Christian apologetics books
10 best apologetics books for teens in 2025
When it comes to the best apologetics books for teens, I recommend short books that are relatively easy to read.
And, critically, books that don’t skip diving into the big questions of the Christian faith.
Like many of us, high school students benefit from relatable stories and discussion questions.
This list of 7 Christian apologetics books for teens are specifically written for students, and many take a practical approach to understanding and defending their faith.
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For teens ready to explore faith: Discover the 10 best apologetics books for teens.
Why study apologetics as a teen or young adult?
As a teenager, I wanted to explain my Christian convictions, but didn't have a game plan. I often avoided faith-based conversations with nonbelievers, as I was unsure how to respond.
If I'm honest, I also didn't have the time, attention span, or inclination to dive into an intellectual and jargon-filled explanation of faith.
If someone handed me a Christian apologetics book that felt like an academic textbook, I wouldn't have opened it!
Of course, that’s not the case for every teen. Some are designed for a more academic study of apologetics and should be directed to different books.
I wonder if teens are facing more challenges to their faith today. I was surprised when my "tween" youth group told me they were being mocked for their Christian belief.
And it's not just at school. Many Christian students now hear and see things on social media that, as adults, we may not have encountered at their age.
That's why I believe it's important to provide teens resources on Christian truth. Whether it's a study guide, a systematic theology of belief, or an overview of church history, this new generation needs strong adult mentor.
In the age of skepticism we now live, it's critical to raise up young adults with a deep understanding of the Christian life.
Top 10 apologetics books for teens
Table of Contents ▲
Josh McDowell, a skeptic and agnostic in college, ridiculed Christians and set out to disprove Jesus' claims through research.
Yet the evidence convinced him that Jesus is God, leading to his conversion.
He wrote the book to share his personal journey and has updated “More Than a Carpenter” for its second edition to tackle questions such as, “How can I find meaning?”
2. ‘10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity’ by Rebecca McLaughlin
Rebecca McLaughlin wrote “10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity” specifically with students and teenagers in mind.
Growing up in London in a Christian home, she attended a school where Christianity was viewed as irrelevant.
She told Spine Magazine, "I was either brave enough or foolish enough to call an assembly at school, when I was about 12, on why I was a Christian."
This book is a more accessible adaptation of her apologetics books, “Confronting Christianity,” and is designed to help young people wrestle with modern doubts and cultural pressures.
As a journalist, Lee Strobel was an atheist who decided to prove that Christianity was wrong. Instead, he discovered the reliability of the Bible and gave his life to Christ.
Strobel used his interviewing and investigative skills to review the historical evidence for Jesus. It first published as a book for adults.
The student edition shares stories teens may identify with. When Strobel was 14 years old, for example, he learned about Darwin’s theory of evolution in biology class — and lost faith in God.
But more importantly, he shares his story of regaining his faith as an adult.
As a young man in the 1960s, Greg Koukl rejected Christianity, viewing God as a restrictive killjoy and believing he was too smart for faith.
A broken relationship prompted him to reexamine his worldview, leading to his conversion.
Drawing from decades of honest conversations, he wrote “Tactics” to equip everyday Christians — not just experts — with simple, graceful strategies to navigate discussions confidently.
For example, he shares how to use “Columbo” tactics to ask clarifying questions, such as, “What do you mean by that?’
5. ‘True for You, But Not for Me’ by Paul Copan
Paul Copan wrote “True for You, But Not for Me” to help Christians unsure how to respond to the culture’s growing acceptance of relativism and pluralism.
The book deflates common slogans that leave believers speechless, providing concise and thoughtful rebuttals.
It will help teens navigate school and cultural conversations about Christianity, including common objections and assertions.
6. ‘Cold-Case Christianity’ by J. Warner Wallace
J. Warner Wallace grew up in a nominally religious home and defaulted to atheism. During his teens and young adult years, he openly mocked Christians.
