question

I am writing this from Prague just before jumping in bed to try to sleep off the worst of jet lag before the rest of the JetSet crew arrives tomorrow. Excited about all that is to come over the next week and a half, I continue thinking, praying and preparing for the days ahead. One idea that keeps coming to mind is: question. Whether as a noun or verb it is important for each of us (I am writing to me on this post as much as anybody), yet something that is at times hard to do.

It seems that it is either a part of human nature, American culture or a leadership profile (perhaps there is a combination of reasons) that the more experience or familiarity a person has with a topic, the less likely he or she is to ask a question to seek to wrestle with a topic. I would offer that the only helpful question is the one that is genuinely asked. Further, the only difficult question is the one that does not have a pre-determined answer.

For example, maybe someone has already dealt with and implemented a third place strategy that has 10% believers or 40% participation in a time of worship during any week. But what might a third place concept look like in a city that has less than half a percent of people who follow Christ? Does this change the outcome? If so, then what?

I am listing out some questions that may be worthwhile for you and me over the days to come:
What can I learn here? What do I do with this? Have I understood / dealt with this well historically? Have I chosen a simple answer based on simplistic inputs? Is there more to this I should consider? What other solution might fit my current context? What might happen to my outcomes if my context were to change?

It is my hope and prayer that you will genuinely benefit if you are led to participate in #js2011. See you here, at the Upstream Collective and at many other points around the net in the upcoming days.