A simple example of how the greatest church member engagement movement of all time began, and how you can do The Great Commission in our digital age.
Jesus: The GOAT of Church Member Engagement
After His resurrection, Jesus tasked his disciples to go out into the world and tell others the Good News. (Matthew 18:16-20). Yet a few doubts remained among the faithful. Thomas, whose name lives on in infamy among the “doubting Thomases” of the world, was one of those who wouldn’t believe unless he had hands-on proof. Jesus gave him that proof, allowing Thomas to thrust his hands into his side where the spear once pierced Him.
In doing so, Jesus taught believers their first lesson in Church Member Engagement 101 – meet your flock where they’re at and then send them out to tell others. Yes, he was the Greatest of All Time – The GOAT – in engaging His flock. The kinds of object lessons He taught His followers changed hearts in an instant. One can only imagine the look on Thomas’ face when he realized that the person before him was indeed the risen Jesus.
Like Thomas, the members of your congregation have unique needs you must meet to develop their faith. When you personalize your approach to church member engagement to meet those needs, you’ll have created a band of loyal members who can’t wait to tell others about what Christ – and your church – has done in their lives.
The Great Commission in a Nutshell: Church Member Engagement
Jesus’ orders are clear. We, the church, must reproduce ourselves by making disciples on a global scale. After someone trusts Christ as their Savior, we must see to it that their discipleship journey doesn’t end there. To scale the Great Commission on a global level, we must become teachers, guiding these new disciples on their path toward obedience to God’s Word, beginning with baptism and ending only when they graduate into Heaven.
How, Then, Shall We Live Out the Great Commission in a Digital World?
Although Jesus’ earthly journey was anything but a walk in the park, He did have one advantage when it came to winning over skeptics and turning them into effective witnesses for the faith in their own right – He knew the very thoughts of those people he encountered.
The relationship aspect of the Great Commission still exists today. Personal interactions and the relationships they spark is still the heart of Jesus’ command. Today’s churches, therefore, still need to include the personal touchpoints of ministry. If we can talk to someone, that’s the ideal situation. However, as your church grows, personal conversations aren’t always possible. That’s where digital platforms and data come into the picture.
Member Data Can Fill in the Knowledge Gaps
Member data give us greater insights into their members’ triumphs and struggles, their needs and their hopes. Although we can’t know our members like Christ does, we can personalize our outreach to them to satisfy their needs.
Digital Communications Tools Help Us Reach More and Teach More
Jesus walked and talked among the people, interacting with everyone from the stuffy Pharisees to the world’s rejects – the much-married woman at the well and the despised tax collectors. He dined with his new converts and faithful disciples in their homes, teaching them what steps they needed to take next on their faith journeys.
Whatever the spiritual condition of the people He encountered, Jesus understood – and met them there. But He didn’t stop there. He encouraged them to step out in faith to become bold witnesses to the change He effected in their lives.
Then, He told them they needed to walk a narrow path, ever deepening their faith as they moved along their discipleship journey. With specific, measurable goals, these early believers had their marching orders.
His vision and direction inspired those early Christians to tell others, risking their lives and health to spread the Word of God among the nations. We have a clear directive that still holds true.
A Solid Member Engagement Strategy Takes the Great Commission into the 21st Century
While God Himself is omnipresent, we aren’t. In a digital world, we need a tactical approach that reaches people for Christ where they are – on their mobile devices.
Using digital tools – like church member engagement software and a mobile app – can help you take a tactical approach to discipleship in the 21st century. Although you and your staff might wish that you could have the same kind of one-on-one fellowship with your members over a meal as Jesus did, it’s a rarity these days.
Your members are simply too busy to have the pastor over for Sunday dinner after church. And, there are not enough pastoral staff members to meet with each of your members. So, today’s church leadership must translate the Great Commission into your members’ preferred communication channels.
The Objective: Make Disciples and Send Them Out
Just like Jesus encouraged His followers to lean on Scriptural truths to transform their hearts and lives, your message must echo His own. And, like Christ, you must send them out into the world, whether through service projects, short-term mission trips, or simply telling their friends and neighbors what Christ did for them.
To get them to that point, though, they need sound teaching and the confidence to put that teaching into action. Certainly, that starts with their accepting Christ as their Savior.
But only when you outline the next steps your new members need to take, such as baptism, faithful church attendance, and small group Bible studies, can that transformation from “baby Christian” to a Scripturally grounded lay evangelist happen. With member engagement software and services like StudioC offers, you and other church leaders can monitor their progress through these steps, providing encouragement and counsel throughout the process.
Just like Jesus did with His disciples, you can help people who just embarked on their faith journey understand what they can do to grow their faith and become a fully committed Christ follower. You can’t measure their hearts, but you can track the “fruits” of their discipleship journey – step by step. Our church software suite can help you do that at scale, but, more importantly, do it with a data-driven, personalized approach that will help you leverage your members’ unique gifts to help them grow in faith and serve others.
Don’t Keep Your Members in the Huddle – Send Them Out on the (Mission) Field
With this platform, you can reach your members on the devices they prefer and pique their interest in engaging more deeply with your church and its ministry. When they engage more deeply, they will share their faith and recruit others, growing your church. It’s time to take the Great Commission into the 21st century. Schedule a free consultation with the StudioC team to learn how you can engage your members in Christ’s call to reach your community for Him.