theChurch.digital // the blog

Social Media Is NOT Digital Community
By Jeff Reed 10 Oct, 2024
Social media connects people globally but misses the depth needed for true communities, which thrive on two-way conversations and relational engagement—better achieved through digital communities like Discord or Slack. These platforms foster dialogue, empowerment, and nuanced relationships built on trust. Transitioning followers to these dynamic digital communities leverages social media's reach, creating spaces where authentic interactions can truly flourish.
What Exactly Is a Digital Missionary?
By Jeff Reed 20 Sep, 2024
Digital missionaries use online platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and YouTube to share the Gospel with those who may be distant from traditional church settings. As trust in church buildings and pastors declines, many now turn to digital tools for spiritual guidance. Platforms like theChurch.digital support these missionaries by validating, equipping, and mobilizing them for their unique digital ministry, helping them connect with people globally and multiply their efforts for Christ’s Kingdom.
Digital Missionaries and the Future of theChurch.digital
By Jeff Reed 18 Sep, 2024
theChurch.digital is evolving into a digital mission-sending agency, equipping everyday people to become digital missionaries in their unique online contexts. With the concept of Platforms as Places, the organization views platforms like TikTok and YouTube as mission fields and will train digital missionaries through a new 13-week course launching in 2025. Outposts will further support and empower these missionaries, fostering encouragement, exploration, experimentation, and collaboration across digital spaces.
5 Online Ministry Insights from August 2024
By Tom Pounder 28 Aug, 2024
Explore the latest digital ministry trends with theChurch.digital podcast! Discover online care strategies, battle compassion fatigue, and learn from the top innovative churches. Equip yourself with tools and insights to revolutionize your online community outreach.
Investing in Apprentices
By Tom Pounder 15 Aug, 2024
Looking to take your ministry to the next level? Check out a few practical steps to help you connect with others, learn new strategies, and grow your impact online. Whether you're looking for tips, support, or fresh ideas, you'll find everything you need to make your ministry more effective and reach more people. Perfect for anyone eager to make a difference!
How to Share Your Church's Mission Through Digital Communications
By Tom Pounder 08 Aug, 2024
Transform your church's reach by leveraging digital channels like your website, social media, and email to share your mission boldly. Utilize dynamic tools like podcasts, mobile apps, and YouTube to create engaging, mission-focused content that disrupts the norm and unites your community.
Tools Needed to be a Digital Minister
By Tom Pounder 07 Aug, 2024
Whether you're leading a traditional or digital ministry, leveraging tech tools like social media platforms, video conferencing, and church management software revolutionizes effectiveness and impact. But the most important is to remember the heart behind ministry.
Caring for Others Online
By Tom Pounder 01 Aug, 2024
Transform your discipleship efforts by connecting with Stacy Knapp and leveraging online tools. Explore resources like the Digital Bootcamp, Digital Ministry, and The Church Digital's coaching to reach more people for Christ.
5 Online Ministry Insights from July 2024
By Tom Pounder 31 Jul, 2024
The digital ministry scene is buzzing with activity. Here are the latest trends in social media, live streaming, and digital disciple-making to help strengthen your online ministry. Key insights from July 2024 include the power of authenticity, tips to avoid burnout and the potential of unconventional spaces like bars for disciple-making.
Should Your Church Be Using Threads - July 2024 Update
By Tom Pounder 30 Jul, 2024
Can Threads be a new avenue for reaching people for Jesus? Well it's essential to consider several factors. This is revealed by asking the right questions about your audience, content type and engagement rate.
Using AI for Effective Church Social Media Outreach
By Tom Pounder 25 Jul, 2024
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) can redefine your church's social media presence by generating fast and engaging content, providing instant responses through chatbots, and offering data-driven insights to improve your strategy. These tools ensure consistent, timely, and diverse interactions, breaking down language barriers and building a global community.
Overcoming the Scrutiny of Digital/Meta Churches: Let's Multiply Disciples
By Jeff Reed 24 Jul, 2024
Focus on the strengths and opportunities of digital discipleship rather than the controversies. Digital churches excel in relational disciple-making and multiplying followers of Jesus, unlike traditional methods. Explore digital ministry, bypass the naysayers, and advance with those ready for this visionary approach.
The Power of Authenticity
By Tom Pounder 18 Jul, 2024
Discover how being authentic on social media during Covid has resonated deeply with audiences, and how to implement strategies for leveraging this authenticity to reach more people. Find powerful insights on expanding your reach, and explore resources like the Digital Bootcamp, coaching, and the Sidekick Scoop for comprehensive guidance in digital ministry.
