The art of asking questions

“If it weren’t for God, I wouldn’t be alive today,” she said. “Before you invited me to Truth Seekers, I was planning on killing myself.” It’s a story I share often because it exemplifies Jesus’ hand on our ministry in high school.

The Bible club started my freshman year and was called Truth Seekers for good reason. We met together weekly to seek the Truth (Jn. 14:6). At one of our meetings, a student shared the above testimony.

The story started when I asked her a simple question in the hall: “Will you join us at Truth Seekers?” She agreed. She heard the Gospel at our meeting. The Holy Spirit led her to Jesus, who did a saving work in her life. It started with one invitation, one question.

I’m grateful for questions. They enable me to engage in conversation and grow to better know those I love. Questions are an effective tool to use in witnessing (Acts 8). It’s through asking questions that we meet with answers. 

I asked many questions growing up. Momma was gracious: “Now, Marcus, you know the answer to that question. Think about it for a minute. It’ll come to you.” Dad, on the other hand: “Open your eyes and you shall see. If it was any more obvious, the answer’d bite you in the nose!”

Since then, I’ve grown immensely in decisiveness, but I will always ask questions. Questions are important for nearly everything I do as a follower of Jesus. When I share the gospel and preach in the open air, I often begin my message with questions to draw a crowd, seeking to engage those walking by. The Holy Spirit electrifies simple questions and uses them to capture attention and draw hearts unto Jesus with a seemingly magnetic pull.

I’ve been so thankful for the ministries of the Way of the Master and Mark Cahill and their emphases on using questions to engage people in witnessing conversations. Using questions, I bring people through the Ten Commandments to an understanding of their sin, preparing the soil of their hearts to hear the glorious message of the Savior. 

Let’s ask questions and listen intently to responses, because we love people deeply as Christ has first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19). When you discover where someone is, you can meet her there and lead her to where Jesus is.

Another week at Truth Seekers, a friend submitted an “anonymous” suggestion card, which read, “Can we have more discussion?” In other words, “Will you ask more questions, so we have opportunity to speak out more?” That suggestion shaped the rest of my ministry. 

Ask questions. What a remarkable idea! Draw the truth out of your listeners. Always submit to the Bible as the absolute measuring rod to evaluate every truth claim. Help others exegete His truth by asking questions.

Ultimately, genuine questions can lead to an encounter with the Living Truth. It’s only the truth of Jesus that sets captives free. When we ask questions, seeking truth, we will find Him. For, He is the Truth, and He is not far from any one who will seek and ask Him (Acts 17:26-31).