The Art of Asking Better Questions - by J R Briggs (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

What if the key to a deeper, more meaningful life lies in the questions you ask?

In The Art of Asking Better Questions, J.R. Briggs offers a thoughtful exploration of how intentional, well-crafted questions can transform relationships, leadership, and spiritual growth. Guided by the wisdom of Jesus as the ultimate question-asker, this book introduces four levels of questions designed to address different purposes and provide practical tools to improve your conversations.

If you want information, Google it. But if you want wisdom and connection, you need to become a person who asks better questions. Briggs argues that the quality of your life is determined by the quality of the questions you ask God, yourself, and others. There's not a single area where improving the quality of your questions won't improve your life and the lives of those around you.

In this book, you'll:

• Explore why questions are so important (but why we don't ask them very much).
• Discover how questions affect our faith.
• Study how questions influence our ability to lead.
• Learn simple, practical ways to ask better questions.

With its sharp insights and actionable guidance, The Art of Asking Better Questions invites you to reflect on how the questions you ask God, yourself, and others can lead to a fuller, more vibrant life of faith and purpose. Rediscover the art of inquiry--your relationships, leadership, and faith will never be the same.

Review Quotes

"By far this is the best resource on becoming a person who asks great questions! The diverse research, helpful footnotes, numerous biblical examples, and tons of practical exercises make this a valuable book. I will be rereading, marking up, and sharing with my tribe for years to come. J.R. Briggs' transparency is disarming, and his boldness is challenging--what a perfect combo! You've got to dive into this book, don't put it off--you won't regret it."

--David Arthur, CEO and president of Precept and author of Ordinary People, Extraordinary God

"Full disclosure--J.R. Briggs is an automatic read for me, and The Art of Asking Better Questions proves why. This book reignites the undervalued rabbinic skill of asking questions, showing how they can deepen relationships, strengthen leadership, and enrich faith. J.R. weaves together engaging stories, practical insights, and a genuine passion that invites readers to embrace curiosity as a way to connect more meaningfully with others and the world. After all, Jesus himself modeled this as the greatest question-asker of all time, and J.R. helps us follow in those footsteps. It's a compelling, thought-provoking guide for anyone who wants to live with greater intention, wonder, and discovery. "

--Leonard Sweet, author of Decoding the Divine, professor, preacher, publisher, and proprietor of Sanctuary Seaside advance center

"Get ready to unearth some great treasures in J.R. Briggs' The Art of Asking Better Questions (and then record these gems to remember in what J.R. calls a Questions Journal). J.R. teaches the mindsets that allow for great questions (curiosity, courage, wisdom, and humility), and we learn powerful questions to deepen our relationships--in our spiritual lives, as leaders, or simply with people we want to befriend. I've already used J.R.'s questions for lament and spiritual growth in my own life. This book will inspire you and open up conversational pathways you never imagined."

--Heather Holleman, professor, speaker, and author of The Six Conversations

"If a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver, then asking quality questions may be compared to a pearl of great prize. If you would like to learn how to ask better questions and thereby cultivate a richer relationship with God and others, then why not give yourself the gift of this intriguing, insightful book by J.R. Briggs and make your world--and the world--a better place?"

--Todd D. Still, Charles J. and Eleanor McLerran DeLancey Dean and William M. Hinson Professor of Christian Scriptures at the George W. Truett Seminary at Baylor University

"If, as J.R. Briggs so powerfully communicates in the pages that follow, 'good questions are gifts we extend to others, ' then reading this book feels like sitting next to the tree on Christmas morning. The quality of our lives truly is determined by the quality of questions we ask God, ourselves, and others, and this fantastic book helps you move toward better questions and a better life. What are you waiting for?"

--Ben Malcolmson, motivational speaker and author of Walk On: From Pee Wee Dropout to the NFL Sidelines

"J.R. Briggs has written a timely and important book. The questions we ask determine the kind of life we live. J.R.'s skillful, pastoral, and practical analysis of the power of questions in our lives is a gift to us all. Hoping God uses this book so we can ask better questions and live more fruitful, missional, and God-honoring lives."

--Jon Tyson, author and pastor of Church of the City New York

"What if the key to deeper leadership isn't having the right answers but asking better questions? This book is a powerful reminder that questions expand perspective, deepen engagement, and strengthen connections. In today's ever-changing world, few skills are more vital for leaders. With this conviction, J.R. Briggs provides a road map for cultivating curiosity by offering examples, practical frameworks, and a treasure trove of hard-hitting questions. If you want to live and lead with greater depth, humility, and impact, The Art of Asking Better Questions is an essential guide."

--Shannon Kiser, senior director of Fresh Expressions North America

"Who would have known that so much growth could come by asking better questions? Well, J.R. Briggs. This is something he's not just taught but also modeled for as long as I've known him. Many of us have been urging him to write this kind of book, and we are the better now that he has. Combining relevant research with inspiring stories and practical guidance, J.R. shows how our lives, relationships, and world might be enriched by asking better questions. I hope it will be read by leaders, teachers, and every person who wants to grow."

--Keas Keasler, associate professor of Spiritual Theology at Friends University

"In The Art of Asking Better Questions, author and 'professional question asker' J.R. Briggs challenges readers to reflect on these information-eliciting expressions that compose so much of our language: questions. More than attracting information, attending to questions cultivates curiosity, enhances awareness, and places a renewed and sharpened focus on the world outside us--persons, places, and things. Using entertaining illustrations and accessible writing, J.R. invites readers to see questions not merely as instruments of information but as a means of formation."

--Kevin Brown, president of Asbury University

"The invitation that this book offers us is breathtaking. Ask good questions. In a world of trite, algorithm-formed answers, the call of God's people is to learn to craft the best questions all over again. These questions are not new--they are simply new to us. Which matters. Because when we look at Jesus, he didn't answer the bad questions. Because it's impossible to give a good answer to a bad question. We must return to the good questions. And J.R. Briggs has shown us how to do so."

--A. J. Swoboda, associate professor of Bible and theology at Bushnell University and author of A Teachable Spirit

About the Author

J.R. Briggs (DMin, Missio Seminary) is the founder of Kairos Partnerships, an organization committed to serving hungry leaders through coaching, consulting, and speaking. He serves on staff with the Ecclesia Network and Fresh Expressions, and as guest instructor for Friends University in the Masters of Spiritual Formation and Leadership program. His books include The Sacred Overlap, Fail, and Eldership and the Mission of God. He and his wife and two children live in the greater Philadelphia area.