In a recent New York Times opinion piece, Leigh Stein, a non-religious millennial, asks this insightful question: “How did Instagrammers become [millennials’] moral authorities?”
As social-media celebrities and influencers connect online with millennials searching for hope, they easily become quasi-spiritual leaders. Stein calls them “Instavangelists” because they use social-media platforms like Instagram to pedal their brand and their promises of hope, just like Christian evangelists of the 1950s.
It’s a comparison that should cause Christians to take note and action: online, millennials are finding and following false-gospel preachers and becoming their digital disciples. Stein explains: “American women are desperate for good vibes, coping skills for modern life, and proactive steps,” and they’re looking for modern answers to spiritual questions. They’ve created their own self-centered gospel, scripture, and functional theology that is a “blend of left-wing political orthodoxy, intersectional feminism, self-optimization, therapy, wellness, astrology, and Dolly Parton.”
Chances are you know someone looking for answers to life’s biggest questions from a branded star on Instagram. But when their answers prove empty, the search will begin again. And you may be the influencer the Spirit uses to lead them to true and lasting hope in Christ.
Consider three ways Christians can serve millennials in an empty Instavangelist culture. Read More
Also See:
Why Christianity Can Be the Safest Place for Intellectual Truth-Seekers
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