Advancements in digital media have opened up unparalleled opportunities.

Digital media opportunities

• Evangelistic, inspirational and educational content can be delivered to more people, in more places, from more sources than at any time in human history.

• Groups of individuals can be located, organized, and coordinated to interact with the Bible (www.youversion.com), interact with sermons (www.sermoncloud.com), connect with churches (www.churchcloud.com), connect with ministries and to their resources (www.gospel.com), and collaborate on mobile/cellphone-based evangelism (https://mobilev.pbworks.com).

• Opinions and ideas can be solicited and shared; community created; and partnerships formed across geographical boundaries.

A spectacular untapped reservoir of potential exists for leaders willing to seize the moment.

Here are four keys to unleashing the potential.

1. Prayer. “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.” (Psalm 2:8) No great Christian enterprise starts or advances without prayer. Organize a monthly prayer breakfast. Invite a local or national expert on technology or media to speak.

2. Networking. To contend with the future of a fully connected world, time must be devoted by senior leadership to networking with leaders actively engaged in using technology for kingdom work. Attend technology and media conferences, like Echo, Biola Media Conference, and Internet Media Conference. I find my status quo thinking challenged and imagination stirred at events like these.

3. Collaboration. Once experts have been located, grow and manage a network of peers. Facilitate collaboration and communication. Share knowledge, such as best practices. Whether just getting started with new media or going to the next level, more will be accomplished by learning and working in community.

4. Change. The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave and go to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) In some ways, we all resist change, especially when things are going well. I don’t like changing where I park or sit at church. But without change, growth is impossible.

And, it is impossible to stay where we are and go with God.

For that reason, I believe a willingness to change ones perspective of Cyberspace, and how people are engaged with the gospel in the Digital Age, may be the most important key to taking full advantage of the potential that technology is bringing.

A change in perspective

Twenty years ago, the world outside the Church was describing the nature of Cyberspace in geographical terms. Metaphors like “electronic frontier” and “land of knowledge,” were used. Though few understood what it all meant at the time, leading futurists and thinkers challenged everyone to become a pioneer in the new digital world.

Exploration of that land [Cyberspace] can be a civilization’s truest, highest calling. The opportunity is now before us to empower every person to pursue that calling in his or her own way. This exploration brings both greater opportunity, and in some ways more difficult challenges, than any previous human adventure.

(Cyberspace and the American Dream: A Magna Carta for the Knowledge Age by Esther Dyson, George Gilder, George Keyworth, and Alvin Toffler, August 1994)

When a global communications network was only an idea, the builders may not have had Jesus or the gospel in mind. God had a different plan. Through the Internet and emerging technologies, God opened a door for communicating His truth to literally everyone on earth.

“The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Mark 12:11)

A change in strategy

Establishing a strong presence in Cyberspace for the gospel will require changing the way things are done.

In his article published in the June/July issue of Lausanne World Pulse, Dr. Dion Forster talks about how digital media is changing, or should change, the way the gospel is shared.

There is no doubt that the geographical movement of Christianity throughout history has radically changed the manner in which the gospel is shared. Each new context presents challenges and opportunities for the gospel and the faith.

What if the next shift in Christendom is not merely a geographical shift, but in fact a shift into cyberspace—a movement of a completely different kind?

Christians, and the Church, in every age have to make some necessary shifts in order to effectively communicate the gospel to a moving population.

Just as Paul’s letters transformed and built the early Church, and the Guttenberg Press transformed the Church around the time of the Reformation, so I believe the Internet, and particularly social media, is challenging us to transform the way in which we engage the world with the love of Jesus.

If Dr. Forster is right, and I believe he is, even now God is calling leaders to change their perspective on global communications; to see the tremendous potential for expanding the kingdom in new ways.

Ultimately, those transitions will enable leaders to move their organizations forward and drive a wave of digital media innovation.

A change of lives

And when the story is told, “all peoples on earth” will have been given the blessing of hearing God’s unchanging word. Then, the full potential for digital media and the gospel will have been realized.

