Overcoming the Scrutiny of Digital/Meta Churches: Let's Multiply Disciples

Planting a Digital-Only/Metaverse Church is a controversial proposition. We've all had those conversations. Frustrating just begins to describe them. To oversimplify the problem, Digital and Meta Church supporters can have conversations all day long with the naysayers, but reality is that we are likely not to change minds. Lots of people, for whatever reason, are stubbornly, aggressively stuck in Physical mindsets.

I know this has come at me at a personal level in recent weeks. Like you, I'm sure, a lot of what I've done in recent months has come under scrutiny, and it's led me to the place where I'm really done trying to convince the naysayers. Maybe one of you can take over that job. For me, I'm far more interested in going with the goers and watching success happen with them.

It's occurred to me, though, the weakness of today's physical church model can easily become the strength of digital churches: DISCIPLESHIP. And the one thing that Digital can do easily that Physical struggles to do? MULTIPLY.

Let someone else fight the battles. As churches, as pastors, I feel this is a distraction. It's one of the reason we set out to create this Network... to limit those types of distractions. Instead, let's do the one thing that today's US church struggles to do, but God calls us clearly to: Multiply.

Digital is so relational, especially in hands like ours. We know how to use these tools. Be relational! And through those relationships, point to Jesus. 

This is really how our Digital Churches win: Not through Content, but through Relationships that point to Jesus. Not through Knowledge, but through Obedience. This is where we win the argument with the naysayers. When we multiply.

Here's a fun little video: Francis Chan & David Platt, two hugely influential church leaders (both known for supporting unique expressions of church) talking about what Disciples need to look like. How does this compare to your church's Disciples?