How did we get here?

We now live an age, where everyone can be a publisher of audio, video and text. This access to powerful technologies and the rapid rate of change its bringing into our lives is due largely to Social Media.

How to most effectively live out our faith online is still being tested and sorted out.

The potential pitfalls and dangers for Christians using these new media have been well documented.

Social Media can: Interfere with Bible reading and prayer. Shorten attention span. Compete with face-to-face relationships. Fuel narcissism. Stroke the ego.

Dangers everywhere.

As I see it, there are two ways to respond to the risks of using Social Media. One, see it as a problem to be avoided and retreat from active engagement. Two, acknowledge the dangers and redeem the time spent using these media for God’s purposes and glory.

I chose the second response, joining with others that are learning how to integrate faith into Social Media activity.

Granted, it’s on the job training.

A planner by nature, I’ve found that being online without a faith plan indeed exposes one to the aforementioned dangers. To put it bluntly, for me, it was like stepping into a den of deadly snakes with no protection of any kind.

I hate snakes.

Developing a faith plan for Social Media does at least three things: 1) Guards against spiritual attacks, temptations & personal shortcomings; 2) brings clarity to what technology tools should be used and for what purposes; 3) enables a means for measuring progress from using the various media channels.

Here are five-steps to developing a basic faith plan for using Social Media.

1. Have a mission. What is God’s purpose for my ministry and work online? Defining the mission, has enabled me to be intentional in how I work and think while online. The mission is the filter through which I run every media and technology related idea and activity. It steers me (on most days) clear of the myriad of detours and distractions to be found in the wild and wooly new media world.

My mission is “Helping others advance the kingdom through communication technologies.”

2. Hit your knees before your keys. Since being online has become a regular part of my day, it’s also now a part of my daily prayer and Bible reading routine. I’m finding that verses will often come alive with relevance for Twitter and Facebook conversations, online prayer requests, my blog posts, comments on others blogs, and for sharing creative pointers and leadership insights.

3. Ask, ‘What Would Jesus Digitize?’ We are Christ’s ambassadors in Cyberspace too. In every communication. Every interaction. Every activity. When Jesus gave this astounding promise, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing,” He didn’t restrict it by location or use of lawful and legitimate means. RE: Digital Media

4. Promote God’s work. I am more encouraged than ever by the work Christian organizations are doing online. New Media enables us to connect with anyone, anywhere; learn about what they’re doing, and to put their ideas, projects and initiatives immediately into the real-time sharing stream. This is a fantastic opportunity to share knowledge of new methods and strategies for ministry on a global basis.

5. Innovate. Innovate. Innovate. The interactive, real-time communication of Social Media is facilitating ministry and workplace opportunities we’re just beginning to understand. The more we try new things, share what we’ve learned, and work together to solve problems, the more we will see God’s bigger picture for all this unfold.

Redeeming our online presence could just be a matter of learning again, as the classic phrase says, ‘to be in the world, but not of the world.’ This is our prayer and our hope.

You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this:

You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

“God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”

That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards.

His huge outstretched arms protect you—under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.

Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you.

Yes, because God’s your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door.

He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling.

Psalm 91:9-13, The Message

Question: Do you have a faith plan for using Social Media? What steps would you recommend including?

The effort encouraged participants to unplug from social media, the Internet and all technologies. And to spend time taking note of the needs of others.

A profound question

Before going further, it should be pointed out that I didn’t participate in the fast, but wholeheartedly embraced it’s spirit.

I agree with Anne Jackson, author and speaker, from Nashville, Tennessee, who addressed the practice of digital fasting in her thoughtful essay, “Why I Kissed Facebook Goodbye.”

“I don’t believe everyone should quit using Facebook, or be afraid of it if one hasn’t started,” she said. “We just need to be aware of the ways any form of media can interrupt our time with God or those closest to us.”

Jackson concluded her essay with an ultimate question, for the social media world as for every other world:

Is how I’m spending my time bringing glory to God?

With technology transforming the world, and seemingly every aspect of our lives, this is a profound question for our day.

I became actively engaged with radio broadcasting in my teens. Media and technology are now second nature to me. I’ve had to learn that anything we pursue (no matter how good it seems) can become an idol if not managed with the strength of God’s grace.

The National Facebook Fast reminded me of that. I was grateful.

New world of relationships

The fast also reminded me of people with spiritual needs right outside my door.

