Every journey begins with a Question Mark?

"Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have" 1 Peter 3:15

Sometimes the questions are more important than the answers...

Today I had the privilege of spending time with some young people who were given the opportunity to ask any question about faith that was on their mind to myself and a fellow youth worker. The questions were both interesting, random and profound. Here are a few examples of what was asked in quick fire mode!

• Why are you a Christian?
• Why do you believe in God?
  
• Do you believe in the devil and ghosts and all that?
• Why did God make humans?
• How do we know that God loves us?
• Why did God make man eating beasts? (Closely followed by Why did God make woman eating beasts?)
  
• Do you believe in hell?
  
• Do aliens exist, is God sexist and what day was Jesus born? (all one question!)
• How has being a Christian affected your life style?
• Is there like another Jesus dying for our sins somewhere right now?
• Why is the Devil a fallen angel?
• If you were God and you could change one thing what would it be?

Each answer had to be given in around 30 seconds to one minute max and had to be said in a way that young people with no religious background would understand. At least one of the questions I answered "I Don't know" which can sometimes have as much power in it as an answer in itself. It shows you are vulnerable, it shows you don't have all the answers and it shows you are on a journey. The most important thing we can learn about helping people get to know God is that everyone is on a journey - even you. Everyone moves forward by the power of the questioning mind. Many times I deal with young people who are defiantly against God one minute and completely change their hearts towards him the next. Why? Because some of the simplist or deepest of questions can unlock new directions and destinies in people.

Brian McLaren once said "Discipleship is not about getting conversions. It is about starting conversations." Good questions are the ultimate conversation starters. Good questions are like signposts that point us in the right direction.

There are times when you have to read between the lines and ask yourself what they are really asking... This is perhaps one of the greatest spiritual keys to discipleship you could ever learn.

So let me leave you with two very simple questions: Who is asking you questions right now and how are you answering? What questions are you asking right now and how are you finding the answers? These two important questions form the basis of what we call our "spiritual journeys" and they determine which direction we are headed.

CHALLENGE: Why not practice answering some of the questions the young people asked above by commenting on this post in as short and as simple way as possible. You can also guess which question I said I don't know to if you like!