It has not been a good week for the mainstream media. President Trump often refers to media as “fake news” and they’ve certainly been doing a good job in recent days of helping make that claim credible.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw pointed out earlier today that there have been four major blunders this week alone:

Media blunders this week:

-hardly any coverage of #MarchforLife

-Buzzfeed lies about Cohen case

-slandering Covington Catholic students over false narrative

-slandering Karen Pence for working at Christian school 3 out of 4 are fundamentally anti-Christian. Just last 7 days. — Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 22, 2019

As Crenshaw observes, the shared common thread among the stories is that they are anti-Christian nature.

The reporting missteps include the speculative Buzzfeed story that has been publicly refuted in a rare statement from special counsel Robert Mueller’s office.

In a telling stat, the Women’s March received 15 times more media coverage than The March for Life, despite massive crowds and appearances from Ben Shapiro and Vice President Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence.

The smear of the Covington Catholic high school boys took on a life of its own after they were initially accused of taunting and jeering and intimidating a Native American protester who was drumming. After the full video surfaced, that narrative began to fall apart and many apologies have since been issued by reporters and organizations alike. Some, however, are continuing to double down on the false narrative, with the New York Daily News embarrassing themselves by posting a picture of a ‘blackout’ basketball game. Shockingly, many media outlets are continuing with the false storyline, despite the original being debunked.

And, last but not least we have the attack on Karen Pence for going to work at a Christian school that holds standard Christian beliefs. This caused a bizarre media outburst, where they essentially declared publicly their disdain for Christianity, more than anything else.

Faithwire’s Will Maule and I responded to these poor examples of journalism and called for reporters and readers alike to be mindful of a few things before writing and before sharing stories out to the world. Just some handy tips on how NOT to be fake news – given the state of media today.

The growing list of fake news incidents is concerning enough, but the fact that more of them are directed at Christians and Christianity itself are increasingly disturbing.

We shouldn’t be surprised, as Christians, to find ourselves at the center of societies scorn. After all, Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Being persecuted is not the challenging part as a Christian, however. The real difficulty comes in how we are to respond in the face of persecution.

Should be combative and raise a fist? What does the Bible say we should do?

We are to “Bless those who persecute you” (Rom. 12:14) and “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27–28).

Certainly not easy, as our hearts are prone to make us seek the upper hand or win the argument. But the Bible teaches us differently.

Here’s a great bit of wisdom from John MacArthur:

Ultimately, there is no better way to bless those who persecute us than by showing them the truth of the gospel. As a matter of fact, that is the only appropriate way to respond when suffering for Christ’s sake (1 Peter 2:21–23). Everything proud and fleshly in us screams against such a strategy. But here’s a reminder: it is a token of divine blessing and a cause for rejoicing when God counts us worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake (Acts 5:41). To suffer on His account, Christ taught, is the very pinnacle of blessing (Matt. 5:10–11). Moreover, Scripture says it is inevitable that believers who truly seek to be faithful will suffer at the hands of those who hate Christ (John 15:18–20).

So, do not be shocked or fearful of the increased media attacks on Christians. Expect it, because the world despises Christians just as the world despised Jesus. And respond how Jesus wants us to respond – in a way that will cause people to wonder why we are filled with such peace, hope and confidence. In short, in a way that glorifies Him.