‘Rather puzzling’: Evangelicals believe social media is harmful — use it anyway

By Evangelical Press Association

Fifty-four percent of evangelicals believe social media is more harmful than helpful to the Christian faith, but they use social media anyway, according to a report by Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research. This and other findings can be found in their latest report “Helpful or Harmful? Evangelicals and Social Media.”

A total of 1,039 evangelical Protestants, according to the report, participated in this study. Data for the report was gathered in early 2024, a news release noted.

“Those who are more actively engaged in their faith — regular Bible readership, worship attendance, prayer, etc.— are more likely to see social media as helpful,” the two groups said in the release. “Some of the primary reasons social media was considered more helpful than harmful include evangelism, easy access to Christian content, connecting with community and encouragement in their faith.”

Other insights

The report also noted other insights:

— “58% of all evangelicals, whether they use social media or not, consider social media more harmful than helpful to the Christian faith, while 42% believe it is more helpful than harmful.

— “Only 4% of evangelical adults who are online say they have not touched any social media in the past month.

— “Evangelicals, like most Americans who are online, favor Facebook (81%) and YouTube (71%)

— “Five different platforms are used by at least half of evangelicals 18 to 29, three by those 30 to 49, and two among those 50 and older.

‘More harmful than helpful’?

Ron Sellers, president of Grey Matter Research, said some evangelicals “talk glowingly of how social media has allowed them to talk to others about Jesus, build their own faith through study or encouragement, and develop greater community with other believers.” He added,  “Others bash social media as shallow, distracting, untrue, seductive and even evil. But almost all use it.”

Mark Dreistadt, president and CEO of Infinity Concepts, also noted, “What is rather puzzling is that a majority of evangelicals believe social media is more harmful than helpful to the Christian faith in the US, yet they continue to use it anyway. One is left to wonder whether the Church is providing sufficient guidance regarding social media.”