SUNDAY MORNING ADULT BIBLE CLASS - AUDITORIUM

We began a new quarter of adult classes the first Sunday in December. The topics are "Hebrews" taught by Marcus Price, the class meets downstairs in the fellowship hall.

The auditorium class is "Elephant in the Romm" taught by Roddy Tate and meets in the auditorium. The first class was on the topic of "Doubt."

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM — Lesson 1

The Elephant in the Church Lobby
Theme Verse: Mark 9:24 — “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Good morning, everyone!
Welcome to Week One of our new series: “The Elephant in the Room.” And today’s elephant is a big one. He’s standing right there in the church lobby, sipping a cup of bad coffee.

And his name is: Doubt.

Christians don’t like to talk about doubt. We treat doubt like the weird uncle at the family reunion—we pretend he isn’t there, even though he’s sitting at the head of the table eating deviled eggs.

Today, we’re dragging that elephant into the light.

I. Stating the Reality

I want you to hear this on the front end:
Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Abandonment is.

Some of the strongest believers in Scripture wrestled with doubt. Moses doubted. Gideon doubted. John the Baptist doubted. Thomas doubted.
And yet God never said, I’m done with you.

We’ve created this culture in church where the worst thing you can do is say, I’m not sure about this part. Or, I’m struggling to believe God is with me. We fear being judged or labeled.

II. Why We Hide Our Doubts

Let’s talk about why doubt becomes the elephant in the room.

1. We’re afraid of being seen as weak.

The truth?
Weakness is not the enemy of faith. Pretending is.

2. We think doubt disqualifies us from ministry or serving.

You’d be surprised how many church leaders—elders, teachers—have seasons of doubt. The difference is, they just can’t say it out loud.

3. We confuse doubt with rebellion.

Rebellion says, I won’t believe.
Doubt says, I want to believe, but I’m struggling.

I deeply resonate with the reality that doubt and anxiety are part of every honest Christian’s life. The Lord would not have told us to be anxious about nothing if we weren’t naturally anxious about everything. There can be a disconnect between heart and head.

The fact that my salvation is guaranteed through faith in Christ does not provide automatic immunity from the temptation to doubt my worthiness or question God’s goodness.

Sadly, church leaders and preachers have driven people away from hope and the church, because of the guilt they’ve imposed on those who have doubts. Some have said that doubt is tantamount to unbelief, and that no one can be saved who questions God. Some go so far as to say that God is angry at anyone who doubts Him. 

These preachers clearly haven’t spent enough time studying the lives of Abraham, Gideon, or Thomas. 

III. The Good News

Let’s go to Scripture.

1. The Father in Mark 9

He says to Jesus:
I believe; help my unbelief.

He says in one breath what we spend 20 years pretending not to feel.
And Jesus doesn’t rebuke him.
Jesus doesn’t say, Come back when you get your act together.
No—Jesus helps him. That’s the whole point.

But if you can do anything: The man seemed unsure if Jesus could do anything.

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief: The poor father in this account was challenged by Jesus’ exhortation for faith. He did believe in Jesus’ power to deliver his boy.

In this case, the man’s unbelief was not a rebellion against or a rejection of God’s promise. He did not deny God’s promise; he desired it. 

2. Thomas, the doubter.

Thomas wasn’t faithless—he was wounded.
His doubt wasn’t rebellion; it was heartbreak.

And what does Jesus do?
He doesn’t say, Seriously, Thomas?
He shows Thomas His scars.

IV. The Types of Doubt We Face

Let me give you three major categories of doubt—and you’ll see yourself in at least one.

1. Emotional Doubt

This is the doubt of pain:
“God, where are You?”
“Why did this happen?”

This isn’t a mind problem. It’s a heart problem.
And God cares deeply for the brokenhearted.

2. Intellectual Doubt

These are the questions about science and suffering.
Believers often fear asking these questions because they think the answers might unravel their faith. But Christianity has survived 2,000 years of scrutiny—your questions aren't going to break it.

3. Spiritual Doubt

“Am I really saved?”
“Does God really love me?”

This is where the enemy attacks most.

The remedy for doubt is faith, and faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

V. What Doubt Can Do for Your Faith

Here’s the surprising truth:
Doubt can be spiritually healthy when handled correctly.

Let me show you why.

1. Doubt forces you to grow deeper.

Unexamined faith stays shallow.
Wrestling with whether God is real often leads you to discover He’s more real than you thought.

2. Doubt pushes you toward truth.

When you chase answers, you usually find God waiting in the middle of the chase.

3. Doubt strengthens your testimony.

The people who can help doubters the most…
are those who’ve walked through doubt themselves.

How do I know if this is right or if it isn't? What if the things I believe aren't true?

It can be difficult to spiritually navigate in the world today without running into tough questions like these that challenge our faith and cause us to doubt.

Doubt Prompts Us to Ask Honest Questions

Doubt, for us, leads to the capacity to ask genuine questions, and a genuine question is a question born out of sincerity and a yearning to know.

When we look at James 1:5, it’s actually God telling us to ask a question, pointing out that the scripture begins with a hypothetical similar to if you lack faith.

Open Doubt, Not Skepticism, Leaves Our Hearts Sensitive to the Answers

VI. How to Handle Doubt in a Healthy, Biblical Way

1. Admit it honestly.

God cannot heal what we refuse to reveal.
Honesty is not a threat to faith—it’s the starting point.

2. Bring your doubt to Jesus, not Google.

Nothing wrong with research, but Google’s theology department is questionable.

Jesus told Thomas to touch His wounds.
Jesus told John’s disciples to go and report what they saw.

Bring your doubt where healing actually is.

3. Feed your faith more than your fear.

Faith comes by hearing the Word (Romans 10:17).
If the only time you hear Scripture is in class, your faith will struggle.

4. Remember your past faithfulness experiences.

When you can’t see God’s hand—remember His fingerprints.

Why Doubt Creeps In

• Life’s Hardships – When prayers seem unanswered or suffering feels overwhelming.
• Spiritual Attack – The enemy often plants seeds of doubt to shake our faith.
• Our Own Questions – Wanting to understand everything about God before trusting Him.

VII. Closing Challenge: From Hiding Doubt to Healing Doubt

Let me close with this.

If you walked into class today feeling like you’re hanging onto your faith by dental floss…
If you walked in feeling like the father in Mark 9…

Listen closely:
You are the exact kind of person Jesus always moved toward.

God is not scared of your doubt.
God is not disappointed in your doubt.

What God wants is your honesty, your heart:
Lord, I believe… help my unbelief.

And the moment you say that—
the elephant starts getting smaller.
And Jesus starts getting bigger.

Let’s pray.

“Father, thank You for loving us in our doubts. Thank You that Scripture is full of men and women who wrestled honestly with You. Teach us to trust in the darkness what we learned in the light. Increase our faith—and meet us in our unbelief. In Jesus’ name, amen.”