A few years ago, some Christian friends of mine decided to leave Facebook for one of the more conservative social media platforms. Not only did they feel that the environment had become too hostile toward Christians, they also wanted to distance themselves from the worldly values openly displayed and celebrated on the platform.
I couldn’t disagree with their assessment. Facebook and most other social media platforms do often squelch and ridicule the expression of Christian values. They do unapologetically support and encourage values and behavior that contradict God’s standards. But I decided to stay.
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The reasons some of my friends left Facebook were also the primary reasons I chose to stay. Like the rest of the world, social is a dark place that needs the light of Jesus.
Social is not going away anytime soon. Its usage – both in the number of users and the amount of time spent each day – goes up every year. According to a 2022 report by Hootsuite, 75% of the world’s population aged 13 and over use social media. That chunk is 75% for North America. And social presence hits a whopping 93% of those who use the internet.
Social is not only firmly ingrained in the culture, it also helps shape it. Anywhere people spend so much of their time will impact their hearts and minds. That same Hootsuite study also gave statistics for how much time people spend on social each day. Around the world, users spend an average of 2 hours and 28 minutes each day on social media. The daily average for Americans is only slightly less at 2 hours and 11 minutes.
Note: These averages are slightly higher for females than males. Also, the average goes up as the age drops. For instance, females aged 16-24 spend an average of 3 hours and 10 minutes on social each day.
The average American Christian spends at least twice as much time on social each day than we do praying and reading our Bibles. And we spend about the same amount of time connecting there each day as we spend in church each week.
Social is not evil. It is a neutral tool that can be used for good or bad. If we use it correctly, social can be a powerful tool for evangelism and discipleship. Unfortunately, it’s not only the secular world that uses social as a weapon. Sometimes Christians – whether we realize it or not – use social in ways that harm others and dishonor the name of Christ.
In an audio answer to the question “Should Christians be on social media,” Paul Tripp highlighted the neutral nature of social and its potential for both good and bad: “I think that social is just like a screwdriver. With a screwdriver, you can build beautiful things, wonderful mechanical things; but you could also stab somebody in the face with it. It’s just a tool, and social is a tool that can be used for enormous good.”
Perhaps the question we should ask ourselves is not “Should Christians be on social media?” but rather, “How should Christians act on social media?”
I’ve seen a wide range in the nature of Christian interaction with the secular culture on social media. For instance, in 2015, when the Supreme Court upheld same-sex marriage for all 50 states, many Christians added rainbows to their social profile photos. Whether from Scriptural ignorance or a misguided attempt to be supportive or relative, these believers publicly aligned themselves with ungodly behavior.
On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve seen Christians post dogmatic diatribes against certain behaviors or events that our culture not only accepts but even celebrates. Recently, a Christian on Instagram spoke out strongly against Bud Light’s ad campaign that featured a transgender spokesperson. As expected her post fostered a heated argument in the comments.
So which stance is the biblical one? Although the Bible does not specifically address social media, God does provide plenty of timeless spiritual principles we can apply.
One overriding principle is that a Christian’s responsibility to the world is different than our responsibility to other Christians. While God commands Christians to help one another live holy lives that please God (1 Corinthians 5:1-8), our prime directive with the lost world is to introduce them to Jesus. The following biblical principles lay the foundation for some social “don’ts and do’s.”
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1. Don’t support or encourage ungodly behavior (Ephesians 5:6-11) – Find out what God’s Word teaches about our culture’s hot-button topics before you align yourself with any current events or trending issues.
2. Don’t condemn behavior that the culture widely accepts or even celebrates (Acts 19:37) - Don’t “culture bash.” Because social includes both Christians and non-Christians, it’s far better to remain silent on an issue than to close the ears of the lost to the message of Jesus. Christians can – and should – work for change in real life, but it’s too polarizing for social media. (For more on this topic, see “Should Christians Judge the World?”)
3. Don’t post anything that is likely to start an argument (2 Timothy 2:23-24) – Think about potential results before you post. Avoid needless arguments by steering clear of politics and other combustible topics. Don’t antagonize or alienate.
4. Don’t talk negatively about the church or other Christians (1 Corinthians 6:1-6) - Don’t air the church’s arguments or dirty laundry in public. These conversations should take place within the context of the church.
5. Don’t argue with other Christians (Romans 14:1) - We aren’t likely to solve any Christian debates like that between pre- or post-millennialism or the role of women in ministry. These public arguments only highlight division in the church. Save these discussions for a Christian context.
6. Don’t display ungodly characteristics in your interaction (Ephesians 4:25-32) – People say things on social they’d never say face-to-face. Even Christians often display anger, gossip, complaints, and disrespect. We argue with people we don’t even know. Let’s be better than that. Don’t take the bait tossed out. Don’t respond to negative comments. If one of your posts unexpectantly generates negative interaction, delete it!
7. Don’t be annoying – Okay, I admit, this last one may not be directly based on a biblical principle, just common sense and curtesy. Don’t post something “cryptic” or vague like “Please pray for me! Something terrible has happened!” or “This is the worst day of my life.” Either give a basic explanation or call your best friend instead. Don’t make liking or sharing a test of faith. For instance, “If you love Jesus you will...” Don’t mass tag people or do huge group messages. And, don’t add people to a group without permission.
1. Do glorify Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:31) – The world is a dark place. Let’s be a light in the darkness.
2. Do model a godly lifestyle (1 Peter 2:11-12) – Non-Christians regularly cite hypocrisy among Christians as the main reason for rejecting Christianity. But, when Christians refuse to conform to the world, people notice. A Christ-like life points people to Jesus and causes them to glorify God.
3. Do save potentially divisive conversations for real life (Colossians 4:5-6) - Have “believer” conversations within the church, not in public – public arguments harm the church and the name of Jesus. If someone directly asks you your opinion regarding a divisive cultural issue, have a gracious conversation within the context of relationship, not in public. Prepare yourself by knowing what God’s Word says.
4. Do play by social media’s rules (Romans 13:1-7) – If I’m going to get kicked off a social platform I want it to be for sharing the gospel, not for breaking the rules. Know the standards and rules of the platforms where you’re active. We may not like or agree with the rules, but it’s still their prerogative to make them and deliver consequences to those who break them.
5. Do verify anything you post or share (Colossians 3:9) – Check the truthfulness of any information or news story before you post or share. If you can’t verify it, don’t share it.
6. Do share your faith journey (1 Peter 3:15) - Be real and transparent – to a degree of course! Show you are a “real” person; don’t try to come off “super spiritual.” Write about what Jesus means to you and the difference He makes in your life today.
7. Do try to add value (Philippians 2:2-4) - Be encouraging to all. Give far more than you “ask.” “Spiritual” memes can be encouraging, but an endless stream is not necessarily helpful. Think of ways you can provide practical help and direction. For instance, I lead a daily Bible reading group for women on Facebook. We read through one Bible book at a time, I post commentary and questions, and we discuss it together.
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