What does it mean to gather in a digital space?

This magazine has carried several pieces in recent editions about exploring faith and discipleship in the digital space.

Gathering digitally represents a reality for many, while others are reflecting on the mission possibilities of sharing God’s love online. Here are snippets from some of the articles we have carried, alongside links to the full pieces.

Time for a defrag?

Simon Goddard and Nathan McGuire are helping to shape an online Baptist missional community called transform.church – and want to ask deeper questions about what it means to be a church in the digital sphere.

What then is the purpose of church? And if we did want to go back to first principles and ‘be’ a church fit for the 21st century, what might it look like? 
That’s the journey we’re on as transform.church – a digital expression of Christian community with the purpose of equipping, empowering and releasing a generation of missional disciples committed to kingdom transformation. Each member dwelling deeply in the networks in which they live, work and play; planting the gospel there and seeing what emerges.

Click here to read the full article.

 

Social media is a way of collaborating with him

Femi Onanuga is a youth pastor, minister-in-training and former London Baptists intern – and he has a passion to see people use their social media for evangelism.

Anyone who has a social media account, if we all share what Jesus is doing in our lives, just imagine the impact that will make around you? Everyone has their own individual story and purpose. A Bible verse you read today. How has God been good to you? What are your struggles and how is God working with you through them?

Click here to read the full article.

 

Discipleship in a digital community

How an online community – CoffeeShopSunday - has met the spiritual needs of both new and experienced Christians. Interview with Simon Werrett 

It draws people from around the world, including Kenya, Australia and the US. Friendships and mutual support networks have developed that couldn’t have happened otherwise.

The majority who attend are retired, says Simon, and a good number are active in their local church community. Being part of this initiative is an opportunity for them to simply receive, away from the busyness of their active church roles.

People young in their faith have also been part of the community. Simon says there is an informality to being online - it’s much easier for instance to ask a question during a Facebook Live, than interrupt a preacher in an onsite sermon. The accessibility also means people can turn their camera off and just listen.

Click here to read the full article.

 

Welcome to Godsquad

A church for video gamers has existed since 2016 – and Alice Cheeseman is a volunteer there.  She explains more:

Our mission point, however, calls to a deeper, more spiritual side: ‘GodSquad Church exists to connect gamers to God by meeting them where they are.’ 

For the more academically theological among us, this may feel distinctly familiar as a form of relational or incarnational ministry, especially the versions modelled by Andrew Root. Going out to where the people are and making the relationship the goal.

Click here to read the full article.

 

'The most effective digital evangelism platform in the UK'

Around 1500 people visit the website Christianity.org.uk each day - and more than a quarter of new enquirers are people looking to become Christians. It’s easy and free to link from your own church website, writes Cherry Hamilton Bond 

It’s clear that people are less interested in dogma and tradition, and more in the big questions of what faith means for them personally.

So where are people increasingly turning for answers? The internet, of course! And there’s a lot of unhelpful content out there.  

That’s why our ecumenical team at Christianity.org.uk have created an attractive and easy to use site, offering a wide range of balanced and thoughtful articles about Christianity, alongside our unique and popular offer of confidential online conversations about faith.

Click here to read the full article.


Click here to download a pdf of this article