Understandably, the first question that might come to mind is, “Why should we add a Digital Outreach to our church?” Well, there are a host of reasons you might want to pursue new ideas for outreach, and the reasons for Digital Outreach are indicated below:
- You will have the ability to reach out beyond the confines of your church to a greater, broader community.
- If your church currently ‘serves” those in a ten mile radius, your Digital Ministry can go nationwide, or even international.
- It will allow you to better fill the Great Commission, per Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”
- Allow you a way of ministering to a vast mission field!
After wondering “why” to go Digital, the next natural concern is “what to do” to go Digital. You may want to establish a Digital Outreach Team, which will coordinate with those in charge of creating other ideas for church outreach. Together, they can create a plan to implement all your outreach ministry ideas. Following are fifteen suggestions to help you create a Digital Ministry.
- Launch Prayer Walls – An excellent way to facilitate outreach to people’s needs can be added to the website or church Facebook page.
- Establish an E-Mail Campaign – That people can receive for free, like “40 Days to a Happier Marriage”.
- Set up a Facebook Page For your Church’
- Offer Free Downloads – White papers on various topics such as “Three Weeks to overcoming a Negative Thought Life” or “10 Biblical Steps to Getting your Financial House in Order.”
- Offer Electronic Bible Studies – “How to Establish & Improve Your Prayer Life.”
- Translate your Website into a Foreign Language – Preferably the predominant one in the area you serve.
- Turn Pastor’s Sermon Series into e-books’.
- “Stream” your Services on your Website and/or upload videos to You Tube’
- Place “Teaching Videos” on You Tube – Pastor having a “conversational chat” on various topics via digi-cam.
- Develop an “Articles Archive” – Written on a variety of topics, you are basically creating an “Online Library”.
- Develop an “Online” Bookstore’
- Develop a “Bulletin Board Forum” to discuss various topics/issues.
- Establish an “e Learning Center” – Classes on virtually any topic: Bible Studies.
- Create a “Christian Calendar” – Upcoming Events, Local & National.
- Have a Church Blog – Discuss current events and life today from a Biblical point of view (Movies, Political Issues).
AND HERE’S A “BONUS” STEP!!!
1. Create a Prayer Chain – “Text Message” Prayer Chain
Now that you know “why” and “what,” visit Pathmaker Marketing to learn “how!”
