Can the Church Become "Top Heavy"?

Northbrook Church is embarking on a new study in The Theology Program.

This teaches people to glorify God by using their minds. Do I think this is important? VERY MUCH SO!

Our church is heavy in the "brains" department. Dave Gushee, a few years ago, spearheaded a mission to start the educational program at Northbrook called "Northbrook U". We constantly have "classes" being offered in theology, Greek, "How to Study Your Bible", ethics, and various other mind exercising courses over the years.

After I was saved in April of 1999, I dove into all the studies I could possibly handle. I studied a lot of "heart" stuff, and I also got into theology and apologetics. I'm not exaggerating when I say I was actually reading an apologetics encyclopedia! I purchased and read many theology books and books that stimulated my mind. However, I learned that I was feeding my brain, and my heart began to suffer from spiritual malnutrition.

Knowing facts and being able to spew theological arguments is one skill, whereas knowing comforting words of scripture to offer a person who is suffering is entirely different. A relationship with God and with others that is built on love and compassion is a different kind of "knowledge".

I am starting to wonder if it is possible to get too much head knowledge, and not enough heart stuff. Can the Church get too "top heavy"? By that I mean, is it possible to feed the mind out of proportion to the heart?

We are instructed to love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength. There needs to be balance. If we get too "top heavy" we are bound to fall over.