Digital Discipleship Opportunities Over the Summer
By Tom Pounder 17 Jul, 2024
Summers challenge traditional ministry with inconsistent attendance due to vacations, but digital platforms offer fresh, effective ways to engage. Leverage digital tools to maintain connection, provide spiritual care, and create community even with varied schedules. Turn summer into a season of online togetherness.
How to Avoid Burnout as Digital Minister
By Tom Pounder 16 Jul, 2024
Burnout is rampant among those in ministry, especially in the relentless digital world where it's hard to fully disengage. Practicing self-care, setting clear boundaries, and building a supportive community are key to sustaining long-term digital ministry.
How to Use TikTok for Digital Discipleship
By Tom Pounder 10 Jul, 2024
Amid the Covid pandemic, reaching and guiding the younger generation demands innovative tactics, and Tiktok (now wildly popular since 2020) presents a game-changing opportunity for digital disciple-making. Let's leverage Tiktok to transform everyday moments into powerful spiritual opportunities and engage with younger people in ways they’ve maybe never experienced before, sparking spiritual growth in unexpected places.
Achieving Movement: The Heart of theChurch.digital
By Jeff Reed 09 Jul, 2024
Discover how theChurch.digital is revolutionizing the way we think about digital ministry and disciple-making! We're all about multiplying the gospel in every digital and metaverse space, helping ordinary people become extraordinary leaders. Join us to explore how to make disciples who grow into leaders, plant churches, start networks, and spark unstoppable movements. Ready to get involved in transforming the digital faith scene? Then this is for you.
Youth Ministry in a Digital World
By Tom Pounder 04 Jul, 2024
Ready to transform youth ministry in the post-Covid era? Join us as Steve Cullum expands on the current landscape of youth ministry and how we can empower teens and leaders. Discover valuable resources, connect with other youth workers, and learn digital tools to supplement your ministry. Whether you're in digital, phygital, or metaverse ministry, this episode has something radical for you!
5 Ways to Celebrate Freedom in Christ Online
By Tom Pounder 03 Jul, 2024
We have freedom in Christ and we are called to celebrate that daily.
Best Practices of Highly Effective Online Communicators
By Jim Tomberlin 02 Jul, 2024
Of the estimated 8,000+ multisite churches in North America, one third deliver their messages primarily by video, another third are hybrid delivering their messages with video and in-person, and one third deliver their messages primarily in-person. In addition, the majority of the 300K+ protestant churches across America offer some sort of church online experience. With this many churches using digital communication I reached out to Jason Morris, Product Manager at RESI, the leading all-in-one steaming service providers for churches to learn what he is seeing among online communicators. Here are some best practices we are seeing among churches for delivering digital sermons online. 1. Omit references to time, day, and weather. The most difficult thing is to remove all references to time of day, day of the week, and the weather. Avoid “tonight” or “Saturday.” Better to use words like “today” or “weekend.” 2. Avoid references to the worship team. References in the message to worship leaders or vocalists by name can be awkward or meaningless because they are different at the other locations. 3. Place the camera well. Position the camera where it is the easiest and most natural for the speaker to look into. Cameras positioned at eye-level are best for the communicator. Don’t make it awkward for the speaker by forcing them to crane their neck to peer into the camera or look up to a balcony above the main room. Use camera lights in a way so that the speaker will know which camera is the live camera. Sometimes it’s good to have an online camera that’s slightly off to the side of the stage. Make it easy for the speaker to look straight into the camera to address a campus or online audience like they were speaking to an individual. 4. Keep the camera shot tight. Stay with continual close-up headshots (video images need to feel larger-than-life), minimizing the number of full-stage and full-body shots. Avoid camera shots that remind viewers that they are not there, such as audience reactions, audience cut-away shots, or side-shots of the speaker. 5. Eyeball the camera. Looking directly into the camera makes a video audience feel included. As often as possible, it’s very powerful to look directly into the camera periodically near the beginning, during, and at the end of the message. Especially when addressing the online audience, off-site campuses and at drive-it-home moments, eyeball the camera. Here is a great example of looking into the camera like a pro from Michael Todd at Transformation Church. 6. Don’t divert viewers attention with distracting backdrops. Make sure the backdrop behind the speaker is not a distraction. Remove anything that’s not essential and keep it uncluttered and simple. 