Tuesday Challenge: Ask a Great Question

Because Tuesdays are my teaching days, I don't have much time to create blog entries. So, I thought Tuesdays might be a good day to issue a weekly challenge designed to foster growth in us as leaders and teachers.

Here's this week's challenge (look for more in the weeks to come): Ask a great question!

Come up with one question you can ask yourself, your students, or your group members that requires thought and personal interaction with the topic.

Here are your guidelines:

1. The question cannot be answerable with just a yes or no.

2. The question cannot look for a right-or-wrong, test-like answer (facts, people, places, etc.).

3. The question should prompt thought and discussion.

4. The question should be open-ended. Here are some standard openers for open-ended questions:

• In what ways...
• How do you feel when...
• What do you think it means when...
• Why do you think...
• With what or whom do you most identify...?

Here's an example. I'm currently teaching on simplifying the spiritual disciplines. One question I might ask that meets the above criteria is this: Why do you think we tend to complicate spiritual disciplines so much? Another might be: In what ways have you (or I) unnecessarily complicated the spiritual life? A third might be: In what ways do you think Jesus modeled simplicity in His spiritual disciplines? You get the idea.

That's your challenge! Go for it! If you have the time, leave a comment to let me know how your challenge worked out (now that Blogger's comment capabilities are back)!

That's it for now,

Joan