by Ken Kessler

An old Chinese proverb says, "He who asks a question remains a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask remains a fool forever." The power of good questions is the first step in moving forward in learning and growth.

What makes a good question? Consider the questions below and their value to a conversation:

• How do you feel about our church?
• Don't you think we have too many meetings?
• Did you find the training helpful?  
• Do you like the new preacher?  
• What's wrong with those who don't attend church anymore?  
• Why did you make that decision?  
• What do you think about all these changes?  
• Is there anybody who can help you with this?  
• Can you think of a better way to solve this?  

I have heard all these questions asked sometime over the past year. Some of these are good, basic questions, but many are vague and unappealing for the learning and growth of the person who asked the question. How would you evaluate these questions? What would be your filter to change them into powerful, impactful questions?

Here are some of the filters I use to evaluate whether I asked an impactful question to myself or others. After I reflect on them, I ask myself how I could have asked the question more effectively.  

1. What clarity did the question bring?
2. Was it an open-ended question?
3. How specific was the question?
4. How thought-provoking was it?
5. How concisely did I ask the question?
6. Was the question relevant to the conversation?
7. How did the question encourage the person's engagement?
8. Does the question avoid a judgmental response?
9. How adaptable was the question to the person's circumstance?
10. Was the question about making me the "hero" or helping the person discover their answer?

In future issues, we will explore these filters and expand our thinking about asking better questions. I am convinced that we in the church must ask better questions. When we ask them, we find better solutions to our challenges. When we listen deeper to the work of the Spirit in our lives, we experience growth in our relationship to God and to each other. Powerful questions increase our openness to God's movement in our journey.

Bob Tiede, a coach from the Christian organization CRU, says that the gospels record at least 340 questions that Jesus asked of those he encountered. Jesus knew a powerful question could bring discovery and transformation in a person's life.

According to Eugene Peterson’s The Message, the wisdom writer in Proverbs 2:3-5 shares the following: "That's right. If you make insight your priority and won't take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, believe me, before you know it, the fear of God will be yours, and you'll have come upon the knowledge of God."

Ask great questions for insight and discovery and come upon the knowledge of God. After all, what are we seeking?

Action Item

Pick a day next week and write down at least 10 questions you asked someone or asked yourself. Evaluate the impact of those questions. How could you have asked those questions more effectively and with more power for transformation and growth?

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