How old was Jesus when He was crucified?  I've heard conflicting numbers.

Sincerely,
Time Stamp

Dear Time Stamp,

When Jesus began preaching, He was thirty-years-old (Lk 3:23).  Jesus preached roughly three years.  We know the amount of time He preached by counting the Passovers that He attended.  Each year had one Passover, and since Jesus attended four Passovers (one as He began preaching , two during His ministry, and the final Passover He died at), we know He preached roughly three years.  This would make Jesus roughly thirty-three-years-old at His crucifixion.

Christian teenagers dating unbelievers: is it a sin?

Sincerely,
What About THAT One?

Dear What About THAT One,

Christians should only marry christians (1 Cor 7:39).  The Scriptures make that concept very clear.  However, whom someone dates is a much grayer area.  Even the term ‘date’ is vague.  Sometimes that word is used to express ‘an informal social engagement’, and sometimes it means ‘a close and meaningful long-term romantic relationship’.  The more intimate and close the relationship is, the more important it is that the two people have the same values.  Since christians should marry christians, it only makes sense that people would make sure they had the same values before the relationship became very serious.

Is there any Biblical objection to homeschooling your children?  Didn't Jesus teach that we should go out into the world and spread His word? How can we do that if we only interact with other christians?

Sincerely,
John Q. Public School

Dear John Q. Public School,

Public school, homeschooling, co-ops, etc. are all Biblically permissible.  Each parent must make their own decision as to what is best for their child(ren) (Eph 6:1-4).  Homeschooling is not synonymous with avoiding interaction with the world.  Just as public schooling is not synonymous with feeding your children to the world.  Each family must make the decisions that are best for them, using wisdom to discern between good and evil for their children (Heb 5:14).

Is it Biblically wrong for a married couple (with no fertility issues or anything like that) to simply choose not to have kids?  I know in the Old Testament that God said to be fruitful and multiply; is anything like this found in the New Testament?

Sincerely,
Just The Two Of Us

Dear Just The Two Of Us,

No, it isn’t a sin.  Although there is some debate over whether the command to be fruitful and multiply – which was given to Adam and Eve (Gen 1:22) and also to Noah’s family (Gen 9:1) – still applies, it is generally understood that this command does not apply to us today.  The world has been “replenished” from the days of Noah, and the concept of multiplying to fill the earth is not addressed in the New Testament.  Although the most common pattern will always be for married couples to have children, it is not a sin for a couple to have no children.

Is it wrong for a woman to lead a prayer when men are present?  Specifically at a large family gathering before a meal?

Sincerely,
Giving Thanks

Dear Giving Thanks,

God makes it clear that a woman is not supposed to have authority over a man (1 Tim 2:12).  This command does not apply to every area of life, but it does specifically apply to the spiritual realm.  In the worship service, women are forbidden from any leadership position (1 Cor 14:34-35).  Leading a prayer is most definitely a spiritual leadership position.  Yes, it would be wrong for a woman to lead a prayer when christian men are present.