I’m speaking of people in the online world that are using the Internet to look for meaning in life. Yesterday, during the 24-hour period the fast was taking place:

TWO MILLION people. All over the world. Roamed the Internet. Looking for God.

Through the tools developed by the online evangelism ministry Global Media Outreach (GMO), these people are brought to the ‘electronic front door’ of anyone with a computer.

Real people, online, waiting for someone to open their door and notice them.

Online ministry relationships

I wasn’t able to physically go to the other side of the world to care for their needs. Didn’t have to. All I had to do was open my door (log on) and greet the five people waiting, seeking hope.

Here is a selection of what was on their hearts:

“I want to know about being a Christian.” L., Myanmar

“How would I make friends who are really committed to Christ?” D., Ghana

“I just prayed to receive Christ into my life for the first time. Thanks.” L., United Kingdom

“Please, can you give me a Bible?” S., Ghana

“There has been times when I wanted to falter but God has always kept me. I praise Him and honor Him for helping me each and every day. He is faithful. Thank you for the encouragement. Be blessed.” T., Alabama (USA)

The fast put a spotlight on this grand privilege God has given the Church to tell the people in Cyberspace about the love of Jesus. To answer their spiritual questions. To disciple them. And something I really enjoy, to pray for their specific needs.

Online ministry challenge

Of the 2 million people like those above, conducting spiritual searches daily, more than 1.5 million will most likely not be reached by Christians. And here’s a disturbing thought:

The other 21 major world religions have access to the same online technologies we do and they are not sleeping.

The global purpose of God is to reach all people in all nations with the gospel. His command is to go. Across the street or across the world. On a short term mission trip or into full-time ministry.

For whatever reason, if it’s not possible to take the gospel to another country in person, God has opened up a pathway that brings them to us.

Does going into all the world and preaching the Good News include using the Internet?

It sure does.

Now that the fast is over, let’s go. There are people waiting right outside the door.

Individuals can get involved here and churches here.

Thank you

I feel Fellowship of the Woodlands Church in Houston, that has a stellar technology and online ministry platform, deserves high recognition and appreciation for spearheading the National Facebook Fast.

They’ve reminded me that all people in the world matter to God. And we can bring Him glory by focusing on them, face-to-face primarily, and at other times in ministry online.

Question: What did you think of the National Facebook Fast? Are you engaged in online missions? How? Is it something you or your church would get involved with?

Juby’s unique strategy, tweeting the 1,189 chapters of the Bible systematically, deserved a closer look to see what could be learned.

Genesis of the idea

Chris Juby is a freelance Web designer and Director of Worship and Media at Kings Church, in the northern English city of Durham.

I watched as Juby gave the background and genesis of his Bible Summary initiative on CNN.

There’s power in a good idea.

In Juby’s case, I noted seven types of power at work synergistically. Collectively, they have the potential of making Bible Summary a great online ministry initiative.

1. Power of the Gospel. “Yes, I’m a Christian. I read the Bible every day and I was looking for a way to focus my mind on what I was reading,” Juby told the CNN host and international audience of millions.

LESSON: Jesus Christ and the unchanging principles of God’s word are the model for any great online ministry outreach. “You became imitators of us and of the Lord. And so you became a model to all the believers.” (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7)

2. Power of preparation. Juby had already been meeting with God through the daily reading of His word–a chapter every day–for years. He didn’t just wake up last week and say, “Think I’ll tweet the Bible today.”

LESSON: Doing things well today prepares you for doing them better tomorrow.

3. Power of a contagious vision. To summarize every chapter of the Bible in a way that’s easy to understand and remember

Initially, Juby was just thinking through ways that he could more effectively remember the key messages and themes found in his daily Scripture reading.

He was already using Twitter to talk about his life, faith and music. Twitter’s 140 character limit became the optimal solution for putting his thoughts about each chapter into short, concise summaries and sharing them with others.

LESSON: Sharing brief personal thoughts and stories in everyday language will increase buy-in for the ministry and the message.

4. Power of a meaningful mission. To inspire others to the read the Bible

Juby’s one hope for the project is that the daily tweets, and chapter archives found on his Bible Summary blog, will cause others to want to read the Bible for themselves.

LESSON: A worthy cause is given the best chance of advancing and enduring when it’s driven by an unwavering hope. “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3)

5. Power of viral media. Juby kick started promotion with an 80-word press release sent to his two local newspapers. Major newspaper websites in the UK picked up the story, several included articles in their print versions.

