Where are you from?

I’ve experienced a powerful discovery as I’ve led training workshops empowering believers to get involved in the Great Commission: Getting on the mission of Jesus can happen along the way, every day, in each of our lives, by simply asking questions and listening to the responses.

At every workshop I conduct for Q Place, I do an exercise I’ve dubbed the “Six Degrees of Separation,” based on the social-science theory of the same name. You know the theory—that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away from something in common.

Here’s how it goes: I have everyone in the room find someone they don’t know. Then using six questions, in six minutes, their task is to discover someone, some place, or something in common.

People begin skeptically, but always, they’re shocked in the end as they find, by six simple questions, that they share something. And very often, incredulously after only six minutes, participants go on to share everything from hugs to business cards and cell phone numbers!

Once the exercise concludes, I gather feedback. Here’s a fascinating find: of the six questions used as the original prompts, the question “Where are you from?” usually creates the most buzz.

I can attest to that from personal experience.

Time and time again, when I’m with my friend, Janvier, people will ask him where he’s from. There’s something about his beautiful accent, winning smile, and general demeanor that shouts: I’m not from here!

And when Janvier answers that question?

A wonderful, hard, and amazingly heroic story begins to flow from his lips. As you can imagine, the response, “I’m from Tanzania, from a refugee camp,” is just the tip of the iceberg.

Where are you from? IS a great question.

No one can argue with the answer. Where are you from? has the potential to open up someone’s history; their family, place, schooling and other aspects of the root system that forms a life.

And the follow-up questions that can be asked after listening are endless, serving to turn over piece after piece of a puzzle, that when pieced together, make a life.

Asking questions and listening is a fundamental building block of relationships. And relationships are bridges that Truth can walk across.

Asking someone, “Where are you from?” is a great place to start. Most people will tell me they have no time to get involved in God’s Mission.

But asking questions will allow you to, along the way.

Along your way today, simply ask someone a question—open up the possibility of connection— and watch the Spirit make it so much more.

Jeff Klein
National Church Partnership Director