Pastor James Kaddis delivered a fiery warning about what he described as a growing culture of deception, outrage and biblical illiteracy consuming Christians through social media and modern online influence.
“I just find myself becoming increasingly tired of the nonsense that I’m seeing online, the lies that are happening,” Kaddis said. “It’s gotten to a point that is far worse than I ever remember it being. It’s gotten to a point where the darkness continues to emerge in ways that are just so mind-boggling.”
Pointing to Second Epistle to Timothy chapter four, Kaddis said the apostle Paul warned believers that people in the last days would reject truth in favor of emotionally driven voices and narratives.
“He made it very clear that there would be a time that would come when people would no longer endure sound doctrine because truth would become uncomfortable,” Kaddis said.
“After their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears,” he continued. “The idea that points to people gathering voices that reinforce emotion or bias or even fear or outrage or preference rather than any kind of truth. We’re seeing that happening right now.”
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Kaddis warned that Christians are allowing social media culture to shape their thinking instead of the Word of God.
“It describes a culture addicted to stimulation and all kinds of affirmation,” he said. “We’re seeing it. Look at the people who are social media influencers right now.”
The California pastor also rebuked church leaders who refuse to boldly preach Scripture while culture rapidly declines into confusion and deception.
“We are people who are obligated by God,” Kaddis said. “We are called by God. Especially as pastors, men like me, we’re obligated to go back to the preaching of the word of God.”
“Pastors are sitting on the sideline being more concerned about things that they should never be involved with,” he continued. “They’re not telling the truth. They’re hiding. They’re more concerned about their social calendars than they are about simply speaking the truth.”
Kaddis described modern online culture as emotionally unstable and spiritually manipulative, warning believers not to be “tossed to and fro” by constantly shifting narratives and outrage cycles.
“It reflects a consistent shift in narratives, opinions, what I would often times call outrage cycles and online hysteria,” he said.
“There’s a lot of that happening,” Kaddis added. “Paul is contrasting instability with spiritual maturity and discernment.”
Referencing Epistle to the Philippians chapter four, Kaddis said Christians must discipline their minds by focusing on truth, purity and virtue instead of fear, negativity and emotional chaos.
“You want the peace of God, be disciplined in your thought life,” he said. “Don’t allow your heart and your mind to be carried away with wicked and evil thought.”
Kaddis closed with a sobering warning that deception has become a defining characteristic of the last days and called believers to remain grounded in Scripture instead of emotional reaction.
“People become vulnerable to lies when emotion and pleasure, tribalism, fear, personal desire have become more important than truth,” he said.
“Loving truth becomes essential. Essential if you want discernment and spiritually you want growth.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
