, what does a one-two smell like?”
Confused by her question, I said, “Honey, one and two are numbers, and numbers don’t have a smell.” Technically, she was making a category mistake, but I’m not allowed to red-pen my six-year-old.
Equally perplexed by my reply, she said, “No, Dad, what does a one-two smell like?”
Repeating the question didn’t help me. Now, I’m even more confused. I didn’t know what else to say. Then my four-year-old, observing our communication stalemate, said, “Dad, you look like a monkey, and you smell like one too! So, what does a one-two smell like?”
Here’s the point: We all have questions. It starts when we’re really young with questions like, “What does a one-two smell like?” But, as we get older, it transitions to the bigger questions of life. Why am I here? Is there purpose and meaning to life? Does God exist? And, if God exists, why is there so much evil in the world? What happens after we die? Over time, the answers to these questions begin to shape our beliefs about the world—our worldview. But then, something inevitably happens. We can begin to doubt and question some of those beliefs.
“What if I’m wrong?” Have you ever asked yourself that question? There are times when we feel so confident about our convictions, but there are other times, if we’re being honest, when we’re anguished by uncertainty about our beliefs. After all, we’re finite creatures, and we don’t know everything. Sometimes, we get things wrong, and this can cause us to experience doubt about God, the Bible, and our Christian faith.
It doesn’t help that there is seemingly an endless number of posts online that are devoted to trying to talk or ridicule you out of your faith. Videos attacking the Bible. “Did you know the Bible is full of contradictions?” Videos on the deity of Jesus. “Did you know that Jesus never claimed to be God?” Videos on the existence of God. “Did you know that belief in God is like belief in Santa Claus?” Videos on sexuality. “Did you know that the word ‘homosexuality’ was added to the Bible in 1946 by a bunch of old white bigots?”
Then there are the “been there, done that” videos. These are the videos from former Christians who say they have found a better way, breaking free from the shackles of Christianity. I was talking on the phone with a young man recently who was struggling with his faith after watching an atheist YouTube video. He said to me, “I wish I had never clicked on that video.” That’s because he didn’t know how to respond, and the doubt started flooding in.
We need to understand that doubt isn’t the problem. It’s how we handle our doubts that can really make or break our faith. Sadly, doubts have caused many to abandon their faith. There are a number of reasons why people leave the faith, but one of the top reasons given is intellectual doubt. In fact, many young people believe that church is not a safe place to express questions and doubts.
Summarizing the findings in a three-year longitudinal study launched by the Fuller Youth Institute, researchers Kara Powell and Steven Argue state this: “According to our study, which looked at 500 youth group graduates, over 70% of churchgoing high schoolers report having serious doubts about faith. Sadly, less than half of those young people shared their doubts and struggles with an adult or friend. Yet, these students’ opportunities to express and explore their doubts were actually correlated with greater faith maturity.”
In other words, it’s not doubt that’s toxic to faith—it’s silence.
That last line is crucial to understand the impact doubt has on our faith. In his book You Lost Me, Barna president David Kinnaman says, “I believe unexpressed doubt is one of the most powerful destroyers of faith.”
So, the best research says that doubt is not the problem. Instead, it’s how we respond to our doubts that’s the real issue. Doubt, when carefully explored, builds faith. Doubt, when carelessly ignored, destroys faith.
So, how do we make room for questions and doubts? After all, Barna research discovered that over one-third of young people they surveyed felt that they were not able to ask their most pressing questions in church. In most cases, this isn’t because the church has nefarious motives. For better or worse, church is often very structured. Everything is timed down to the minute. Show up, sing a few songs, listen to the sermon, pass the plate, announcements, benediction, head home. Most churches don’t have a Q&A slotted into the schedule. Unfortunately, this can unwittingly give the impression that questions are not allowed.
Here’s a possible solution: if your church doesn’t have a Q&A time, it’s time to start one. For many years, Pastor Timothy Keller conducted 40-minute Q&A sessions after every service. This allowed people to ask questions about the sermon as well as questions about Christianity in general. In an online article, Keller offered five reasons why he hosts a Q&A after his worship service. I would add a sixth—it creates a healthy environment where questions and doubts can be expressed, discussed, and answered.
Suppressing your doubts can lead to unbelief, whereas expressing your doubts can lead to a stronger, lasting faith. That’s why it’s crucial to create an environment in your church and in your home that welcomes questions and doubts.