There is an unspoken culture we rarely address, yet everyone has felt it. I call it the sweeping culture. It’s the culture where uncomfortable issues get quietly brushed under the carpet, where hard conversations are avoided, where honest questions are labelled as defiance, and where the big white elephant stands in the middle of the living room—but everyone pretends it isn’t there.
I have often wondered: Why can’t we talk about what is obviously present? Why does asking a question suddenly make someone a rebel, a troublemaker, or a non-conformist? Somewhere along the way, we equated silence with spirituality and compliance with maturity. And the tragic result is that many believers—leaders included—learn to suppress the very questions God may be stirring in their hearts.
Jesus Asked Questions—So Why Are We Afraid To?
If asking questions was a sign of rebellion, Jesus would be the greatest rebel of all. Yet He is our Rabbi, our model, our Saviour. The Gospels show Him asking over 300 questions.
Questions He used to confront, to reveal, to invite reflection, to dismantle religious façades, and to expose the heart.
The Greek word often associated with Jesus’ method of questioning is ἐρωτάω (erōtaō), meaning to inquire, to request, to probe relationally. Jesus didn’t ask questions to trap people (as the Pharisees did)—He asked to transform them. His questions provoked thought, challenged assumptions, and awakened the conscience (see Matthew 22:41–46).
In fact, His questions were so penetrating that the religious leaders often backed away in silence.
“And no one was able to answer Him a word” (Matthew 22:46, NKJV).
So how did we, the people of Jesus, become averse to questions when Jesus Himself embraced them?
“If You Ask, You Lack Faith” — A Dangerous Misbelief…
Many believers—including myself over the years—have been taught, directly or indirectly, that questioning is a sign of weak faith. That faithful people simply obey, trust, and follow without hesitation. That to ask “why” is to cast doubt on God, on leadership, or on doctrine.
But this is not how Jesus discipled people.
Nicodemus came to Him in the night with doubts and confusion. Jesus did not shame him—He welcomed the dialogue (John 3:1–21).
Bartimaeus cried out repeatedly on the roadside, and Jesus responded with a question: “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51).
The Greek word used there for “want” is θέλω (thelō)—it speaks of deep desire, intention, longing. Jesus’ question wasn’t for information. It was an invitation to reveal the man’s heart.
Questions were not punished. They were embraced.
It is often insecure systems—not Scripture—that tells us to keep silent. It is broken cultures—not the Holy Spirit—that label honest inquiry as rebellion. And if we are honest, sometimes leaders (myself included in years past) resist questions because asking threatens a position we feel we must protect, or exposes an insecurity we haven’t dealt with.
Where This Fear Begins…
For many of us, the fear of asking questions didn’t begin in adulthood—it started in childhood, at home, in school, or even in church.
Many grew up hearing:
- “Don’t question authority.”
- “Just follow instructions.”
- “Asking means you don’t trust.”
- “Don’t act smart.”
Over time, we internalize these messages. We learn to equate obedience with silence and silence with honour. But silence is not holiness. And questions are not rebellion. They are often the doorway to understanding, transformation, and truth.
Scripture actually has a word for the type of understanding God desires for His people: שָׂכַל (sakal), meaning to have insight, to act with wisdom, to consider with reflection (Joshua 1:8). You cannot develop sakal if you are not allowed to think, reflect, or ask.
The Turning Point: Growing Up Into Childlikeness
Ironically, it was as I grew older—and as I pursued formal theological study—that I found the courage to begin asking the questions I once feared. Not out of pride, but out of humility. Out of a desire to learn and grow. Out of a longing to understand the “why” behind our practices and beliefs.
Jesus never said, “Come to Me as pastors, scholars, or theologians.”
He said: “Unless you become like little children…” (Matthew 18:3).
The Greek word for child here is παιδίον (paidion), which doesn’t simply describe age—it describes dependence, humility, and teachability.
What do children do?
They ask. Endlessly. Curiously. Persistently.
Not to challenge your authority—but because they want to understand your heart.
Maybe childlikeness isn’t only about trust—it’s about the humility to ask again, the freedom to be curious, and the courage to learn.
When Questions Are Labeled as Rebellion…
Sadly, in many church cultures, the moment someone asks hard questions, they are quickly labelled:
- “Non-conformist.”
- “Difficult.”
- “Doubter.”
- “Rebellious spirit.”
The problem is not that the church cannot handle questions. The problem is that we have lost the art of welcoming them. And when curiosity is suppressed, discipleship becomes shallow. People become performers, not learners. Followers become silent, not strengthened.
Yet Scripture shows repeatedly that God welcomes—and even responds to—honest inquiry.
David questioned God often in the Psalms (Psalm 13:1–2).
Habakkuk opened his entire book with a complaint (Habakkuk 1:2–4).
Thomas doubted openly until Jesus addressed him personally (John 20:24–29).
The Hebrew word for “complaint” in Habakkuk is רִיב (riv), which means to contend, to wrestle honestly. God does not shut down the wrestlers—He walks with them through the wrestling.
It Is Time To Bring the Questions Back…
We don’t honour God by sweeping things under the carpet.
We honour Him by bringing everything into the light.
The Greek word for “truth” is ἀλήθεια (alētheia), which literally means “nothing hidden.” Truth cannot flourish where questions are forbidden.
What if we created cultures where questions were not feared but invited?
Where leaders listen before defending? Where truth is pursued, not protected?Where discipleship includes dialogue, not monologue?
The white elephant doesn’t leave the room until someone has the courage to name it. And maybe God is calling His people—His leaders—back to the childlike courage to ask.
Jesus Welcomed Every Question…
From the religious scholar seeking truth at midnight to the blind beggar shouting on the streets of Jericho—Jesus received each question with an open heart. He never silenced honest seekers. He never punished curiosity. He never shamed someone for wanting to understand.
If the Son of God could welcome questions with such grace, surely the people of God can rediscover this posture.
- Questions don’t weaken faith. They deepen it.
- Questions don’t destroy trust. They refine it.
- Questions don’t break unity. They build maturity.
Maybe it is time for the church—not just individuals—to recover the lost art of asking.
Not to challenge authority, but to grow in love. Not to rebel, but to understand. Not to divide, but to disciple.
And maybe, just maybe, in asking again like a child, we will discover a fresh, honest, vibrant faith that looks a lot more like Jesus.
