Oranges and Apples

Left-brained (Oranges)  thinking is linear and logical, focusing on details, facts, and figures. It makes silos. It’s segmented. It thrives off of hard facts and bottom lines. Left-brained thinking is methodical and compartmentalizes ideas or thoughts into definitive categories. Left-brained thinking expresses itself in thoughts and words.

For the last century or so, left-brained thinking has dominated our culture. It’s impacted every arena of life from the workplace to even our churches.

Right-brained (Apples) thinking is very different. It’s experiential. It’s imaginative and creative. It’s abstract. There’s no clear lines or dimensions. Right-brained thinking values design and aesthetics. At it’s core, right-brained thinking thrives in the context of relationships. Right-brained thinking expresses itself in images, experiences and metaphors.

And more and more in our hyper-connected culture, right-brained thinking is dominant.

While left-brained thinking creates a product (example: a cell phone), right-brained thinking buys a relationship (the connectivity and experience that the cell phone will provide).

Right-brained thinking dominates the way that we are advertised and marketed to. Marketers don’t use words to convince us like they used to, they use images and experience. That’s why a half-naked person sells a pair of jeans, cologne, a car, or a toothbrush.

When you think about right and left brained thinking it’s a lot like comparing apples to oranges.

To eat an orange you first have to peel it. Once you peel it, it’s compartmentalized, and segmented. Neat. Orderly. To eat it you have to pick it apart.

To eat an apple you just take a bite. It’s messy. It engages all of the senses. It’s something that’s consumed.

Now let’s look at how we tend to approach the word of God…

Left-brained thinking is like reading/studying the Bible like it’s an orange. It peels layers away. Compartmentalizes everything by chapter and verse. It is logical. It defines everything (think of all of the –ologies that are out there). It’s black and white.

A lot of churches treat the Gospel like an orange and communicate its message with words and thoughts. It’s one person talking and a lot of people simply listening. The service is judged by the performance (of the band or pastor) and the quality of the message.

Right–brained thinking approaches the Bible like an apple. It’s not segmented or compartmentalized. It consumes. It experiences. It lives and breathes. It’s explored fully to get to the core.

Right-brained churches communicate the Gospel using images and experience. It’s judged by the context of relationship and experience, and is all about the participation. Worship isn’t about a band performing but of a community of believers participating.

So… how are we, as the Church, presenting the Gospel? Are we apples or oranges?

It’s not our job to make the Word come alive to people, it’s already the Living Word of God. Our job is to help people come alive to what’s already living.

The Church of today MUST use captivating images, compelling stories, engaging experiences, and creating space for authentic community for people to truly engage with the Gospel and encounter the Living Christ.

I think there’s a reason Apples are so popular these days.

(Thanks to Tim  for these Interesting thoughts.)