“To disciple” means “to teach (or) train” (collinsdictionary.com). If you are being discipled, then you are one who is being taught or trained to become like someone or to live out their particular beliefs. Hopefully, that means becoming more like Jesus.
Here’s the kicker, though: We’re all disciples of someone during most of our day. When I watch a Mariners game, I’m being discipled by those announcers to root for the Mariners, no matter how often they break my heart. (The Cubs at least have three World Series wins under their belt.) When I’m listening to a Starbucks commercial, I’m being discipled by the ad to drink Starbucks coffee. However, the biggest disciplers in our culture right now aren’t ESPN or commercials – though they have a lot of pull. The biggest disciplers in our culture aren’t even your pastor or Bible study leader. They are your news and social media feeds.
Who is discipling us is based primarily on who is getting a majority of our time and attention. And, according research (here’s one study), a majority of our time is being spent with digital media. I don’t mean dog videos, (serious or funny ones) but news and social media feeds. More and more studies seem to be confirming that these two feeds are “fueling anxiety, depression, loneliness and FOMO (fear or missing out).” When one spends 8-12 hours a day being discipled in some way by people and organizations that encourage fear, hatred, and revenge, then the three–four hours a week being discipled by your pastor or Bible study leader just doesn’t cut it.
I would like to suggest that the answer isn’t to spend more time with your pastor. It’s not even spending more time on YouTube watching other pastors. I would suggest that you use a two-prong approach. First, spend less time on social media and news feeds. That actually includes YouTube. Use your phone’s built-in app, or just your own timer, but limit your news intake to a certain amount of time per day. (I recommend 30 minutes for just news, and maybe up to 60 minutes if you include social media.) Also, endeavor to balance your news intake with views from both sides of a situation. You might spend 15 minutes on Fox, then 15 minutes on CNN. Whatever the case, guard who is speaking into your world – discipling you – and for how long.
The second prong is to spend more time with God. Read His Word. Pray and worship. Even reading the words of people who have gone before you in their spiritual growth. Of course, joining us at church on Sunday mornings is also an important place to be discipled. The point is to spend time with God and His people in order to be discipled – not just taught, but encouraged, poured into, helped, and, yes, even corrected – by God and His people.
I’m not saying that social media, news feeds, or commercials are bad or wrong (though cat videos are close). And I’m certainly not suggesting that I have it all down yet. My Facebook feed gets way too much of my time. I’m simply saying that when we allow them to disciple us, the end result can be detrimental to our mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
I’ll end with Paul’s encouragement to the people of Philippi: Philippians 4:8-9 – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (NIV). He who has ears to hear, let him hear.