Question: I’ve only listed four. What are some other keys to unleashing the potential for technology and media in ministry?

Building the global information and communications network that includes the Internet and other networks has been underway for a long time. Frankly though, since researchers estimate around 3 billion people do NOT have access to the Net, it’s been a challenge to explain Wilson’s timetable.

If completion of the biggest construction job in history is in sight, I reasoned, it had to be in the news. It didn’t take much digging to unearth some eye-popping developments.

Recent developments in mobile web technology

*China will have more mobile Internet users than the entire population of the US (310 million) by 2010. (eMarketer) The number will grow fast to reach a staggering 957 million, and the country will count approximately 1.3 billion mobile subscribers by 2014. (TechCrunch)

*India is set to embark on an ambitious scheme to provide all its 630,000 villages, no matter how remote, with broadband internet access. A deadline of May 2012 has been set for giving broadband access to every village with a population of more than 300 people. (Times Online)

*In places like Kenya, Colombia and South Africa, they’re building cellphone towers to leapfrog past the expense of building wired networks. The number of mobile subscriptions in the world is expected to pass five billion this year, according to the International Telecommunication Union. Cellphones are becoming the truly universal technology. (The New York Times)

*UK-based satellite startup O3b says its project to bring internet access to 3 billion people in more than 150 countries is going according to plan and remains focused in 2010 on sticking to its timetable to launch its first eight satellites. O3b will provide telcos and ISP’s with a low-cost, high-speed alternative to connect their 3G, WiMAX and fixed-line networks to the rest of the world.The company, named after the “other 3 billion” is being funded principally by Google, Liberty Global and HSBC Principal Investments. (Business News Americas)

Technically speaking, I now understand what Walt Wilson, a former Apple executive, meant when he said, “To get mobile devices in the hands of every human being, the distribution problem is not economic, it’s infrastructure. And, we see the infrastructure problem being resolved.”

What does connecting everyone on earth mean for the church and Christian communicators?

Walt Wilson’s vision (video courtesy of Dave Bourgeois, Biola University)

“We are the first generation in all of human history to hold within our hands the technology to reach every man, woman, and child on the earth by 2020. Our generation has within its grasp everything that is required to fulfill the Great Commission.”

Eight things I learned from watching Walt’s speech at Biola

1. God is creating the global network. Google and company may be paying for the infrastructure but, “All things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17)

2. God’s purpose is clear. The gospel and truths of the Bible must be communicated. It’s a reason for connecting everyone on earth that most Christians should be able to agree on. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

And just to drive home the fact that we’ve reached the opportunity tipping point for the use of cellphone technology to spread the gospel…

The phone has also moved to the center of community life in many places. In Africa, urban churches record sermons with cellphones, then transmit them to villages to be replayed. (The New York Times, April 9, 2010)

3. The church is not immune from change. Entire industries are being reshaped. It wasn’t that long ago that we listened to music on tapes and then CD’s. Apple’s iTunes is now the number 1 music retailer in the world. It’s time for the church to make an all out effort to understand how the globalization of communication will affect the way evangelism, discipleship and building the church is done.

4. Global is the new local. Technology has made it easier to meet needs and develop relationships anywhere in the world. When people in India, using their high-speed cellphones to search for answers to their spiritual questions, get connected to Christians in Indiana, what does the “local” in “local church” mean?

5. Anyone can become an online missionary. Churches will continue to send missionaries and partner with congregations overseas. But computer technology has opened the door for people from all backgrounds to be stay-at-home missionaries. “I can tell you that this is one of the most exciting things that I have ever been a part of in my 40 years of ministry. God is inviting us to be a part of something that is simply amazing!” – Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Online Missionary and Senior Pastor of Northland Church, Orlando, Florida

6. Internet evangelism is efficient. One of the biggest challenges for long-term missionaries or short-term missions volunteers has always been the need to raise thousands of dollars in financial support to fund their efforts. Online missionaries for Global Media Outreach present the gospel for 10 cents and a decision runs 65 cents. As Wilson puts it, “The value of a human soul can’t be calculated. But we’re also stewards of the resources God has given to us and 65 cents a decision is a pretty good deal.”

