Q is for QUESTIONS

Breakthrough begins with questions: God, what's on your heart? What's it gonna take?

Our most important life experiences, all of human history in fact, are remembered and communicated to others in the form of a story. The Apostle Paul says, "You yourselves are our letter of recommendation (story), written on our hearts, to be known and read by all" (2 Cor. 3:2). The best stories leave us with more questions than answers; they challenge us in profound ways to dramatically change our course in order to experience breakthrough.

When in your lifetime have you ever finished a great novel, heard an incredible sermon, or left a movie theater feeling truly inspired--perhaps you were even unsettled by what you heard or saw--and it was all because they wrapped it up so nice and neat at the end, leaving you with all the answers, having perfectly explained the mysteries of life so you no longer have to wrestle or wonder any longer?

Questions often challenge us more than statements, like when Jesus asked, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). Or Solomon asked, "What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?" (Ecc. 1:3). Good questions allow us to search for ourselves, to spend our time and attention looking into the mysteries of the cosmos God has placed us in. Not all questions will be answered this side of Heaven – and that is a very good thing.

Pioneer mission efforts cause us to ask some really difficult questions. Here is one for you to consider…

In our day missionary candidates have come to expect certain privileges that are now available in most parts of the world; access to clean water, good communication with the outside world, internet access, cell phone reception, the ability to be rescued in a time of disaster or civil unrest. But what I hear field directors saying is there are hundreds of least-reached people groups that will require missionaries to forfeit these privileges.

The question we must ask then is – Who will be willing to make these kind of sacrifices in our day, for decades even if it takes that long to see an indigenous church formed in one of these unreached people groups; to run the race with endurance despite the cost?

The reality is many have given their lives for the Gospel. Are we willing to count the cost, whatever that may be, to finish the task God has given us to bring some from every tribe, tongue, and nation to His banquet table?

Kurt Tuffendsam is a film producer, writer, and director in Los Angeles, CA. He is also the founder of Rise.