3 Dangerous Ways Social Media Is Hurting the Body of Christ
Share
As I sit to write this article, I am wondering if we have reached the point where social media is hurting the body of Christ more than it is helping it. When I say this, I am not talking about people watching all the channels that have nothing to do with Christ. I am specifically referring to those channels that are owned and run by people who profess to be followers of Christ. These are the channels that might be hurting believers instead of helping them.
We don’t have to agree on every non-essential, but we must handle all disagreements with love, kindness, and respect for each other. When we do this, then we don’t look like dogmatic people who are simply interested in winning an argument. Winning that argument may serve your individual purpose, but what good is that if you damage other people in the process?
In days past, before people would ever stand in front of other believers and teach or speak, there was some type of testing or some measure of qualification that validated the person speaking. I am not saying they needed to have a theological degree or have attended seminary, but there were people who could vouch for their sound doctrine, their life in Christ, and their calling or gifting to do this.
Today, that no longer exists. If you have a phone or camera and a mic, you can now speak to the world. I know there are always two sides to every story, and some people are not being given the opportunity to use the gifts God has given them, so I get that, too. However, the reality is there are a lot of unqualified voices out there who are speaking without Biblical integrity and with no accountability. In this age of social media consumption, that becomes a hazard to the body of Christ.
Just because someone has a platform and even sounds convincing, that does not mean you just take their words at face value. You must test everything that is said. Now, possibly more than ever before, you must become a student of the word of God. With the plethora of voices out there, many untested and unqualified, and the easy access you have to them because of social media, if you are not grounded in the word, you run the risk of being swayed in the wrong direction.
My wife and I have a weekly Bible study we run on our YouTube channel. We gather for approximately 45-50 minutes and teach the Bible. There are other people I know who do the same. Yet I always remind people, this Bible study is not a replacement for being involved in a local church. It is a supplement to it.
If a person is physically unable to attend church, that is one thing, but for people who are able-bodied, this should not be the case. While you can get instruction from these channels, that is not the only reason you go to church. You go to church to worship and pray together with other believers. You also go for fellowship and to develop relationships with other believers. This can lead to friendships and certainly help with discipleship.
We were meant to walk this journey together, not alone. If all you do is watch social media content and never engage with other believers, then you are living your Christian life in isolation. That was never Jesus’ design for the body of Christ. We all need each other, which will require us at some point to get off social media and engage with other believers.
I am not against social media because it can be a tremendous vehicle to spread the gospel and help people grow in their faith. All I am asking is let’s make sure we never lose sight of that mission. People’s lives and their growth in Christ is at stake. That should always take precedence over getting more likes and views.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Sara Kurfess
