Replied to: learn.liberty.edu

Hi Joseph,

You make some great points in regards to how churches can engage in outreach through the use of social media especially where you said "also to attract a newer, more youthful following". I think when churches are engaging with the Internet and social media technology, they need to remember "the Internet should first and foremost be about creating relationships: relationships between individuals, relationships between groups of people and relationships with God" (Bourgeois, 2013, loc. 225-256). I think that is something that is challenging for a lot of churches, they think that it is about the latest gadget and are either turned away or lose focus.

Using technology for the Gospel isn't new, "One of the very first technologies to be used for the cause of Christ was the road system implemented during the time of the Roman Empire" (Bourgeois, 2013, loc. 135-136). The Roman road system is one of the things that God used to allow the Gospel to travel all throughout the Roman empire. In Matthew 28:19-20 it says "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you" (CSB). This was only able to be accomplished because God had placed Jesus and the Apostles at the moment in history that they could literally travel all throughout the Roman world.

The first step for a church is to find out where the people are, then to build a strategy for your church to go and build a relationship with the people there. This means researching and understanding the platform that is the first platform. If this is done and then repeated, I think it would greatly help churches in reaching beyond their walls.

Bibliography

Bourgeois, D. T. (2013). Ministry in the Digital Age: Strategies and Best Practices for a Post-Website World. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.