Nothing but the Facts

Written by Brian Daniel

Children of the so-called modern era, an era in which the smartest people in the room tended to be the ones holding the most facts, have yet to develop the fullest appreciation for “the question.” Instead, we tend to hold “the answer” in highest esteem—so much so that we have devoted not a little bit of time to amassing as many answers as we can find. It is becoming more and more clear, however, that knowledge without meditation of the heart has little value. Or, as Bruce Springsteen sings, “The facts, they don’t amount to much.”

And the facts alone don’t. They are cold. As we continue to transition into an information age where facts are pretty easy to come by, we need to reassess the role that proposition will play on the spiritual journey.

Crooked Is Real
Any talk of proposition juxtaposed with discovery conjures the terms “linear” and “non-linear.” These are strange terms in a world that demands, in the end, things to make sense and be succinct. But even in the world that needs to draw conclusions, we tend to be drawn to the idea of a non-linear progression. It seems much more organic and lifelike.

Non-linear thinking is especially appealing given that life doesn’t come at us in straight lines. It could be said that where a linear model tends to tell, a non-linear model will invite. The reality is that our lives are lived as stories with alternate endings; life is not propositional.

Propositional Shortcomings
Early in my life—as the result of circumstances beyond my control—I vowed that I would never need (or want to need) help from anybody. I could do it myself, I concluded. And if I couldn’t, I would take my chances rather than risk being let down. I didn’t ask to be this way, but this became a recurring theme that manifested itself periodically and in various ways. It was a part of my formation.

It has taken me a long time to realize it, but this vow came out of a deep-seated feeling of abandonment that resulted from the divorce of my parents and the subsequent total lack of a relationship with my father. And the 6-year-old kid was left to figure it out on his own.

Discover Freedom
While proposition is important to us on this journey, the facts in and of themselves represent only part of the whole. Equally important are the questions inviting us to peel away the layers covering our vows. These are the questions that pierce the heart. These are the questions that demand something of us.

These questions invite us to wrestle with what we really believe as it relates to what we think we believe. They open our hearts to God’s redemptive truths. The facts alone can only move us so far into these areas associated with the heart and what God is revealing to us on a more personal level. At some point along the spiritual journey proposition must pass the baton.

The new trend towards discovery Bible study is the best context for this passing-of-the-baton. Small Group Life, the new series from LifeWay Small Groups, has been created with discovery Bible study as one of its core values. While not forfeiting biblical integrity nor making any less use of Christian educational space, discovery Bible study uses the stories of Scripture, the people of the Bible, and the doctrines found in the Word to help group members apply the truths of the Bible and move into places of greater freedom. After all, it is for freedom that Christ set us free. Freedom was enough.
 

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