I’m building a ministry that exists online, sharing the Word of God, creating space for hard questions, and helping people both find faith in Jesus and grow in that faith. But doing ministry in a digital world comes with challenges unique to this generation.
Social media rewards visibility and validation. It’s easy to start chasing likes, comments, and followers instead of leaning on God for approval. On the other side, the same platforms that elevate your voice can also amplify criticism and hostility. Both temptations, seeking praise and reacting to hate, pull us away from the quiet, steadfast validation that only comes from God.
Even churches and ministries are navigating this same tension. Research shows that faith-based brands on social media “uniquely aim to encourage engagement between the brand and audience, and between the audience and a deity or faith.”¹ While that isn’t inherently wrong, it becomes dangerous when engagement replaces discipleship. Without careful discernment, even well-meaning ministries can unintentionally lead people into a shallow version of faith built on personality rather than Scripture.
The result? People believe whatever sounds convincing. We begin to trust charisma more than fruit. Peter and John both warned about this danger.
“False prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you… And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.”
– 2 Peter 2:1–2
The word “sensuality,” translated from the Greek aselgeiais, refers to “debased sexually immoral practices.”² It’s sobering how relevant that is today, in a culture that normalizes sexual sin in ways that directly oppose God’s design. John adds in 1 John 4:1, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” That level of discernment is exactly what biblical theology equips us to have.
Why Biblical Theology Matters for Ministry
Biblical theology helps us understand Scripture as one unified story. It allows us to see each passage in its historical and cultural context and within the grand narrative of redemption that centers on Christ.
In Genesis 12:1–3, God tells Abram that through his obedience, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”³ That promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the true descendant through whom blessing comes to the whole world. In the same way, faithful leadership in ministry is about stewardship, blessing others through obedience to God’s call.
For me as a woman in ministry, biblical theology is also essential for understanding my God-given role in the Church. I need to handle Scripture rightly and teach it confidently, not only to defend my convictions but to encourage other women wrestling with their own identity and purpose.
Social media, especially, distorts how we see ourselves. Those who spend significant time on these platforms “are more likely to become dissatisfied with their own body image and experience self-criticism, low self-esteem, depression, and addiction.”⁴ If I’m going to speak to women struggling under that weight, I must do so from a biblical foundation, one that reminds them their worth is rooted in God’s image, not public approval.
Keeping Jesus at the Center
All of Scripture points to Jesus. Moses spoke of Him in Deuteronomy 18:15, saying, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me… it is to him you shall listen.” Paul echoes that focus in 1 Corinthians 2:2: “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
If I’m going to teach the Bible rightly, my interpretation and application must flow from that truth. Without seeing Christ as the center, my teaching would only add noise to an already crowded space.
But understanding Jesus as the center also helps me navigate the dangers of influence. Social media’s voyeuristic nature “distorts the image of God by taking one’s focus away from God and onto graven images,” creating an identity crisis in people.⁵ If I forget that, I risk becoming part of the problem I’m trying to address. Biblical theology keeps me grounded in truth so I can engage the digital world without being consumed by it.
Teaching People to Read the Word for Themselves
Part of my calling as a teacher is to guide others into Scripture, not to replace their time with God, but to inspire it. The Bereans modeled this beautifully in Acts 17:11:
“They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Their eagerness to study led to transformation: “The Bereans’ interest in the Word resulted in many conversions of both Jews and Greeks.”⁶
If I’m going to teach effectively, I must also equip people to test everything I say against the Bible. Biblical theology allows me to do that faithfully, helping others see the story of redemption in every passage.
Rooted in Grace, Not Performance
The more I study theology, the more I realize how easy it is to tie my worth to intellect. For much of my life, being “the smart one” has been my identity. But that mindset seeps into faith if I’m not careful.
God continually reminds me that I don’t need to earn His approval through knowledge. Ephesians 2:8–9 says,
“By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
As Harold Hoehner writes, “Faith is not a ‘work.’ It does not merit salvation; it is only the means by which one accepts God’s free salvation.”⁷
That truth reshapes everything. The deeper I study Scripture, the more I see that God’s love is not something to be achieved but received. It’s this understanding, through biblical theology, that keeps my ministry Christ-centered, humble, and grace-driven.
Bibliography
Bradman, Taylor J., and David M. Gustafson. “Who Are We? Identity in a Social Media Age.” Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 33, no. 1 (2021): 105–22.
Gangel, Kenneth O. “2 Peter.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2, 870. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Hoehner, Harold W. “Ephesians.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2, 624. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Morehouse, Jordan, and Adam J. Saffer. “Promoting the Faith: Examining Megachurches’ Audience-Centric Advertising Strategies on Social Media.” Journal of Advertising 50, no. 4 (2021): 408–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2021.1939202.
Ross, Allen P. “Genesis.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1, 47. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Toussaint, Stanley D. “Acts.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2, 402. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
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