Strange assignments: As you know, some question assignments are odd. Some may not seem exactly spiritually-related, others might come across as brash or insincere. As assignors, we do our best to filter out questions that are clearly not in our topic fields or in which questioners are overtly rude. However, we also do our best to make use of every opportunity to share the gospel. Often, responding with truth and kindness communicates the love of God well. So if we send you a question that seems a bit off, please pray and think through how you might give the questioner biblical truth in a God-honoring way. And, if you don’t think you are equipped to respond well, please send it back for reassignment to a different writer.

Thank you all for your willingness to help such a variety of questioners on such a variety of topics, and for always pointing them to the truth of God and His Word!

Tone: We all know that tone doesn’t always come across well in writing. Some of our questioners are writing in the heat of the moment and the questions sound intense or attacking. For other questioners, English is a second language so they might not express themselves in quite the same ways we would. It is completely okay if you feel the need to write firmly and frankly to questioners or if you need to ask them to clarify something. But it’s also okay to give questioners the benefit of the doubt and/or not match your tone to theirs. Regardless of the tone of the question, please be especially aware of your tone as you respond and make sure it will convey what you truly intend.

I often notice how genuinely caring your responses are. So this is just a friendly reminder that we all need from time to time. Thank you for loving our questioners and communicating truth to them so well.