I have watched the methods of human communication shift like the shifting sands of the Mississippi. In my early days, we relied on the Deseret News to combat the vitriolic "yellow journalism" of the 1800s. I saw the Church embrace KSL Radio in 1922, one of the first commercial licenses in the American West, and later, Television in 1949. I vividly remember the mid-1980s, when the Church placed massive satellite receivers outside every stake center to catch world broadcasts from the air. Then came the earthquake of the Internet; while many moved toward darkness and vice, I watched the Church move to claim digital space for the Savior.
Yet, as a man who has lived through every technological leap since 1812, I share a certain frustration with the present hour.
For those who understand the power of social media influence, there is a perceived "slowness" in the Church Office Building when it comes to the chaotic, rapid-fire world of modern Social Media. Our leaders are wise, blessed with the perspective of nearly a century of life, but that age advantage can feel like a disadvantage in an age where an "anti-Mormon" lie can go viral around the world in seconds. This silence has, for a time, allowed voices like Mormon Stories, Alyssa Grenfell, or the sensationalized “Mormon Wives / MomTok” tropes to operate in an echo chamber, often without a direct, nimble rebuttal from the Church on Social Media.
The Rise of the Grassroots Defenders
But where the Church is deliberate, the members are organic. We are witnessing a "grassroots" movement of Latter-day Saint influencers who have taken it upon themselves to stand in the gap.
I’ve watched Cardon Ellis of Ward Radio express this very frustration. He has openly noted that Ward Radio isn't an official arm of the Church; they are just "radio hosts who call it how we see it." Cardon has been vocal about the risk-averse nature of "official" Church media, which can feel "safe and predictable" when the youth are looking for something genuine and gritty.
While figures like Charlie Kirk mastered the power of social media and TikTok to move a generation, the Church did not produce a "Latter-day Saint Charlie Kirk" out of the church office building, Church Education System (CES) or BYU professors. The Grassroots Defenders have done that themselves. This organic movement is becoming a force to be reckoned with.
A Hallway Conversation with the "Holy Rebellion"
Not long ago, I found myself in a Megaplex hallway where I crossed paths with Christian Williams of The Holy Rebellion. I told him how much his content meant to those of us who have been waiting for pro LDS content to take the fight to the "ex" and "anti" Mormon slop on Social Media. His response stuck with me. He admitted that the decision to start was a heavy one.
The Church hadn't "called" him. He had to wrestle with the question: "Is it okay for me to be a spokesman and defender without a formal mandate?" He told me plainly, "Nobody asked me to do this for the Church."
He, along with so many like Ward Radio, Cwicshow, Hayden Carroll, Colton Miller, David Snell, and the teams at All Those In Favor and Restored Truth as well as many more, realized that if the "Church Office" moves slow, the "field is white" we must move fast. Christian eventually felt a spiritual prompting, a rebellion against worldly contention, to reclaim the digital space for the Savior. As an extremely biased fan of his work, I can say he and his "partner in crime," Travis, do an amazing job.
The TikTok Frontier: A Field White and Already to Harvest
I have many connections in the Church Office Building. From an extremely reliable source I cannot name, I have it on good authority that while the Church has seen explosive growth in Europe and the entire globe through social media advertising, one frontier has remained "off-limits": TikTok.
For years, the official stance has been "No TikTok," likely due to concerns regarding security and the platform's brand reputation. Yet, these concerns did not slow the lies from anti-Mormon creators on that same platform. However, I hear whispers that the Church is seriously contemplating a formal entry into this space. Why? because that is where the "friends" are.
As Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf once said, "The internet can be a friend to us when we use it correctly." Make no mistake: this possible entry is likely for advertising to find interested seekers, not for formal apologetics. But TikTok is no different than the printing press. Whether it’s a mother sharing the joy of a special needs child in a loving ward, or a "comeback" story of a soul returning to the covenant path, the content is the message. The platform is simply the pulpit, a pulpit that college-age kids now turn to for their news and truth.
The Myth of Church Funding
I often hear detractors claim these influencers are secretly on the Church payroll. From my vantage point, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, many of them wish the Church would provide more resources. They aren't mercenaries; they are volunteers.
Just as I helped the Mississippi Saints to the valley without waiting for a paved road, these modern defenders are carving out a digital trail because they love the truth. They are the "opposition press" to the lies, proving that the Spirit of the Saints is as restless and vibrant as it was in 1847. I look forward to the day the Church officially joins them on the front lines.
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