Digital Discipleship – Is it Possible?
One of the things that needs to be explored much greater and in much more detail is the possibility of using online technology as a medium of discipleship.
It’s very apparent to anyone that’s been in the space for a while (and that’s followed this blog) that the tools that are becoming, services, and applications are becoming better and more powerful as forms of communication. What was thought expensive and/or impossible technologically is now a reality.
Tools like Tokbox and a host of other live and real-time video chat tools are quickly being tested, adopted, used, and stretched. Mindy, the Vice President of Marketing at Tokbox recently sent me a video request for an interview because traditional local news outlets had “picked up” the story that evangelicals and “christian groups” were using their service in ways that were never necessarily intended.
Discipleship isn’t “one” of those, yet. But perhaps.
What would it take for someone who is passionate about pouring into other believers and who has the time, the motivation, and the technical know-how to do it through online video?
Honestly? Not much. I think the technology has arrived. In fact, I know it’s here and the idea has been used. Ask Tony Steward and his online small group called “The United Life Nerd Group”. He’s been pouring into a group for weeks, leading them in prayer, study of the word, and encouraging them to use technology missionally.
Now, he hasn’t called it “discipleship” but functionally he’s performed the role. Semantics? Maybe. But that’s not the point.
It’s something to take seriously. I am. Seriously.
I am very interested in taking a limited number of bloggers and pouring into them deeply and train them to be powerful communicators through the blogging medium. I’ve already begun to formulate a loose curriculum of about 8-12 weeks where I’d “digitally-disciple” through online tools like TokBox how to become the best darn technoevangelist blogger possible.
I’ve also thought about doing one for WordPress…
Would that be something you’re interested in?
Digital Discipleship is possible and powerful. I think we should start doing it.
DreadedRafifi says
This is something I'd be interested in. I'm building my WordPress blog and generating content to start it and would love to learn more about what I need to do once it's off the ground.
Off topic a little bit but I wonder if anyone in the Catholic church has started using Tokbox or another tool to take confession or other traditional rites? I only wonder because it seems to me like something I'd be interested in if I were, say, a soldier and wanted to speak to my priest rather than a chaplain in the field or something. Curious.
human3rror says
do you have someone in the "inside"? that would be neat.
phil morgan says
The last few months I have started using tokbox more and more. Due to some crazy circumstances I find myself pastoring a church that is 4 hours away from were I Iive. This has caused me to get very creative and more intentional about how I disciple/train those in this new church. Tokbox has become a powerful tool in meeting in small and medium size groups. One on one has proven to be just as useful. There is a slight hesitancy with some, but once they have done it they love it. I love it. It has saved me from certain failure and has helped us organize, train, and grow. I will still use it even after I arrive "on site." I will be watching this close as I HAVE to learn to be a better blogging communicator. btw: loved#ctcdallas and your contributions…wished I could have been there for breakouts.
human3rror says
wow, that's amazing. are you blogging about this?
Amanda_Sims says
Not only possible, but likely. The "world" has been doing community in MUDs, MUSHes, IRC, etc for years. It's about time the church caught up. I, for one, am glad to be part of digital discipleship. It has been life-changing.
human3rror says
acronyms rock. the "life-change" is the goal…!
brentter says
There is no question as to the potential of what is already available to help enable making connections between individuals via technology, even in a more deeply spiritual/educational context. From the early days during the depression where sermons would be broadcast all across this country in order to try and help guide those who had the capacity to listen to even 20-25 years ago when Sunday services started filling regular time-slots on various television channels…technology has already proven itself to be useful as a way to reach out to those who might not be able to participate in the church in a 'traditional' sense.
I will say this though regarding your comments on using online video – to some, esp. those who are still new to the idea of social media/internet communities, that could be taken as a little too much too soon. It's one thing to be in verbal or even instant messaging (i.e. real-time txt based conversations) contact with someone, but adding video in the mix sometimes could result in taking the focus off of the intended message an onto the technology itself. I can give you better examples of what I mean via email if you'd like (I don't want to post anything about someone else's experience with video-conferencing), but just be aware that there will most likely be a learning curve for some groups who'd otherwise be great candidates for this time of outreach…
…i think it's a great idea.
human3rror says
stay tuned…!
Daniel_Berman says
I would have to agree on this, the telephone is used for discipleship right? Take the telephone and add video. Simplistic on one count, and a giant leap forward on another.
human3rror says
hehe.
EpicFaith says
John, I am very interested in the blogging and the WordPress “digitally-disciple”. Let me know what the times and requirements are. Thanks.
human3rror says
stay tuned….!
@OnlineDisciples says
I use ooVoo and tokbox every Tuesday to disciple a couple of guys to reach lost people online. I find that they are very effective tools for discipleship. I also use email to follow up with people who have recently received Christ via an evangelistic website and invite them to create small groups to read Scripture together. I've recently started using YouVersion as well.
I agree with you, John. Digital Discipleship is possible. The tools are here and we have to learn how to use them for the Kingdom.
human3rror says
i've tried oovoo and like it… but not sure if it's going to be able to scale and be used widely.
Daryl Goard says
I love this topic. I think lifechurch.tv is doing some good stuff in this area as well. They are using Mogulus. I am a tech freak and a Christian and would be interested Would love to participate in something to move this forward.
human3rror says
sweet, stay tuned!
SimplyAubs says
As one who is a was/is a part of the "United Nerd Life Group" (UNLG) I have come to see the power of technology in the discipleship process. I have been able to take this experience and share it with my church and other local churches. It's phenomenal! Through digital means, I have learned many skills, met many people and collaborated on ideas that had never been a possibility before.