7. A call for global partnerships. There has never been more opportunity or greater purpose for churches, ministries and organizations to work together. Bobby Gruenewald, Pastor and Innovation Leader at LifeChurch.tv said, “If we were truly united, I believe the Great Commission could be fulfilled within our lifetime. The Church has the resources and the connectivity to make that happen if we’re all pulling together.”

8. Building better models requires experimentation. Instead of hunkering down to wait until the storm of change blows over or freezing current ministry models trying to play it safe, “We create a future by experimenting,” says Wilson. “We may have some experiments to go south. God will not fail us in the long-term. The Gospel will not fail us.”

Walt’s call to action

“We are being called to engage in the battle for the eternal souls of men and women all across the world. We are being given the tools to meet them at their time of need. The moment they step out of the darkness, we are there to meet them.We are being called in military terms to take the battle to the enemy. For more than ever before we see the dangers of a growing spiritual warfare.

We have to get our people out of the pew and into the battle.” –Walt Wilson

The completion of the greatest building project in history is within the grasp of the builders. For the Church, the cornerstone of the project is Christ. I can only imagine a day when the work is finished. When everyone has heard the gospel, multiple times. I can only imagine that day when we fully comprehend all the Lord has done and it will be a marvelous thing.

Support Internet Evangelism Day, Sunday, April 25.

Theology and ecclesiology are being used to used to help churches and individuals understand and address communication technologies from a biblical perspective. How big of a deal is it?

Considering all other great questions of the day, how important is this postmodern intersection of technology and the Church? For sure, it is producing fascinating lines of inquiry.

You don’t have to be, and by no means am I, an expert in theology to appreciate the significance of the discussion. An online search turned up an assortment of papers, speeches, presentations and blog posts. A sampling follows.

Note: These links are provided for informational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent my views.

Seven views of being the Church Online

1. Theology in a Digital World, David Lochhead, Professor of Systematic Theology, Vancouver School of Theology

“In the world of generalized communication, the world in which everything concerns the transmission of messages, we have to discover anew what it means to be church. This society could be a Babel in which everyone speaks but no one listens. No one attempts to understand.

One of the roles of the church is to engage those voices – to listen, to understand, to challenge.”

2. Hacking the Divine: A possible metaphor for theology-technology engagement, Stephen Garner, 2005 Virtual Theology Colloquium, Auckland, New Zealand

“We hack – create technological novelty – because we are made in the image of a God who hacks. We have been called into the world as creatures, who through working with our Creator, can be agents of change through our technological endeavors.”

3. Theology and Technology, Thomas L. Erekson director of the BYU School of Technology when this devotional address was given on May 8, 2001

“Theology provides a value structure for developing and deploying appropriate technologies. Technology provides the means for communicating the good news of the gospel and its theology to the inhabitants of the world and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the operation of the Church.”

4. Cybermissions: Towards a Theology Of Technology, a presentation given during The International Conference on Computing and Mission by John Edminston, Chairman and CEO of Antioch Internet Bible International and operator of cybermissions.org

“Very few Christian pastors or theologians are addressing these issues or the challenges that we will face as we fully enter the Information Age, e.g. Robots & Humans, Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Transplants (how much of the human body can we replace and still be human), Intelligent Avatars, Trans/Post Humanism, Abortion of people with ‘criminal genes.’”

5. How Facebook Killed The Church, Dr. Richard Beck, Associate Professor and experimental psychologist at Abilene Christian University

“Why are Millennials leaving the church? It’s simple. Mobile social computing has replaced the main draw of the traditional church: Social connection and affiliation.”

6. An Ecclesiology of Twitter, by Richard Clark Co-Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Christ in Pop Culture and classroom technology manager at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY

“Believers set aside this time to encourage one another through fellowship, corporate singing, prayer, and mere physical and mental presence. Any primarily individualistic activity tends to conflict with the concept of a biblical church service.”

