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Outreach & Discipleship
Strategies for Digital Evangelism, Online Discipleship Models, and Vendor Partnerships.
Digital Outreach and Evangelism
Many digital outreach and evangelism approaches exist as with traditional (non-digital) evangelism. This section groups evangelism into three categories:
- Direct Evangelism: To a friend or acquaintance utilizing a preexisting relationship.
- Invitation to Events: Extending an invitation to a group or virtual event (e.g. Alpha course).
- Evangelism to Strangers: Reaching a broad audience via digital advertisements or search engine results (SEO).
Direct Evangelism
Digital tools like Perspective Cards or GodTools help facilitate spiritual conversations. These apps reduce the anxiety often associated with not feeling prepared, allowing the evangelist to focus on the relationship.
Invitation to Events
The pandemic accelerated the move to virtual events. The Alpha Course discovered that a virtual format allowed people to attend who typically would not in-person due to distance or scheduling.
Evangelism to Strangers
Organizations like BGEA (Search for Jesus), GMO (Global Media Outreach), and Cru account for at least 200 million gospel presentations on the internet each year.
Online Discipleship
Discipleship in the digital frontier falls into two primary categories:
| Model | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Consumption | Digitization of church content for audience consumption. | Blogs, Sermon videos, Podcasts |
| Transformation | Facilitation of connection and engagement for growth. | 1-on-1 coaching, Small groups |
Examples
- Zume Training: Online training platform for disciple-making and church planting (40 languages).
- Discipleship.Space: Online platform with courses to help participants grow in Christ.
- The Bible Project: Education technology producing media to help people encounter the Bible.
Christian Vendors
Churches and missions organizations benefit from technical expertise in specific niches.
- Monk Development: Website builder platform (Ekklesia360) used by 8,500+ ministries.
- Onesheep: Innovating and building digital solutions through rapid prototyping.
- Basil Tech: Christian tech nonprofit creating apps like Read Scripture.