Refining Your Digital Approach for the New Age of Evangelism
At first glance, the answer to this question is obvious: if you can find God in a printed Bible, you can find Him online too. But here’s the real question: once someone encounters God online, what happens next? Many people are coming to (or returning to) Christ by way of online church communities, having been impacted by thoughtful sermons and powerful worship experiences right from their homes.
If your church has an online campus, this matters now more than ever. You have people encountering God through your livestream services…now what? This is your opportunity to supply what new believers need to build the foundations of their faith. This goes beyond the call to salvation and into the call to discipleship. There are a few things you can add to your church website or outreach systems as soon as this week that can make all the difference with new believers.
Devotional Plans for New Believers or a “Bible In A Year” Plan
Sermons and worship lyrics are powerful, but the foundation of faith is built on personal devotion. Offer a curated Bible reading plan for new believers! It will give them structure and build their confidence in their understanding of the Word of God. You can even teach them the S.O.A.P method, which stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. It’ll not only help them read more intentionally, but also show them how they can put their faith into action immediately.
An Essentials Guide (for Faith Practices)
Chances are, you probably already have the content you need for this; it’s hidden in your past sermons and teaching notes! Simplifying and demystifying faith practices like prayer, worship, water baptism, participating in communion, fasting, and giving can help provide the necessary context for what we do as followers of Christ. Don’t assume these practices are intuitive, as many new believers are genuinely beginning their faith walk for the first time. Along with these tools, one of the most important needs of a new believer is connection.
Get Them Into a Small Group (and Fast)!
This is assuming your church has adopted some form of small group culture. Believers meeting and fellowshipping at each other’s houses became a common (and necessary) practice in the early days of the church (see Acts of the Apostles). Our small group structure may look different today, but the heart remains the same. When done right, they can help build depth in relationships between both new and “mature” believers. Making sure these types of groups are also available to others online can help their new faith journey feel less lonely and give them the support they need to keep walking!
These steps may seem small, but they can change everything for someone discovering their faith for the first time. Consider this: if someone walks through the doors of your church and experiences God so radically that they decide to give their heart to Jesus, is it not our mission to ensure that they are properly resourced, connected, and discipled?
Even if there are a handful of people who have the same experience at your online church service, they deserve as much of an opportunity to be discipled as those who appear at your physical location. That is the level of stewardship we take when we decide to go digital.
Want more ideas for building a culture of discipleship for your online church? Visit getignitd.com and hit the Let’s Talk button on the homepage!