To know or to know?

English is a language with serious limitations. We have one word “love” where the Greeks have four: eros, storge, agape and philia, all which have different meanings and speak to different types of relationships. We also have one word “know” that, perhaps even more so than “love”, fails to adequately describe the human experience. By comparison, German has two words: “wissen” -- to know something, and “kennen” -- to know someone. Greeks (they did a lot right) have two words as well: “pisteo” -- to know something in your head, and “ginosko” -- to know something from experience. It’s on these two words I want to dwell for a minute.

I wrote about this three years ago, but it came up again in a conversation I had this afternoon. I suggested that [a lot] of what’s needed most in the church right now is helping bridge the gap between all that we pisteo – all the true things we hear over and over again – and all that we need to ginosko – that which we believe, deep in our hearts, is really true. I get the sense that many people on Sunday mornings have a huge chasm between the two. They hear about peace, brokenness, joy, passion, evangelistic zeal, and how much Jesus loves them. They hear the sermon and nod their heads but if they stop and think about it, many of them have never felt these things. Earlier they sang songs of worship that are written out of places they haven’t been in a long time (if ever) and the words flow straight from their memories over their lips and disappear into the air.

I’d guess that most wouldn’t be able to explain what they’re feeling, and wouldn’t want to try and explain it because of shame – believing that they’re the only ones who don’t entirely believe everything they’re hearing or singing about. Understanding the two Greek words might shed a little light on the condition that they and so many others suffer from.

So how can we, who minister in the church and to the church, make it OK to admit the disconnect and then figure out a way to bridge the gap? Without overemphasizing experience, how can we lead people into real encounters with God that result in the above characteristics? Actually, maybe we need to back up. As I’m speaking to those of us who minister in the church right now … before we can help others, we ought to take stock of our own relationship to the two “knows”. How do we know the gospel right now? Do I know the fruits of the Spirit or have they become mere concepts to me?

Much more can be said on this, but I’ll stop here for now.