When relating to a blind man, Jesus asked: “What do you see?” (Mark 8:24); when traveling north to Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples: “Whom do people say I am?” (Mark 8:27), with the attending follow up question: “Whom do you say I am?” (Mark 8:29). Likewise, sometime later He asked His disciples about their recent discussion, which centered upon “who was the greatest” (Mark 9:33); and still later, after James and John had asked to sit at His right and left “in glory,” He asked them: “Are you able to drink the cup which I drink or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am being baptized?” (Mark 10:38).
In each of these moments from Mark’s Gospel, Jesus expected an answer; and each of these moments are integral to Jesus’ interactions with His disciples, as He sought to prepare them for Jerusalem and His death – and each highlights His strong tendency to ask questions.
I allude to these moments, because they were central to two of the three pastoral retreats I led while in Romania. For these retreats, our focus was: “Christian Leadership,” and my intent was that we might carefully observe Jesus and His leadership, most especially as He led His disciples. Although a number of leadership traits emerge, when attention is given to Mark 8:22 – 9:1, 9:30-50, and 10:32-45, nonetheless chief among them is His asking questions. In part His questions elicited information, but mostly His questions prompted others to think about their assumptions, about their feelings and thoughts, and most certainly about themselves. Of course Jesus was not the first to employ questions to great advantage, but we will fail to grasp fully His giftedness as a leader, if we do not note His propensity to ask those very simple but probing questions: Why? Who? What? Where? When? He asked, expecting that others would of necessity answer thoughtfully.
Upon my return from Romania, I was asked to compare Romanian pastors with their Malawian counterparts: Did they respond differently? In answer to this question, I volunteered: “No – no I really didn’t observe a difference. Rather, I have found that, when encouraged to think, people are people, irrespective their native origins – Romanian, Malawian, or American. When given the freedom to think/ask/respond, people engage. Moreover, when given the encouragement to ask questions of the Scriptures and of one another, even as they are prompted to answer similar questions, people – pastors and church leaders – benefit greatly.”
While in Romania, I asked questions.
Faithfully,
Stan