Producing Smart Fools

In this day and age we have nearly unlimited access to knowledge.  I can listen to some of the world’s greatest teachers and preachers using my phone.  I can download nearly every book that’s ever been written for little to no cost.  I’ve been blessed to have great teachers and preachers in my personal life.  But it seems that these days we’re so enamored with knowledge that we spend all our time learning and very little time acting on what we’ve learned.

At some point in my life I stumbled across a teaching technique that has made a huge difference for me.  I wish I knew where I learned it.  I’d love to be able to give that person the credit that they’re due, as well as thank them for helping me in my own teaching efforts.  The idea is based on 3 questions.  “Know What?  So What?  Now What?”

• Know What? covers the facts.  Teachers teach facts.  Regardless of the subject matter, there are facts that need to be conveyed to the student.  I don’t think you need me to expand much on this idea.
• So What? explains why the facts are important.  Let’s face it, at some point in time we’ve all asked why we need to learn this stuff anyway.  Good teachers will be sure to answer this question before the students have to ask.
• Now What? is the tricky part of teaching.  If we’re not careful, we’ll stop the lesson before we ever get to this point.  We’ve taught the facts, and we may have even explained why the facts are important.  Now it’s time to explain what to do with the information.

I’ll use an example from my own life.  Math and I have never gotten along well together.  My brain just doesn’t understand numbers and equations.  In junior high I learned the quadratic equation:

(I googled that to make sure I had it correct and was surprised that I remembered most of it!)  Obviously my math teacher did a good job teaching me the facts.  I know that graphing is involved with this equation.  But here’s where things don’t add up (pun not intended!).  I have no earthly idea what I’m supposed to do with this information.  How is this necessary to my life?  What should I be doing with this knowledge?  (I’ve never felt that math teachers do a very good job teaching the Know What? So What? Now What? method.  But again, I’m mathematically challenged so maybe it’s not the teacher but the student.)

Let’s apply this to something that makes more sense to me.  Let’s say that I’m teaching my Sunday School class the story of Jonah.  There are some facts that I want them to know.  Obviously their age level and maturity will determine the detail and number of facts I teach.  But if I stop here, I haven’t done them much good at all.  Unless my only point in teaching is to give knowledge of facts.

I have to follow-up by explaining why they need to know this story.  Knowing the facts about the story help us to know more about the character of God.  But just as important as all of this, sometimes I’d say that even more important than all of this, is knowing what to do with the information.  Facts inform.  Knowing why the facts are important deepen my understanding of the facts.  But none of this does any good unless it affects my life.  I can know all the details about Jonah.  I can come to know the character of God.  But I can stop there and walk away with nothing more than a good night story.

Or I can take this knowledge and apply it to my life.  I can make a life change based on what I’ve learned.  Regardless of the subject matter, unless it affects our life, it’s done nothing more than increase our knowledge.  When we’re talking about spiritual matters, the whole point is to affect life change.  Getting to the Now What? is so much more important when we’re teaching about the Bible!  Biblical knowledge without Biblical application is pointless.  Biblical knowledge makes me smart.  Without life change, I’m a fool.  I sure don’t want to be a smart fool, nor do I want to be responsible for producing them.