Head AND Heart

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I have worked in youth ministry at my church as a volunteer and as a staff member for about 5 years now. In that time I have had the wonderful opportunity to build relationships with amazing students, dedicated leaders, and a host of others. In that time my faith has grown in ways I couldn’t imagine and I have had times where I see in my students the amazing “Aha, I get it!” moments that make the long hours, late nights, and other frustrations completely worth it. I have given heady, intellectual talks about theology and I have given emotional, impassioned pleas about a God who IS love. But often I worry that I’m doing everything wrong.

It seems that culturally we are in this place where giving the right answer far outweighs understanding the right answer. I see in myself a delight in intellectualism, theology, and knowledge, while my natural instinct is not to go and live out the things that I believe to be true. My desire by default is to sit comfortably inside my church bubble and talk with people who share my ideas and beliefs, who can give me insight, who can direct me to the new book, or new worship song, to make me a better Christian, without actually having to go out and be a Christian. I am trying, very hard, to step outside of that part of me. I am trying to go and make disciples, to be the light of the world, and to love as I have been loved. But in the midst of that I fear that I am building the students and other people I interact with into people just like me, people who have head knowledge, but no heart knowledge.

The students in my group often joke that the correct answer to every question that we pose is “Jesus”, and if I’m honest with myself, they’re probably right.  The simple truths and easy bible verses they memorized in Sunday school have prepared them well for this life that often says to be a Christian you only have to know the right answers and say the right things. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not anti Sunday school. It’s beautiful, foundational, and it works. My 3-year-old daughter came home last Sunday and sang “Hosanna” all day, and I loved it. 

But there is more. There has to be. 

Knowing that Jesus died on the cross for you to save you from your sins is one thing. Your heart breaking for a lost and hurting world is another. Knowing that there is power in the resurrection and living in that power are so very different. Imagine a generation of Christians who not only have a foundation in biblical knowledge, but an active, vibrant faith that is lovingly expressive of the truths they learned as children. A generation that knows that the song “Jesus loves me” is not just a fact but also a rallying cry to love others in that same way. The power of a Church that truly understands that because God forgave them they also are to forgive, welcome, celebrate, support, pray for, live with, and love an imperfect world. What would that look like?

In the midst of saying all of this I understand that our faith cannot be purely emotion. We need to have head knowledge. We should study the bible, read the books, and know theology. Without a strong foundational piece our faith would be shaken to the core anytime we’re confronted with a new idea or differing opinion.

But we need balance. We need, the world needs, a Church with head and heart knowledge. A Church that is able to knowledgeably communicate what and why they believe, while at the same time living those things actively, passionately, and visibly.


I pray often that our hearts would align with God’s heart, that our cry, our passion, would be to love as He loves. I want to live as He loves, not just to say what He loves.

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