Comments on: Intellect and Experience? http://www.elementalcm.com/2009/05/26/intellect-and-experience/ Moving Children's Ministry Forward Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:29:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Henry Zonio http://www.elementalcm.com/2009/05/26/intellect-and-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-1140 Henry Zonio Sat, 30 May 2009 07:16:36 +0000 http://www.elementalcm.com/2009/05/23/intellect-and-experience/#comment-1140 Great thoughts. I agree that it is a both/and situation. We need to know God as well as experience him. The trick is not overdoing it on either end. What that looks like? Good question. I'll ask God when I see him. Great thoughts. I agree that it is a both/and situation. We need to know God as well as experience him. The trick is not overdoing it on either end. What that looks like? Good question. I'll ask God when I see him.

]]> By: Andy Johnson http://www.elementalcm.com/2009/05/26/intellect-and-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-1121 Andy Johnson Thu, 28 May 2009 17:44:19 +0000 http://www.elementalcm.com/2009/05/23/intellect-and-experience/#comment-1121 This is really an anthropological question/topic at its very core. The issue at hand, is in what capacities did God create us to experience Him. Anthropologically, (and there are some different versions of this) we are body and spirit/soul. Whether you see that as a dichotomy or a unified whole, those two components are what God created at our conception. You can not pursue God (and please Him) solely on emotion/experience. God has given humans a mind to pursue Him intellectually and in the human make-up he has inextricably unified the role of the mind and the heart. This is why we can "feel bad" about doing sin. We know it to be wrong, however we do what "feels" good. That should create dissonance in our relationship with ourselves and God. What I'm saying is that God has given us a mind and a spirit. We should pursue Him with both. I fully believe, however, that this whole process starts in the mind. You can do nothing (eat, swim, marry, trust in Christ) outside of the foundational activity of the mind. Do not take this as an "intellect-only" approach to God, it is not. It is the first piece of a two piece puzzle. However, if we don't need our minds, why did God provide us with His written word? Why does He speak to the battlefield of our minds over 60 times in the N.T.? (I understand the whole "Greek Culture" thing here). Merely relating to God on a mental level produces hypocrisy. (Can anyone say "Pharisee?") What God develops in your mind should move to your heart and become something that "dwells richly within you" if I could quote Paul. Now to kids. Children, developmentally have to be content driven. They are soaking so much up. They have to have the right information before they can do anything in terms of a relationship with God. But, like I said above, that is merely the first piece. You have to show them that what they know must connect with what they do and experience. I'm fully convinced that this is done through expository Bible teaching with children and role modeling of those who work with them. Expository Bible teaching explains the content and then successfully shows the application to one's life. Effective role models will show both a drive to KNOW and comprehend God more as well as to live their life out in a way that glorifies the Name of God in the highest way possible. Finally, this is why we as Children's Ministry leaders are so minutely important compared to parents. Parents are these role models and when a parent loves God with all their HEART, soul, MIND and strength, then children are likely to as well! Okay, so now show me the errors of my ways! This is really an anthropological question/topic at its very core. The issue at hand, is in what capacities did God create us to experience Him. Anthropologically, (and there are some different versions of this) we are body and spirit/soul. Whether you see that as a dichotomy or a unified whole, those two components are what God created at our conception. You can not pursue God (and please Him) solely on emotion/experience. God has given humans a mind to pursue Him intellectually and in the human make-up he has inextricably unified the role of the mind and the heart. This is why we can "feel bad" about doing sin. We know it to be wrong, however we do what "feels" good. That should create dissonance in our relationship with ourselves and God.

What I'm saying is that God has given us a mind and a spirit. We should pursue Him with both. I fully believe, however, that this whole process starts in the mind. You can do nothing (eat, swim, marry, trust in Christ) outside of the foundational activity of the mind. Do not take this as an "intellect-only" approach to God, it is not. It is the first piece of a two piece puzzle. However, if we don't need our minds, why did God provide us with His written word? Why does He speak to the battlefield of our minds over 60 times in the N.T.? (I understand the whole "Greek Culture" thing here).

Merely relating to God on a mental level produces hypocrisy. (Can anyone say "Pharisee?") What God develops in your mind should move to your heart and become something that "dwells richly within you" if I could quote Paul.

Now to kids. Children, developmentally have to be content driven. They are soaking so much up. They have to have the right information before they can do anything in terms of a relationship with God. But, like I said above, that is merely the first piece. You have to show them that what they know must connect with what they do and experience. I'm fully convinced that this is done through expository Bible teaching with children and role modeling of those who work with them. Expository Bible teaching explains the content and then successfully shows the application to one's life. Effective role models will show both a drive to KNOW and comprehend God more as well as to live their life out in a way that glorifies the Name of God in the highest way possible. Finally, this is why we as Children's Ministry leaders are so minutely important compared to parents. Parents are these role models and when a parent loves God with all their HEART, soul, MIND and strength, then children are likely to as well!

Okay, so now show me the errors of my ways!

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