#21 Culture | The Number Game

Dr. Stephen Phinney: The present-day cultural movement of followers, likes, and comments presents significant temptations for authentic Christian believers.

An addiction to numbers can manifest as an obsessive need to quantify and measure every aspect of life, often leading to an overwhelming fixation on data and statistics.

For some “Christians,” the drive to write is deeply intertwined with their faith and sense of purpose. However, in an era where digital metrics such as likes, hearts, shares, and follower counts dominate the landscape, it's easy to see how numeric responses can become a source of self-life validation.

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IDENTITY IN NUMBERS

While these numbers can indeed provide encouragement and a sense of accomplishment, there's a risk of relying too heavily on them.

True passion for writing, especially when motivated by faith, should ideally stem from a desire to convey truth, inspire others, and glorify God. By focusing on the intrinsic value of their message rather than external validation, Christian writers can remain steadfast and authentic in their craft, ensuring that their work resonates deeply, regardless of the numbers.

The Cultural Movement

In the contemporary digital age, social media platforms have become integral to everyday life, creating a cultural movement centered around followers, likes, and comments. This phenomenon has profoundly impacted various aspects of Christian society, including the way individuals perceive themselves and their interactions with others. Among authentic Christian believers, this cultural movement has presented unique challenges, often conflicting with the core principles of their faith in Yeshua and His modalities of outreach.

At the heart of Christianity lies the call to live authentically and to seek validation from God rather than from worldly sources.

However, the allure of social media metrics can tempt believers to seek approval and affirmation from their online presence. The number of followers, the frequency of likes, and the quantity of comments can become a measure of self-worth, leading to a reliance on external validation. This can be particularly problematic for Christian believers, as it diverts their focus from spiritual growth and dependence on God's grace.

The desire for social media approval can lead to the cultivation of a curated online persona, which may not accurately reflect one's true self-life condition. I know multiple writers who portray and complete different online presence than that of the person I know in my discipleship with them.

This pressure to present a polished image can result in inauthentic behavior, as individuals strive to conform to the expectations of their online audience. For authentic Christian believers, this can create a tension between the desire to be genuine in their faith and the temptation to project a certain image to garner social media popularity. The pursuit of likes and followers can overshadow the importance of living a life grounded in humility, integrity, and sincerity.

FACT: Writers tend to write about who they want to be and rarely reveal who they really are, their struggles and their broken identity!

As for me, I rarely trust a writer who does not share their weaknesses and heartache. My favorite writers are those who speak from brokenness.

WRITING FROM PROJECTION

People who project their own weaknesses or insecurities onto others are often referred to as engaging in projection. Projection is a psychological defense mechanism where individuals attribute their own undesirable traits, feelings, or behaviors to someone else - meaning, writing about issues without transparency.

This behavior allows them to avoid acknowledging their own weakness & sins and instead see them in others. In reality, they provoke others to seek solutions for their shortcomings.

The term "projector" can be used to describe someone who frequently engages in this behavior. It can be a way for individuals to protect their poor self-esteem, but it often leads to misunderstandings and conflicts in relationships. Thus, they become “addicted” to conflict.

Moreover, this misnomer shifts them to emphasis on social media metrics, which fosters a spirit of comparison and competition among believers. As individuals compare their online engagement to that of others, feelings of inadequacy, envy, and discontentment can arise. This is contrary to the biblical teaching of being content with one's own journey and rejoicing in the successes of others. Instead of building a supportive and encouraging community, the focus on followers and likes can lead to division and a sense of rivalry, undermining the unity and love that should characterize the Christian community.

How do I know this? I spent the first years of my ministry trapped in the game of Christianized comparison.

Yeshua set me free when He revealed that His numbers, in the end, are but a faithful few. When He impressed upon me that I was demanding (striving) for more numbers than He, I was humbled to the core.

THE CULTURAL MOVEMENT

The cultural movement of social media also poses a challenge to the reality of genuine Body Life relationships. Authentic Christian fellowship is built on deep, meaningful connections that go beyond superficial interactions and is certainly NOT based on competition. However, the transient nature of social media interactions can dilute the quality of biblical relationships, reducing them to mere digital exchanges. The true essence of Christ’s Christian community, which involves bearing one another's burdens, offering encouragement, and engaging in sincere conversations, can be lost in the pursuit of virtual popularity.

When Christians focus on competition rather than engaging in authentic grace-filled interactions, it can lead to a range of sinful outcomes that undermine the true essence of Yeshua within them.

Competition ignites a spirit of rivalry, envy, and self-centeredness, which can create divisions within Body Life connections. Instead of building one another up in love, individuals become preoccupied with outperforming their peers, seeking recognition and validation from others - using “issues” or doctrinal differences to set themselves “higher” on the knowledge latter, rather than unity. Their deception? The higher the number, the higher probability of their validation of their rhetoric.

This focus on competition will erode the sense of unity and mutual support that is essential to a thriving Christian fellowship. In contrast, grace-filled interactions promote humility, compassion, and a genuine desire to serve others. By embracing grace, Christians can cultivate meaningful relationships, encourage one another in their spiritual journeys, and reflect the love and character of Christ in their daily lives.

To navigate the challenges of engaging with a “number grabber,” authentic Christian believers are called to reframe their approach to outreach. This involves prioritizing their relationship with these individuals by focusing on their worth in Yeshua’s love and acceptance. By focusing on their spiritual growth and seeking to help them live out their faith with the integrity of humility, maybe, just maybe, they will shift from the pressure to conform to the standards of social media metrics and convert to Yeshua’s numeric system. Additionally, the benefit for you, is to foster genuine relationships both online and offline to demonstrate the true essence of indwelling Christian fellowship, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, love, and mutual support of a real deal Body of Christ believer.

In conclusion, the present-day cultural movement of followers, likes, and comments presents significant temptations for authentic Christian believers. It can lead to a reliance on external validation, inauthentic behavior, comparison, and superficial relationships.

However, by grounding ourselves in our indwelling faith and prioritizing genuine connections, believers can navigate these challenges and remain true to Yeshua and our calling. Through this, we can continue to reflect the doctrines of humility, integrity, and love that are at the heart of our blessed Savior.

It's time for us to shift our focus from the relentless pursuit of numbers and metrics, and instead, devote ourselves to the faithful few Yeshua has entrusted to us. By concentrating on these genuine, grace-filled interactions, we can truly share the authentic Gospel, advance deep, meaningful relationships that reflect His love and truth. Let's remember that our calling is to reach hearts, not to chase after worldly validation, and to nurture the spiritual growth of those whom Yeshua has placed in our lives.