When the Church Is Too Online (Part 1)

The church really needs to touch grass.
We’ve undergone an incredible societal shift since the internet launched in 1983. The turn of the century brought with it the invention of social media sites. Blackberries and iPhones made it possible to access all of it from a small device in your pocket. In 2015, the iPhone 4 introduced the self-facing camera, which both literally and metaphorically turned our attention toward ourselves.
At the same time, these developments have brought remarkable advancements. Communication across the world became much easier. Networking and staying connected with loved ones increased exponentially. The rise of the internet has certainly come with its benefits.
One phrase that has grown in popularity is describing someone as being “too online.” It means that someone is on the internet so much that their online “reality” begins to shape their actual, real-world, in-person reality. It’s a way of saying they no longer understand how life really works—they begin to believe that the unfiltered, unaccountable opinions of the online masses should shape their everyday decisions.

There’s no way to tackle every issue this presents in a single article, but I do want to offer a kind of litmus test—something to help us recognize what it looks like when the church of Jesus Christ becomes “too online.” May God help us identify these patterns, biblically discern where radical amputation or wise boundaries are needed, and ensure that we are not brought under the power of anything (1 Cor. 6:12). The internet is a helpful tool—but it makes a terrible master.

1. Envy Reigns Supreme.

Scripture is clear: “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones” (Proverbs 14:30). Hebrews 13:5 echoes this warning: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have.” But online platforms train us to compare everything—bodies, homes, careers, vacations, families, personalities, relationships.

Every scroll feeds discontent. We see someone’s highlight reel and grow dissatisfied with our own life. We covet others’ possessions, envy their appearance, wish we had their friendships, and wonder why our lives seem smaller or more mundane. Left unchecked, this envy not only decays our souls but infects the whole church body with conflict, competition, and division. Paul warns in Galatians 5:19–21 that envy, jealousy, and strife are works of the flesh—not the fruit of the Spirit.

Every time we engage with content, we risk being shaped by it—either toward gratitude or toward resentment. Envy makes us doubt God’s provision and diminishes our contentment in Christ.

2. Depression Rises Dramatically.

Jonathan Haidt’s research in The Anxious Generation reveals what many pastors and parents already suspect: constant exposure to screens, likes, shares, and notifications contributes to rising anxiety, loneliness, and depression—especially among Gen Z. Every like or share creates a dopamine hit, conditioning us to crave approval from strangers instead of affirmation from the Lord.

We were not made for artificial connection. God designed us for embodied, in-person relationships—life-on-life discipleship, table fellowship, shared joy, and mutual burdens. The online world promises community, but often delivers only isolation. It offers excitement, but not satisfaction. As Solomon said, “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing” (Ecclesiastes 1:8).

 

3. The Gender Divide Grows Drastically.

The internet hasn’t impacted all people equally. Young men, in particular, are being spiritually and socially paralyzed by digital addictions. Whether it’s immersive gaming or pornography, these artificial pleasures offer stimulation without responsibility—and as a result, many young men are emotionally stunted, relationally insecure, and spiritually stagnant.

Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 that God’s will is our sanctification, especially in the area of sexual purity. But private compromise undermines public leadership. When integrity erodes in secret, boldness vanishes in public. Satan uses these hidden addictions to handcuff men to their bedrooms, draining them of courage, ambition, and leadership.

For women, the internet fuels body image obsession and perfectionism. Constant comparison to digitally enhanced, curated lives causes anxiety and insecurity. Many young women become so entangled in self-presentation that they struggle to develop genuine, grace-filled confidence in Christ.

The result? Both men and women suffer. Both are pulled into roles and identities shaped more by pixels than by Scripture.

4. Our Social Communication Suffers.

Digital communication is not evil—but it’s incomplete. We need to learn how to email well, text graciously, and navigate online spaces wisely. But we can’t stop there. Online communication lacks the tone, eye contact, physical presence, and spiritual warmth that come through embodied fellowship.

Worse, many feel emboldened to post things online that they would never say in person. We mistake venting for vulnerability, or passive-aggression for biblical exhortation. But Scripture calls us to something better: “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6).

If we want to obey Christ’s command to love one another, forgive one another, and build one another up, it requires face-to-face conversation. It demands listening well, speaking wisely, and staying humble in real relationships.