7. Include images and quotes that correspond with speaker references . Make sure the videocast includes anything the speaker references (For example: “That’s her picture you’re now seeing on the screen.”) Even better, make images a split screen or right two-thirds. Place quotes and key points on the right side or lower third of the screen. Don’t leave images or quotes up too long (10 seconds max). 8. Treat everyone as equals no matter where they are. Avoid words like “satellite” and “main” campus. They connote inequality. 9. Use inclusive language. When praying or making applications, include references to the people online and in off-site locations. Once in a message is all that’s needed to make hundreds of people sitting in an auditorium miles away to feel included in their own church. Replace geographically-bound phrases like “isn’t it great to be here!” (because some or maybe most are not) with something like “isn’t it great that we can gather as one church across our city, nation, world ...” Here’s some other tips to make everyone feel included: Look at the online chat before you get up to speak and greet people from online, even mention where they are watching from like you would another campus Digitize all calls to action so everyone can participate the same way... “Scan this QR code for the free ebook for more on this topic I’m speaking on” instead of “there’s books in the lobby” “Go to this link to sign-up” is better than “go to your campus lobby to sign up” 10. Smile as much as possible. Smiling helps connect you to your audience and keeps people engaged. Smile a lot and be sure to look into the camera when you tell a joke! 11. Speak to the primary online audience “before a live studio audience.” Effective online communicators today recognize their audience is bigger than the onsite room they are speaking in. Before recording or live-streaming the service from the broadcast location, invite the onsite audience to join you in engaging the larger online audience as a “streaming (or recorded) event before a live studio audience.” Make everyone in the room feel they are a part of something bigger than themselves. This will give you permission to look into the cameras instead of the onsite audience. Be mindful as you prepare messages that you are speaking to an audience that encompasses more than those in the room with you. They see you as their pastor and spiritual leader. They feel connected to you; they love you. They show up onsite and online because of the spiritual teaching they receive from you. Practice these habits and you will become a better and more effective digital communicator!  12. Make Sure Every Speaker Knows These Guidelines. Be sure to give these guidelines to any guest speakers so that they too can make the most of your church’s video delivery and also become better digital communicators!
5 Online Ministry Insights from June 2024
By Tom Pounder 27 Jun, 2024
The summer heat is an inferno right now. While the temperatures are hot, there is a lot happening in the digital and online ministry space. To help you keep up with all the new digital and online ministry trends and happenings, The Church Digital Podcast Network and Blogs had a bunch we loved to share in regards to all the latest trends in social media, live stream, digital discipleship and all things online ministry so that you can minister and serve your online community more effectively. Here are 5 online ministry insights and lessons learned from some of the podcasts released on The Church Digital Podcast Network and the blog from June 2024. Keys to Sharing Your Sermon Online Sermons and messages can be shared all over the world today through the power of technology. Because of this, it's important to make sure you are communicating effectively when you share your sermon or messages. These tips are just the starting point of what a ministry leader needs to do to effectively communicate online today. Online Pastoral Care is Possible In today's world, pastoral care can happen and is possible beyond in person. But how does it work? What tools can you use to help you schedule, meet up and encourage people in need of pastoral care? YouTube has Incredible Reach Potential YouTube is the second most powerful search engine second only to its parent company, Google. Because of its powerful reach, it can be used to encourage people in their faith and help people discover God. See how as Jeff and Tom talk about how Tom's Church is using it today. Digital Church Planting is Possible Church planting has been around since the beginning of Christianity. However, digital and metaverse church planting is still very new. In fact, there can still a lot of pushback of digital church planting, even in church planting communities. However, Jeff makes the case for digital church planting . See how you would like to learn about how you can be part of the digital Church movement . Async Your Church Before Covid hit, many churches were had only in-person gatherings and services. However, since 2020, more and more churches have increased their digital presence. Andy shares about how an async church model alongside physical meetings can richen the experience for all members moving forward.
