One thing missing from TV news punditry is the voice of genuine Christian leaders. I’m not talking about partisans who claim to be Christians (Palin, Bachman, Sharpton, etc.). I’m talking about people who lead Christian denominations, churches, and organizations. Christians whose life work is NOT in the political sphere, and who do not have a political axe to grind. I’m talking about bishops, superintendents, pastors, pastors of pastors, theologians. These are the people Christians from whom Christians should be taking their cues.

But instead, I’m finding, Christians too often form their opinions around the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Rachel Maddow, Sean Hannity and Chris Matthews. Often, when they do speak on religious issues, their shallowness is on full display. We shouLd NOT allow such people to shape our views on current issues.

Which is why I commend this statement from George Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. I doubt he’s ever been on a cable news channel, but he’s obviously a man who can speak with wisdom and biblical authority, as he does here regarding the Michael Brown/Eric Garner situations. This was a letter sent to Assemblies of God pastors. Here’s an excerpt, but I encourage you to read the entire statement, because it’s excellent. THIS is the type of person Christians should be paying attention to.

“Whatever your opinion of those controversial decisions, can we stand with our brothers and sisters and affirm the value of black lives generally and of their lives specifically? Scripture teaches that God does not take pleasure in the death of people, not even the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). If so, then whatever the circumstances, we can be certain that God did not take pleasure in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Therefore, neither should we. Can we affirm, then, the grief our black brothers and sisters feel about these men’s deaths?”