Why Christians should stay informed about the news

Do you ever feel like you want to just check out from the news? Turn off the networks, stop reading the articles, unfollow all the media outlets, put down the phone? Because honestly, same. But there are two reasons why I don’t do that: 

1. I work for Denison Forum, a literal news outlet.
2. More importantly, God calls us to engage with culture, which entails keeping up with the news and cultural discourse. (More on this shortly).

But let’s be real: Headlines are overwhelming. 

And because of that, it can be really easy to tune everything out. Some would call this “burying your head in the sand.” I’ve often heard from people who take this approach say they enjoy remaining “blissfully unaware” of happenings that don’t directly impact their lives.  

And honestly, who can blame them? Media outlets, algorithms, and even politicians feed off of our anger and outrage. They long to keep us anxious and divided. That’s how they know we’ll keep scrolling, clicking, or tuning in.

So yes, it can definitely seem like the right move to ignore it all and avoid engaging with any political drama or cultural discourse. But I’d like to offer a counter-argument for Christians. Because I believe we should engage with the constant barrage of news. 

I’m not saying to do this in an unhealthy fashion. Boundaries should be set so you don’t overload your brain and heart with too much information, particularly bad news. An abundance of news and negative stories can quickly manifest as anger, anxiety, and disillusionment – all of which the Bible tells us to avoid (Ephesians 4:26, Matthew 6:34, Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:6-7, Isaiah 41:10). 

Rather, I want to explain why it’s crucial that Christians should stay “in the know” on at-large cultural happenings, and how to do so in a healthy way. Because while “blissful unawareness” can sound nice, it can also easily turn into “blissful ignorance.” 

What you miss when you look away

Have you ever heard the legal principle “ignorance of the law excuses no one?” It basically means you cannot escape legal punishment by telling a court you did not know your action was illegal. 

The same can be said of an intentional dissociation from news and culture-at-large discourse. Just because you didn’t know of a major news story doesn’t mean it did not happen or that lives were not impacted. And God can use those stories to help us show others in our circles how to practice applying a biblical perspective to them.

A disconnect from what the rest of the world is wrestling with can leave you unprepared to offer:

• hopeful messages in the face of despairing news
• protection for yourself against misinformation and false narratives
• true facts to others who are misinformed, or looking for accurate information
• thoughtful opinions when the Christian stance on a story is questioned
• engagement in conversations on a vast array of trending topics that are influencing culture
• transformation in the culture around you by providing relevant information and applying biblical truths to the headlines 

Because what may not matter a whole lot to you does matter to others. And they need to hear truth-centric responses to what’s happening in the world. 

The Christian’s role in news engagement

It was well known in ancient times that salt was dispersed into meat to act as a preservative. So when Jesus said in Matthew 5:13 that his followers are the salt of the earth, the audience understood what he meant – Christians are to preserve society by living according to the truth of Scripture and resisting cultural decay.  

And he followed it up in verses 14-16: 

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

We live in a dark world, and few things remind us of that more than the news. Let us stand firm on our hope of Christ and serve as a lighthouse, shining in the vast darkness of cultural tidal waves, drawing in those adrift at sea to a solid foundation (Matthew 7:24-27). 

This is why it’s always been crucial for pastors to be culturally educated. As shepherds, pastors must be able to guide their congregations through cultural headwinds, both big and small. Maybe it’s as big as praying through a national crisis, but it can also be as small as being able to speak truth into the latest pop-culture news that’s dominating congregants’ social media feeds and group chats. 

But this isn’t relegated to just pastors. It’s a call to action for all of us. We all have circles of influence in our lives: 

Family– You have the strongest influence on those who live under the same roof. And for parents specifically, it’s worth asking this: When the next conversations on a natural disaster, technological threat, geopolitical fallout, political turmoil, sports scandal, celebrity death, economic downturn, or popular inappropriate TV show come through to your kids’ eyes and ears, wouldn’t you rather be the one to address the elephant in the room and respond with biblical truth? It certainly beats the analysis they’ll receive from friends and social media. (For more on this concept, check out this conversation I had with Steph Thurling and Micah Tomasella on the Christian Parenting Podcast.)