How to Develop Community on Discord
By Tom Pounder 26 Jun, 2024
Community is a vital component to churches. It has been since the creation of the first Church in Acts 2. It is through community that people connect and can grow in their faith best. Traditionally, churches have used life groups, Bible studies, youth groups and other type groups to building those connections. While most of these groups usually happen in person, there are some great online opportunities as well. Building a strong online community is essential for Churches and ministries today as they seek to engage people who live locally and online effectively. One of those ways is Discord. Discord is a popular communication platform that offers a powerful set of tools for fostering meaningful connections and cultivating a thriving virtual community. How? So how does it work? How can you use Discord to build community? Here are some tips: Create Welcoming Channels. First impressions matter, so ensure your server has dedicated channels for newcomers. Set up a #welcome channel where new members can introduce themselves, ask questions, and receive a warm greeting. Additionally, have a #rules channel outlining your community guidelines to establish a positive and respectful environment. Encourage Engagement. Engage your Discord community by creating channels dedicated to different topics or interests. For example, you could have channels for prayer requests, Bible study discussions, event announcements, and casual conversations. In fact, it is good to have channels dedicated to things other than spiritual or faith pursuits. Having a variety of channels encourage members to share their thoughts, experiences, and insights fostering a sense of belonging and participation. Host Events. When you host regular events, such as online gatherings, livestreams, or Q&A sessions, you can help build anticipation and strengthen community bonds. You can use Discord's voice and screen-sharing features to host these events, allowing members to interact and connect in real-time. Utilize Roles and Permissions. Discord's role and permission system can help you organize your community and ensure smooth operations. Assign roles to members based on their interests, involvement levels, or responsibilities within the community. This not only helps manage access to specific channels but also fosters a sense of ownership and belonging to your channel. Celebrate Achievements. Recognize and celebrate the achievements and milestones of members in your community. Set up channels for sharing accomplishments, successes, or personal victories (especially those associated with spiritual next steps). This not only promotes a positive and supportive environment but also motivates people to actively engage and contribute. Encourage Respectfulness. Every community works best when peel respect and honor each other, even with opposite viewpoints. To help make this happen, you can create a team of trusted moderators. They will ensure a safe and inclusive environment within your Discord community. Clearly communicate community guidelines, and empower moderators to address any inappropriate behavior or conflicts promptly and respectfully. Conclusion By implementing these strategies, you can leverage Discord's full capabilities to build a thriving online community where members feel welcomed, engaged, cared for, and supported.  A strong sense of community not only fosters meaningful conversations and connections but also enhances the overall experience for everyone involved. Ultimately, it contributes to the growth and success of your Church or ministry.
Async and Your Church: What Do You Need to Know?
By Andy Mage 24 Jun, 2024
I'm not sure if you knew this, but async is not going anywhere. And YOU need a plan for your church to thrive in this. The rise of remote work and distributed teams has brought the concept of "async" (short for asynchronous communication) into the mainstream. But what does async have to do with your church? More than you might think! Embracing async principles can actually help create a more engaging and inclusive church experience. What is Async? In the workplace, async refers to communication that happens outside of real-time meetings or conversations. Someone sends a message, update or question, and others respond when they are able - not necessarily right away. This allows people to work on their own schedule while still maintaining team collaboration. But in the church? Just like work teams, churches are also made up of people with varying schedules and availability. An async approach recognizes that meaningful participation doesn't require everyone to be present at the exact same appointed time. It enables more flexibility while keeping people connected. Here are some ways churches can go async: Recorded Sermons & Services: You should already be doing this! Make high-quality recordings of sermons and services available online. Members can watch or listen on their own schedule and still be spiritually fed. Async Discussion Areas: Create online forums where people can asynchronously discuss sermon topics, scripture, prayer requests and more. This continues the conversation throughout the week. Discord, Facebook, Slack, Circle. All good spaces for this. Video Updates & Announcements: Communicate major church updates, announcements and prayer requests via video that members can watch whenever convenient. Put them on YouTube and allow commenting. If all of this sounds like something YOU want to work on, join me for our Asynchronous Learning Community starting in July 2024! While certainly not replacing the importance of gathering in-person, an async church model alongside physical meetings can richen the experience for all members. It's a way to enhance engagement and provide more access to the life-giving mission of your church.
How to Reach the Nones in Your Community
By Tom Pounder 20 Jun, 2024
How are you reaching the "nones" in your community? The "nones" are those who do not attend Church, nor do they have any interest in attending. Today, Mark MacDonald shares a few tips churches can implement to reach those in your local and online communities . Mark is a church branding strategist for BeKnownForSomething.com , a national church communication and branding agency, coaching pastors and thousands of churches to become relevant in their community. He is also a best selling author and has written over 800 magazine articles. Subscribe: Apple Podcast Android Spotify | RSS ACTION STEPS: Mark is a great resource. He’s on Twitter and has a great website with resources and great insights. Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group . To learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL ministers , not just church communicators or social media managers as we share resources, tools and digital trends to see how we can reach more people for Christ with these tools. Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching ? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. If you are in digital ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community . We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop Weekly Email . Each Friday get a fresh email with content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics) and be encouraged in how you can minister more effectively in today's world. If you have an idea for a topic or a person for Tom to interview for a future podcast episode, email here .
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