23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for all regard John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ~Matthew 21:23-27
This morning I am worshipping with Ellen at VidCon, an ekklesia of people from around the East Coast. It is a full weekend event at the Baltimore Convention Center, a tent revival of sorts. One of the signs says, “The Magic of digital culture and its creators in real life!” Most of the crowd of worshippers are a little young to travel on their own and I see my “middle-aged parent” cohort interspersed between the zealous youth. We Gen X’ers look generally positive and encouraging of our offspring, but we have a slightly weary slouch. We are not exactly disciples of these Gen Z internet prophets and the coffee here is too expensive.
Ellen and I are in line early for communion with two of her favorite online video and content developers, Ranboo and Aimsey. So many people want to commune with these young influencers that we get in line an hour before our designated hour. I take up my position, seated on the floor, one ear listening to the conversation around me and the other ear listening for any instructions from the covention staff.
I look around at the detailed costumes, fan gear, bracelets with inside lingo spelled out in beads, homemade signs and gifts assembled as an offering to their idols. Everyone is so excited to connect in real life with someone that they have previously only interacted with on social media. And yet, even though they have never met this person IRL, they are deeply committed. They are subscribed followers of the Internet personality and their ‘likes’ have catapulted this peer to prophetic stardom. The grassroots nature of their videos and their rise to fame makes them all the more enticing because they are just regular people… who have cultivated millions of disciples.
It occurs to me that the energy here, while we wait for our “meet & greet,” is all about connection. A deep longing for connection that has been cultivated by countless hours of online experiences. The disciples are also enjoying the opportunity to connect with each other. The crowd gathered feels at home with each other. Each person is admiring the other’s efforts to perfect a costume, show off a detail, and generally put effort into their prophet’s message and style. They take pictures of each other, ask questions, and generally affirm each other with appreciation. It is a beautiful community.
Was it like this in the temple with Jesus?
Was it like this along the riverbanks of the Jordan with John?
When the prophet Ranboo appears, 6’7” tall and wearing his trademark mask and overwhelming shock of hair, the crowd goes a little nuts. He is quiet, shy even. He is kind, generous with his time, and grateful for everyone who has come to say hello. He is also managed by the temple authorities, “attention disciples, you can pose for 2 pictures only, no gifts or autographs will be exchanged. We will keep the line moving. You can put any gifts you brought into this box.” Their efficiencies and methods are very sensible… they channel the energy of each worshipper into a pin point of desperate connection to satisfy their hunger. The temple authorities also maximize the monetization each follower to create the greatest income possible in this weekend revival. Followers become consumers… and I wrestle internally with the manipulative cost of this fan base membership. Who is getting rich on these kids? And their parents?
I wonder if Jesus felt like this when the crowds overwhelmed his ability to touch each one personally?
I wonder if John got weary of dunking each person seeking a new life through his baptism?
Clearly, the temple authorities have sought to reign in the energy of followers and control the authority of the prophet in every age.
Were does the authority of today’s digital prophets come from? The crowd, I believe. Teenagers hungry for connection. And then, the temple authorities measure their worth in followers, subscribers, views, shares, and likes… and turn their art, their message, their lives into consumables. I have seen this weekend how these prophets seem to have remained human, soft, present, loving to their disciples. I have also seen the conversion of disciples into consumers.
I wonder, are we creating gatherings, conventions, social media influencers, wellness industries, and IRL churches for deep connection with God, with prophets, and with each other? Or are we participating in the manipulation that turns our hunger for connection into a marketplace where our hearts are bought and sold to keep the temple institution fed?
I don’t know… and Jesus isn’t telling.
