Spiritual Discipleship In The Digital Age

In Matthew 28, Jesus commanded His disciples (and us) to go into all the world and make disciples, to baptize people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to teach them to obey Jesus' commands. This call to discipleship has driven and fueled the church since its inception.

And while the call to make disciples has never changed, how the church makes disciples has changed and evolved over the centuries. 

The early church relied upon the teaching of the apostles and church leaders. Later, the printing press made it possible to mass-produce Bibles and other Christian literature for widespread distribution. Now we live in a digital age, and our discipleship tactics must reflect the age we live in.

To be clear, our message never changes. We proclaim the same message today that the early church proclaimed. However, the ways in which we proclaim that message and disciple others must adapt to the digital world we live in. 

Living In A Digital World

Now, more than ever, people are online. Perpetually online. Constantly, always connected.

94% of Americans have internet access. 295 million people use the internet on their mobile phones. Almost 247 million people in the United States use Facebook and 169 million use Instagram. YouTube sees 122 million users from the United States every day.

You get the point. Everyone is online all the time. Scrolling through social media. Watching YouTube videos. Listening to podcasts, reading emails, and consuming news. A huge portion of our daily lives is spent on the internet in one form or another.

What does this have to do with discipleship?

If the church is going to effectively make disciples, it must be where people are. Sundays are incredibly important for discipleship, but they only represent a few hours per week. Bible studies and small groups are also essential, but they are often limited to a few hours per week as well. On the other hand, people spend countless hours on the internet every day.

If we want to reach people and disciple them in this digital age, we must be intentional about using the digital tools at our disposal. We must engage people where they are in ways that are familiar to them and must take our discipleship online.

But how do we do that?

Let's look at some practical ways to engage in digital discipleship.

Social Media

As we noted above, millions of people use social media every day, often for hours at a time. This presents a huge opportunity for the church to engage in discipleship and reach people who might not normally set foot inside a church building.  

Here are some ways you can use social media for digital discipleship:

• Share daily devotionals and Bible readings
• Post discussion questions for small group or Bible study participants
• Create and share graphics with scripture or inspirational quotes
• Live stream sermons or worship services for those who cannot attend in person
• Host online Q&A sessions with pastors or ministry leaders
• Post quotes from the previous week's sermon
• Post video clips from various parts of church services

When it comes to posting on social media, consistency matters. Make a plan for what and when you will post, and stick to it. This will help build trust with your followers and ensure that they know when to expect content from your church.

There are numerous tools that let you schedule social media posts in advance allowing you to plan out your content and ensure it reaches the most people. Some popular options include Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social.

If you need help creating professional-looking graphics to share online, Canva is a great option that is also incredibly simple to use.

Videos

Now, more than ever, people are watching videos online. YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google, and it's owned by Google. This means that if you have video content on YouTube, it can help boost your church's visibility in online searches.

Here are some ideas for using videos for digital discipleship:

• Create a video series discussing various topics related to faith and Christian living
• Record testimonies or personal stories from members of your church
• Share behind-the-scenes looks at ministry projects or events
• Create short devotional videos with pastors or ministry leaders
• Post full-length sermons on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person

In addition to YouTube, other video platforms, such as Vimeo and Facebook Live, can be utilized for digital discipleship. Experiment with different platforms to see what works best for your church and audience.

Online Bible Studies

Another great way to engage in digital discipleship is through online Bible studies. These can be conducted through videoconferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Hangouts, or even a Facebook group.

Online Bible studies allow people from all over the world to study God's word together. They also make it easy for those with busy schedules or mobility issues to participate in small group discussions.

If you are new to hosting online Bible studies, here are some tips to get started:

• Choose a specific topic or book of the Bible to study
• Set a regular meeting time and send out invitations to join
• Create discussion questions or use a Bible study guide to facilitate conversation
• Encourage participants to share their insights and personal experiences
• Offer prayer requests at the end of each session and follow up with them throughout the week.

Through online Bible studies, you can build community and encourage spiritual growth among your members, even when physically separated. It is also a great opportunity to reach out to those who may not attend traditional in-person small groups.