After becoming a cold-case homicide detective as an adult, he decided to use his investigative skills to examine the Gospels as an eyewitness account, just as he would as a detective.
What he discovered convinced him of the reliability of Jesus and the resurrection, leading to his conversion.
Wallace wrote “Cold-Case Christianity” to share this detective approach, making the case for Christianity's truth accessible and exciting through stories and visuals.
He’s also written a “Cold-Case Christianity for Kids.”
C.S. Lewis was raised in a Christian family but rejected faith in his early teens, becoming a committed atheist after his mother's death.
He lived as an atheist through his 20s until intellectual discussions with friends like J.R.R. Tolkien led to his conversion in his early 30s.
“Mere Christianity” originated as WWII BBC radio broadcasts where Lewis, as a layman and former skeptic, explained and defended the core beliefs shared by all Christians.
The book focuses on "mere" or essentials to unite believers weary from war and facing uncertainty.
Raised in a Christian family in the UK, Rebecca McLaughlin boldly called a school assembly at age 12 to explain why she was a Christian, despite attending secular schools where faith was seen as odd.
Drawing from years of facilitating conversations at The Veritas Forum with top academics, she wrote “Confronting Christianity” to tackle 12 hard questions head-on.
That includes objections to Christianity such as the existence of suffering and how it relates to science.
This book equips believers and inviting skeptics to engage.
9. ‘I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist’ by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek
Norman Geisler attended a non-denominational evangelical church from age nine but resisted conversion until his late teens, finally committing to Christianity at age 18.
Frank Turek grew up in a Catholic family in New Jersey, where he wrestled with more profound questions about faith and belief as a teenager.
When writing “I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist,” they drew from decades of experience teaching apologetics as part of a campus ministry.
Their book presents a logical, step-by-step case showing Christianity is more reasonable than atheism or other worldviews.
As a junior in high school, William Lane Craig first heard the Gospel message from a classmate.
He was overwhelmed by the realization that God loves him personally.
He went on to earn two doctorates (in philosophy and theology) and wrote academically-oriented theology and apologetics books.
Urged by his wife to make his scholarly work more accessible, he wrote “On Guard” as a concise, illustrated training manual with clear philosophical arguments.
It also includes practical tools to equip everyday Christians — especially motivated students — to defend their faith confidently with reason and precision.
‘Faith Storytellers’ by Mackenzie Ryan Walters
Although not strictly an apologetics book, “Faith Storytellers” equips Christians with the essential skill of crafting compelling personal testimonies — powerful tools that complement apologetics by sharing lived faith experiences in a relatable, non-argumentative way.
Award-winning journalist Mackenzie Ryan Walters, after observing secular audiences captivated by authentic Christian miracle stories, created the Faith Storytellers Framework. This practical, iterative method helps anyone—including teens or adults without writing experience—turn vague or general testimonies into engaging narrative arcs that draw listeners in and leave them wanting more.
Personal stories are hard to argue against and often open doors that pure apologetics cannot. The next time someone asks you about God, you’ll have a personal story ready to share. (OK, we’re a little biased here at Faith Storytellers, but you should still get a copy!)
Looking for more book recommendations?
Check out our central hub for Christian book recommendations. You may also enjoy the following guides:
➡️ Ultimate guide to apologetics books
➡️ The best Catholic apologetics books
➡️ The best apologetics study Bible for 2026
➡️ The best apologetics books for beginners
➡️ 5 books to read: Apologetics for parents
➡️ The 10 best apologetics books for teens
➡️ The 10 best apologetics picture books for preschoolers
Plus a few more books you may enjoy:
➡️ The best Christian testimony books
Mackenzie Ryan Walters is the author of “Faith Storytellers: Unleash the Power of Your Story,” and the editor of the Faith Storytellers website, which shares Christian testimonies and stories, as well as curated lists about Christian books, gifts, and more. A national award-winning journalist who’s covered a presidential campaign and been inside NASA, Mackenzie is passionate about lifting up and sharing the story God is actively writing in the world.
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