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DAY 7: Jesus asked more questions than He gave answers.
In his book The Questions of Jesus, John Dear looks at all the times that Jesus asked questions in order to draw people into a deeper understanding of Himself and discipleship. His premise is that by asking questions instead of simply disseminating information, Jesus helped people grow deeper. Being asked questions forced the disciples to think more critically about matters of faith. Questions stimulate people’s thinking so that they are better able to process new information.
The other advantage of asking questions is that people are much more likely to follow through on commitments that they make as a result of being asked questions. I once counseled someone who wasn’t happy or satisfied unless she had a boyfriend. I would encourage her to work on becoming a healthy disciple in order to be ready for a relationship, if that was God’s intention for her life. After many long conversations about the same topic, we were getting nowhere. Eventually, I asked her what she thought she should do. After a few other questions, she finally concluded that she should work on herself and her relationship with the Lord before entering a dating relationship! I was certainly a little frustrated that she hadn’t received this counsel from me earlier. But I learned a lesson that day: People are more likely to follow through on plans that they discover for themselves.
A discipler should function as a coach. Yes, there will likely be times when we need to give information or advice. However, as we engage with other people in their discipleship, they will be better served if we approach our role as that of a coach, asking powerful questions and engaging in active listening.
Some content taken from Simple Discipleship by Dana Allin. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of NavPress, represented by Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
https://www.navpress.com/p/simple-discipleship/9781631467134
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About this Plan
Have you ever been part of a group that spent a lot of time discussing the concept of discipleship, and yet the members did not appear to grow much as disciples? Jesus not only gives us instructions about the nature of discipleship; He demonstrates principles about how disciples are developed. Let’s look at seven principles that Jesus used consistently as He developed the people around Him.
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