Social media has the power to either build or destroy; there is literally no in-between. Christians, more people are watching your social media than you will ever know. Your tweets, your posts, your stories. People are closely watching and waiting for just one single slip up so they can condemn and judge you and think if you can’t be set apart, why should they be? It’s our job as Christ-followers to look less like the world and more like Jesus, even on social media. So how should Christians use it?

Not everyone may be called to use social media as their own personal ministry. Some ministries may be physical, such as interning and serving at your church, missions, etc. I wholeheartedly believe you can still reach others who don’t know Jesus even if you don’t preach the gospel on social media daily.

What someone posts on social media may have a stronger effect than they may ever realize. This morning, someone who came across a recent tweet of mine took it totally the wrong way and tore me down for it, when really, he didn’t understand the true meaning of tweet and was quick to judge and assume. This tore me for hours on end. I was constantly checking to see if he responded to my tweet to him providing clarity. It was giving me genuine anxiety. Rather than being quick to ask me to clarify so he understands the meaning, he was quick to take it out of context and make assumptions. It got me thinking, wow, how can such a small thing affect me this much? Because social media is POWERFUL.

If you have social media, you literally have the power at your fingertips to encourage or discourage. To uplift or to tear down. Nothing in-between.

I’m not saying every post needs to be scripture or encouraging, some funny tweets may reach people the same way encouraging tweets do. Everyone is different; that’s the very thing that makes social media such an impactful place. So no, you don’t need thousands of followers and you don’t need to post endless scripture to further reach people for the Kingdom. All you need is your heart to desire nothing but Jesus.

Many people will stumble across your social media and they’ll notice something so different about you. They’ll notice that you don’t cuss, that you don’t post inappropriate pictures, that you don’t voice your opinion on every political post, that you don’t subtweet, that you don’t complain. They’ll notice. They’ll notice and they’ll wonder, what makes them so different? You don’t need to preach to be heard. To be noticed. To make people wonder. You simply need to be set apart.

Especially as a female, it’s incredibly hard to let my self control kick in and not tweet based off of pure emotion. This is why you’ll see me on and off social media for days or weeks on end, because it’s hard. I struggle with this severely every single day. I tweet then I delete. I tweet then I delete. It’s an ongoing cycle for me. It’s hard for me to pray about it before I tweet about it. I get discouraged daily that I may be too “preachy” or that my tweets may get cliche and annoying, so sometimes I intentionally try to avoid tweeting what God has put on my heart so I don’t come off as preachy or annoying which is so wrong of me. Who am I to desire to please my followers over Jesus?

This is such a huge insecurity of mine. The Lord has been working in this area of my heart so strongly lately. If the tweets are there but good intentions aren’t behind it, what’s the point? If I’m pleasing my followers rather than pleasing Jesus, what’s the point? He is my mouthpiece, not my emotions. This is how I know Christ wants me to use social media as my ministry; because the enemy wouldn’t place these insecurities in my life if I wasn’t making an impact.

Social media is one of the greatest, if not the greatest modern day way to reach lost souls for the Kingdom. There are so many lost souls on social media seeking for something, for someone, to fill their emptiness.

You have an impact. Whether your account is filled with the gospel or not, your words are powerful because they are fully and wholly set apart from the words of the world. Be the mouthpiece of God, not the mouthpiece of the world. They’re watching. They’re waiting. Don’t let them win by seeing you conform to the pattern of this world. You may not be called to have a social media platform, but you are called to be set apart in every area of your life. This means who you choose to follow also, this plays a huge role in our spiritual lives and personal growth towards the Kingdom.

Certain accounts can be such a barrier for growth. It makes my stomach turn when I see what I think are Godly men following dozens of inappropriate accounts. It genuinely makes me want to throw up because Godly men are supposed to be our spiritual leaders… There’s just something holy about Godly men as our leaders and when I come across this, I get so disappointed and hurt. I’ve saved myself from so much heartache by checking his follow list before gaining interest in him. Men: we are watching you. We’re looking up to you. Be that person we can look up to. Be biblical, spiritual leaders. You as Godly leaders are so desperately needed.

Social media plays a huge role in nearly every young persons lives. They’re on it for hours on end, soaking their spirits in news, in inappropriate accounts, in gossip… In utter darkness. Be the one who stands out. Be that still small light in such a dark place because I promise, that still small light has the power to overcome the depths of darkness of social media. Let the Lord be your only mouthpiece, not your emotions.

Be quick to encourage, not quick to judge. 

My youth pastor once told me he strives to use social media in a way he believes modern day Jesus would. Would a modern day Jesus be posting the things you are? Be liking the things you are? Be following the accounts you are? Let social media be encouraging to your faith by choosing to follow accounts who will push you to be more Christ-like. You will have to make some sacrifices, but I promise, your sacrifice of unfollowing that wordly person is not greater than the sacrifice Christ paid on the cross.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” // Romans 12:2 (NLT)