When Christian Influencers Become Your Theology
By Summer Martin
Are you like me and find yourself doom-scrolling more often than you really want to, but justifying it by saying, “It’s Christian content. I’m learning things.”?
I’m not saying that participating in social media is inherently bad. But when you rely more on a Christian influencer than on actually picking up the Word of God and studying it for yourself, there seems to be a priority issue.
“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Acts 17:11 (ESV)
There has never been a generation with greater access to all things Bible and Jesus. Within seconds, you have access to the full Bible in whichever translation you prefer. You can listen to sermons from around the world, podcasts, theological debates, and countless other forms of Christian media.
Social media has given faithful teachers a platform to spread the truth, and for that we can truly be thankful.
But now comes that word…
However.
It has also created a danger for us.
What danger?
Believing what our favorite Christian influencer says rather than what Scripture says.
We quote our favorite podcasts more than Scripture.
We share reels more than we meditate on the Word of God.
We ask, “What does my favorite pastor think?” before asking, “What has God already spoken?”
Somewhere along the way, many believers have unknowingly outsourced their theology to social media rather than to God.
From prophets to judges, from the Pharisees and Sadducees to the disciples—and ultimately Jesus Himself—God has always given teachers to His people.
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV)
Paul wrote that Christ gave pastors and teachers to equip the saints for ministry and to build up the body of Christ.
Faithful teachers are a gift.
Your pastor is a gift.
Sound biblical authors are a gift.
Christian podcasts can be helpful. Books can sharpen us. But none of these are meant to replace your own study of Scripture.
I’ve been told countless times throughout my walk with Christ to go to Scripture and study it for myself—not to rely solely on what man tells me. Allow Christ, through His Spirit, to illuminate the truth of what He has already spoken.
Think about it.
The Apostle Paul himself preached to the Bereans. If anyone deserved to be believed without question, it would have been Paul.
Yet Scripture doesn’t praise the Bereans because they trusted Paul. Rather, it praises them because they tested Paul’s teaching against the Scriptures.
They weren’t skeptical.
They were discerning.
They understood—as we should—that God’s Word, not a personality, is the final authority.
If Paul himself was examined against Scripture, how much more should we examine the teachings of modern pastors, authors, and influencers?
One of the unique temptations of social media is that charisma can easily be mistaken for credibility.
Someone may come across as funny, relatable, well-spoken, confident, passionate, and highly followed.
But none of those qualities prove they are biblically sound.
Popularity has never been the measuring stick of truth, no matter how much our culture tries to make it so.
A million followers cannot make false doctrine true.
Likewise, a faithful teacher with a small audience is no less faithful because they aren’t famous.
Just look at Jesus.
Truth has never depended on popularity.
Our confidence has always been—and should always remain—in Christ.
While reading books, commentaries, and other resources about the Bible is beneficial, we should never spend more time reading those than we spend reading the Bible itself.
Commentaries are wonderful.
Books are helpful.
Podcasts have value.
But they should never become a substitute for God’s Word.
Ask difficult questions.
Read entire books of the Bible.
Observe the context.
Pray for wisdom.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t only illuminate truth for pastors; He illuminates truth for every believer who humbly seeks the Lord through His Word.
So the next time you find yourself listening to a Christian influencer, ask yourself these questions:
Do they submit to Scripture?
Do they handle the text carefully?
Do they preach Christ?
Are they pointing people toward Jesus or toward themselves?
Does their teaching encourage dependence on God’s Word or dependence on their content?
I’ll leave you with this:
Christian influencers are not the enemy.
Many faithfully proclaim the gospel of Christ and serve the church well.
But they were never meant to become your theology.
God has already spoken through His Word.
May we become people who open our Bibles before we open our social media apps; who love truth more than personalities; and who, like the Bereans, eagerly receive teaching while examining everything in light of God’s Word.
Because influencers will come and go.
The Word of God endures forever.
