Tony Steward

In the 5 years I’ve been full time focused on doing digital missions (online ministry) there has been an a lot of conversation around it. Some of it debate on it’s legitimacy and theological implications - some urging the use of emerging standards in social media marketing and online community practices - and some conjecturing on what might be on the horizon.

I recently had the great opportunity to travel to Australia to Nowra City Church to lead a Digital Missions Summit. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the experiences I’ve had in doing digital missions and to try to find a pattern, or standard that isn’t so much LifeChurch.tv - but something that could empower anyone passionate about the Good News of Jesus and helping people.

The big danger, at least in my mind, is to bring too much of the model or culture of my context into a simple guide as to have people thinking they need to “do it like LifeChurch.tv” to do it right - which can’t be further from the truth. I think we’ve learned a ton on what works for us and it is my hope to share this basic way of thinking around doing online ministry.

The simple model is this:

Reach, Response, Empowered Care.

We see online ministry as the tip of the spear in evangelism and a relational first contact with people. In that way it has tremendous potential for reaching people, millions of people, all over the world searching for God (each in there own way).

But with the advent of social media, and it’s core technologies, we are also aware that we don’t just broadcast the gospel to people. But that people will respond, our message needs to give opportunities for response and they will need guidance in learning what it means to live in that reponse to the love of Jesus. The guidance of their response is the essence of online discipleship. These two, Reach and Reponse, are the cornerstones of digital missions.

Finally, there is providing care and support for people. Whether personal, physcial, relational or spiritual crisis - life isn’t a bed of roses as we pursue living like Jesus. Often we come to the good news and hope found in Jesus through a crisis that has taken our hope. Online ministry is amazing at being a place to first connect, encourage and build relationship with people needing care. But we’ve found it’s not the best place for the long term care needed for people to move out of that deeper crisis. That is why we are passionate about Empowered Care - helping people through information, resources, partnerships and connecting them to the local church in their community.

At it’s essence we don’t, and never have seen digital missions as a replacement for the local church, whether an established organization or a community of believers. But we do believe it is an appropriately measured response to the growing numbers of people far from God (9 billion by 2100). And an effort with an incredible, and proven record of helping reach the unreachable and giving people the opportunity hear about God’s love for them and to respond - walking into relationship with Jesus.

Reach, Response, and Empowered Care.

Over the next month, as I get opportunity, I am going to write more about what this has looked like for the Church Online ministry of LifeChurch.tv, and the basics of this simple model that can be repeated (cheap or free) through your local church - or much more importantly - through you!