7. Can the Church be the Church Online? Defining a Virtual Ecclesiology for Computer Mediated Communities, Paper presented by Holly Reed at the annual meeting of the National Communications Association, Communicating Worldviews: Faith, Intellect, Ethics, Chicago, IL, Nov. 15, 2007

“Roger Haight asks: ‘By what stretch of the imagination can one choose the church of Carthage in the mid-third century to represent the whole church?’

If his question is legitimate, then we are surely asking the wrong question by asking if the church can be the church online. Rather, we need to ask how the church is the church online and just how the Kingdom of God is breaking into our world anew, moving our virtual realities into a reality that speaks of an old reality in a new way.”

A time for questioning

The arguments are producing hundreds of questions. Answering just one … what it means to be the Church in and to a digital culture … seems like a big deal to me.

How questions like this are answered will ultimately affect, and possibly change, much of what the local church does … methods, strategies and leadership development.

Biola University has a program aimed at helping the next generation of leaders prepare for those changes.

A time for teaching

Biola will feature an Online Course this Summer 2010 called Using the Internet and Social Media for Ministry. It will be taught by Dave Bourgeois, Associate Professor of Information Systems. Dave blogs at Lessons from Babel.

From the Draft Syllabus – Course Objectives / Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course:

1. The student will understand the different ways the Internet can be used to carry out the functions of Christian ministry, with a focus on using research-based materials when applicable.
2. The student will have developed an understanding of the best practices in using the Internet for ministry purposes.
3. The student will know how to develop a strategy for using the Internet in ministry, including the development of goals, researching a target group, and selecting ministry tools.
4. The student will have had hands-on experience using many of the tools of Internet ministry.

The Internet is the greatest communication technology ever invented by man, and it is imperative that those who follow Christ understand how to use it well. Dave Bourgeois

A time for action

Answering the most important theological questions related to technology is important. A theology for technology needs to be on firm biblical ground. But, because technology is so complex and multi-faceted, has so many nuances and variables, trying to understand it completely can lead to infinite debate and arguments.

I like what Pastor Mark Batterson said. “We can get so busy arguing about theological nuances that we lose sight of the Great Commandment and Great Commission.”

Diligently search the Scriptures. Discuss. Pray. Ask God to address all concerns, one-by-one. Then, trust the Lord and go. A clear and grand vision awaits.

Communication technology platforms built on good theology enabling the Church to fulfill The Great Commission in our lifetime.

That is a really big deal!

Question: What do you think are some of the important questions related to using technology to carry out the functions of the church?

Internet evangelism, or evangelism without borders, is gaining ground as strategy for building the Church globally.

Patty gave me the opportunity to experience online evangelism live for the first time.

We met in the cafe of a Marriott near the Astrodome. WiFi made it possible for Patty to log into her network. Four email contacts were waiting. GMO’s online missionaries may respond to as few as 1-2 emails per week or 1-2 per day.

Meet Ellie

One of Patty’s emails was from Ellie in Arlington, TX. After visiting a GMO website, Ellie reached out to Patty to ask, “Are Jesus and God the same?” Right to the heart of it, I thought. Patty had been through GMO’s extensive online training process. She was ready. After giving Ellie a warm greeting, Patty answered her question with an elegantly simple metaphor.

Most exciting, was seeing Ellie’s indication that she had prayed to receive Christ. Patty asked if I would like to pray for Ellie. I know there’s a lot of talk about whether online ministry is real and persona. Well, that’s praying with Patty for Ellie felt real and personal to me. Patty said she would follow-up with Ellie again later.

World-wide ministry

In 2009, 66 million people like Ellie visited GMO’s 100-plus Web sites to search for information online about Jesus and the hope He brings. Of these, more than 10 million indicated a decision to follow Christ.

In addition, nearly 2 million people initiated discipleship and requested more information about Jesus and Christianity through GMO’s 4,000 online missionaries.

