Hi Eric, thanks for the article. You wrote, "I think we can and should reject the pattern of demanding reactionary and vocal outrage be demonstrated by others in a manner commensurate with our own preferences or choices. Sometimes I remain silent. You do too."
Sometimes wisdom requires patience. This is true especially when a matter is still moving through the legal process. In the United States, the presumption of innocence is a foundational principle. Not every nation operates this way; some even allow long preventive detention before charges are filed. That reality alone should make us cautious about drawing conclusions too quickly.
For pastors in particular, speaking publicly about unfolding news events can lead us in unhelpful, maybe even inappropriate, directions.
First, we rarely have all the facts. What we know usually comes filtered through media reports, social media, or commentary, all of which may be incomplete, biased, or inaccurate.
Second, speaking prematurely can subtly communicate that a legal process does not need to run its course before conclusions are drawn. Declaring guilt or injustice before a verdict risks undermining the very justice we may think we are defending. Waiting matters. Due process matters.
Third, reacting to every perceived injustice in the news can reveal shallow reflection rather than careful discernment. Complex situations deserve thoughtful consideration, not quick judgments.
We all hold political and social opinions, and we all have a vote on these issues at the ballot box.
I wonder if pastors and church leaders ought to be asking a deeper question: What is our calling in this moment? Will expressing my opinion help shepherd Christ’s flock, or create unnecessary division?
The unity of the church is fragile. Experience shows that even faithful pastors differ widely in how they interpret current events and geopolitical issues. If that is true among shepherds, how much more within congregations?
Here are some questions, your entry, Eric, caused me to ponder: Why risk dividing the body of Christ over matters that are not central to salvation, yet easily become sources of conflict?
What is gained by offering a verdict before the legal process is complete?
Can one's public credit be lost due to impatience? How are one's credibility and witness affected? How is the church's unity affected?
I wonder, if one uses patience, restraint, and focus on our primary calling, is one indifferent to the injustices of our world?
When one is convinced that there is injustice, is there a biblical way to respond to injustice?
What if one's silence is not born of fear, but wisdom shaped by love for Christ and His church?
We just installed an LED wall for less than your quoted price. It replaced an old projector in a church building that has lots of natural light.
It works really well and the image is very bright, sharp, and HD. It has a good warranty. In general, this LED wall should be working for the next 10 years without any problems, we were told. For us, the LED wall is a bit bigger than the former screen.
Yes, the LED wall is made up of smaller LED panels. You see a full screen, the panels are there just to make it cheaper and easier to fix.
Is is too bright? Not really. You may choose to adjust the luminosity, I think, but I'm not an expert. The company we worked with made sure we have what we want or need from the LED wall.
In our case, we have so much natural light that we need a bright screen. Our older projector was unable to create a good contrast, so this LED wall makes a huge difference. We went with LED wall that offers HD vs. a 4K; and one reason was lower price for HD.
Why not TVs? We looked at that option but there is no way to eliminate the edges between the TVs. They would be visible no matter what. Another issue we looked at was the software that will split the image among the TVs. It's not that easy to make things look perfect, but the LED wall seemed to solve those problem easier, and eliminates the glare issue.
Thanks for these resources. One clarification I'd like is the use of the YouTube resources. It says, "Since it's a public domain piece, there are no copyright issues." What does this exactly mean? Can we use such a YouTube video even if we live stream our service? Thank you very much.
Posted in: What If I Remain Silent?
Hi Eric, thanks for the article. You wrote, "I think we can and should reject the pattern of demanding reactionary and vocal outrage be demonstrated by others in a manner commensurate with our own preferences or choices. Sometimes I remain silent. You do too."
Sometimes wisdom requires patience. This is true especially when a matter is still moving through the legal process. In the United States, the presumption of innocence is a foundational principle. Not every nation operates this way; some even allow long preventive detention before charges are filed. That reality alone should make us cautious about drawing conclusions too quickly.
For pastors in particular, speaking publicly about unfolding news events can lead us in unhelpful, maybe even inappropriate, directions.
First, we rarely have all the facts. What we know usually comes filtered through media reports, social media, or commentary, all of which may be incomplete, biased, or inaccurate.
Second, speaking prematurely can subtly communicate that a legal process does not need to run its course before conclusions are drawn. Declaring guilt or injustice before a verdict risks undermining the very justice we may think we are defending. Waiting matters. Due process matters.
Third, reacting to every perceived injustice in the news can reveal shallow reflection rather than careful discernment. Complex situations deserve thoughtful consideration, not quick judgments.
We all hold political and social opinions, and we all have a vote on these issues at the ballot box.
I wonder if pastors and church leaders ought to be asking a deeper question: What is our calling in this moment? Will expressing my opinion help shepherd Christ’s flock, or create unnecessary division?
The unity of the church is fragile. Experience shows that even faithful pastors differ widely in how they interpret current events and geopolitical issues. If that is true among shepherds, how much more within congregations?
Here are some questions, your entry, Eric, caused me to ponder: Why risk dividing the body of Christ over matters that are not central to salvation, yet easily become sources of conflict?
What is gained by offering a verdict before the legal process is complete?
Can one's public credit be lost due to impatience? How are one's credibility and witness affected? How is the church's unity affected?
I wonder, if one uses patience, restraint, and focus on our primary calling, is one indifferent to the injustices of our world?
When one is convinced that there is injustice, is there a biblical way to respond to injustice?
What if one's silence is not born of fear, but wisdom shaped by love for Christ and His church?
Posted in: Does Your Church Have TVs Or Projectors in Your Sanctuary?
This is a practical question.
We just installed an LED wall for less than your quoted price. It replaced an old projector in a church building that has lots of natural light.
It works really well and the image is very bright, sharp, and HD. It has a good warranty. In general, this LED wall should be working for the next 10 years without any problems, we were told. For us, the LED wall is a bit bigger than the former screen.
Posted in: Does Your Church Have TVs Or Projectors in Your Sanctuary?
Jon,
Yes, the LED wall is made up of smaller LED panels. You see a full screen, the panels are there just to make it cheaper and easier to fix.
Is is too bright? Not really. You may choose to adjust the luminosity, I think, but I'm not an expert. The company we worked with made sure we have what we want or need from the LED wall.
In our case, we have so much natural light that we need a bright screen. Our older projector was unable to create a good contrast, so this LED wall makes a huge difference. We went with LED wall that offers HD vs. a 4K; and one reason was lower price for HD.
Why not TVs? We looked at that option but there is no way to eliminate the edges between the TVs. They would be visible no matter what. Another issue we looked at was the software that will split the image among the TVs. It's not that easy to make things look perfect, but the LED wall seemed to solve those problem easier, and eliminates the glare issue.
Posted in: Easter Resources 2024
Thanks for these resources. One clarification I'd like is the use of the YouTube resources. It says, "Since it's a public domain piece, there are no copyright issues." What does this exactly mean? Can we use such a YouTube video even if we live stream our service? Thank you very much.