For quite awhile now, there has been a growing trend in Christian teaching. It’s a phenomenon some call the Dumb Dichotomy. Let me explain first by defining the terms:

Dumb. Adjective. “Stupid.” That one was a gimme.
Dichotomy: Noun. “a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.”

So we teachers use dichotomies a lot because it’s a really easy (and honestly, quite effective) way to make one thing look really good by bringing to your mind the “opposite” of that thing. For example:

“You can lie or you can tell the truth, but you can’t do both.”

This is a dichotomy. And it’s a good one because it’s true and helpful. Lying is definitely the opposite of truth-telling. “Lie” looks especially bad because “tell the truth” is also in the sentence.

DUMB Dichotomies, however, are dichotomies that aren’t true. They pit “opposites” against one another that aren’t actually opposites. It forces a comparison in someone’s mind that is unnecessary and unhelpful. The following is an example I came across this week.

Presence vs. Practice

I, like thousands of other people in the Grand Rapids area, went to Outcry on Tuesday night. It was the worship concert featuring Elevation, Hillsong, Jesus Culture, and Kari Jobe. Before I begin, I want to state clearly: I thought the night as a whole was absolutely fantastic. There is little else like watching the bride of Jesus worship Him so loudly and boldly. It was awesome.

At one point in the night, however, Kari Jobe was leading and said something that struck me as odd and, upon further thinking, struck me as problematic. I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that she was simply speaking in the heat of the moment and, had she put serious thought into her words, would say it differently. Furthermore, I think she is a dynamite worship leader and songwriter. But I am a spiritual leader to some in the West Michigan area – so I feel the need to bring some clarity. With that as the backdrop, I’ll continue.

During a song about Jesus’ name having the power to “break every chain,” Jobe began naming different afflictions (chains) that Jesus’ name can “break.” She then mentioned anxiety and depression. And now we have come to our problematic quote:

“One second in the presence of Jesus can accomplish far more than 10 years of counseling.”

This…is a dumb dichotomy. I believe I understand what she was trying to do. I believe she was simply trying to highlight the incredible, wondrous power and peace that is found by resting in the presence of Jesus. I couldn’t agree with her more. But unfortunately, to do that, she used an “opposite” that wasn’t really an opposite. She pitted worship and counseling against one another. Presence vs. Practice. Problem is, they’re not mutually exclusive – and to suggest that they are could be potentially hurtful to people.

I’ll use my own story to demonstrate how:
At age 19, I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). It’s a fancy way of saying that I worry about a barrage of unrelated, unrealistic things. It’s awful. And it’s a struggle to this day. I am managing it fairly well now. There are good days and bad. But for awhile, I believed a lie: You have GAD because you don’t have enough faith. This lie nearly destroyed my faith. Thanks be to God that He surrounded me with incredible people who led me to the truth: You have GAD because you have broken thought patterns that you need to unlearn. Those incredible people He surrounded me with? Yup, you guessed it: counselors.

When we use phrases like this, we leave room for the enemy to get lies in. It pains me to think of the people who were in that crowd that night and HAD been in counseling for 10 years and were still struggling. What do we tell them? “Sorry – you haven’t REALLY been in the presence of Jesus. If you had been, this affliction would be gone.” But deep down we know that isn’t true, right? We know that it’s possible to be a faithful, worshipping believer and be afflicted. After all, Scripture is full of them.

It also pains me to think of the many friends I have who are Spirit-gifted counseling students and are studying so incredibly hard to be great at what they do because they know: Sometimes, God DOES heal someone…using 10 years of counseling. And that’s okay.

I am so grateful for what God did for a sinner like me. God used an incredibly gifted, thoughtful counselor to set me free. Free from some anxious thoughts. Free from guilt. And I believe that in doing so, this man ushered me further into the presence of Jesus. Here’s how I know: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17

So let’s be careful in how we speak. Teachers, let us be even more careful in how we teach. Our words can hurt or our words can heal. In the coming weeks, I’ll loft up a few more Dumb Dichotomy examples – but not to beat up on leaders. Only to exhort.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to listen to my Kari Jobe album now. Why? Because she ushers me further into the presence of Jesus, too. She just used a dumb dichotomy…as we all do from time to time.

SL