The longer I lead and attend classes and Bible studies, the more convinced I am of the importance of good questions.
Good questions cannot make up for sloppy study or errant understanding. However, without good questions, the Biblical truth that should pierce like an arrow may land like a jellyfish instead.
Questions are the delivery method, the interface between leader and participant. Assuming the leader does not want to lecture (please don’t!), questions are the primary way to fuel the discussion and learn what the Scriptures say.
Every leader and teacher can improve in their question-asking. Like anything else, this takes practice and training. Below, I offer three suggestions for those who want to grow in this area.
Envision Possible Answers
Here’s my recipe for level 1 improvement: As you write your questions, think of the specific people in your small group and how they are likely to hear and answer what you ask.
This depends on a leader knowing their small group members and having experience talking with them about the Bible. Every group is different, so a set of questions that work well in one setting might not fit in another—even with the same Scripture passage.
When I draft a question, I imagine trying to answer it myself. Then I picture the possible answers my small group members will give. This step sharpens my questions, helping me to discard any vague and ill-formed inquiries. I am better able to point my friends toward what matters in the text.
Review the Meeting
We can unlock the next level of progress by reviewing the small group meeting with a friend afterward. Ideally, this is someone who attended the meeting, though that isn’t completely necessary.
The goal is to think carefully about the questions after the fact. Did they accomplish what you wanted? (You did have a goal for each question, right?) Were they clear? Try to hang onto your meeting notes and go through the questions one by one.
The best time to debrief is while the meeting is still fresh in your mind—optimally within a day or two. I find that if too much time passes, it’s hard for me to remember the responses to individual questions.
A Pre-meeting Discussion
The most intense way to upgrade your question-asking skills is a hybrid of my first two suggestions: Meet with a friend in advance of the meeting to talk through and plan your questions.
After you have studied the relevant Bible passage and made a plan for the study, get together with a friend and discuss the questions you plan to ask. This friend can draw out your intention behind each question. They can also answer your questions, and you can learn how someone in your group is likely to interpret and respond to them.
No Perfect Plan
These strategies come with no guarantee. Asking good questions in a small group is a learned skill; it is something we can practice and improve. However, because people are unpredictable, one of the other skills we need is improvisation. No study will ever go exactly according to script, so we need to be ready to reframe, drill down, or pull back.
The job of the small group leader is to understand and apply the Biblical text and then help group members to understand and apply it as well. Because questions are central to the second part of this goal, it is worth the effort to ask the best questions we can.
Leave a Reply