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HOW TO CREATE BETTER QUESTIONS
One of the most important things you do as a LifeGroup Lead is ask good questions.
A good discussion question does more than keep a conversation moving. It helps people engage Scripture, recognize what God may be doing in them, and respond with obedience. That is ultimately why we don't want our groups to become places where we simply learn more information about Jesus. We want to help one another be changed by Jesus and live differently because of Him.
That’s why, when you’re preparing questions for your LifeGroup, I want to give you a simple progression I like to use:
HEAD → HEAD → HEART → HEART → HANDS
The order matters. We begin with what God has actually said before asking what we think or feel about it. Then we move the truth from something we understand to something we wrestle with personally. Finally, we ask what obedience to Jesus looks like because of it.
This fits the same rhythm we are building throughout our Disciple Making approach: engage God’s Word and then ask, “What truth will I live out?” and “What truth will I share with someone?”
1. Start With The HEAD
- Your first two questions should help people understand and wrestle with what Scripture actually says.These aren't trivia questions, and they aren't looking for the answer you already have in your notes. The goal is to get people back into the Bible; observing, comparing, tracing ideas, and putting biblical truth into their own words.
A good HEAD question should be answerable primarily from the passage itself.
Instead of:
“What does repentance mean?”
Try:
“Read Acts 3:19–20. What does Peter connect with repentance in this passage?”
Or:
“What do you notice about how Jesus responds to the people in this passage?”
“According to these verses, what does this teach us about the character of God?”
“Compare these two passages. What do they have in common?”
The test: Does answering this question require them to engage the Scripture?
HEAD questions help us establish what is true before asking what that truth means for us.
2. Move To The HEART
- Once we've wrestled with what Scripture says, our next two questions move the conversation from “What is true?” toward “Where does this truth meet me?”
This is where discussion becomes personal.
HEART questions invite people to examine their beliefs, desires, fears, attitudes, relationships, and experiences in light of what they've just seen in Scripture. They create space for the Holy Spirit to bring conviction, encouragement, or awareness.
Instead of:
“Why do people struggle to trust God?” - Try:
“Where is it hardest for you to trust God right now?”Notice the difference.The first question allows me to talk about people. The second asks me to talk about me.Other HEART questions might sound like:“Which part of this passage challenges you most right now?”“Where do you see this tension showing up in your own life?”“What makes this difficult for you to believe or live out?”“What might God be asking you to surrender?”The test: Can someone answer this without ever becoming personally vulnerable?If they can, you may still be in the HEAD.
3. Finish With The HANDS
- The final question moves us toward obedience.We aren't studying Scripture simply to know Scripture. Jesus calls His disciples to hear His words and put them into practice.So your HANDS question should take everything the group has discussed and ask:“What are you going to do with this?”Make it concrete enough that someone could actually act on their answer.
- Instead of:
“How can we apply this passage?” - Try:
- “What is one specific way you will obey what God has shown you this week?”Depending on the session, HANDS might also move toward multiplication:“Who is one person you can encourage with what God showed you tonight?”“What conversation do you need to have this week?”“What is one habit you need to begin—or stop—because of what we've read?”“Who could you share this truth with this week?”The test: Could we come back next week and ask, “How did it go?”If the answer is yes, you've probably written a good HANDS question.
Put It All Together
When you're preparing your discussion, don't think of these as five disconnected questions. Think of them as a pathway:
HEAD: What does God's Word say?
HEAD: What do we understand because of it?
HEART: Where does this meet me?
HEART: What is God revealing or challenging in me?
HANDS: What will I do because of it?
We move from Scripture → understanding → personal reflection → conviction → obedience.
And remember: you don't have to ask every great question you wrote. You're facilitating people, not completing a worksheet. Listen to the conversation, pay attention to where the Holy Spirit may be working, ask follow-up questions, and give people room to wrestle.
The goal isn't to get through the questions.
The goal is to help people take their next step in becoming more like Jesus and helping others do the same.
