This Is WhySample

Have you ever heard someone talk about the difference between having head knowledge and having heart knowledge? Head knowledge is rooted in logic. It’s concrete—a knowing of facts. For our faith, this is what we might consider theology. It’s an understanding of our faith, what it means to us, the history of it, and the Scripture that teaches us all about it. And then, there’s heart knowledge. This is where the facts we have come to life in a real way. It’s more abstract—an experience that changes us from the inside out. For our faith, this is what illuminates all that we know. It’s rooted in the lived experiences we have with God that prove our head knowledge to be true.

Here, Jesus was subtly talking about the difference between the two. By talking about the way Nathanael’s belief was rooted in the fact that Jesus saw him and told him as much, He was showing Nathanael that he had head knowledge. But Jesus wants faith to be more. He wants it to be greater. So, He encouraged Nathanael to believe that there was more to see and experience that would take hold of his heart. When we talk about our faith, we want to be sure we’re incorporating both. We want to come from a place of head knowledge and heart knowledge—of fact and experience combined in a real way.

This week, talk with your group about the way you can incorporate both head knowledge and heart knowledge as you share your faith.