Self Discovery

I tried to point something out on Sunday about helping folks engage God instead of just giving them a bunch of neat answers to every question. I didn't articulate my point well, but I read Mark Batterson's blog today (I get his posts directly to my email) and he said it better than I did. So let me just give you what he wrote:

Self Discovery (by Mark Batterson evotional.com) Posted: 14 Sep 2009 07:58 AM PDT Good teachers don't just give answers. They force students to discover things for themselves. The word education means "to draw out." Based on the way we teach in schools and churches, you'd think it meant "to cram in." Some things cannot be taught. They can only be revealed. And that's the difference between ideas and core convictions. Truth has to be owned. And the way we own it isn't via someone telling us about it. That's second-hand knowledge. We have to experience it for ourselves. That's why sermons aren't sufficient. They have to lead to self-discovery. Few things are as powerful as a personally discovered truth that is revealed by the Holy Spirit. It reminds me of the incident in Samaria where the woman at the well tells her friends and family about Jesus. Remember what they said? "We no longer believe because of what you said. Now we have heard for ourselves." Here's a simple thought. And I think leaders and parents will identify with it. You can tell someone what they did wrong a thousand times. And there is a time and place for that. But when you tell someone what they did wrong they often become defensive. Here's a great question that is non-threatening. And it leads to self-evaluation and self-discovery: what would you do differently? That puts the ball in their court. And it's the key to spiritual growth. You want to mature spiritually? It requires unconditional commitment to honest evaluation. You have to be more concerned about who you're becoming than being right. It's a raw humility that wants to be challenged and confronted.