The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask: (With Answers)

This book is great! It answers all the questions I've ever been asked!

This is a very solid book covering some of the most difficult questions faced by Christians in discussions with others.The author, Mark Mittelberg, began by having the Barna Group survey 1000 Christians asking what questions regarding their faith made them the most uncomfortable. He then narrowed these down to the top ten and compiled answers for each. Some of the topics here include such things as: The Existence of God, 'Didn't Evolution Put God Out of a Job?', the reliability of the Bible, the deity of Jesus, the problem of evil and suffering, and several more. The topics covered are all highly relevant areas for believers in conversations with others.Mr. Mittelberg approaches his topics in a very loving manner. He clearly is more concerned about the fate of others than simply winning an argument, although he is very effective in presenting evidences as well. He puts a lot of emphasis on clarifying the position of the other person, thus improving communication.One chapter that is particularly good is the one on evolution. He does a great job of highlighting some of the major weaknesses of that theory.In the area of evil and suffering, he really goes beyond intellectual responses and encourages readers to avoid platitudes (He/she is in a better place now, etc). He makes the case that oftentimes those who are have objections about God related to suffering are currently dealing with a situation themselves.One of the areas that Mittelberg deals very effectively with is the contention that so many Christians are hypocrites. He demonstrates how that can be an issue of common ground with the person. He said, 'Jesus dealt with this issue often - and no one spoke more strongly about it than he did.'Overall, this is a very good book that should be read by all Christians as well as anyone honestly evaluating the claims of Christ.

Apologetics is not the right way to ask forgiveness. Apologetics is the art and science of defending what you believe. One of the most accessible apologists we have is Mark Mittelberg and his very helpful book "Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask."I have taken a passage from the Bible as my guideline for defending the Christian faith. The Apostle Peter wrote:"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." (1 Peter 3:15, 16)Focus on Christ ... Be prepared to answer ... Answer gently and respectfully. In this book, Mark Mittelberg arms Christians with information to help them do just that. He doesn't shy away from the tough questions like the apparent disharmony between Science and the Bible, or God's existence, or Christ's divinity. All of these he addresses using Scripture, philosophy, science, and logic. Mittelberg frequently quotes both Christian and atheist apologists to help make his point. And he does so very winsomely.Each chapter is designed as sort of a lecture and lab. Mittelberg teaches, and then he walks through some possible conversations and objections an atheist or non-Christian may have about Christian's beliefs. So this book could be used for either individual study or as curriculum for a classroom.It's a helpful and an enjoyable read.

