Everyday Theology + Questions Kids Ask

It doesn't take long living in the world to realize that bad things happen. And they are really unavoidable. Bad things happen to all people. But why? Is God not in control? Does He care? 

Bad things happen ultimately because sin has broken the world. God is still in control, although He is not the author of evil or bad things. As we see through Job, God does allow bad things to happen, though. 

Listen in to hear more.

Featured Resource: Job: A Story of Unlikely Joy

God could make us obey. 
After all, He's God, but He doesn't. In many ways, He allows us to choose obedience or disobedience, belief or disbelief. Listen in as we answer, "Why doesn't God just make us all obey Him?" 

And BONUS! Listen after the featured resource break for tips on helping your kid who is afraid of the dark. 

Featured Resource: It's All About Jesus Bible Storybook

The concept of having a relationship with Jesus, or Him being our best friend as we so often describe it for kids, is so hard to grasp for concrete thinkers when they know they can't actually see Jesus. How can we help them know that Jesus is a better friend than any person we could know on earth? Emily Jensen from Risen Motherhood joins us to talk about helping our kids understand what it means to know and love Jesus, even when we can't see Him. 

Emily Jensen from Risen Motherhood joins us to answer, "Why can't I see Jesus? How is Jesus my best friend?" 

The Lord's Supper is one of those moments in church life that can be difficult to understand for kids. Talking about blood is normally not something we do much unless one of our children is literally bleeding, so to think of Jesus' blood and it's symbolism in the cup that we take is a little weird. Not to mention, SNACK TIME! Bread and juice? Of course every kid wants in on that. Listen in to hear how Brittany and her family have talked about this ordinance with their kids.

Featured resource: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/preventing-metoo-begins-pre-school-4-books-help-talk-kids/

The Lord's Supper is one of those moments in church life that can be difficult to understand for kids. Talking about blood is normally not something we do much unless one of our children is literally bleeding, so to think of Jesus' blood and it's symbolism in the cup that we take is a little weird. Not to mention, SNACK TIME! Bread and juice? Of course every kid wants in on that. Listen in to hear how Brittany and her family have talked about this ordinance with their kids.

Featured resource: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/preventing-metoo-begins-pre-school-4-books-help-talk-kids/

Katie Orr joins us to talk about understanding God as our perfect Father, even if and especially if a child's earthly father is absent or not the best example of godly love and care. Although this is probably not a question your kids will ask directly, it is an important conversation for you to begin with them to help them understand that when they hear God referred to as Father, He is the only perfect parent - loving, providing, protecting, and caring perfectly for them.

Don't forget to get the 30% coupon for Katie's FOCUSed15 Bible Study Training: https://resources.katieorr.me/focused15-bible-study-training?coupon=QKA

With historical evidence - both inside the Biblical text and outside it - we can certainly confirm that Jesus was a person who lived in a certain time of history from the town of Nazareth. What must be taken on faith is the rest of the story: that He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, took on the wrath of God for sin on the cross, died, was resurrected, and ascended to heaven. Indeed, it is the greatest story ever told but is also foolishness to those who don't believe. It seems crazy! But it's true. And we can help our kids be ready for the questions they may have or be asked that revolve around Jesus' existence, Personhood, and ultimately deity. 

Get Devotional Doctrine here: https://www.gospelproject.com/doctrine-book/

Danielle Bell has been serving in children's ministry for 21 years, and is currently at Dawson Family of Faith in Birmingham, Alabama. She recently adopted an adorable little girl from the foster system, and is passionate about helping people serve kids and families within the foster system well.

In this episode, we talk about why foster care matters, what you can do to help, how you can educate your kids on why some kids are adopted and also calm any fears they have about them being "taken away" and adopted to another family, and what it looks like on the daily to do all the things as a single mom of a two year old. 

Jamie Ivey and her husband, Aaron, worship pastor at The Austin Stone Community Church, live in Austin, Texas with their four kids and two dogs. 

Through her podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, she uses a raw a nd intimate approach to connect with her audience. Jamie’s prayer and hope is for God to use her words to encourage and show others that they are not alone, while constantly pointing them to Jesus. 

Today we talk about discipline and how it's so difficult with our kids, why we continue to sin even after we become a Christian, and why confession is so important and not talked about enough in our churches and our families. 

Jamie tells a story about finding out one of her kids was using an app in a way that she didn't approve, and how she didn't handle the situation like she wished she had. Make sure to listen in, as there's so much wisdom there.

Today's featured resource is If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey. If you've ever felt like a fraud in your Christian life or wondered how people would respond if they really knew everything about you, then this s book is for you. It's available anywhere books are sold!