From there it went viral, extending Bible Summary’s media coverage around the world. In just a few weeks, nearly 13,000 people have followed Bible Summary on Twitter.

Hundreds have emailed. From places like Korea and Russia wanting to translate Bible Summary into other languages. Quite a few have indicated that they’re not Christian but interested in learning more about what’s in the Bible.

LESSON: The little things, like an 80-word press release, still matter in an increasingly converged media world.

6. Power of cooperation. Jana Riess also summarizes a chapter of the Bible a day on Twitter under the name Twible. Riess and Juby are cooperating rather than competing. Each has written about the other’s initiative on their respective blogs, and swapped links to each others Twitter Bible projects.

Kings Church is helping by giving Bible Summary front page visibility on their website.

Juby cross promotes Salem Web Network’s BibleStudyTools.com as a place for people to start if they don’t already have a Bible.

LESSON: Great works for the gospel are nearly always cooperative efforts, remembered for the spirit of unity among the participants.

7. Power of humility. Chris Juby didn’t set out to become a Christian media celebrity or build a huge global online ministry.

One of the things I’m happiest about is that many of the articles have quoted my hope that this project inspires others to engage with the Bible for themselves. My summaries are no substitute for the real thing. -Chris Juby-

Spoken with the power of a true online evangelist, keeping his focus in the right place. “Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.” (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

LESSON: Nothing takes greatness away from successful ministry faster than forgetting the One whose power made it great.

Question: What online ministry initiatives are you working on?

This study explores the impact of digital platforms on all traditional forms of media. The data reveals why it’s important to get game plans ready-now-for the future of Christian media.

Is it time for churches, ministries and Christian organizations to be more aggressive in making technology and innovation a key part of their strategies? Considering the speed at which technology is moving, the answer would appear to be “yes.”

Research headlines

The relentless impact of the Internet: Internet surpasses TV as most essential medium

Printed newspapers will cease to exist: Nearly half of Americans believe

Social media explodes into the mainstream: Broadband Internet access is nearly ubiquitous

The car, the pocket and the home: the next battlegrounds for digital and broadcast

My summary

The onslaught of technology is continuing to affect how media is used by organizations and consumed by audiences. And more change is on the way.

Intel recently announced a breakthrough technology using light beams that will lead to faster Internet and computers. An HD film or 100 hours of music could be delivered to a PC or handheld device in less than a second. The Library of Congress delivered in 90 seconds. Beam me up on that one. The technology could reach the mass market by the middle of the decade.

It’s almost cliche at this point, the transition from old to new is happening. As we’ve previously discussed, it’s important for churches and Christian organizations to catch up technologically.

Five free tools

It seems fairly straightforward – innovate, learn the new tools and strategies, or be left behind.

For those that would like to increase their adoption and use of social media and communication technologies, I’ve listed five sets of free tools to explore. Each of these resources comes from a well-established organization. I’m personally involved with the last two.

An example of how the tools are being used follows each listing.

1. Developing a Local Facebook Strategy. A library of Facebook Training Videos and tools from LifeChurch.tv for anyone who manages a Facebook page, or anyone who will interact and communicate through a Facebook page. Includes info on creating Facebook custom pages.

Example: Soul City Church local page

2. Developing a Local Social Media Strategy. Training videos from Saddleback Church, providing guidance on how to use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to invite friends to an event.

Example: Saddleback Church Social Media tools

3. Developing a Live Broadcast Strategy. Livestream is a live broadcast platform on the internet. Use this tool to create LIVE, scheduled and on-demand internet television to broadcast anywhere on the web. Broadcast live from a mobile phone and use a customizable flash player with integrated chat.The free service is ad supported.

Example: WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers Lifestream Channel

4. Developing an Internet Evangelism Strategy. Becoming an Online Missionary is the best way to experience how technology is being used to reach people around the world for Christ. Global Media Outreach makes it possible to share your faith from the comfort of your home or office.

Example: Nick Runyon

5. Developing a Collaboration Strategy. Creating partnerships in local communities or with others around the world can lead to tremendous growth. With Innovate4Jesus, form your own group, or participate in any other group, by location and topic (such as Internet evangelism, web development, church communications, social media, donor development, etc.). Share best ideas and practices.

The program uses the community and communication ability of The City, the web-based community building platform from Zondervan.

