Comments on: Digital Evangelism: Can We Be Honest For a Sec?

By: mike mikovich

mike mikovich — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:56:49 +0000

I think Online Ministry is a great tool. There may be times when I need to hear a message, I can just go online or talk to people online and it helps. It does not replace a home based church or fellowship but think about this, this is a great way for people to eventually meet up somewhere. So in a way we are building fellowships on here, that is a beautiful thing.
Another thing if the devil uses the internet to spew their evils like porn, hate sites and other stuff on here, then why can't we use it to glorify Jesus
Take care and love you all. May God bring blessings you deserve
Mike Shreveport,la

By: Faye

Faye — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:06:34 +0000

I agree, John. I think the thing that social media WILL do for us though is show the authenticity of our lives. After all, Twitter is just another window into our lives, often showing the good, bad and ugly. When we can be seen as real people dealing with real problems like "they" are, we gain respectability ground. THEN we can make a connection and start the conversation offline.

Just my .02.

By: joannamuses

joannamuses — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:03:16 +0000

I'm sure God could use the internet as one of the ways he brings people to him. I'm just not sure it should be our major strategy.

I think one of the big problems with digital evangalism is attention span. For someone who is not yet really interested i doubt they'll be willing to stay long enough to hear much especially given they could have watched several viral videos in the time it takes them to read our stuff. That's if they even stumble on our stuff in the first place. Of course attention span is not a uniquely internet only problem, but i do think the web amplifies the problem many times over.

The internet is overrun with people trying to sell stuff (often questionable stuff too). There is quite a risk that we would come across as just another group trying to peddle a product that may not be what we claim. As online interaction can seem less personal than in person interaction, this seems to be more of a risk online.

By: lewies

lewies — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:50:56 +0000

Man, i truly believe that whatever happens online, ontwitter, onfacebook, via snail mail, cards etc. should be the overflow of what happens IN PERSON with people you got to share with face to face. Going digital is not bad at all. Part of evangelism is getting the Message out there, and trusting the Holy Spirit to do the work, but that MUST be followed up through discipleship. So, if you evangelised someone, and you know for a fact that you cannot disciple him, are you at least challenging him to find a community of believers that can see each other, touch each other, hear each other, love each other in real terms in reality, not virtual reality?

By: jojoagot

jojoagot — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:54:40 +0000

some people might come to know Jesus through "digital evangelism" but that person would still need personal discipleship for growth. this is the difficult part. mentoring and real life change are "offline" stuff, something that we can never do in cyberspace. internet is just a tool.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:30:07 +0000

Do you think the term "digital evangelism" means with complete strangers? i.e. I personally think of of "digital evangelism" more in terms of a means to continue to build relationships (from face-to-face real life encounters) in a realm that sometimes brings out more vulnerability/responsiveness/honesty and creates more of a bond in-between actual face-face encounters.

I.e. Invite friends/neighbors/family/others we know to connect with us on facebook, twitter, etc. Then, as we share our life and what is meaningful to us — in that way, digital options (can) become an effective supplement and bridge to encourage inquisitiveness to the gospel.

I would like to hear, though, John, whether the people participating in northpointonline are all already believers (from NP or other churched people around the country/world), or if you find that it does indeed reach the community somehow?

By: stephenbateman

stephenbateman — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:29:51 +0000

Right now, you're absolutely right, online evangelism sucks. But online relationships don't…The only problem is, effective evangelism happens face to face.

However, I think the next move of the web will be creating relationships that can transition seamlessly off the internet, connect people online and off. Suddenly the web becomes an unbelievably useful tool, and we have the opportunity to lay groundwork for that.

By: Danny Wahlquist

Danny Wahlquist — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:15:52 +0000

Absolutely right, John! What we do means more than what we say, so digital media is handicapped. There are many opportunities through social media to reconnect with people, though, and turn their thoughts toward God.

By: Kevin Cooper

Kevin Cooper — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:06:06 +0000

I don’t think this point is exclusive to online. Many times we think that to convert someone to Jesus means that we have to take complete ownership of their conversion. Meaning we have to plant the seed, water the seed and watch it bloom. But truth is we might only be a small part of that process. I think digital missions is a part of that seed planting stage. I would never expect the digital space to own the whole process–much like one person can’t.

By: klreed189

klreed189 — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:46:27 +0000

This reminds me of revivals. I remember when Billy Graham came to St. Louis, I was like 14 and wanted to get in on the action. I went through all the training to be a "counselor" My main role was to counsel people my age when they accepted Billy's call of Christ. I was completely confused by this. Basically I was suppose to stand there, when the people were invited forward I was to follow that person down to the stage and then tap them on the shoulder and tell them about Christ love and then go back to my seat. Where was the follow up? The Personal side of the conversation? Needless to say I didn't do it.

Even at a young age I knew that a personal relationship or friendship with the person was key. Fast forward to today and I still hold those same sentiments. I do feel a little uneasy about digital media and social networking being the new evangelism tool. It just seems completely impersonal to me. It feels like the idea of dunking them in the water and then letting them go.
Shane Claiborne talks about the days of being a teenager and going to a big christian festival and being called to lay down your life for Jesus but never getting anything to pick up and carry. I feel like this is very true inside of digital evangelism. Follow this person on twitter, and read the daily inspiration and you will be good.

Just doesn't seem to make sense