Many ministers of God have taken their ministries to online platforms in order to reach a wider, younger, diverse audience; what are you waiting for? I was one of those people that were passionately old-school and any suggestions of me embracing digital were often met with stiff resistance and anger.
I liked my books in hard cover. I wanted my Bible strictly out of a printing press. I wanted to read my news from a physical newspaper. I needed my offertory or tithe to go into a physical basket at church. And I definitely wanted to hear the gospel off a pulpit in a church – with me high-fiving my neighbour.
It took a lot of cajoling and experiential events to make me adjust and see that not all aspects of digital platforms are bad. Of course, the peak came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when we had no option but to get the gospel from any available channel – mostly Facebook and church WhatsApp groups.
We had to give our offertory and tithes via mobile money and there has been no going back, since. It is now normal for the preacher to say, “Turn to the book of John, chapter…” and half the church whips out their phones, not to chat on WhatsApp, but to access the Bible app.
Many churches still livestream their sermons and the social media platforms favoured have spread from just Facebook to others including TikTok, YouTube, podcast channels and Instagram; once you wrap your head around things, they are actually very effective.
The only problem is that false teachers have been more enthusiastic about the social media platforms, using them to spread their false doctrines, as the more grounded true preachers of the full gospel of Christ still shy away from social media. Use every channel God has availed you, to spread the Good News – don’t be rigid and inflexible.
You will find that your digital-savvy ‘flock’ is being exposed to dodgy and outright false doctrines out there, be- cause they are experiencing a vacuum in that area.
Sometimes I see interpretations of the Word of God and teachings that make me cringe at what social media has done to the body of Christ, and wish, oh wish, that true ministers of the Almighty God could offer the right balance by going online too…
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