Example: Innovate4Jesus Plaza

Keep your feet moving

In football, one of the best ways to keep from losing yards or for getting out of a tackle when you hit somebody is to first initiate contact. Second, keep your feet moving at all times. This is called the ‘hit and drive.’

Using these free tools or others (there are many excellent fee-based products and services to help you) will equip your organization and partners for hitting the barriers to technological change and progress head on. Initiating contact.

Engagement, followed by experimentation, can lead to innovation for – outreach, connections and conversations, discipleship, content development, e-commerce, revenue models, etc.

Innovation creates positive change and moves the organization forward. Keeping your feet moving.

Organizations that cannot keep pace will be left behind, technologically. A game plan that includes learning about the new tools, engagement with appropriate technologies, and God inspired innovation will help make sure yours isn’t one of them.

Hit and drive.

Question: What other free tools or resources can you recommend?

To mission executives, field leaders, missiologists, magazine editors, missionaries and outreach teams everywhere

“Online evangelism is strategic and crucial for this new digital century. We commend Internet Evangelism Day’s resources to you.”   – Scott Moreau, editor Evangelical Missions Quarterly

We know that your ministry’s heart is to share the good news of Jesus Christ. May we draw your attention to the potential of new options that can enhance your mission’s objectives: the growing array of digital and Internet evangelism opportunities.

Far-reaching Communication Changes

Digital communication is transforming our world in ways that we are only beginning to discern. There are now over 3 billion mobile phone owners and 2 billion web users, and the majority are outside the West. Facebook has 500 million users in nearly 100 languages, making it (in terms of ‘population’) the third largest ‘country’ in the world.

The impact of the silicon chip is as dramatic and far-reaching as the invention of the printing press. This new ‘digital communication culture’ is superseding the West’s ‘print communication culture’. And remarkably, it has much more in common with the ‘oral communication cultures’ that many of us are so familiar with. Its strengths include two-way interaction and relationship building, visual storying rather than left-brain abstract analytic thinking, and the ability to offer information and help anonymously.

Digital communication has transformed the mission world too. Most mission staff are in instant digital contact with other team members, HQ, home church, and family. Mission support and recruitment is leveraged through websites. Research that only a few years back might have taken weeks, is now achieved online in seconds.

Digital Evangelism: Untapped Missions Tools

However, many cross-cultural missions have not yet really started to use digital media for their raison d’etre – sharing the good news.

There may be various reasons for this:

• Mission web communication has usually focused primarily on publicity (reaching the support base in the West) and communication (linking up mission staff with each other and their admin bases), which offer a measurable return on investment. Technical and design staff have been appointed to fulfill these roles, rather than for a direct evangelism focus.
• Some mission staff may lack background knowledge of the underlying philosophy of digital evangelism or specific potential strategies, especially older staff whose age makes us ‘immigrants’ to digital culture, rather than born ‘citizens’. This is also reflected in the current lack of training modules about these opportunities, in bible colleges and mission training institutions.
• A belief that online evangelism is expensive and always requires a high level of technical knowledge; and that teams on the ground may lack these resources, or the time amidst existing responsibilities to attempt new initiatives of unproven worth.
• A concern that digital media may only reach the rich urban elite, rather than the majority rural or urban poor.
• A right understanding that most effective evangelism is closely tied to long-term face-to-face relationships. This may lead to the conclusion that digital media are inappropriate to share the good news, either because they communicate through supposedly far weaker and impersonal digital relationships, or perhaps due to their having been occasionally over-sold as supposedly magic-bullet ‘automated outreach’ solutions. This judgment may have been strengthened by hearing seemingly exaggerated claims of digital evangelism ‘successes’ based on unverifiable numbers of ‘decisions’.
• A belief that, though a valid means of outreach, digital evangelism is a specialism in the same category as radio or video production: best left to specialist ministries who have the requisite finance and training needed.
• A concern for mission security, and the recognized need to maintain a reasonably low profile in even relatively open countries.

Some Solutions for You to Consider

Internet Evangelism Day and the Guide Network partnership exist to promote awareness of the many opportunities for digital evangelism that exist, especially in cross-cultural situations outside the West. This is a focus of Lausanne 2010, and the Lausanne World Pulse email newsletter has covered the growing opportunities for digital evangelism (eg. see 6-7/2010, 2/2009): www.lausanneworldpulse.com/archives.php

EMQ and IJFM also cover these issues.

