My life is really a series of questions that I’m constantly asking. Could be one of the reasons why I always prefer to interview than be interviewed. I like to ask questions. Here are some common ones I’m regularly asking:
1. What is God telling me to do? That’s usually confirmed through reading the Bible, praying and listening to the wisdom of the friends who surround me.
2. What is the wise thing to do? I learned this question from Andy Stanley. It comes from his book The Best Question Ever.
3. What does Emily think? You’d be amazed at how God uses your spouse to either confirm a good decision or stop a bonehead move.
4. Who? Because the most important thing I do in ministry is get the right people on the team. That includes both staff and volunteers. As I get older, this is also about identifying the new leaders.
5. What’s next? I’m 40 now. Maybe that urgency will subside as I age more. Or, maybe it will grow more intense. I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m one day closer to Heaven and I’d like as many people as possible to join me. Because of that, I’ve never been satisfied with the status quo. To me, this question is all about reaching more people for Jesus.
6. Why? This one probably annoys people the most, but churches in particular rarely ask it. We do things because we’ve always done it. Of course, churches are dying across the country. So, for at least this next season of life, that will probably create all kinds of new opportunities to ask why?
7. How can we simplify it? The tendency is to complicate. Over time, programs get added. In an attempt to avoid problems, we add guidelines. To help people move from point A to point B, we add steps. Usually, though, those steps just add confusion. This question is about removing barriers and making the next steps obvious.
There are seven questions to get you started. What are the other questions I should be asking? (I guess that’s number 8.)
