Answering Tough Questions

This tool is designed to help equip anyone who needs to speak into a difficult situation--for those times when life seems unfair, or when God's good plan is difficult to discern. You may use it either for a training session or to give individually to key people involved in reaching out to others during hard times. Simply print the handouts needed and use them as necessary. Table of Contents: Listen Before You Answer (see free sample) Good counsel comes from those who combine empathy and insight. Rod J.K. Julius A New Kind of Answer (see free sample) Actions answer tough questions when the body of Christ does God's work. Chuck Smith Jr. and Matt Whitlock Why Is Life So Unfair? Innocent and good people suffer. What kind of God would allow that? Mark Buchanan Why Does God Allow Abuse? How one leader navigated this difficult terrain. David Hansen Is God to Blame for Natural Disasters? Tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding, and other tragedies raise tough questions. Rob Moll and Ted Olsen Why Doesn't God Always Cure Those Who Pray? Because he is in control, a cure for illness isn't beyond his power. Mark M. Yarbrough Where is God in Suffering? The better question is: where are you? Will Reaves Will That Person Be in Heaven? God isn't only going to forgive those we like. He might forgive some we hate. Miroslav Volf Suffering Can Be Good (see free sample) When we let the cross shape our theology. Gerhard O. Forde