September 21, 2026
Christian parents: Support and empower teens to live out loud commitment for Christ
Dr. Alex McFarland: ‘It’s a mistake to merely brush off the tension teens wrestle with — this anxiety and pressure is very real and won’t go away without clear guidance’
GREENSBORO, N.C. — A recent Barna report uncovered a concerning fact about today’s young Christians: more than 50% of “faith-activated teens” believe that their belief in Christ is a private matter and not directly related to daily life. This shockingly high number correlates with the tension youth feel trying to navigate their faith in today’s secular world. While their faith helps shape their worldview, these young Christians struggle to express their faith in fear of rejection or ridicule.
Youth, culture and religion expert Dr. Alex McFarland has worked with young people through various ministries and outreaches for decades and has unique subject matter expertise in helping teens connect with their faith.
“Today’s teens are facing previously unheard levels of pressure to fit in from friends, television and social media,” said McFarland. “For young believers, the urgency to fulfill the Great Commission and share the Good News faces the furnace of the desire to fit in and to be popular. It’s an almost irresistible force in the life of a teenager. It’s a grave mistake to brush off the tensions teens fight every day — this anxiety and pressure are very real and won’t go away without obvious support and clear guidance. If Christian teens are going to grow into mature adult Christians, we must help them bear their burdens, encourage them, and show them the value of the life lived out loud for Christ in a fallen world.”
McFarland has run and facilitated Christian youth camps for years, empowering teens to better understand and live confidently in their faith in a world full of opposition. Additionally, McFarland’s book, “The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity: And How to Answer Them Confidently,” outlines how parents should respond to their children’s questions about faith, providing powerful tools to effectively answer not only the toughest academic questions but also the questions that plague their hearts.
Alex McFarland currently co-hosts “Exploring the Word” on the American Family Radio Network, airing daily on nearly 200 radio stations across the U.S. He is also the host of the “Alex McFarland Show,” which airs weekly on NRB TV and YouTube. The “Alex McFarland Show” podcast is available here.
McFarland and theologian Bert Harper, veteran co-hosts of the nationally syndicated broadcast “Exploring the Word,” are proud to announce their newest book, “100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times.” Available now, the book concisely answers biblical questions about God, Scripture, Christian Living, and more. A follow-up to their previous work, “100 Bible Questions and Answers for Families,” this book promises to guide readers through some of the most fascinating and frequently misunderstood topics in Christianity: end-times prophecy and life in the everlasting new creation.
Alex McFarland has authored or co-authored more than 21 books, including the newly released 100 Bible Questions & Answers on Prophecy and the End Times,” “10 Issues that Divide Christians,” “The God You Thought You Knew,” “10 Answers for Skeptics,” “10 Answers for Atheists,” “The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity,” published by Focus on the Family, and more.
McFarland is a frequent guest on Fox News and has been interviewed by other media outlets including Fox and Friends, Focus On The Family radio, NPR’s All Things Considered, The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, CBN, La Vie (France), and various news outlets including CBS, FOX, NBC, CSPAN, SRN, and the Associated Press (AP) wire service. He is a contributing writer in print and electronic media, including LA Times, Boston Herald, OK- Celebrity News Magazine, Christianity Today, Charisma, On Mission, Billy Graham’s Decision Magazine and more.
Learn more about Alex McFarland Ministries at its website, Facebook and Instagram pages, or X feed.
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To schedule interviews with Alex McFarland, contact Hamilton Strategies, media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
