Digital Evangelism Issues

Each time a new medium arrives, Christians may well adopt it reasonably quickly, but tend to perceive and use it in the way they used a previous medium. One example is Christian radio. For many years (and this approach is not extinct even today), the tendency was to transfer the medium of communal church worship directly to radio: hymns, prayers and sermons.

It is so easy to think of the Web as brochureware. In other words, whatever we might have printed in a leaflet to distribute, we will now ‘give out’ online.

Of course, brochureware is a valid component of the Web, but only a small part. We need a perceptual jump to understand how to really use this medium according to its strengths.

Tony Morgan writes, “I’m amazed at the number of churches that still view the Web as primarily an advertising mechanism to let people know who they are and what they’re doing. Go ahead. Visit several church websites. Really doesn’t even matter what size the church is. With few exceptions, you’ll find their web strategy is essentially a bullhorn approach.” Read more.

We need to understand the whole concept of the interactive sharing Web and how it can be applied to church sites. Eminister blog frequently looks at these issues.

How can a church or outreach website make this vital conceptual leap? Add your comments below.