LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
The Importance of Asking Honest Questions
A Paper Submitted to
the Faculty of the School of Divinity
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (Ed. D) Department of Christian Leadership and
Church Ministries
By
Mary Gracias
Lynchburg, Virginia
8/2022
The Importance of Asking Honest Questions
Sometimes Christian pastors, parents and teachers are afraid of the questions young
people and others might ask. Questions of another generation, or generated by secular
teachers and other models can seem rebellious and threatening. Questions arising out of other
cultural and worldview assumptions than those of the local Church can seem to be coming from
another planet.
Even if the questions are honest they can be very difficult to understand and the reaction is
often suspicion or rebuke. It is known that Jesus is the answer, but there is a strong inclination
to limit the questions to familiar ones.
1. Introduction
1.1 Christian fear of questions
It is known that Jesus is the answer, but there is a strong inclination to limit the questions
to familiar ones. This situation is often very stressful and alienating.
1.2 Jesus is the answer to all questions
The workers at SEN know that Christians don’t need to be afraid of questions because Jesus
really is the answer to all the questions. They also know it takes a lot of patience, love, hard
work, prayer and deep thought to realize what the answers are and how they apply.
2. The Role of Questions in the Search for Truth
2.1 Raising questions is often more effective than making statements
Which do you think would be more effective: to get on a city bus and shout out 'Jesus is the
answer!' or to shout out 'What are your questions?' before sitting down. In which case would
someone be more likely to come to sit with you and open up a conversation?
2.2 Questions must be understood before answers can be given
The questions of someone from an atheistic, mafia connected Russian family, or a Moslem
family or a newly converted Evangelical from a nominally Orthodox family will be very different.
Their questions are part of who they are and must be carefully and compassionately
understood before they can be directed to the answers of Jesus.
2.3 Asking questions is a way of understanding the lost world
As we relate to the culture around us, we are called to be salt and light. This requires us to
know something of the nature of the rotting darkness in which we live (Philippians 4:8).
2.4 Questions Christians must ask…
1. Themselves: Am I doing right? Am I behaving in a loving and inviting way? Am I
respecting the lost people around me whom God made and Jesus died to save? Do I trust God
to sustain and use me in uncertain circumstances?
2. Others
2.5 The questions of Jesus
Teaching by questioning is often connected to Socrates, but Jesus also used this method.
1. The rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-31)
2. The healing of the Syrian / Phoenician woman’s daughter (Matthew 15:22-28)
3. The Role of Questions in the Search for Truth
3.1 Questions and doubt
Questioning is often associated with doubt and is thought to be rebellious or unfaithful.
But, we only learn more about God and our lives as his children by asking questions.
3.2 The agenda of questions
1. Dokimazo: Dokimazo means to assay, or to test to find out how much good is there. Paul
teaches us how not to put out the Spirit’s fire or hold the prophecies in contempt; it is by asking
Dokimazo questions or 'testing everything'. (1 Thessalonians 5)
2. Pierazo: Pierazo means to find out what is bad or wrong. If we 'Pierazo' to find
something wrong, it will not show us the good. As we interact with the world and its people, we
should ask questions to find out how God’s image and character are manifested in it. Then,
starting with what is praiseworthy, we can lead people to see what is still lacking.
3. Asking questions as Christ asked them: We should follow Jesus and test each other, the
world and ourselves as He does. Questioning and testing are hard, painful and frightening. At
the end of the Old Testament, Malachi writes of Jesus sitting as a refiner of silver. We are all
cooking in the pot. He carefully keeps us just at the point of boiling, but not boiling over, while
he skims away the black scum that floats to the surface. As more and more of the scum gets
taken away, the silver becomes a mirror and Jesus sees Himself in our lives. Boiling is not
pleasant, but very effective in purifying.
