Ask the Lord to help us discern rightly the news that is being brought forth. Pray that truth in news reports will be the norm and not the exception. “Use the discernment that comes with the Spirit of Truth given to believers.”

“… if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” (1 Tim. 3:15)

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One of the hottest topics in our culture is fake news. I’ve written about it, and others have as well. Obviously, not all news is fake. At the same time, not everything that calls itself news is real news. When one of the leading stories in USA Today is about someone wearing a thong, we are reminded how far the media have fallen. But fake news is not just an industry issue or a cultural issue. It becomes a discipleship issue because we are people of truth in a world that has been dealing with alternative facts since the Garden of Eden.

The growing problem of fake news gives pastors and church leaders a great opportunity to teach and challenge Christians to be more discerning about the stories they consume. What we are talking about is helping people think more critically about the world in which we live.

Nothing is true simply because it is believable, or because it fits our worldview or preference. Nothing is untrue simply because it is unbelievable, or doesn’t fit our worldview or preference. As Christians, we believe some things that would qualify as unlikely, or straight up unbelievable. The gospel has changed us. That gospel is ‘good news’.

We need to remember that what we call good news (God became flesh, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died, rose from the dead, and is coming back on a white horse to receive His people into eternal life), the world calls fake news….

In a rising tide of fake news, what can we do to not become part of the destructive flood that is washing away decency and sensibility in our culture? How can we live out Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 4:8?

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.

Here are some things we all can do:

Never share what you cannot verify….

Make sure what you share would be recognizable by the people you are talking about….

Guard your integrity….

Apologize if you are part of the problem….

How can we avoid getting caught up in fake news?

First, start by using the common sense God gave us.

Second, take it to another level and use the discernment that comes with the Spirit of Truth given to believers.

Finally, ask yourself some accountability questions… Does this story make sense? Is the headline so sensational that it deserves to be on a gossip rag at the grocery store, or is it within the realm of possibility? Does this claim seem reasonable, or does it just appeal to the side of me that wants it to be true to validate my position against the person in the story?

I tend to get my news from several sources. This doesn’t mean they all say the same thing about the stories, or that I believe everything they say. But if a story is true, it will likely show up in several of the mainstream sources I read.

Ultimately, remember that we follow a Man who claimed to be the Truth. He told Pilate that He came to testify to the truth. Pilate then asked, “What is truth?” That is the question of our time. The truth will be clearer if it isn’t hidden among the clickbait in our lives. (Excerpts from Ed Stetzer’s article for Christianity Today – Ed Stetzer holds the Billy Graham Distinguished Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College, is Executive Director of the Billy Graham Center, and publishes church leadership resources through Mission Group.)