This post is about questions–specifically, the value of questions as endorsed poetically by Rudyard Kipling. But first, a short digression.
You may have noticed that I took a hiatus from posting during the month of February.
There were a couple reasons for this time-out. First, my day job as an Interim Pastor heated up in February with many initiatives reaching their conclusion that required a great deal of my discretionary time. But second, I needed time to re-think and re-boot why I’m doing this.
I began my website and blog late January 2016 as part of the lead-up to the release last May of my new book Paradox Lost: Rediscovering the Mystery of God. Thus, I recently passed my one year anniversary for both the website and blog. I wrote what I learned this first year in my recent newsletter—if you’re interested, you can subscribe to my newsletter in the pop box at the end of this post.
During the past month, I wrestled with whether I even wanted to continue blogging—especially given a dip in number of “views” in recent months. So I consulted a social media professional, who also happens to be my daughter, Lauren. She listened a good bit and then eventually made a statement and asked a key question:
“It doesn’t sound like you’re having much fun. What would be life-giving to you?”
That one simple question crystallized everything. My posting had not been life-giving in recent months—in fact, it felt far more like a burden, a “have to” instead of a “want to.” I was beaten down by needing to meet my posting deadlines twice a week and found myself trolling through past sermons looking for anything I could use. Not life-giving!
Lauren’s astute question “What would be life-giving?” started me on a journey to revamp and broaden the theme for my blog.
First, I realized this: while many of my posts last year were around the issue of biblical paradox and it will always remain a special interest for me, my real goal is digging beneath the surface. All my life I’ve wanted to get down to the roots of things: Where do diverging ideas come from? Why do people think and act as they do, especially those of us who are followers of Jesus? What does a biblical passage mean in context for the 21st century? I’m always intrigued by the “story beneath the story.”
Second, throughout my career I’ve always pushed for holistic thinking and living. This is especially needed in our currently polarized American culture, where either/or thinking has reached ascendancy in a “post truth” environment. Such a dumbing down endangers us all, as we have lost the art (or skill) of living in healthy tensions, where left and right, Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative both have pieces of the solution but neither has the whole solution.
Third, I’m moving into a new stage of life where my future will be focused on my ministry as a professional coach. As a coach, my bread and butter is asking questions. Good coaching is rarely about giving advice. Rather, excellent coaching is asking just the right question that unlocks new insights or opens unexpected pathways forward, just as Lauren’s question did for me. How can I incorporate this new focus in my posting?
Fourth, another new initiative for me in 2017 is offering workshops for knowing God in deeper ways, especially through the new windows the often paradoxical truths of Scripture open up for us. Such questions often blow apart our comfortable God-in-a-box thinking and re-connect us with a God much larger than we had imagined.
The theme running through these personal, theological, practical and professional arenas is “questions.”
This was my “aha” moment. If the theme running through my future blogging is asking powerful and provocative questions, I can address all four! Thus, I’ve developed a wider focus for my blog in 2017. Here’s the new introduction I wrote on my website:
My goal is helping you pursue powerful questions that will lead you to new discoveries—about yourself, the world around you and, especially, God.
While many may want easy, pre-packaged answers today that side-step nuance or complexity, what we need is provocative questions. Questions open us up to new truth in ways answers do not. Questions open the door to authentic Christianity, which is often called “faith seeking understanding.” Join me in challenging your mind to expand your worldview and your heart to deepen your faith.
“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” Mark Twain
What Mark Twain says about words is equally true about questions. My goal is to seek out the “lightning” questions and share them with you. I don’t promise answers (although I will often have opinions). What I do hope is to engage you in ways that much of what you currently read may not be doing.
During my month off, I also did some research. When I began my blog, the conventional wisdom was posts must be 500 words or less, yet now posts of 1,000 words or more are more increasingly seen. I also discovered there is more interest in “mini-posts” that offer quick advice or helpful links.
Lots of blogs offer answers…how many help you ask good questions?
Here is my weekly plan to offer both longer and shorter posts in 2017 around the theme of “Pursuing Provocative Questions”:
- Monday mornings will offer my main post for the week—1,000+ words on some question that hopefully helps you dig into the roots of an issue. These questions may often still feature the themes of paradox, worldview and culture, and Christian faith, but they will come from many areas
- Thursday mornings my second post will offer a “60-second Question”—a relevant quote from history, current events or the Bible that sets up a question to ponder for just 60 seconds. My purpose is to encourage you to take just one minute out of your days to really think about a question. Who knows where that might lead you?
One more thing. I’m also renewing my commitment to my email newsletter. Last year I sent it out only once a month (if I was lucky). This year I plan to do so much more frequently, with more about what I’m thinking and doing. Please use the pop box or sign up in the margin to subscribe and give it a try; it’s easy to unsubscribe if you decide it’s not what you need.
I’m grateful for the question Lauren asked me. One simple question got me moving in a new and more fulfilling direction. By God’s grace, one of my posts in 2017 might ask a question that will do the same for you.
I’m interested in your thoughts—positive or negative—about this new direction. All are welcome! Please share them in a comment.
I’m always excited about where you are taking us Rich. Thanks for continuing the journey. Very sorry I missed you at Calvin Crest, but continue to keep you, your family and your work in my prayers.
In Christ,
Lou
Lou, great to hear from you. Yes, would have been fun to catch up with you at Calvin Crest but perhaps an opportunity down the road, God willing. Hope you are well! Rich
I am so excited about this new direction you are going. I look forward to reading your posts.
Dear Rich, I have missed your posts the past several weeks and am glad that you are continuing with your new initiative. I look forward to exploring new questions.
Hi Rich, I must admit to you that I have not been as diligent in reading your blogs mostly because there are some overriding issues in my immediate family not a lack of interests in your Blogs. Also, for most people January through March tends to be a down time which perks up in the Spring.
I like the direction you are taking your blogs of -something I have wished to know about how to ask life-giving questions.
We all need refreshing and please never become discouraged as your Book Lost Paradox was life giving and life changing for me. Sue
PS the print is this comment box comes out very light -its Ok but would be better darker.
If you ever come to Colorado (Denver) please let me know.