If the books that should be written aren't

When Obama gave a virtual commencement address to the high school class of 2020 from his home in May, TV people noted that his enormous white bookcases in the background were largely absent of books. Then the same thing happened with a Biden canned message. Very few books on the big bookshelves.

 "Schools across the country have jumped on the education technology bandwagon in recent years, with the encouragement of technophile philanthropists like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg," says a paper by MIT Technology Review. "Gallup found near-universal enthusiasm for technology on the part of educators. Among administrators and principals, 96% fully or somewhat support 'the increased use of digital learning tools in their school,' with almost as much support (85%) coming from teachers. But it’s not clear this fervor is based in evidence. When asked if 'there is a lot of information available about the effectiveness' of the digital tools they used, only 18% of administrators said yes, along with about a quarter of teachers and principals. Another quarter of teachers said they had little or no information. In fact, the evidence is equivocal at best.

" . . . But much of the data shows a negative impact at a range of grade levels. A study of millions of high school students in the 36 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that those who used computers heavily at school 'do a lot worse in most learning outcomes, even after accounting for social background and student demographics.' According to other studies, college students in the US who used laptops or digital devices in their classes did worse on exams. Eighth graders who took Algebra I online did much worse than those who took the course in person. And fourth graders who used tablets in all or almost all their classes had, on average, reading scores 14 points lower than those who never used them—a differential equivalent to an entire grade level. In some states, the gap was significantly larger."

Preacher Richard Jordan says, "I want you to think for a moment and consider how privileged we have been and think about some of the things we've taken for granted.

"I Corinthians 8 says:[1] Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
[2] And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

"II Timothy 2:15 says, [15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

"The word study means 'the application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge as by reading, investigation or reflection; to research, or a detailed examination and analysis of a subject.' The verb form is 'to apply oneself to the acquisition of knowledge; to endeavor, to think deeply, to reflect, to consider.'

"If you look at Ephesians 3:4 ('Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ') and I Thessalonians 5:27 ('I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren'), there's an issue of taking God's Word and reading God's Word and considering God's Word and thinking about God's Word.

"Romans 10:17-18 says, [17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
[18] But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

"You notice it didn't say faith comes by reading? How in the world has their sound gone into all the world and their words unto the ends of the world? How did that happen? Well, that's a quote from Psalm 19 where he talks about 'the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.'

"There's not a language where the testimony of God's reality isn't made through His Creation. That's why when you talk to an atheist you don't have to argue about God. Everybody knows there's a God. You can't live in creation and not know there's a creator. Creation witnesses and your conscience witnesses. God fixed you that way.

"Romans 10:14-15 says, [14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
[15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

"There's a process that brings faith to people. There's a sending and a preaching and a hearing and a believing. It was heard because it was preached, because someone was sent. It starts with the possession of His word, but it also starts with taking that Word and preaching it. Being a minister, putting it out there--the heralding of it and the hearing of it creates faith in what's said."

(sorry for long absence. new article tomorrow...)