Whenever people talk about technology and faith, we often hear the same answers: Download a Bible app, watch online sermons, and follow Christian influencers.
Those are great answers, but you probably don’t need me to tell you that downloading a Bible app or watching a sermon on YouTube can grow your faith.
So let’s explore some less obvious but equally valuable ways you can leverage technology to grow your faith.
Can Technology Hurt Your Faith?
Of course. We all know the dangers of doom-scrolling and the endless temptations technology has to offer. We know anxiety, bullying, cynicism, and lower self-worth are common risks of being chronically online.
And most of us know firsthand how addictive algorithms can take away countless hours of our God-given time on earth.
We don’t need to live in fear of our phones and other technology.
All of these risks are real, but we don’t need to live in fear of our phones and other technology. Why? Because social media can be more than just a time-sucking distraction, group chats can be more than just a chaotic mess of memes, and AI can be more than just a disturbingly intelligent work assistant.
With the right mindset and approach, they can be valuable tools for spiritual growth that will help you become more like Jesus.
3 Ways Technology Can Grow Your Faith
Let’s talk about three unexpected ways technology can grow your faith.
1. Using Social Media to Build Wisdom, Empathy, and Discernment
Social media is a digital firehose of information, opinions, and emotions. It can be overwhelming, but it can also sharpen your ability to discern the truth from noise. Jesus calls us to be wise, and social media gives us endless opportunities to practice that wisdom.
How do we start? Instead of mindlessly scrolling, start evaluating what you see. Ask yourself: Does this help me love God and love others? Does this encourage love, joy, peace, and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit in my life? If the answer to both of those questions is “no,” you don’t have to engage. But if the answer is “yes,” maybe it’s something worth sharing or discussing with family, friends, or people in your small group.
Here’s a pro tip: Try curating your feed with accounts that challenge your thinking and encourage meaningful conversations. Why? Because it’s easy to go too far in curating your algorithm until you get to a point where your feed is filled with Christians who think, believe, and act the same as you. While that may feel comfortable, God doesn’t call us to live in a Christian bubble.
2. Leveraging Group Chats for Encouragement and Accountability
Group chats can be more than just a chaotic mess of memes, life updates, and (if you’re like me) dozens of unread messages. They can also be a source of encouragement and accountability … with just a few small changes.
You definitely don’t need to drop daily devotionals in the chat to get started. Instead, simply share messages with your family and friends, saying things like, “Hey, what’s something God’s been teaching you lately?” or “How can I pray for you today?”
Simple questions can change the tone of your group chat. Of course, keep sharing great memes, but also try to weave in some opportunities for genuine connection. When you do, you can strengthen your relationships and your faith.
3. Using AI and Search Engines to Explore Hard Questions
The next time you have a big, weird, or doubt-inducing question about the Bible late at night with no one else to ask, try asking Google or AI to dig deeper.
They can help you look up biblical commentaries, historical context, or different theological perspectives on your question. If something doesn’t make sense in Scripture, use technology to explore its meaning instead of brushing past it.
Search engines and AI can be powerful tools for spiritual growth (when used wisely). Will you come across diverse and potentially conflicting answers? Of course! And will an AI occasionally come up with an unhinged theological take? Sometimes!
Side note: I just asked ChatGPT to give me an unhinged theological take, and it deserves to be shared:
“Some ancient scholars definitely mistranslated a key passage, and it turns out that the real ‘mark of the beast’ is actually… Wi-Fi. Every time you connect, you’re unknowingly subscribing to the Beast’s Premium Plan—unlimited data, but at what cost?” —ChatGPT
Okay, let’s get back on track. Yes, you might find some strange stuff online, but it’s a risk worth taking. After all, we have more information at our fingertips than at any other time in human history, so let’s use it to learn more about God, Scripture, and how we can be more like Jesus.
Plus, it’s another opportunity to build empathy for others and discernment as you consider the near-endless answers the internet has to offer. The key is not just stopping at the first answer you find, but testing everything against Scripture and wise counsel.
Technology and Discipleship
Technology isn’t just a tool for productivity or entertainment—it can also be a tool for discipleship.
Technology isn’t just a tool for productivity or entertainment—it can also be a tool for discipleship. The key is our mindset and approach. If our consistent desire is to become more like Jesus, we’ll naturally find ourselves using technology in healthy ways.
When we use technology with purpose, we’ll find that God is ready to meet us—even in the digital spaces we least expect.
So, what’s one way you can start using technology to grow your faith this week?
Also, if you don’t have a Bible app, you really should download one. Here’s the link to the Bible App from YouVersion. And if you’re looking for some great, approachable sermons on YouTube, check out Life.Church’s messages.