Pits & Wells

“Pits & Wells”

(Title Slide) [Slides are available upon request, these cues denotes where slides are shown/used.]

It’s a common narrative to think that most of the news that you see on TV is bad news. Well, that’s not only a common viewpoint, it’s backed up by statistics.

Studies show that 90% of all news media is reporting “bad” news (which deals with crime, war, tragedies, high-tension situations or smearing of ideological and political counterparts)

Have you ever wondered, “why do news channels mostly cover bad news?” The short answer is that it sells. It generates higher ratings, more clicks online and more ardent supporters when it comes to politics. Negative news segments generate approximately 30% more views online than positive news stories. That’s why you see mostly negative campaign ads. They work.

Research shows that a whopping 1 out of 4 people who regularly watch ANY news media go on to develop anxiety issues. So not only is bad news more engaging, it can also damages us emotionally. It literally is like a drug. It’s worse for children, nearly 2/3s of children aged 12-18 who were studied while consuming a variety of news media ended their viewing time feeling worse than they did before they watched. It’s no surprise, right?

And where do millions of people get their news from? Of course, depending on your ideological slant you may get it from Breitbart, FOX, the Associated Press, CNN, MSNBC or maybe through an independent podcast. But many get their news from Social Media. It makes sense because Facebook and the app formerly known as Twitter are consistently in the top 5 of most visited sites worldwide. Their algorithms can be pretty gnarly. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter track what you view and interact with on their sites and promote other users and groups that are similar to your interests, not only that but to make sure you stay on their site, the algorithms are designed to show you users and groups that are more ardent or vehement within your ideological circle. Why? Because if you interact with that, you’ll spend more time on that social media platform. It’s a part of what’s called an echo chamber.

The algorithm not only reinforces your beliefs by sharing similar content to what you’ve already interacted with but it also shows more extreme users and groups to pique your interest even more, to give you that 30% jolt of addiction because most of these more extreme users are smearing their political and ideological opponents, trying to dig up dirt, cause chaos and spread conspiracy theories. So many get involved in these echo chambers that really no one on social media is immune to it.

It locks you in and makes it virtually impossible to see or understand a different viewpoint. You believe something and social media points you to other people who echo those same sentiments, hence an echo chamber.

That’s what I’m calling a pit this morning. Many of us go to the news, go to social media or spend time with negative people thinking where going to a well that will fill us but in fact it’s a pit that drains us. The dopamine hit is what we go for but what we leave with is more anxiety, more anger, more sadness and less joy, less of a feeling of certainty and control. It’s a vicious cycle.

The reason why that’s applicable to today’s passage is because Paul wrote the whole book of Philippians for one main purpose. The issue that the church in Philippi is experiencing is causing so much chaos that the elders of the church contact Paul for help, while he’s in prison!!

Imagine being part of a thriving church that was planted just a couple of years ago that has not only survived Roman but Jewish persecution but whose ministry grinds to a screeching halt because of two women. This clearly shows that even in a patriarchal society that women were extremely powerful.

But if you read the book of Philippians you’ll see that Paul is “preparing the soil”, if you will. He doesn’t go right to the problem but draws the congregants of the church in Philippi in with GOOD NEWS! By encouraging them to a greater expression of faith! He tells them that he is not only content but can rejoice that his preaching of the Gospel landed him in captivity. It shows that he preached the good news with no concern for his own well-being. He goes on to generically challenge them to “conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

All who read or heard this would be in agreement for this is the founder of this church encouraging his brothers and sisters.

(Scripture Slide)

In chapter 2, still speaking without specificity with but with a little more intensity, Paul challenges the church to "be like-minded, having the same love and to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain concert. Rather, in humility, consider others above yourselves.” (2:2-3) He starts to reiterate the need for unity and the destructive nature of grumbling and arguing.