I still remember what it was like to be a new Christian and to constantly be asking, “So what does that mean?” I had come to faith as an adult; I did not grow up with any significant exposure to Christianity. So, when it came to the truths that have defined our faith for generations, I was a blank slate. General or special revelation, premillennialism or amillennialism, pneumatology or pneumonia—I had no clue.

But I had one thing going for me: I was curious. I wanted to know what I didn’t know about God, the universe, and everything. To better grasp what makes Christianity so different from all the other religions and worldviews out there. What I discovered was—and is—a delight. Because what I discovered is that Christianity is a faith that invites our curiosity and our questions. And it welcomes them because it has good answers.

These answers are at the heart of our doctrine. And they are meant to do more than satisfy our intellectual curiosity. They are meant to lead us into a life of devotion and delight as they draw us toward the God who made us and reveals himself to us in the things he has made.

Doctrine and Delight Belong Together

While some might disagree, I do believe doctrine and delight belong together. What we believe about God shapes our love for God. Theology, the application of God’s Word to our lives, draws us closer to Jesus, the One in whom Christians delight. Doctrine is not stuffy, academic subject matter. It cuts to the core of who we are and what we believe.

Few understood this relationship better than Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo (c 354–430). If you don’t know his story, Augustine was a member of a hedonistic cult in his youth. He turned away no pleasure that was set before him because he believed that the pursuit of pleasure was our purpose in life. Yet he found those pleasures to be empty. What he pursued failed to satisfy. The pursuits only made him long for more to try and satisfy a longing inside him—a longing that was, finally, only satisfied in the joy he discovered in Christ. And his delight in Christ made all that was once sweet to him seem sour. After all, what could compare to the surpassing value of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8)? And so he set them aside.

Like Augustine, it took me many years to grasp what the Scriptures so plainly revealed: Lasting delight cannot be found in anyone or anything but Jesus. The more I experience this, the truer it becomes, and the more I find myself desiring to learn more. To know Christ better. To delight in him. And to live from that delight.

The Surprising Rebirth of Spiritual Curiosity

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re already convinced of the value of sound doctrine for our lives. And you’re also likely as grieved as I am by all the bad news stories about the state of belief in the West. The “nones”— people who described themselves as being nothing in particular in religious surveys— were among the fastest-growing demographics in the United States. Trust in religious institutions is at an all-time low. Pastors are barely more trusted than lawyers by the general public.

But, despite all the doom-and-gloom, there is something exciting happening: a growing number of people—especially among teenagers and young adults—are becoming curious not just about spirituality in general, but about Christianity in particular. Many of these are like I was 20 years ago: They know little if anything about Christianity at all. They don’t know what makes us distinct from all the other religions and worldviews out there. They don’t what we believe or why we believe it. But they have questions about God and the nature of humanity. About angels and demons, good and evil, and so much more.

They’re looking for answers. They’re willing to discuss, investigate, and wrestle profound truths. They just need help knowing where to start. But more than that, they need guides.

They need people like you and me.

The Guides the Spiritually Curious Need

Now, that might sound intimidating. If it does, know that I get it. Many of us hear “guide” and think mentor or teacher. We need to be wise spiritual sages who have everything figured out and don’t struggle or doubt or have questions. People who aren’t like us because they aren’t like anyone. They are imaginary.

But you, my friend, are real. And you are what the spiritually curious need. They need people who may not have it all figured out, but are curious. People who are willing to walk and wrestle alongside them. People who know that Christianity welcomes their questions because it has good answers. To be people who don’t tire of exploring because we can never fully plumb the depths of God.

To be people who delight in God—and are devoted to him.

This is the kind of guide the spiritually curious need. This is who God calls us to be. Let’s embrace it and see what God does.