 

The church doesn’t need to abandon technology, but we do need to disciple people through it. We need to touch grass, not just scroll feeds. We need to raise up leaders who are more shaped by Scripture than by trends. And we need to be alert to the subtle ways we become “too online,” drifting from the physical, faithful community that God has called us to.

Click Here for Part 2 of this Article

So, Is Orthodoxy Theologically Wrong?

In many of the most important areas, yes.

While Orthodoxy differs from Catholicism in structure and emphasis, it ultimately shares many of the same foundational theological problems.

1. Orthodoxy Rejects Scripture Alone as Final Authority.

Orthodoxy teaches that authority comes from both Scripture and “Holy Tradition.”

While they affirm the inspiration of the Bible, they also teach that Scripture must be interpreted through:

  • Church fathers
  • Ecumenical councils
  • Church liturgy
  • Historical tradition

In practice, this means the church becomes the final interpreter of truth.

That directly conflicts with the sufficiency and clarity of Scripture.

The Bible teaches that Scripture is sufficient to equip the believer for every good work:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God… that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” — 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Church history is valuable, but it is not infallible. Scripture alone is God-breathed.

2. Orthodoxy Holds to a Faulty View of Salvation.

This is the biggest issue.

Orthodoxy does not teach justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Instead, salvation is viewed as a lifelong process of participation in God through sacraments, repentance, fasting, obedience, and spiritual transformation (“theosis”).

While Orthodoxy rightly emphasizes transformation and sanctification, it confuses sanctification with justification.

The Bible teaches that sinners are declared righteous before God entirely because of Christ’s righteousness credited to them by faith.

Orthodoxy instead blends faith and works into the basis of acceptance before God.

That is not a small disagreement. That is the heart of the Gospel.

3. Orthodoxy Elevates Tradition Beyond Scripture.

Orthodox theology relies heavily on church tradition and historical continuity.

But one of the major problems is inconsistency.

Even within Orthodoxy, there are disagreements over how binding various councils, traditions, and practices actually are.

For example, some historical Orthodox councils strongly defended the veneration of icons—even pronouncing curses on those who rejected them—while modern practice is often softer and less consistent.

This creates an unstable authority structure.

If tradition is infallible, which traditions count? Which councils are binding? Which church fathers are definitive?

Ultimately, Orthodoxy ends up selectively appealing to history in ways that can become inconsistent and subjective.

4. Orthodoxy Contains Serious Doctrinal Problems.

Orthodoxy also teaches doctrines and practices that go beyond Scripture, including:

  • Prayers connected to Mary and the saints
  • Sacramental salvation
  • Veneration of icons
  • Mystical teachings about the afterlife
  • A priestly mediation system

Some Orthodox traditions even teach concepts similar to “toll houses,” where souls are examined after death regarding their sins and spiritual condition before entering God’s presence.

These ideas simply are not grounded in clear biblical teaching.

Is Orthodoxy the same as Catholicism?

No.

There are real differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

Orthodoxy rejects papal supremacy, has a different structure of church authority, and differs on certain doctrinal details.

But despite those differences, both systems ultimately place authority outside Scripture and both reject justification by faith alone.

That means the core Gospel issue remains.

The Real Solution Is Not Formality—It’s Biblical Truth

Many people are running toward Orthodoxy because they correctly recognize problems in modern Christianity:

  • Shallow teaching
  • Consumer-driven worship
  • Emotionalism
  • Casualness toward God

Those concerns are often legitimate.

But the answer is not to run toward a system that adds layers of tradition and obscures the Gospel.

The solution is to return to Scripture.

The Bible is sufficient, clear, authoritative, and enough for the church today.

True reverence does not come from incense, candles, or ancient rituals alone. It comes from rightly seeing God through His Word.

“Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” — Hebrews 12:28

Reverent worship flows from a right understanding of who God is—not merely from atmosphere or formality.

Final Thoughts

Orthodoxy is attractive because it offers history, beauty, transcendence, and seriousness in an age of instability and superficiality.

But sincerity, beauty, and antiquity are not enough.

Every church, tradition, and theological system must ultimately be tested by the Word of God.

And wherever any system departs from the Gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, we must lovingly but clearly say that it is wrong—no matter how ancient or impressive it may appear.

Resources to Learn More

  • 9 Marks Pastor’s Talk — 2-part episode on Eastern Orthodoxy
  • The Story of Christianity: Volumes 1–2 by Justo L. Gonzalez