Tools for Good Conversations

Good Questions Create a Conversation

And they create those conversations without putting anyone in the spot. You don't want our small group members to feel like they are in school, taking a test. You also don't want a scenario where you are the learned teacher asking all the questions, and the group members are under pressure to know the answers you expect from them. That is not a healthy learning situation.

In contrast, some of the best discussion questions solicit input from everyone present. The best example of this is to ask people what they think. There is no wrong answer to the question, "What do you think?" In a Bible study for example: "What do you think Jesus means when He says, 'Sell your possessions?' Was He talking to you and me? What's your opinion?"

Of course, as a leader, you will sometimes know what the Bible actually teaches about a subject—you're not supposed to be void of knowledge or opinions. But you want to gently steer the group toward the answer Jesus gives. Allowing people to discuss questions and process the answers themselves improves their rate of retention. It's also a good idea to remember that your knowledge or opinion may not represent the full scope of a passage or verse.