The digital era is revolutionizing evangelical churches and religious organizations
In a recent gathering organised by the Evangelical Council of Madrid, Indigitous, and the Lausanne Movement, Christian ministries from around the world came together to discuss the use of technology in spreading the message of Jesus and training disciples.
The event, which had around 50 participants in person and another 10 connected via Zoom, brought together several individuals already linked to Indigitous. David Trujillo, one of the speakers, emphasised the importance of equipping the saints to fulfill the Great Commission using technological tools.
One of the main emphases at the event was the "embrace digital" approach, a key takeaway from the recent Lausanne global congress in Incheon, South Korea. Willem van de Poll from Alpha discussed how the pandemic opened new horizons for a project based on face-to-face meetings, while Jorge Munoz explained the usefulness of a digital marketing strategy to promote an event or project.
Mateo, a young content editor, shared his testimony of God's faithfulness and developing platforms to connect with young people on social media. He highlighted the importance of meeting people where they are, a sentiment echoed by Pastor Fran Quesada.
The event also featured the development of two Apps for prayer and biblical meditation, presented by Aitor de la Camara. Andy Wickham from Pontea introduced El Cafetal, a podcast of interviews helping people ask relevant questions about faith.
Jose Manuel Maceiras from EBM Radio talked about digital radio broadcasting strategies to reach young people in their closest environment. The importance of using technology wisely without adding burden and always caring for people was emphasised by Daniel Gomez, head of communications at Assemblies of God Spain.
The event focused on the efforts the Christian world is making to leverage technology for the expansion of the message of Jesus and the training of disciples. Ministries are using digital technology and social media in various ways, such as online evangelism and content distributed via social platforms and short video, digital discipleship, training, and virtual church, capacity-building tools that free missionaries to focus on gospel work, technology teams and engineering support for ministry tools, mobilization, fundraising, and volunteer matching platforms, and targeting unreached people groups with data and strategy.
While digital tools, while experiencing growth and empowerment, still lack the warmth of a hug or a smile, making face-to-face meetings necessary. However, ministries are finding ways to integrate prayer and tech, framing technology as a bridge to multi-generational and multi-platform mission work.
The event also addressed the challenges and caveats of using technology in mission work. These include algorithm dependence and platform risks, digital access gaps, and capacity and training needs for frontline workers.
Evangelical Focus, an organisation that was present at the event, faces a sustainability challenge and invites individuals to join the #OneMoreYearEF campaign to support their mission. The Seoul Declaration, a theological document reflecting on mission for the church worldwide, has a specific section dedicated to technology.
Overall, the event highlighted the importance of using technology in mission work and the various ways ministries are employing it to reach more people and train disciples. It also underscored the need for wisdom and caution in using technology, ensuring that it is always used to serve the Great Commission and not become a burden.
Artificial-intelligence-driven apps for prayer and biblical meditation were presented at the event, demonstrating the integration of technology in religious practices. Mateo, a content editor, emphasized the use of social-media platforms as a means to connect with young people and spread entertainment content infused with religious messages.
