In the modern era, evangelical churches and ministries are venturing into unexplored territories on the digital frontier.
In the heart of Madrid, a gathering of faith-driven individuals and organizations recently convened to discuss the intersection of Christianity and technology. The event, organized by the Evangelical Council of Madrid, Indigitous, and the Lausanne Movement, focused on the digital age and Christian values.
Pastor Fran Quesada opened the gathering, stressing the importance of reaching young people "where they are", which involves the use of technology and social media. This sentiment was echoed by many speakers throughout the event.
One such speaker was Daniel Gomez, who emphasized the importance of using technology wisely and not making it an additional burden, always taking care of people. He was joined by Ale Medina, another youth pastor in Madrid, who believes that social media can be a tool for the extension of the kingdom, as long as it aligns with God's purpose.
Andy Wickham from Pontea introduced El Cafetal, a podcast of interviews that helps people ask relevant questions about faith. Mateo, a young content editor, shared his testimony of God's faithfulness and the development of platforms to connect with young people on social media.
The event highlighted various efforts by Christian organizations to utilize technology for the expansion of the message of Jesus and the training of disciples. Christian ministries are employing several strategies to use artificial intelligence (AI) and social media for evangelism and discipleship.
These include deploying AI to generate prayers, answer theological questions, and provide spiritual counsel, tasks traditionally done by humans; leveraging AI to create sermons that draw on vast sources of knowledge, freeing pastors to focus more on pastoral care; and using AI tools for ministry-specific tasks such as crafting personalized content and managing workflows.
On social media and digital platforms, ministries are expanding evangelism by creating short-form videos to share gospel messages, hosting livestream prayer groups across continents, and utilizing AI for instantaneous gospel translation into many languages. These tools help believers engage spiritually diverse audiences and spark real conversations that lead to life transformation, emphasizing the role of the human believer as a loving, courageous digital witness rather than replacing them with bots.
Aitor de la Camara presented two Apps for prayer and biblical meditation, while Jose Manuel Maceiras spoke about digital radio broadcasting strategies for reaching young people in their closest environment. Willem van de Poll from Alpha discussed how the pandemic opened new opportunities for a project previously based on face-to-face meetings.
Indigitous, a global platform that aims to bring together digitally skilled people to use their talents for the extension of the kingdom, was also represented. Liz Leon presented a digital animation project from Argentina, Biper and his friends, which has millions of subscribers.
David Trujillo, pastor and head of the Canzion Institute in Spain, stressed the importance of using technological tools in the training of saints to fulfill the Great Commission. The Lausanne global congress in Incheon, South Korea, emphasized the importance of "embracing digital" as a tool for good and mission expansion, a message reflected in the Seoul Declaration, a theological document reflecting on mission for the global church.
The event was attended by approximately 50 participants in person, with an additional 10 joining via Zoom. Jorge Munoz explained the usefulness of a digital marketing strategy for promoting an event or project. In addition to presentations, there was time for companionship and friendship, highlighting the need for face-to-face meetings despite the growth of digital tools.
The event concluded with a reminder of the sustainability challenge ahead for Evangelical Focus, and they are seeking support from those committed to their mission (#OneMoreYearEF campaign). As technology continues to shape our world, it is clear that Christian ministries are embracing this change to spread the message of Jesus and train disciples in new and innovative ways.
Technology plays a significant role in the outreach of Christian ministries, with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for evangelism and discipleship. For instance, AI is employed to generate prayers, answer theological questions, and provide spiritual counsel. (artificial intelligence, evangelism)
Social media platforms, such as short-form videos and livestream prayer groups, are instrumental in expanding evangelism across diverse audiences and sparking real conversations that lead to life transformation. (social media, evangelism)
