Day 5: How do we take the initiative?

We take the initiative by asking questions, not delivering a sermon. We want to see someone go from being complacent about spiritual things to being intrigued. Questions can help people grow in their curiosity.

When we ask good questions, we get to know the person better and build trust. They feel valued. We can assess their understanding of spiritual things and their assumptions about God or Jesus. It takes the pressure off of us and puts the focus back on the one doing the answering. It alleviates some hostility because our posture is one of being a learner, not a debater. We can gain clarity on what they are communicating. We can get them to think about what they believe and why. Asking them questions can get them to think deeply about life, God, and their purpose.

Asking questions is precisely the strategy Jesus used. Jesus rarely answered questions, but He certainly liked asking them. In the gospels, He was asked 183 questions and only answered three! Instead of answering, He asked 307 questions back! This helped Him see what His disciples and others understood or believed. Let’s follow Jesus’ lead in this and start being question-askers!

Though the Spirit can bring questions to mind, memorizing some questions you could easily ask someone could be helpful. Here are six questions that can help you begin a spiritual conversation:

Ask about their past spiritual experiences:

• Did you have any religious background as a child?
• What have you tried in your spiritual journey since?

Ask about their present attitude about their journey:

• How has your search left you feeling?
• Currently, how important is the spiritual side of life to you?

Ask about their future direction spiritually:

• Do you think you are moving toward God, away from God, or staying about the same?
• How would you rate your desire to know God personally?

This last question gives you an idea of whether they are ready to discuss God further and begin a dialogue about getting to know Him.

Reflect on these questions:

• ·What do you like about these questions? What questions might you add?
• ·What do you think is easy about asking questions? What do you think is more challenging?

Pray and ask God to help you be a better question-asker. Ask Him to give you questions that best suit each person you are talking with, helping to build trust and increase their curiosity about Jesus.