Friends– Given the trust built in friendships, these are often relationships where cultural topics are brought up to gather opinions on a wide range of issues. Are you pointing your closest companions back to the truth of Scripture while the world sucks our culture into a pit of fleshly desires and despair?

Peers– Whether you’re in class or at work, God has placed you in the lives of others for a reason. When those people feel the world is hopeless and crumbling, you will find yourself in a unique position to offer uplifting hope. And if those around you know of your faith, they may look to you for answers in both an effort to understand your perspective or possibly to even trap you. So are you prepared for both offense and defense?

How to stay informed without losing your peace

I know what you’re thinking. . . “How in the world can I confidently stand in a circle of peers, co-workers, classmates, or family members and offer hope, facts, thoughtful opinions, engaging discourse, and spiritual transformation? All while preserving peace in my own heart and mind?”

I’m glad you asked!

Here are some methods for staying plugged in while also maintaining mental and spiritual peace.

1. Digest the right amount of news for you. If you feel overwhelmed by the news, then don’t dive in too deep. Make sure you are gathering information in healthy doses. I recommend finding a couple of newsletters, podcasts, or YouTube videos from both secular and faith-based sources that break down the day’s top stories.

2. Take news breaks. It’s totally fine to step away for a bit and unplug when you feel you need a breather from the never-ending news cycles. When your heart or mind (or both) are telling you they’re overwhelmed, listen to them.

3. Avoid echo chambers. Pull in information from sources that lean in both directions of opposing angles. This, of course, is most prevalent in the political sphere, but it certainly spills over into culture-war topics and even theological disputes. Understanding positions from two sides of an argument will help you to gather all the relevant information and make educated decisions on how to approach complicated subjects. 

4. Pray through the news. When it all feels too heavy, turn to God. He hears our cries, our pleas, and our gratitude. It can be so easy to get wrapped up in our emotions that we often forget to bring all our thoughts and feelings to God. When there’s turmoil in the news, go before the Lord and talk to him about it. When an earthquake hits, stop and pray for the victims. When AI inevitably shocks the world with scary features, give those fears to the Lord. When war wages, ask Him to bring peace. When world leaders meet, pray for God to be present in the room.

5. Don’t rush to form an opinion. Never in human history have we been so inundated with news and information. It’s non-stop. Take, for example, the last 250 years of America’s existence: It used to be weeks, days, or hours before you heard any news out of the White House, Wall Street, war zones, locker rooms, Hollywood, etc. Now there’s breaking news in every corner of culture, seemingly by the minute. We are not wired to take in and process so much information all the time. In a world that values quick responses, immediate hot takes, and emergency podcast episodes, slow down. Pray, have conversations, do research when needed, and find sources of information that you trust to provide solid biblical truth. May we heed the call of James 1:19: “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”.

6. View headlines through the lens of Scripture. In 1966, famed theologian Karl Barth said, “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” That concept still rings true today. The opinions and analyses of world leaders, political parties, or media outlets cannot replace the foundational truth of Scripture. Apply God’s word to every story, and discover a more fulfilling process for responding to the issues of the day. And that’s exactly the mission of Denison Forum. Through newsletters, podcasts, and articles, we help Christians engage with what’s happening in the world without being swept into the anxiety the world produces. We take the trouble seriously, but we take Jesus more seriously. And we trust that people anchored in Scripture can remain steady—fully informed, fully present, and fully at peace—even when the current is strong.

When we do all the above, we are not only sharpening our minds and enriching our spiritual growth, but we are preparing ourselves to respond to the news in accordance with Proverbs 15:1-2:

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

And as we discussed here, it actually is possible to stay culturally literate and spiritually grounded. Will you join us in this divine calling?