Jesus Christ is famous for His inspired handling of trick questions. One gets them in ministry, and I am too slow myself at thinking on my feet. Here's an example -- perhaps not a trick question, but certainly an awkward one. A member had caused a great deal of trouble in the Church. Someone asked me in a meeting: "Shall we be putting him out of membership?" I said: "We might." Yet the short answer could have been a shock to some. If one had asked me: "How do you feel about putting him out of membership?" I would surely have answered: "I hope we don't." A lot lies in the question -- and the competence of the answerer -- and the good grace of those who hear. OBSERVATION: Ultimately we did put him out of membership ("we" being the members).
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