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“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” (George Orwell)

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)

We are not merely living in an age of deception. We are living in an age of submission, where most people don’t want to be free — they want to be safe, compliant, praised, and predictable. They want to belong to the herd.

This is not just a political issue. It’s a spiritual one. And it begins with the difference between high agency and low agency—between those who act and those who follow the script.

WHAT IS AGENCY?

The word agency  comes from the Latin agere —“to act, to do.”
To have agency is to take intentional action in the world, based on internal conviction rather than external programming.

• High agency people ask: Why? What if we’re wrong? What are the consequences of this path?
• Low agency people ask: What is everyone else doing? What will get me liked?

THE MASS PSYCHOSIS EXPERIMENT: FOLLOWING THE CROWD

A striking example of low-agency thinking comes from a now-famous social conformity experiment conducted in a doctor’s waiting room:

Three actors were placed in the room. Every time a bell rang, they stood up for no reason. The real subject, unaware it was a setup, observed them and eventually stood up too, mimicking the behaviour even though there was no explanation.

After a few rounds, the actors were replaced one by one. Each new person was introduced to the pattern by the person before them — and they too began standing up when the bell rang. The ritual spread like a virus.

No one knew why they were doing it. But they kept doing it — because everyone else was.

This is a parable for our age.

People obey rituals, trends, laws, ideologies, and slogans they don’t understand. They nod at half-truths and burn truth-tellers. They conform not because they believe but because they don’t want to think.

This is mass psychosis: when a population loses the ability to question the script. And it is rampant.

ORWELL, MIND CONTROL, AND AGENCY

In 1984, Orwell’s dystopia thrives on mental submission, not just external control. The goal isn’t just to suppress rebellion, but to make rebellion unthinkable.

“Orthodoxy means not thinking—not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.”
— George Orwell, 1984

Sound familiar? From education to entertainment to modern church life, critical thinking is replaced by slogans, rituals, and guilt-based compliance.

Low agency isn’t just normalised—it’s rewarded.

ETYMOLOGY OF ANARCHY: A BIBLICAL INVITATION TO QUESTION POWER

The word anarchy is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean chaos.

📖 Etymology:

• An- = “without”
• -archon (Greek) = “ruler” or “principal power”

Anarchy simply means “without a ruler”—and biblically speaking, that’s not always bad. In a world ruled by fallen systems, false authorities, and corrupt institutions, questioning worldly rule is a spiritual duty.

“We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

Christians are not called to blind obedience to human hierarchy, especially when it contradicts Kingdom truth.

We must learn to rule ourselves. That is what sovereignty is.

THE GOSPEL DEMANDS HIGH AGENCY

Jesus didn’t call us to group-think. He didn’t say, “Be nice and blend in.” He said:

“Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?” (Luke 12:57)

“Do not be conformed… but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)

These are calls to high agency: to reason, wrestle, pray, discern, and act with courage. To rule oneself. If we don’t we will be ruled by tyrants.

SIGNS OF LOW AGENCY IN THE CHURCH

1. Cliché faith: repeating verses without understanding.
2. Toxic submission: obeying spiritual leaders without testing doctrine.
3. Fear of heresy: not because of discernment, but because of group pressure.
4. Paralysing dependence: waiting for revival instead of embodying it.
5. Performative piety: acting “holy” for applause rather than intimacy with God.

HOW TO CULTIVATE HIGH AGENCY FAITH

1. Question Systematic Orthodoxy

Don’t just inherit theology. Dig. Study the Scripture. Explore context. Seek the Spirit.
Like the Bereans, test everything (Acts 17:11).

2. Take Personal Ownership of Your Faith

Don’t wait for permission. Walk in what God reveals. Your obedience is not second-hand. Even and especially when no one else does.

3. Train Your Mind

Read widely. Learn from Orwell, Kierkegaard, Lewis, and dissenting voices.
A strong faith can handle hard questions and spot coercion.

4. Practice Spiritual Discernment

Ask the Spirit, not just the algorithm. Discern the spirits (1 John 4:1).

5. Speak — Even When It’s Unpopular

A high-agency Christian is a prophetic presence. The crowd may hate you. That’s okay.

“Am I now trying to win the approval of man or of God?” (Galatians 1:10)

DEVOTIONAL PRAYER

Lord,

Delivereliver me from the safety of the herd. Teach me to love truth more than comfort. Give me the courage to think, to ask, and to act — even when the bell rings and everyone else stands without reason. Make me a Berean, a prophet, and a disciple who walks by revelation, not reaction.

In Jesus’ name I pray

Amen

MEMORY VERSE

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

1. Where have I been conforming without understanding why?
2. Am I afraid to ask hard questions about what I’ve been taught?
3. Do I seek truth even when it makes me unpopular?
4. In what ways have I outsourced my spiritual agency to others?
5. What does it look like to renew my mind daily with God’s Word and Spirit?

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