I’ve been tasked with some evangelism related stuff at work recently, so naturally I’m thinking about evangelism in the context of the internet.
When you network a little bit, things you’re trying to figure out start to become a little less confusing. That’s been a blessing to this major introvert over the past few weeks as I've crossed paths on X with a few guys who not only share a lot of my thoughts but also share similar lanes in ministry. This week I’ve been talking with the founder of something called PulpitAI and working with the tool some myself to see how I can use it at Ridgecrest. I’ll probably be writing about that more in the future as I continue to test it out, so stay tuned. But it was in other posts endorsing PulpitAI that I started thinking on what I’d like to share with you today. I’ll link to the threads below if you’re interested.
Social media is a prism that amplifies extremists and mutes moderates… Moderates withdraw from social media and keep quiet about what they believe.
Allow me to add a new angle to this discussion, since I already endorse pretty much everything Zack and Austin said. Social media always has and always will amplify those who are willing to amplify themselves. As you may have learned by now, these platforms are free because YOU are the product. They need attention, and you are providing it. I mentioned in my first essay about internet ministry that opting out of this stuff altogether is certainly an option, and perhaps it truly is the best option for you. Would things be so much better off if none of this existed? Most likely… But it does exist, and people do spend a lot of time here. So it’s on those of us who hang around to figure out how to redeem the time spent as much as possible. But we can’t ignore the struggles that arise, so let’s try to look at a few and see what we might could do about it.
Perhaps faithful Christians struggle to provide an alternative to the extremes online because typically, faithful Christians aren’t supposed to like amplifying themselves at all. Unless they really struggle with pride, they really dont want to look like they’re creating a “platform” for themselves. I don’t enjoy the word "platform," but it is what it is. This attitude is antithetical to social media or online success, though. So, most Christians end up consuming more content than they create, and it’s often completely mindless consumption at that. But perhaps that last point deserves a little qualification.
I just finished a 40 week small group study called Man Church. One thing Rick Burgess really hammered on throughout all 40 weeks is that what men care about or value is revealed in what we talk about. His point is that many men who say they love the Lord never seem to talk about Him or what His word says much at all, much less in the context of shepherding their families. For most, “going to church” suffices. But in face to face conversation and in what they post about on social media, they’ve got all sorts of things to say. They’ll tell you all you need to know about the Braves, Alabama’s QB competition, or whatever the latest embarrassing gaffe from the President might have been. Do you see the imbalance? Obviously, Man Church is focused on ministry to men. But all you have to do to apply this to women too is change the topics.
I promise I’m not making some lame attempt at a Jesus juke here. I used to and still struggle with this too, especially when I started getting into politics and thought I had check-mated everyone who claimed to be a conservative but didn't act like it. But I would like to think the Lord’s really worked on me in this area, so I’m simply using it as an example to say that it’s not exactly true that we’re just scared to speak up. I propose that we start speaking up about what we claim to believe about God, too.
Perhaps there are valid reasons we haven’t done so well at this. Maybe we’re just intimidated. But this would be a misguided attitude. I’m not suggesting we all start a blog, YouTube channel, or podcast and preach a 10 point expository sermon each week. I’m simply proposing we start with being actual Christians online. Don’t be a boring Christian. Provide a better Way of life, an alternative to what you see happening around you.
But let’s look at the problem one step further down… Perhaps we are uncomfortable providing a better Way online because we are actually uncomfortable providing a better Way in the “real” world, too. I’m preaching to myself here, but maybe we just need to get a lot more comfortable with basic evangelism than we are at this point, both online and off. This need not be complicated. Just tell your story. What has Christ done for you? How can you share that with someone else?
Here’s one practical way to do this. It’s very easy to be well intentioned about this but then get on Facebook or something else and quickly lose yourself in the mindless scrolling. This is especially challenging on Facebook due to the fact that you'll see 10x as many ads or suggested videos than you will actual people. But maybe there's a way around this. It may sound silly, but trust me. I have tried this and it works almost every time. Why not start praying about your time online? If you pray for God to send you divine encounters in person every day, why would you not do the same online? Each time I’ve done this, He has answered the prayer affirmatively and allowed me the opportunity to either share something with someone I don’t even know or pray with them. Just try it.
You don’t have to be someone or something you are not, but you do have to be real.