A Case for “Digital Missions”

Before you read any further, let me put your mind at ease. No, I am not suggesting in this article that we ought to replace physical missions. As in, stop sending missionaries around the world to spread the gospel. That would be crazy on several levels! As a father to multiple children who dream of being physical missionaries one day (like their heroes Hudson Taylor, Jim Elliott, and Nate Saint), there’s no way I would ever suggest that. As one of Brooks Buser’s biggest fans (he’s a dear friend), I’ll never stop cheerleading and supporting the sending of real people to reach the unreached. But even more importantly, as a Bible-believing Christian, the Great Commission is a primarily physical command to “Go!” You can’t virtually baptize, even if the Metaverse tries to.

So what am I suggesting? I am proposing that in our resourcing efforts, we consider the effectiveness of the digital space for reaching people with the gospel and sound doctrine, not as the primary means of our mission for Christ, but as a key part of our mission for Christ.

For years now in conservative circles, viral media is viewed as this sort of “wild child.” Like a Reformed church whose pastor has a kid with full sleeve tattoos and hipster hair, creative innovation and high effort on digital missions is tolerated with eye-rolling disdain. Whether subconscious or intentional, far too many people think of digital creativity as nothing more than the methods of false teachers. Some tend to view digital efforts as tolerable so long as they are filled with truth, but not enough of us have embraced digital efforts as essential.

Allow me to propose an additional phrase for your vocabulary, your missions strategy, and your budget: digital missions. I would define this as: utilizing digital mediums to creatively and innovatively reach the lost, equip the saints, and support missionaries with gospel truth and sound doctrine.

Here are 8 benefits you can experience immediately, or over time, if you will prioritize the use of digital missions:

1. Reach more people, faster

It takes a long time to train a missionary, and we should continue to do this. It takes a long time for people in your community to come to your church, and we should still knock on their doors! But, it takes a relatively short period of time to reach them through a little three-by-five-inch device in the palm of their hand. This is not just about numbers, it’s about options and reaching people where they’re at. Yes, 4.5 billion people are on social media, and everybody has a smartphone now, but by “faster” I also mean the diversity of content we can put out so that more people can exercise options to learn doctrinal truths. For example, I may be preaching through the Gospel of John as a pastor, but people in my church can continue growing everyday through digital media, such as this marriage or dating resource they can study through individually or with their small group. This means that not only are they getting Jesus in the Gospels on Sunday, but their marriages are also being strengthened on Wednesday through their small group.

2. Equipping resources for missionaries

When physical missionaries are out in the field, it’s lonely. We forget that while they are doing the work of evangelism, it can be a spark of joy and motivation for them to hear a podcast, watch a video, and receive encouragement in their own devotional life. Don’t their marriages need support? Don’t their hearts need truth? Digital resources spur them on! Furthermore, they have high demand from new converts. What if digital resources can help them have a wide menu of videos and daily/weekly resources?

3. Equipping resources for local churches

Local church resources are primarily the work of teaching pastors and shepherds who pour into the congregation. But people are “off campus” and online most of the week. Why not give them options? Why not speak to their hearts and minds on their morning commute? Why not use creative media to spur them onward all week long wherever they are, on a wide range of topics?

4. Consistent voice in compromising times

By putting time and energy into resources online, you can be a consistent voice in an age of compromise. While once-faithful teachers cave to the culture, you can steadily respond with truth and guide people through Scripture any time of day, any day of the week. Your people can be shepherded throughout the week by you instead of leaving them to wonder the top 100 Christian podcast list, where Joel Osteen, Steven Furtick, and Joyce Meyer hang out.

5. Get behind enemy lines

A border can stop physical missionaries, and while some countries can shut down apps, they cannot control total flow of content to people. Every month, thousands of people download content in places no missionary is yet located, or where no one knows that they are the missionary! Shouldn’t we be wise and put some energy and resourcing behind the effort to reach people digitally behind closed borders, while still training physical missionaries to get behind the lines?

6. Creative gifts thrive

Creative people are one of God’s many gifts to the body of Christ. Too many of them have to look for work and opportunities to use their gifting outside of gospel circles because too few ministries are interested in them. “We need the expositor!” many say. Yes, and the expositor needs the creatives when the pulpit work is complete.

7. Better stewardship of money, time, and people.

Not long ago I was offered a spot on local and national radio. The offer? Prime time, and a nice little bill of well into six figures (and beyond as you grow). In no time at all I could be reaching millions of people for millions of dollars. "But it's worth it!" they say. “Think of all the people you can reach,” they argue, as hypothetical numbers are tossed around as proof of the people who are scanning the radio and might listen to your program. No, thank you.

I gave it no thought. Our budget at For the Gospel was 250k at the time and we were on pace to reach 5 million people. This year, our budget is closer to 350k and we're on pace to reach 10 million people. That’s the tip of the iceberg, and Lord willing, just the beginning of reaching hundreds of millions for a fraction of the cost spent by a generation before us because online reach is exponential, and more affordable.

8. More people, more openminded.

Regardless of your views on digital media, the reality is the next generation relies on browsers, social media, and podcasts for their daily consumption of truth and knowledge. What once was an era of books and libraries, is now an era of laptops and iPhones. People are now more likely to ask hard questions, and listen to truth in the quiet of night, from the palm of their hand. If you say you want to reach the next generation, and are tired of Bethel, Elevation, and Hillsong winning our kids and grandkids, then don’t leave them alone to be the dominant voice in Christian digital media.

Consider The Opportunity We Have Today

Isn’t it time we, who claim to espouse sound doctrine, put money and energy into spreading it where people are, and in a more effective way than any other time in history?

False teachers do more than just spew heresy. They lead their teams with clear vision, they establish a mission to reach people where they are (on phones), they spend money on creativity, and they leverage social media (4.5 billion users). Their doctrine is horrible, but you must not shy away from the mediums they use. Or even, (gasp!), their methods. No, I am not talking about the church compromising, fog machines taking over, or mood music for manipulation. Relax! I am talking about leveraging creativity and innovation to get the same timeless message, to an entirely digital world.

Be humble. Be teachable. Be tenacious. You have an incredible opportunity to spread the gospel to our generation.