Sometimes there is too much talk! The noise of a plugged-in world can be overwhelming. Whether you live in Accra, Ghana or Manila, Philippines, once you are online, the world seems crowded with ideas and opinions . . . mostly opinions!
How do you weed through all this content, discern what is really being said and then take the valuable information to heart? This is truly one of the great challenges of our time and it applies to our Global Conversation in the Lausanne Movement.
Now, the good news as you read through the articles, blogs and comments in the Global Conversation is that they are from a very qualified group of people – the quality of the content is excellent. But there are still many opinions and various perspectives that we each need to consider and discern.
I was reading an article from Doug Lucas this morning. Doug is a missionary who runs a publication called Brigada. He is a member of the Lausanne Blogger Network. He wrote a piece called, “Is People Group Thinking still relevant in today’s more-urban world?” This is a big issue that will find people on both sides of the question.
But I love how Doug handled his piece. He shared the question and then began to talk through the reasons why People Group Thinking has become less helpful than it was in the past. Then he moves on to show why it is still a valuable tool. At the end he challenges each reader to lay aside the “either/or” scenario and look for a “both/and” perspective.
“Both/And” doesn’t always work. There are many absolutes that we can know for certain because of Scripture and what we know of God's character. But much of our discussion in the Global Conversation and in our Christian circles tends to fit more into “both/and” scenarios. However we are very reluctant to consider the second set of options because it would mean that we do not have the whole truth in our own perspective. It makes us feel unsure of ourselves and a bit insecure.
But one thing is for sure, “both/and” situations require us to trust God and to trust in the discernment He has given other believers besides ourselves.
Engage: Next time you feel insecure in a “both/and” situation, don’t force resolution. Instead engage with those around you and pray to God for wisdom as you seek Him.
Own: If you ever see two people fighting in an “either/or” position. Stop them and help them to consider the “both/and” option in their discussion.