How Pastors Can Combat Conspiracy Theories
It came as a text from a very close friend: “Did you know Mike Pence is part of a global human trafficking ring?”
I didn’t really even know where to begin. I know people who have worked closely with the former vice president and repeatedly vouch for his character and integrity. What’s more, if a conservative vice president was leading this vast global criminal enterprise, certainly media outlets, especially hostile ones, would have reported it.
There have always been conspiracy theories in human history because human history is full of conspiracy and evil. Sin has marbled its way so thoroughly into the human heart, every generation sees brokenness and evil makes its way into the highest reaches of power.
And yet, so many theories—ideas of secret knowledge—are often just fantasies that appeal to our deepest fears and strongest biases.
Yet these are theories even many Christians are prone to believe as Lifeway Research recently found. In this study, nearly half (49%) of the pastors surveyed indicated they have heard members repeating conspiracy theories.
So how do faithful pastors and gospel-centered churches combat this flood of untruth, especially in an era where trust of institutions is at such a deficit and dishonest information fills our timelines and invades our minds?
Read more here.