The Purple Church Cannot Be Black-and-Blue

Digital ministry matters more than ever post-2024 Election Season

I’m no stranger to online ministry’s demands—the challenges of embodying empathy in a world of screen names and comment sections. For years, my work has focused on connecting with people online, many of whom will never step into a church. This is the new mission field, and I’m as committed as ever to reaching people where they are.

Yet, the past election has introduced a new term in my lexicon: “black-and-blue Christians”—those in our midst who harm others, bruising the Body of Christ in ways that make you question their discipleship.

The Purple Church

The United Methodist Church’s Purple Church Initiative addresses this need for unity within diversity.

A recent study by the Religion and Social Change Lab of Duke Divinity School found that congregations in North Carolina are politically and theologically diverse, creating a “purple church” that reflects deep and often challenging diversity.

This very diversity, however, also represents a hopeful future, as our churches remain some of the few places in American society where people across the political spectrum can build meaningful relationships. In a polarized and often toxic climate, the UMC sees an opportunity to “advance the ministry of Jesus by creating a beloved community that bridges political and theological divides.¹”

Yet, this concept of a “purple church” doesn’t mean the journey is without bruises.

While acknowledging diversity is one step, creating a healthy environment within that diversity is an ongoing challenge. The past few years of contemplation about Christians behaving badly on the Internet have led me to coin a new term: “black-and-blue Christians.” These are believers who engage in actions that harm or bruise others—through words or deeds—in ways that conflict with the values of compassion, empathy, and love central to our faith.

Here’s just one poignant example from today:

This is a screenshot from a person with a Bible verse for a name on another Christian person who is posting their negative reaction to the election results. But this isn’t their unique reaction. It’s a copy-paste meme that thousands of people are posting in comment sections of those who are expressing themselves.

This simply isn’t empathy.
This simply isn’t Christ-like.
This is black-and-blue Christianity.

Using this term isn’t meant to condemn but to challenge us all to reflect on how we’re contributing to the collective health of our faith communities. This behavior directly conflicts with the teachings of Christ, and it’s time we take a hard look at what we’re creating when we forget the humanity on the other side of the screen.

The Body of Christ and Gracious Civic Engagement

The Apostle Paul’s vision of the Church as the Body of Christ is particularly relevant here. In 1 Corinthians 12:26, Paul writes, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.” This powerful image of an interconnected Church invites us to consider how our words and actions, online or otherwise, impact our community. When we harm others, we harm the entire Body of Christ. In our digital ministries, we’re called to foster health and unity, not division.

Additionally, the Wesleyan tradition reminds us that our engagement with society, especially in civic matters, should be marked by grace and humility. John Wesley’s advice for approaching elections with “meekness” and “charity” is a critical reminder in our current context. As Christians, our witness includes not just how we vote but also how we treat others across the political aisle.

Beyond the Screens: A Ministry of Visibility and Accountability

It’s easy for some to dismiss the digital sphere as irrelevant, a place where “real” ministry can’t happen.

I disagree.

Online spaces are where people—especially younger generations—live, connect, and discover meaning. Telling them to “touch grass” and step away from the screen doesn’t just miss the mark; it misses them.

They’re looking for authentic community and honest answers, even if they’re searching within the YouTube or Reddit comment threads.

The reality that I am discovering is that the same members of our society who are watching my videos and consuming my content are also voting. And they are also attending our worship services. We can hide behind the guise of anonymity all that we like, but it’s still impacting our psyche.

In my previous post, The Bible Used to Be Social Media, I explored how platforms like Discord allow us to recapture the early church’s spirit of connectedness. They’re real spaces with real impact and demand our full engagement.

As a digital minister, my next step is to make this a focus of this space, looking at tangible ways we can reject harm, foster equity, and uphold language that reflects Christ.

This means moving beyond silence when I see vitriol; it means documenting, examining, and addressing the language we often ignore. To start, here are some of the practices I’ll be developing:

- Establish Clear Community Guidelines: Setting expectations around respectful engagement is the first step to creating healthier online spaces. At Checkpoint Church, our guidelines help foster understanding, reminding everyone that our goal is community, not conflict.

- Use Moderation Tools Wisely: Digital ministers can leverage tools like filters and comment moderation, especially on platforms like Twitch and Discord. By moderating for keywords associated with toxic language, we can minimize harm while encouraging meaningful interaction.

- Promote Accountability Through Dialogue: When hurtful comments appear, we can address them openly and with grace. Sometimes this means inviting the person to engage privately, or reminding them of our shared calling to embody Christ’s love in all spaces.

- Highlight Positive Contributions: Regularly celebrate those who contribute thoughtfully. This is something we strive to do, as we know that positive reinforcement helps shift a community’s tone more than just calling out the negative. We can highlight the words and actions that reflect the love we’re called to share.

These are the first steps, and as I explore them more in this blog, I invite others to join in experimenting with practices that foster a healthier digital faith community.

Unity Over Animosity

I’m not anxious about the church’s color but about its bruising.

A “purple church” isn’t the problem; the issue is the bruises we give and receive in these digital interactions. What good is a “purple church” if our members leave feeling battered and unseen? We’ve spent years calling for a unity that accommodates political diversity, but our next step must be harder: to embody a unity that refuses to tolerate harm.

To my fellow digital ministers: we have our work cut out for us, but we’re not alone.

This is the calling we’ve accepted, and now, more than ever, our voices are needed. Let’s embrace the freedom to speak openly and call out the harm we see in the digital space. This won’t make us popular, but our responsibility isn’t to be liked—it’s to be faithful.

I’m encouraged by a faith that persists through challenge, a faith that doesn’t buckle under division.

I am anxious but not scared, confident but realistic.

This next season will demand a new depth of resilience, love, and honesty from us. We have a beautiful chance to embody Christ’s love to those feeling battered by the world around them, online or offline.

So, let’s commit together to making our communities places of sanctuary—where bruises are healed, not created, where our color, blue or red, fades in the light of a love that sees beyond screens, keyboards, and political divides.

Our mission remains what it has always been: to make disciples and transform the world. Only now, we’re just as likely to do it in a YouTube comment section as in a church pew. And that is good news.

World 2-9 Complete

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Q: Why aren’t you in the mood for jokes?
A: They say timing is everything… and mine’s a bit late

1. https://www.wnccumc.org/the-purple-church-initiative