GMO has compiled some of the riveting responses, they’ve received from searching people, in their book, “Where The Search Leads To Life, Jesus 2020.”

“I go round in circles with God because I have had severe rejection from people and Christians, and felt traumatized with my Dad coming and going over the years. I find it hard to know deep in my spirit that Father God sincerely truly loves me unconditionally, and will never leave me or forsake me. Please help me and love me, and e-mail me.” Joanna, Cornwall, UK

“I am surrounded by Muslims who will kill me if they find out that I pray prayers on your website and ask Jesus into my life. Please pray for me. I do not know a single Christian. You are my only contact.” Male, Afghanistan

“I am a disabled Marine, wounded in Iraq, and I want to get right with God. Can you send me anything that will help me get to know Jesus? I would be thankful.” U.S. Military Veteran

Your invitation

Building off of the 2009 momentum, GMO is poised to touch even more people’s lives throughout 2010.

The fields are indeed white to harvest, yet the laborers are few.We need more online missionary partners.

Walt Wilson, GMO Founder & Chairman

The first step of getting involved is always the hardest. Here’s five reasons to take that step toward online missions:

1. GMO believes the Great Commission can be fulfilled by 2020 and that it can happen in this generation through the use of emerging communication technologies. Getting the details on how this mission can be accomplished is worth the investment of time, in my view.

2. It’s going to take thousands of churches, online missionaries and ministry supporters working together to accomplish this goal. God may be calling you to get involved.

3. The cost of the program is minimal. For only ten cents, the gospel can be shared online to each person. Each dollar presents the gospel to 10 more seekers. Your church determines the size and extent of your involvement in this Great Commission effort.

4. GMO can help you encourage, train and equip your congregation to share Jesus with others online and more consistently in your own communities.

5. I’ve been thinking about Ellie and my new missionary friend Patty, ever since taking that first trip to the online mission field. The experience was transformative. I’ve decided to do what I can to help GMO as they stay on the cutting edge of emerging technologies, using them to reach the world for Christ. It would be great to partner with you.

Question: What do you think of the idea of an online missions program?

In my last post, I mentioned that technology had opened the door for participating in local outreach to people from all walks of life and various professions. Today, even leaders in full-time ministry with packed schedules are volunteering. Meet Dave Sears.

Dave Sears is Pastor of a Network Church with LifeChurch.tv and a member of the Church Online community. Thanks to Brandon Donaldson and Tony Steward of LifeChurch.tv, for allowing us to share Dave’s story about how he got involved in Digital Missions.

Monday morning Church Online team!!

As a Network Church Pastor, I have participated in Church Online for quite some time. I watched the messages and sometimes got involved in the chat. That all changed after Pastor Kevin, another Network Church Pastor challenged us to get more involved in Church Online.

It hit me right between the eyes. Why didn’t I think about that before? What a great way for me to give back to LifeChurch.tv for all of the great things they do for us as Network and Open Church leaders. It was like a light bulb came on and I jumped right in.

I have been serving on the Monday morning team with Church Online for a few weeks now. I never realized the blessing that I had been missing by serving with Church Online. Not only am I building real and lasting relationships with my team, but now I get to share the love of Christ with people from all over the world every week.

I have had transformational conversations with people from numerous countries including the privilege to help a person from Indonesia pray to receive Christ this week.

I live in the U.S., yet I get the privilege to go on a global missions trip every week with other believers from around the world. My only regret is that it took me this long to get involved.

I want to challenge you, if you are participating in Church Online, but not serving, jump in. There is a blessing waiting for you!

Wouldn’t it be spectacular to see hundreds or even thousands of churches using media and technology to present the gospel. That’s the first step. Then these new believers will need to be connected to a local church and helped to grow as disciples.

The strength and vitality of the local church is the future, supported by Internet access to engaging content and clear Biblical teaching.

It’s going to take thousands of volunteers like Pastor Dave Sears to make that happen.

Question: Do you think its a good idea for churches to consider starting a Digital Missions Outreach ministry?