Everyone's An Expert...Right?

Navigating Expertise in the Digital Age

In today’s digital world, everyone has a voice—and that’s a beautiful thing. The internet has decentralized discourse, creating opportunities for people from all walks of life to share their thoughts, engage with diverse communities, and contribute to meaningful discussions.

At the same time, this open landscape brings with it a peculiar challenge: finding a genuine expert in the endless sea of voices.

For those of us navigating digital spaces with intentionality—whether as leaders, pastors, or just curious humans—it’s vital to explore what this means.

What are the ramifications of living in a world where everyone can speak, but expertise can feel so hard to find?

The Broadening Landscape of Conversation

One of the great gifts of the internet is its ability to connect.

Platforms like Twitch, Discord, and YouTube foster vibrant spaces where communities can form around shared interests. My own experiences streaming and building formative space for Checkpoint Church have shown me just how natural digital relationships can feel.

I’ve formed real connections with people I’ve never met in person, and those relationships have been as meaningful as any that I have forged over coffee after a Sunday service.

But this accessibility has a flipside. In these spaces where relationships flourish, the sheer number of voices can overwhelm. Expertise—once the domain of scholars and specialists—now competes with confident amateurs and well-meaning but sometimes ill-informed contributors. Navigating this cacophony requires a sharper eye and a deeper sense of discernment.

The Vanishing Expert

Finding expertise in digital spaces is like trying to pick out a single star in a bright city sky. Everyone is saying something all of the time—and often saying it loudly. As a digital minister, I’ve learned to value humility and adaptability when engaging with these voices. I’ve also realized that expertise is not just about what someone knows but how they engage with others. The community that forms around a voice can tell you a lot about who they are.

Take, for example, the unique position of faith leaders in this space.

Many of us find ourselves translating complex theological ideas online. The work is rewarding but relentless, as we constantly evaluate the trustworthiness of our sources and partners.

Who’s genuinely informed?
Who’s an influencer with opinions that sound good but lack depth?
The nuance here is not just academic—it’s deeply spiritual.

The Humble Writer Acknowledges A Fault

I’ll be honest here: I had planned on writing a listicle here of ways to discern if someone is credible as an expert.

But can I ask a question? Do you actually need that? I could be wrong, and I could write a follow-up. But I think that you, dear reader, taking time out of your day to join me here, I think you know some steps to learn about qualification.

Instead, let me pivot and explore another angle of this conundrum.

Do we always need an expert?

What if—and this is a big if—we’re being tricked? I wonder if we aren’t being fed things as if they were expertise, when the truth is that we just want another human being to talk to about it.

I’d like to propose that we change our perspective on how we approach digital parasociality. Instead of beginning from a space of authority and power, what if we saw the Internet stranger as a conversation partner?

Just another person navigating this life.
A pulse. A heartbeat. A blink.
Nothing more or less than another person.

How would that change the way we treat one another online?

The Ramifications of This Reality

Living in a world where everyone’s a conversation partner changes how we approach authority and truth. In a world of experts, these are the first things on our mind. But in a conversation-based world—a more human world—we would approach these conversations like we would with any of our friends.

Do you meet with a friend for coffee and expect them to teach you some wacky new health tip every single time? And then lambast them if it doesn’t line up with your ideology?

This is a clear fallout of our parasocial leaning. We aren’t treating those on the other side of the screen as humans.

Fostering Healthy Practices

Ultimately, our task is not just to navigate this reality but to help shape it. As digital leaders, we must model humility, openness, and a commitment to truth. Stand your ground when you need to, but also work on just being human online.

Of course, we must foster spaces where questions are welcomed, doubt is respected, and dialogue is encouraged. But can’t also foster spaces to just be?

The internet is a vast, noisy place, but it’s also a space of immense possibility. By approaching it with discernment, care, and intentionality, we can transform it from a cacophony into a symphony of mundane humanity—one conversation partner at a time.

World 2-12 Complete

Q: What do you feed trolls on the Internet?
A: A steady diet of your attention—it’s their favorite snack.