The Awesome Book of Bible Answers for Kids

By Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson

Kids are curious about Jesus and God and yet, by the time they are teens, the majority stop asking questions about faith and starting questioning faith altogether. Respected Christian apologist Josh McDowell encourages children to stand on the foundation of truth with this contemporary gathering of concise, welcoming answers for kids ages 8 to 12.

A fun format includes key Bible verses and pre-teen friendly explorations of topics that matter most to kids:

• God’s love and forgiveness
• Right and wrong and making choices
• Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God’s Word
• Different beliefs and religions
• Church, prayer, and sharing faith

The next time a child asks “Who is God?” parents, grandparents, and church leaders will want this practical and engaging volume handy. Helpful tips and conversation ideas for adults will help them connect with kids hungering for straight talk about faith in Jesus.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
• Release date: Apr 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780736940283

Josh McDowell

For over 60 years Josh McDowell has provided breakthrough moments for more than 45 million people in 139 countries about the evidence for Christianity and the difference the Christian faith makes in the world. Through his work with Cru and the global outreach of Josh McDowell Ministry, millions of people worldwide have been exposed to the love of Christ. He is the author or coauthor of more than 150 books, including such classics as More Than a Carpenter and Evidence That Demands a Verdict.

Book preview

THE

AWESOME

BOOK

OF              

BIBLE

ANSWERS

FOR KIDS!

THE

AWESOME

BOOK

OF              

BIBLE

ANSWERS

FOR KIDS!

JOSH McDOWELL

KEVIN JOHNSON

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the 1996 edition of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked NCV are taken from The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, Nashville, TN 37214. Used by permission.

Verses marked GWT are taken from GOD’S WORD. GOD’S WORD is a copyrighted work of God’s Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

All emphasis (italics) in Scripture quotations has been added by the authors.

Cover by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Interior illustrations © Kreig Barrie

THE AWESOME BOOK OF BIBLE ANSWERS FOR KIDS

Copyright © 2003 by Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

McDowell, Josh.

[Children demand a verdict]

The awesome book of Bible answers for kids / Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson.

p. cm.

Originally published: Children demand a verdict. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, ©2003.

Includes indexes.

ISBN 978-0-7369-2872-4 (pbk.)

1. Apologetics. 2. Christianity—Miscellanea. I. Johnson, Kevin (Kevin Walter) II. Title.

BT1103.M325 2011

239—dc22

2010021675

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 / VP-SK / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The word of the LORD holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good, and his unfailing love fills the earth.

PSALM 33:4-5

Contents

That’s a good question!

QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD

1. Why did God make people?

2. How do we know what God is like when we can’t see him?

QUESTIONS ABOUT SIN

3. Why do I feel bad when I do something wrong?

4. What if I don’t feel bad when I do something wrong?

5. Why does sin keep me from being friends with God?

6. Why does God say the punishment for sin is death?

7. Why doesn’t God just forget our sins?

8. Are little sins okay with God?

9. Why is sin sometimes fun?

QUESTIONS ABOUT FORGIVENESS

10. Why did Jesus die?

11. Why did Jesus have to die for my sin when I haven’t done anything really bad?

12. Will God forgive really bad people?

13. Does God always forgive me?

QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD’S LOVE

14. How do I know God wants to be my friend?

15. What kind of friend is God?

16. Does God love me more when I obey him?

17. How can I be better friends with God?

18. How much does God love me?

19. How can God have time for me when there are so many other people in the world?

20. Will God ever stop loving me?

21. Does God like my sister more than me?

QUESTIONS ABOUT PRAYER

22. Is God ever too busy to listen to my prayers?

23. Is God really interested in my problems?

24. Will God give me whatever I ask for when I pray?

QUESTIONS ABOUT JESUS

25. Did Jesus ever do anything wrong?

26. Was Jesus ever tempted to sin?

27. How can Jesus live inside me?

28. Was Jesus a wimp?

29. Did Jesus know he was God?

30. Did everyone in the Bible think Jesus was God?

31. Did Jesus actually die on the cross—or did he just faint?

32. Did Jesus really come back to life after he died on the cross?

33. Could Jesus’ disciples have made up the story about Jesus coming back to life?

34. How did Jesus come back to life?

35. Is it okay to have Easter baskets and look for Easter eggs?

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT

36. What’s the Holy Spirit? Is he a ghost?

37. How come I can’t feel the Holy Spirit living in me?

QUESTION ABOUT THE DEVIL

38. Is the devil real?

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE

39. How do some people know so much about God?

40. Why is the Bible so big?

41. How is the Bible different from other books?

42. Why did God put his words in a book?

43. How could God write a book?

44. Who wrote down the words in the Bible?

45. How do we know the Bible is from God?

46. The Bible is so old. How could it last so long?

47. Are parts of the Bible make-believe, or is everything true?

48. What will happen to people who don’t obey the Bible?

49. Why is the Bible so hard to understand?

50. Why does the Bible have so many rules?

51. Are the Bible’s rules old-fashioned?

52. Is the Bible always right?

53. Why are there so many different kinds of Bibles?

QUESTIONS ABOUT DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

54. Why do people from different religions sometimes fight?

55. Does my Muslim friend pray to the same God I do?

56. Do I have to tell people about Jesus?

57. Does it matter which God people believe in?

QUESTIONS ABOUT RIGHT AND WRONG

58. Can I decide for myself what’s right and wrong?

59. Why do we need rules?

60. Does God punish me when I do wrong?

61. Why is it sometimes easier to do things that are wrong than to do what’s right?

62. How does God help me choose to do the right thing?

63. Why do I sometimes get in trouble for doing the right thing?

64. Why do some Christians not act like Christians?

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE

65. Does God know what my life will be like when I grow up?

66. Does God care what job I have when I grow up?

67. Will God tell me what will happen in my future?

68. Why does God let bad things happen to me sometimes?

69. Can God make bad things turn out okay?

QUESTIONS ABOUT CHURCH

70. Why do we go to church?

71. Why does church last so long?

72. My friend doesn’t go to church—what should I do?

QUESTIONS ABOUT DEATH AND HEAVEN

73. Why did my grandma die when the Bible says that Christians will live forever?

74. What will I look like in heaven?

75. Will everybody go to heaven?

76. How long will we be in heaven?

77. How do I know I’m going to heaven?

Learning and conversation guide for parents

Index of Bible Verses

Index of Topics by Question Number

Resources from Josh and Sean McDowell

More Family Resources from Harvest House

Preface

That’s a good question!

You probably wonder about Jesus and