Podcasts

Podcasts have exploded in popularity in the past decade, with millions of people listening to them every day. People listen to them on their commutes, when working out, as they fall asleep, and in many other contexts. They are a great way to digitally disciple people and reach an audience you might not be able to reach otherwise.

What should you podcast about? You've got many different options, including:

• Studies of books of the Bible
• Full-length sermons that were given on a Sunday
• Short, weekly devotionals
• Interviews with other Christians and church leaders on a variety of topics
• Answers to tricky theological or ethical questions
• Testimonies from church members about their faith journeys
• Deep dives into the history and context of different biblical events

One key element to keep in mind when starting a podcast is consistency. Choose a regular schedule for releasing new episodes and stick to it. This will help build an audience who knows when to expect new content from you. It's also important to engage with your listeners by responding to comments and questions they may have about your episodes.

The good news is that podcast production has gotten easier than ever, thanks to recent advances in podcast technology. Tools like Descript make editing a podcast as simple as editing a document and also allow you to extract snippets of each episode to post on social media.  

Services like Anchor make it easy to distribute your podcast on all major platforms, including Spotify. And with a decent microphone and recording software, you can create professional-sounding episodes from the comfort of your own home.

Newsletters

Even though email has been around for 30+ years, it's still an incredibly effective digital discipleship tool. Church newsletters are a powerful way to deliver content directly to your audience's inbox, making it easy for them to stay engaged with your church and its teachings.

Just like with podcasts, consistency is key when sending newsletters. Choose a schedule that works for you and stick to it. Depending on the amount of content you have and how often you want to connect with your audience, this could be weekly, biweekly, or monthly.

When creating newsletter content, consider including the following:

• Upcoming events and announcements
• Inspiring testimonies from members
• Devotionals or Bible study prompts
• Links to recent sermons or teachings
• Opportunities to get involved or volunteer
• Prayer requests and praise reports

Remember to keep the content concise and visually appealing. Don't pack as much as possible into your newsletter. Rather, be strategic with what you include. Make your newsletter easy to read and skim.

You can use email marketing platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to design professional-looking newsletters and track their performance.

Blogging

Blogging has been around for many years, and it's still a valuable tool for digital discipleship. It allows you to share longer-form content, dive deeper into biblical topics, and provide helpful resources for your audience.

Blogging can also help your church show up in more Google searches and provide you with a steady stream of content to share on social media. Additionally, blogging allows for interaction with readers through comments and discussion.

When creating blog content, consider the following tips:

• Choose topics that are relevant to your audience
• Use a conversational tone to engage readers
• Provide biblical insight and practical application
• Incorporate multimedia such as images or videos
• Share personal stories or experiences to connect with readers
• End each post with a call to action, whether it be to leave a comment or take action in their faith journey.

If you're unsure what to blog about, a simple starting point is to take each week's sermon and turn it into one or more blog posts. This allows for deeper reflection and engagement with the message. You can also ask your congregation for suggestions on topics they would like to see covered.

Online Giving

Giving is just as much a part of discipleship as reading the Bible and praying, and it's important to offer your congregation a way to give online. This not only makes giving easier and more convenient for members but also allows for consistency in giving even when they are unable to attend church in person.

Tithely is the best platform for online giving, offering numerous features that make the giving process secure, simple, and customizable. These features include:

• Six different ways to give
• In-depth reports
• Text giving
• Cash/check recording
• Custom deposit schedule
• Auto-recurring giving
• Quick give
• Mobile app for donors
• Integration with church management software
• And more!

With Tithely, your congregation can easily set up one-time or recurring donations, track their giving history, and give from anywhere at any time. Tithely offers competitive processing fees, no monthly contracts, and transparent pricing.

Final Thoughts

More than ever, it's important for churches to engage in digital discipleship. The reality is that the members of your church are constantly consuming digital content, and that content shapes their worldview and beliefs. By intentionally creating digital content that aligns with biblical teachings, we can help our congregations grow in their faith and continue to pursue a deeper relationship with God.

Additionally, the digital world offers countless opportunities for outreach and evangelism. Social media platforms, blogs, podcasts, and other digital mediums allow us to reach people who may never step foot in a physical church building. By utilizing these tools, we can share the love of Christ with even more people and make disciples of all nations.

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