In today’s world, digital devices and platforms have become deeply woven into our daily routines. This shift has prompted the church to rethink how discipleship ministry fits within the ever-evolving digital landscape.

The digital age began with the Third Industrial Revolution, which introduced digital electronics like telecommunication, broadcasting, computers, and the internet in the latter part of the 20th century. By the early 2010s, the Fourth Industrial Revolution brought about a new wave of technological convergence, driven by advancements such as the Internet of Things (IoT).

This digital transformation was further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted in-person gatherings. As communication technologies rapidly advanced during lockdowns, the “death of distance” became a reality—we could now instantly engage with and potentially disciple people from nearly every corner of the world, fulfilling the call to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18–20).

By 2023, an estimated 5.16 billion people—64.4% of the global population—were internet users. This unprecedented level of digitalisation has reshaped many facets of life, including culture, social interaction, business, entertainment, education, and even religion.

During the 50th anniversary celebration of the Lausanne Movement on Tuesday night, Michael Oh reflected on the words of the late evangelist Billy Graham. In 1974, Graham gathered 2,700 leaders from 150 nations for the first Lausanne Congress. On the opening night of that historic event, Graham emphasized that the Church “must learn to utilize every technological and spiritual resource at its command for the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Also in the official website of Lausanne Movements posted about Discipleship in a Digital Age

To effectively prepare for future disciple-making, it is essential to recognize the unique traits of this new phase in the digital age and find ways to integrate them into our discipleship practices. We are currently living in an era of integrated intelligence, which allows us to gain a comprehensive understanding of any subject through information technologies such as AI, big data, and the hyperconnectivity of numerous systems and devices. Digital infrastructures and platforms empower us to create and expand human networks, facilitating the sharing of information and life experiences.

In this context, we can identify two characteristics of the digital age that may enhance discipleship:

1. As digitalization progresses, the traditional model of information power is becoming decentralized, transitioning toward a more polycentric approach to communication. This shift allows believers from diverse backgrounds to share their perspectives, fostering a more vibrant and healthy community of discipleship.
2. The advancements in technology enable us to transcend barriers of time and geography, connecting with fellow disciples and learning their stories of following Jesus. By sharing personal narratives of discipleship within both local and global contexts, believers can find inspiration and encouragement, as stories have the power to captivate attention, encourage engagement, and motivate action.

These characteristics of the digital age can empower believers to seek truthful information for spiritual growth, establish connections in the digital realm, and engage in religious activities—such as Bible study, prayer meetings, and worship services—regardless of time and location.

As we look ahead to the world of cyberspace in 2050, issues of identity will be critical in shaping our mission to make disciples of all nations. Questions such as “Who am I?”, “Who are we?”, and “What do we live for?” will be ever-present, from social media personas to avatars in the Metaverse. One significant area of focus is our work, which plays a crucial role in our discipleship and how we use our gifts to follow Jesus. However, with generative AI expected to automate around 300 million full-time jobs, many traditional roles may disappear, leaving people to manage the output of robots that perform tasks once valued by humans.

In this climate of uncertain employment and identity, individuals will seek a sense of purpose beyond their jobs, desiring a more profound narrative about the significance of their technology-driven work. Within this context, the idea of being integrated into a global family that carries Christ’s name—where our primary calling is to love God and others in communities of genuine trust, fostering holistic flourishing—is indeed uplifting.

The Church

This identity is offered through the ecclesia, as we collectively learn to follow Jesus in our specific time and place. The plural of disciple is church, and we function as a learning community characterized by holistic spiritual practices that shape each member to live as Jesus would if He were in their position. Therefore, transformative education is a vital concern for the church. Churches must discern among the myriad online resources available, ensuring that knowledge is translated into practical wisdom applicable in everyday life.

Insights from learning theory indicate that 70% of learning happens informally through daily experiences, 20% through community interactions, and only 10% through formal education. Digital networks can facilitate connections among Christians beyond physical gatherings, allowing the scattered church to share valuable resources for holistic growth.

Consequently, churches should empower their members to become “wise peacemakers”—reflective practitioners who can analyze their contexts, envision the ideal scenarios, and contextualize diverse digital resources that support their discipleship journey. They must also learn to communicate the gospel in ways that resonate as genuine good news in their communities. We need wisdom to navigate the digital spaces where we increasingly spend our time and to be fruitful followers of Christ.

The Great Commission

The digital age can be harnessed to enhance our efforts in fulfilling the Great Commission, but only if our methods support, rather than replace, the embodied practices central to following Jesus together.

God’s medium for sharing the gospel and making disciples was not a detached tweet; redemption and sanctification are rooted in embodied experiences, as reflected in the phrase “the Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, MSG). Discipleship across all people groups occurs within a community of character, where the practice of giving and receiving love shapes us to embody God’s faithful presence in the world. Thus, digital resources should primarily enhance focal practices—like table fellowship—that tangibly represent God’s kingdom and are most transformative when we gather physically. Data that lacks a physical context risks becoming digital gnosticism.

Simply consuming resources without a commitment to act leads to what can be termed virtual discipleship. As we embody the kingdom’s values, our head, heart, and hands—cultivated in wisdom, virtue, and the art of peacemaking—work in harmony to promote shalom as a comprehensive witness. In contrast to the implicit values of technology, especially ease and efficiency, disciple-making requires ‘friction’ to foster ‘anti-fragility’ and cultivate the capacity to love sacrificially, just as Christ loved us.

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