It seems that in today's crazy, busy mindset, church attendance seems to be on the decline. As a result, more and more people are losing out on the opportunity to hear about the wonderful life that Jesus offers. Online evangelism is the key to reaching more people for Christ around the world.
Sometimes also called internet evangelism, digital evangelism, and social media evangelism, sharing the gospel online provides the opportunity for churches to reach far more people than those in their geographic reach. Internet evangelism enables even the smallest of churches to become international or worldwide Christian ministries.
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What is Online Evangelism?
No matter how you word it – Digital Evangelism is simply the sharing of the gospel to others via the internet. This can be via written content on blogs and other faith-based websites as well as having an active social media presence for God.
Traditionally, that came from pastors/preachers at a physical church, as well as from missionaries going out into the community and spreading the gospel to others. But even before lockdowns and health crisis, more and more people were seeking God in the online world.
Why is Evangelism Important
Why is online evangelism important? Because our primary purpose here on Earth is to share the gospel! And since fewer people are actually visiting the physical church, we are obligated to take the gospel to where they are hanging out!
The church is the entire body of the church leaders, along with regular, everyday people who go out and minister to others. The physical building is not a requirement for people to come to know Christ. (Jesus spoke to God from the forest and from the top of hills.).
Although physical meetings are preferred, it is not an absolute requirement in order for people to find community and fellowship. Online communities can fill that need as well.
If fewer people are actually visiting the physical church, then church leaders must go where the people are – online. Online evangelism is paramount for churches to continue reaching more people for Christ.
How to Reach People with Digital Evangelism
The easiest way to reach more people for the Kingdom is to go where the people are to share the good news. Our society is literally addicted to their smartphones, the Internet, and social media. Exact numbers vary slightly depending on the source, but adults spend an average of 11 hours per day engaging with some form of online activity. Could these platforms be the “new church” where we share the gospel and take more people to heaven?
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 NIV
For the most part, the internet is filled with negative and “not-so-Christian” content. Anyone can put content out there – even churches. Satan is smart! He knows that our society roams freely on the internet with limited “interference” from God's army. That MUST change! Churches, along with anyone who has a knack for writing or creating faith-filled content must take up arms on this new battleground and take Jesus to every nook and cranny of the online world! Internet evangelism can take the love of Jesus to literally anyone with an internet connection.
Using Social Media for Evangelism
Social media is one of the best ideas for internet evangelism because this is now the mode of communication for people in our society. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, conversations are being conducted on all topics under the sun. Some of the more popular “trending” churches such as Church Unlimited, Life Church, and Elevation Church have really made an impact and set a standard for internet evangelism. They have really taken the gospel outside of the physical church building and are reaching more people for Christ through their live video sermons, Youtube channels, and social media platforms.
Ideas for Social Media Evangelism
Private Facebook Groups – These are becoming more and more popular because they are a great way to build a “virtual” life group community of other Christians. For those that don't go to a physical church, these groups provide a network of like-minded Christians coming together online for support and fellowship.
I'm personally in several online ministry groups where I chat with other Christian women daily, as well as doing video conferencing with them. This really helps for us to build a relationship even though we don't live in the same town. Some of the women in my groups are on a different continent!
Online Bible Studies – These can be accomplished through the private groups or through regularly scheduled live feeds on a social channel. For people living in smaller towns or maybe those who are new to a town and haven't found an in-person group, these online Bible Studies are a perfect way to share the gospel online and connect people who otherwise would never meet!
Live Feeds – Facebook (and other social channels) provide the ability to go live to their audience. These live events can be long (such as broadcasting the regular sermon as it is happening) or shorter ones throughout the week to simply pop in and offer encouragement. For those who don't attend a physical church, many of them regularly watch a sermon being broadcast online.
Internet Evangelism and the Christian Blogger
Another important, but often overlooked avenue of internet evangelism is the Christian blogger. There are over 5 billion searches conducted on Google daily. Google has basically become a way for us to find an answer to just about everything.
That is over 5 billion daily opportunities to present a Jesus answer to someone! Christian blogs are becoming increasingly popular and cover a variety of areas from marriage and parenting to Bible studies, to more niche topics related to faith.
There are even Christian blogs designed for specific age groups such as Christian College Students and those in an older season of life. No matter what someone is searching for online, a Christian blog can provide an answer from God and possibly change someone's life!
For a church, a blog is a great way to get more traffic to your actual website, as well as your social channels where they can experience God through your video sermons and interactions online.
And before you begin to worry about hiring someone to manage a blog to your website, I'm sure you can find at least a handful of members of your church willing to serve by writing the content and/or even managing it. Not sure how to get started? How to Start a Christian Blog Ministry has you covered!
Online Evangelism is Crucial for the Kingdom!
Although some families do continue to attend physical church regularly, it is imperative that churches and ministry leaders understand and make Internet evangelism a priority in growing their ministries. Not just in growing their own ministries, but simply for helping more people across the globe to know the love of Christ!
Even beyond the church leaders, regular, everyday Christians can evangelize across the planet by starting Christian blogs or using their social media channels to share the gospel with their audiences.
If you are a church struggling to reach new members or simply wanting to learn how to take your ministry online, reach out to us and we'd be happy to help! We have a whole team of experts on every aspect on Internet Evangelism from starting a blog on your website to learning how to use the different social channels to reach new people.
We'd love to hear your opinion or ideas about the importance of sharing the gospel online! Leave us a comment below and share what you think!
