Statistics and Critical Thinking

I have said (at least to myself) that our world has lost and continues to decline in its ability to look at the world and think critically.  I can only observe that there was a time in our history when you could disagree on a subject and still be friends.  In our world today when Ellen and George Bush appear to be having fun together the world goes crazy.  We have lost the ability to think critically.  We are driven by "statistics and facts".  And so people tell Ellen that George Bush statistically and factually is a person whom you should not be friends with. 

When did we start to measure our relationships by those that agree with us and do only the things that we approve of and how do we not see this as a problem?  We look to CNN to give us polls and numbers and we determine on the basis of the statistics that we see where the problems are.  We trust that every single car company out there is the NUMBER ONE CAR COMPANY IN AMERICA.  Ford, Chevy, Toyota and Dodge - all number one.  Every cable and satellite company is number one in customer satisfaction.  Every cell phone company.  Every presidential candidate.  And yet we measure our lives by these fabricated statistics without examining any of them with any measure of critical thinking.  We hear statistics about crime and avoid people who frighten us because they look like the guy we saw on the news. 

The problem with this is that some of this same kind of mentality is precisely what led to Hitler being in power.   First it was economic turmoil that needed someone to blame.  So Hitler turned all of that into power as he theorized who was to blame and then created a path out of the economic turmoil that included horrible treatment of multiple people groups who as it turned out did not look like Hitler or think like Hitler.  People who were not like him were now the enemy.  When I hear our present day political discussions I cannot help but think we may be close to a similar problem.  And history tells us how this kind of thinking turns out in the end.  It turns out with the worst marginalization of anyone who does not agree with the party in power at the time. 

As Christians it is our job not to simply engage the world, it is our job to live with the love of Christ, the joy of Christ, and the mind of Christ among other things.  So the next time you read a news article, or hear something on the radio, let us not lose our collective minds over whatever it happens to be.  Let us stop and think both critically and most of all biblically about whatever it happens to be.  And then let us engage our world in a Christ-like fashion.  Willing to speak the truth but loving sinners while calling them out of their sin.

Emphasizing Missions

This past Sunday was Missions Emphasis Sunday.  I really enjoy the privilege of listening to God's Word.  It is something that as a preacher I do not usually get to do live.  I can listen to speakers online or on the radio and I certainly am studying during the week, but there is something about the spoken Word of God that is just wonderful to hear.  I am grateful to Mike Deen for preaching it well as our keynote speaker for Missions Emphasis. 

I am also grateful for our Missions Committee, who put together such a wonderful day of focus on mission.  I am grateful because they remembered to include the idea that we have to be willing to serve Jesus here in our local community.  Sometimes I can get caught up in all of the great stories of what is happening overseas in Ukraine or Africa or Brazil that I forget all of the good and important things that God is doing right here in my own backyard.  I can be so focused on people needing to hear the gospel in a foreign country that I forget that people need to hear the gospel next door to where I live and work. 

I am thankful that we have the joy of participating within the context of our own church family and serving each other.  I am thankful that our church has opportunities for people to minister.  I am thankful for people in our church who understand that our ministry as a church extends beyond our four walls and go out and serve in various ministries like a work camp or that help our crisis pregnancy center.  I am thankful for those who serve in ministries like Gideons.  I am thankful for those that faithfully serve our AWANA program and VBS as we see these programs bring these families that need the good news right into our church building! 

I really enjoyall that we are able to do together as we serve our Savior for the glory of God!  And I love that we were able to focus on these practical things on one of our Missions Emphasis Sundays!