Week 4: Chapter 3 — Columbo, Part 1: 'What Do You Mean by That?'

1.Koukl names his flagship tactic after the TV detective Columbo, who disarmed suspects by appearing confused and asking simple questions. Why is that an apt image? What made Columbo effective, and how does the same dynamic work in spiritual conversations?

2.The first Columbo question is: 'What do you mean by that?' Why is clarification so powerful as an opening move? Think of a claim someone has made to you about religion or Christianity — how might asking that question have changed the conversation?

3.Koukl observes that many objections to Christianity dissolve under gentle clarification — the objector often hasn't thought through exactly what they mean. Have you experienced this? When has asking a clarifying question revealed that someone's objection was less solid than it first appeared?