We believe that the Web and digital media are God-given tools that are especially significant for relatively unreached countries and people groups for these reasons:

• Missions rightly stress the need to plant churches within easy geographical reach of target people groups, because we know that it is only through real relationships, with people they can comfortably relate to, that unreached peoples will see biblical Christianity modeled. But in a community, city or country where believers are perhaps 1% or less of population, most people may never knowingly meet a Christian, let alone build redemptive relationships with those in a Christian community. The Web can enable an initial contact.
• The Web is unique as a ‘pull medium’ that can target people based on their language, ethnicity, felt needs, life problems, or general interests. It is not limited to locating and connecting with people who are already seekers or vaguely inquisitive. It can also engage with people ‘much further back’.
• There is a remarkable online phenomenon called ‘anonymous intimacy’: people are often far more willing to share their questions, needs or problems online, than they would with even a close friend. Although it may express itself differently in various cultures, this online behavior seems universal. And in countries and religious systems where there is, at minimum, considerable social disapprobation towards someone seen to be asking even cursory questions about Christianity or reading Christian literature, the Web is a safe and private channel of inquiry. For example, there are many thousands of monthly downloads of the Bible within the Middle East. Mentoring relationships can be established online that would be difficult to initiate or maintain, face-to-face.
• The dramatic growth of mobile phone use is a major opportunity. In poorer countries, a phone may be the only digital device people will own, and they can increasingly use it to access the Web rather than visit an Internet Cafe. Mobiles are transforming trade, development, healthcare and communication throughout the global south.Facebook has made it easy for mobile users to read and update their Facebook pages without incurring online access charges. Mobiles also offer a unique 24/7 channel to share the good news: downloaded video clips or longer movies, as well as books and Bibles. Any Christian with a mid-to-high range phone can load a portfolio of appropriate video clips in various languages, and share them face-to-face with others as part of a conversation, indeed as a discussion starter.If the contact has a Bluetooth-equipped phone, video clips or books can also be quickly passed across to that phone too. (Cheap portable DVD players can also be used to share videos on a personal basis with two or three people.) Read more: IEDay.net/mobile
• Video clip production is now also within the scope of the amateur. A good webcam, high-end phone, digital camera or camcorder can produce video of sufficient quality to post online or install on a mobile phone. Free or cheap editing software, allied to an understanding of the medium and creative thinking, can produce strategic video shorts.Facebook and other regional social networking sites are proving hugely popular in Africa, Asia and S America. For many people, these sites are their main portal for messaging and relationships, obviating the need to use the wider Internet so much. Relational Facebook evangelism and sensitive outsider-friendly Facebook fan pages have huge potential for building dialogue and sharing faith. Read more: IEDay/facebook
• The Web can also enable any returned or retired missionary to continue ministry to their area of service. Many opportunities need no technical knowledge at all!
• There are also huge opportunities for digital discipleship and teaching, using the Web, digital books, audio/video and mobile phones.

How Can We Help?

We know that digital media are already playing a huge role in fulfilling the Great Commission and concur with George Verwer’s statement:

The Internet is one of the most key tools that God has given us in the church today. Internet Evangelism is a dynamic, effective, cutting-edge ministry that more people should get involved in!

Internet Evangelism Day is a year-round resource guide (and annual focus day) about the many ways of using the digital media: InternetEvangelismDay.com

The Guide Network is an informal grouping of ministries to equip and enhance digital ministry online and by mobile phone, especially in the non-western world. Within the network are a number of informal smaller networks for digital evangelism in specific countries and regions. Their strategic significance is to draw together digital outreach teams, radio and BCC ministries, mission staff on the ground, and local church groupings, leading to vital synergy and the ability to link online inquirers with real believers at local level. Digital media often function most effectively when integrated in this way: IEDay.net/guide

We also work closely with Visual Story Network, who focus on using visual digital media for evangelism: VisualStoryNetwork.org

Distance-learning modules are being planned by Biola University, to equip mission staff for digital ministry, and there are other online training resources: IEDay.net/training

We can provide speakers for mission staff conferences, team discussions or colleges, and are freely available for consultation in these areas: IEDay.net/speaker

We would be honored to assist your vital ministry in any way we can. Please contact us at office@internetevangelismday.com (or use our contact form) to discuss any aspect of digital evangelism. Please tell us also of any digital initiatives you plan or are involved in.

Yours in His Service,

Tony Whittaker | Coordinator, Internet Evangelism Day