As I've mentioned many times lately, the church we attend - Oak Pointe Church in Novi MI [...] is spearheading an outreach campaign called Everyone A Chance to Hear - EACH [...] Over 300 churches and ministries in the Southeast Michigan area are involved. When I heard about Mark Mittelberg's latest book, `The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (With Answers), I thought it was right up my alley to get prepared for EACH.Here is the synopsis of this book:Are there questions you dread being asked? Maybe you dread asking them even of yourself. They're the ones of subjects such as hell, homosexuality, or suffering.Through a national poll conducted by the Barna Group, Mark Mittelberg uncovers the questions Christians most fear being asked.Complete with discussion questions, Mark's book will help you meet today's hot-button issues head on.Here is the biography of this author:Mark Mittelberg is a best-selling author and a leading strategist in apologetics-oriented outreach. His books include The Unexpected Adventure (coauthored with Lee Strobel) and Choosing Your Faith. He is also the main author of the Becoming a Contagious Christian training course. Mark was the evangelism director at Willow Creek Community Church in the Chicago area for many years. Mark and his wife, Heidi, have two teenage children and live near Denver, Colorado.This book covers the controversial topics: evolution, Jesus as God, abortion, homosexuality, the hypocrisy of some Christians, the reality of heaven and hell, etc...In the Introduction, Mr. Mittelberg suggests we need to have three elements in order to "have the right response for everyone:" preparation, prayer, and proximity. And our purpose is important as well:Our aim should not be to address every fine point or nuance about every issue or to try to exhaustively satisfy our friends' curiosity regarding each question. Rather, as the verse puts it, our goal should be to "destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God" (2 Cor. 10:5, emphasis mine).So don't elevate every issue or make your friends feel that they must agree with you on every subpoint before becoming a Christian. Doing so could inadvertently add new and dangerous obstacles to their spiritual journey. Instead, give just enough information to help them move past their spiritual barriers and toward faith in Christ. Then, after they are committed followers of his, they can go back and study every subject to their hearts' content - now with the help of the Holy Spirit illuminating their search as children of God. (p. xix-xx)We also need to have the proper motivation:Our goal cannot be merely to win the argument, but rather - with the help of the Holy Spirit - to win the person to Christ. This is the purpose that will shape how we'll address each of the questions in the chapters that follow because ultimately it will be the care and concern that we show, even more than the words we say, that will draw our friends to God. (p. xx)The primary question in Chapter 6 is "Why is abortion such a line in the sand for Christians - why can't I be left alone to make my own choice for my own body?" That is one of the most divisive questions/issues in our society, and has been for decades, and probably will be for decades to come. Mr. Mittelberg's response is directly out of the Bible:As Christians, it's important for us to point not just to what science tells us about the nature of preborn human beings but also to what Scripture says. Many of our friends and family respect the message of the Bible, especially when the Bible speaks about character and morals. In fact, many who don't claim to be Christians would give serious consideration to its teachings on abortion if we would clarify that abortion is a moral issue, just as compassion, kindness, and love are. (p. 168)Another issue that keeps people from following Christ is the judgmentalism of His followers. Interestingly, non-believers often engage in that same behavior:What's fascinating is that the people who condemn Christians for acting as if they're right and others are wrong are, in that very action, acting as if they themselves are right and Christians are wrong. So they are at that moment doing the very thing they say is wrong. When you think about it, it's pretty silly to condemn people for thinking they are right - because aren't you simultaneously thinking you are right in saying they are wrong? Or, broadening the point a bit, who in their right mind doesn't consistently think they are right? Seriously, if a sane person thinks he is wrong, doesn't he immediately change his thinking and begin to believe what he now thinks is actually right? If, then doesn't he once again think he is right and that anyone who contradicts his new belief is, by the very nature of logic, wrong? Don't we all think that way? I mean, really, do you ever think you're wrong while you're in the midst of thinking that very thought? I don't think so; I think as soon as you start to realize your thinking is wrong you change your belief and start thinking differently! Therefore, for two reasons no one should condemn Christians just for thinking they're right and others are wrong: (1) everyone else does the same thing, and (2) Christians might really be right, after all. (p. 241)Each chapter summarizes the answer for the question(s) covered, as well as `Tips for Talking About This Issue.' And each chapter concludes with Questions for Group Discussion; this would be a great book for a Life/Small Group.This book is very biblically based and scripturally strong. I appreciate the fact that Mark shares his wealth of knowledge about God with us, and I commend this book to one and all - believers and non-believers alike.This book was published by Tyndale House Publishers and provided by them for review purposes.Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea blog - [...]

Thank you.

This is a fantastic book which is very well written and answers the questions Christians are frequently asked in a clear, intelligent and challenging but non-threatening way. It looks at what people believe to be contradictions in the bible and always encourages others to examine the actual facts and not what they have been led to believe are facts. A must read for all Christians as I believe it will encourage you to be confident when asked 'The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask'.

I am impressed with the book as it has surpassed my expectations. It is a great place to begin answering those nagging questions. It is a well laid out and uncomplicated read. The author gives multiple answers to the questions which I like very much. Given the cheap price, and thoughtful content I recommend this book.

This is an excellent book. It asks all the relevant questions, that the title suggests, and provides good solid answers. I plan to give a copy to an atheist friend of mine, and hope that he takes the trouble to read it.

a good read with the answers to some difficult questions