Wired Word Lesson of the Week

The Wired Word

Topic for Sunday, January 18, 2026:

Online Influencers Teach Christianity to Young People: Because reports are emerging about online influencers successfully teaching faith to members of younger generations, this week’s class will focus on the people and approaches that are most effective in sharing the Christian faith with others.

In the News

Individuals are encouraged to read the news below related to this topic before the January 18th bible study to be prepared for an engaging conversation:

Christian influencers are using digital platforms to guide people toward Christian faith and offer them biblical answers to difficult questions. These influencers are largely Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and members of Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012), and their teachings go beyond the questions that are answered in most Sunday sermons.

"I can be that in-between -- Monday to Saturday help -- to give you practical things to make you feel like you're not walking this walk alone," said Megan Ashley, 35, to Associated Press. She is the creator of the "In Totality" podcast.

Ashley and her fellow influencers talk about everything from anxieties to doubts, dating to contemporary culture. "What they're making accessible is a truth that transforms people," said Lecrae Moore, a Christian rapper and podcaster. "There's something that's happening existentially -- supernaturally -- that I can't explain."

"Being a Christian, sometimes I think there's a unique vantage point that I think I may be able to give that people might not have considered," said Moore to Workfaith. "Some people may say 'Oh man, 9/11 happened let's go to war' or some others might say, 'Let's shore up our defenses' or 'Let's do something about our own government' and I would just jump in the middle to say, 'Let's consider prayer, how do we love people from different walks of life and different perspectives?' I just wanted to throw out a third way on social issues that were happening."

Ashley and Moore are among a group of popular influencers who describe themselves as churchgoers without denominational labels. Some have formal theological training and some do not; some grew up in church while others did not.

What unites them is an experience of spiritual transformation, one that came out of an experience of hardship or a sense of emptiness arising from a secular lifestyle. "We're like, listen, we're two mess-ups too," said Arielle Reitsma, 36, one of the co-hosts of the podcast "Girls Gone Bible," which gets more than a million listens each month. "It's OK."

Along with Angela Halili, Reitsma occupies a spot in Christian media that has wide appeal and a very specific vibe, reports Family Theater Productions: the "LA Girl" evangelist. The two broke out of the acting and modelling world to spread the gospel, and they say that it was a much-needed conversion. They declare that Jesus has brought them much more joy and fulfillment than hustling to make it in "the industry." Episodes of "Girls Gone Bible" begin with a prayer or Scripture reading, and then they jump into conversation.

Zachary Sheldon, a Baylor University lecturer on media, religion and culture, told Associated Press that these podcasters fit into a long tradition of Christian celebrities, including televangelist Billy Graham. As independents, these influencers can attract audiences more easily than established congregations. Sheldon praised them for exposing people to the faith "and challenging them to ask questions and search for something more," but he warned about the danger of "granting them too much authority on the basis of their celebrity."

To their credit, these influencers encourage church attendance and try to reach a wide variety of people, including those who have been disconnected from religion. In 2023-2024, only 41% of people ages 18-35 said they believe in God with certainty, down from 65% in 2007, according to the Pew Research Center. "People are spiritually hungry, emotionally hungry, and I think for the first time ever ... people are encountering Jesus even through online platforms, and they're realizing, this is true life and fulfillment," said Halili, 29, of "Girls Gone Bible."

Although these podcasters promote biblical principles, they admit that Christian life can be hard. God "does make everything better," said "In Totality" host Ashley, "but that doesn't always come in the way that we think it's gonna come." Her current focus is on the importance of living as a sacrifice, as she encourages people to give up certain wants and behaviors so that they can grow closer to God. From a healing encounter with God's "severity" in her own life, she knows that Christian life is not easy, but it is worth the effort.

For some listeners, online influencers provide an alternative to the overly formal pastors they encountered in childhood. "I really needed someone who was a younger Black female portraying something that wasn't super traditional," said Olivia Singleton, 24. She is involved with her current church and likes her pastor, but says these influencers are like "one of the girls ... walking out the faith with you."

More on this story can be found at this link:

Pages