I would be very interested in learning more about and becoming more effective with my blogging and WordPress. I am definitely new at this, but have a heart to reach people for Jesus!
human3rror says
YOU ROCK!
Graham Brenna says
Where do I sign up?! I'm interested in both the tokbox and the wordpress ones. I just started my wordpress blog and have been posting random things relevant to my church but I'd like to make it more widespread. Let me know when you've got something together!
human3rror says
🙂 stay tuned…!
Jodi says
I think this is a great idea and one that is definitely due – from a mom's perspective, there are so many SAHMs who are longing for community & contact with the world outside their homes as they stay at home with their children…what an opportunity to further grow and build into them & respectively their children. That need for community is one thing that has helped drive the mom-blog portion of the blogosphere. I think there is far-reaching potential for this platform on a lot of different levels!
human3rror says
stay at home moms. that's awesome. i think there's room for that too!
Robin Ware says
I would love to do it.
Bumble says
I think what you are describing would be more accurately as “Digital TOOLS for Discipleship”. The word “disciple” in the Greek are just really “learner”, and so having better tools would be great. However, the tools by itself won’t be enough. God used various “tools” for us to learn through history (cf. Heb.1:1-4), but it would take the incarnation for us to “get it”. I am glad to find your post still keep the human relatioship central in the process. Great post.
human3rror says
love this. semantics perhaps, but you're right. i'm always down for being "more accurate". thanks for this.
Matt says
I love the concept of "Digital Discipleship". I love the term and I think defining that term will help the church adopt more of what's been going on, on the internet for years. For example, using group communications tools to enhance small groups. I think if small group leaders for example can be guided and use blogs and private blogs/group communication tools then this will truly help folks feel more connected and ultimately provide a medium where believers and non-believers alike can ask tough questions. So just giving it a name than people can begin to identify with….digital discipleship, cool. It will probably go beyond meaning just one thing too. For example, what does social networking mean. People use that term to describe a lot of different things now.
human3rror says
stay tuned. i think you're on to something.
NicCharalambous says
Amen. We have powerful tools. We need to use them powerfully. And that can only be done through people investing with a heart commitment in the lives of others. As the heart goes, so goes how we use our tools.
human3rror says
did you get my friday 5 request?
Daryl G says
I love the small group twist on this concept, that would be a great application I think.
Matt says
Thanks Daryl. Connecting the small-groups in churches and helping them communicate and build community is what we're trying to do with MemberHub (http://memberhub.com/organizations/churches/).If you or anyone else is interested feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected].
human3rror says
i've been thinking about it.
human3rror says
i've been thinking about it… and you would know…!
Jim says
I'm interacting more here,h3, and on Ragamuffin more than offline.the engagement has it's own community.but it's too loose without precedent. again,guided medium is best.we still must shepherd the flock whether online/offline in the same caliber at all levels
Jim says
and remember that the Church, whether offline or online is still God's Church.
human3rror says
🙂 thanks for it. your points are going up!
didier says
Nice informative blog.full of knowledge & useful.success of Digital Marketing is guided
through Vision and smart communication engineering, like a business
architect:-Didier Grossemy
human3rror says
thanks! let me take a look.
Dave Nadeau says
Yes, Yes, and Yes!
human3rror says
w00t w00t and w00t
mediapeople says
I have a question to ask in somewhat of an answer. Is God's relationship with man based on physicality (actual physical presence)? We have a relationship that with a person we have never embraced. Their is a physicality to relationships that we share on planet earth but not all meaningful relationship need to take on this form. Connection and communication can be accomplished apart from locality and presence. These mediums are huge in our "Learning from" and "Following" Jesus (Discipleship). I believe we cannot see online tools as an all encompassing answer but just as anything else it is and has become a viable part of our lives just as the print that are on the pages of the Bible express God to us and just as a speech and images are used similarly. All of these are mediums for us to be reached by
Gabe Taviano says
I guess our site that is in beta, and launching local meet-ups this early February, would fit this discussion. http://www.DigitalDisciples.net
human3rror says
thanks for adding this. great resource. we'll talk soon.
Godserv says
Definitely possible and great tools are available. Check out ours at http://inspiks.com
human3rror says
checking…
human3rror says
wow, this is awesome. great point here.
what about "incarnational" ministry? your thoughts?
philmorgan says
I am working on that now. Switching to WP this week/next week and am behind a learning curve with it all. But I have prepped several posts for when I go live on this very subject. Thanks for asking. Keep up the great work here…I am benefiting so much from what you do…and my church is ultimately going to benefit as well…not to mention the (C)hurch also. You are responsible with your influence and that means so much. Looking forward to more opportunities to learn from each other like #ctcdallas.
CoffeeWithChris says
Sorry I missed this when you first posted it but if there ends up being room for you to slip in into the group I would love it. Right now I'm working to figure out how to get this stuff done in a youth ministry setting!
human3rror says
🙂 stay tuned… 😉
justgetreal says
I am a newbe with all of this tech stuff, but I would learn anything to be able to communicate with others of our Lord. I'm disabled and forced to be shut-in alot and this could be a answer to my prayers in how I can still be of service…keep me in mind please.
human3rror says
wow! stay tuned… 🙂 the web is a powerful place!
Mark Covington says
I would be interested in something like this to explore the new media and discipleship.
John Saddington says
wouldn’t that be neat…? let’s continue to think!