The Great Commission compels every church to “go and make disciples of all nations…” .
Are you satisfied with the current fruitfulness of your discipling efforts, including your online efforts?
More to the point: What is the best way to help people find and follow Jesus Christ right now?
There is no single right answer for every church, but I urge you to ask the question in your context.
Many churches continue to follow the same approaches that have worked in the past. This is healthy and reasonable as long as the old approaches continue to bear fruit.
However, in many cases the old ways simply aren’t as effective as before. This is normal. If this is your reality, it’s probably because the world is changing around you. The time has come to re-evaluate and adjust.
With DIGITAL MINISTRY, there is a wide spectrum of approaches to consider. Here is a quick overview of a few options:
- Old Normal – focus all your resources everything ONSITE as the church only gathers in person
- Simulcast – use ONLINE to serve those who can’t or won’t join you ONSITE
- Building Feeder – use ONLINE to draw people ONSITE where church gathers in person
- Campus Creator – use ONLINE to draw people and form (new) communities ONLINE or ONSITE
- Digital Disciple – use ONLINE to draw people and make disciples ONLINE without requiring an ONSITE visit
Each one of these alternatives rests on different theological and missiological beliefs. I don’t propose there is a single correct approach for all churches in all situations.
I do suggest that you periodically assess the effectiveness (i.e. fruitfulness) of your strategies, including digital ministry. You must hold the mission of the church over any particular methods of the church. When your methods start to fail the mission, it is important to adjust the methods.
Without exploring all the nuances of the above options, there is a key question for you:
Do will you use ONLINE TOOLS to draw people to you for weekend worship services?
OR
Will you equip the gathered church to bring the Good News using ONLINE TOOLS to reach more people who are not yet with you?
It’s a vital difference that will impact your strategies and your expectations.
Your honest assessment of the current reality and an openness to explore the new possibilities may seem daunting at first. I am confident that by earnestly seeking God’s will for your church, the answers will become clearer and he will provide everything you need to follow his direction – as He builds his Church, here on earth.
