Every youth leader has faced this: the quiet teen who doesn’t speak up in class, who avoids eye contact during spiritual discussions, who maybe even says, “I’m not sure I believe in all this.”

This isn’t a crisis. It’s an invitation.

Normalize the Struggle We all have to work through doubt. Encourage your class or quorum to think of faith as a process, not a pass/fail test. A testimony is built over time. Some bricks are questions. Some are experiences. Some are spiritual witnesses. It’s all part of the same house.

Short Activity to Open the Conversation Ask each youth to write one thing they used to be unsure about—and how they came to understand it. Then ask them to write one thing they still don’t fully understand. This gives space for real talk without pressure.

What They Need Most Is Safety No one opens up when they feel judged. Foster a space where doubts are heard without panic. And remind them: Jesus never rejected a sincere question. Neither should we.

Our youth spiritual growth activities in the Forged in Faith program include trust-building lessons that leaders can use to create this kind of culture week after week. If you’re not sure what to say, we’ve got scripts and templates that help.