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What you told us. What changes.

This is a hard season for a lot of you, and you said so. We don't intend to come out of it the same. Here's what you told us, including the parts that sting, and what changes because of it.

63 people have answered so far. Totals only: no names, no timestamps, and no answer is matched to where anyone lives.

31% talk to nobody when ministry gets discouraging. 15 of 49 · see what changes ↓ 54% put a team in their top three for moving their ministry forward. 27 of 50 · see what changes ↓ 54% say TCD is too American, at least sometimes. 26 of 48 · see what changes ↓ 30% name persecution or their physical safety as the riskiest thing about their ministry. 11 of 37 · see what changes ↓
WHEN IT'S HARD

Nearly a third of you talk to nobody when it gets discouraging.

Who you talk to when it's discouraging49 answered
  1. A peer 43% 21 of 49
  2. A spouse 31% 15 of 49
  3. Nobody 31% 15 of 49
  4. The TCD Community 16% 8 of 49
  5. A mentor 14% 7 of 49
How you've been, the past three months52 answered
  1. Good: steady 35% 18 of 52
  2. Mostly okay: a few hard weeks 37% 19 of 52
  3. Mixed: up and down 19% 10 of 52
  4. Hard or very hard 8% 4 of 52
  5. I'd rather not say 2% 1 of 52

If the past few months have been hard, thank you for saying so. You don't have to carry it alone. The Fam is there every day: https://thechurch.digital/fam/

WHAT WOULD HELP

A team tops the list.

Each person picked up to three, so the bars add up to more than 100%. Beside it, each group's own top three, as ranks only. Two groups, never continents, and no counts, so nobody can be singled out.

Everyone50 answered
  1. A team 54% 27 of 50
  2. Funding 52% 26 of 50
  3. Tools 40% 20 of 50
  4. Training 32% 16 of 50
  5. A mentor 28% 14 of 50
  6. Accountability 22% 11 of 50
  7. Permission from leadership 12% 6 of 50
North America: top three29 answered · ranks only
  1. 1 A team
  2. 2 Funding
  3. 3 A mentor
Outside North America: top three20 answered · ranks only
  1. 1 Funding
  2. 2 Tools
  3. 3 A team
FRUIT

About two-thirds of you have discipled someone who didn't already follow Jesus in the past six months.

New people discipled in the past six months who didn't already follow Jesus.

People discipled who didn't already follow Jesus51 answered
  1. None 33% 17 of 51
  2. 1–2 people 41% 21 of 51
  3. 3–5 people 8% 4 of 51
  4. 6 or more 18% 9 of 51
Has church leadership limited what you can do digitally?50 answered
  1. Yes 14% 7 of 50
  2. Kinda 20% 10 of 50
  3. No 66% 33 of 50
THE ONE THAT STINGS

More than half of you say TCD is too American, at least sometimes.

We asked because we suspected it. We hear it.

Is theChurch.digital too American?48 answered
  1. Absolutely 4% 2 of 48
  2. Sometimes 50% 24 of 48
  3. Not really 46% 22 of 48
Where you are59 placed a pin · approximate
  1. North America 61% 36 of 59
  2. Europe 10% 6 of 59
  3. Asia 10% 6 of 59
  4. Africa 10% 6 of 59
  5. Oceania 7% 4 of 59
  6. South America 2% 1 of 59
WHERE YOU SERVE

Persecution and physical security is the risk you named most.

The riskiest thing in your context37 answered · one answer can touch several
  1. Persecution and physical security 30% 11 of 37
  2. Spiritual and personal strain 22% 8 of 37
  3. Being misunderstood or seen as irrelevant 19% 7 of 37
  4. Isolation and doing it alone 14% 5 of 37
  5. Funding 14% 5 of 37
  6. Technology 8% 3 of 37
  7. Other 16% 6 of 37
Who you are60 answered · up to two each
  1. Digital Missionary 50% 30 of 60
  2. Other 32% 19 of 60
  3. Digital church staff 12% 7 of 60
  4. Hybrid church staff 7% 4 of 60

Main platforms, from free text: YouTube, Discord and Zoom came up most.

IN YOUR WORDS

“I wish theChurch.digital would…”

38 answers, grouped by theme, as written, unattributed

More hands-on training on specific platforms, and the tools to go with it (6)

  • lauch many resources
  • List tools & services it has available. List digital ministries/churches to get involved in.
  • Offer cross- cultural training for global outreach; Share Outpost Prayer requests Help advise how to engage with churches for a stronger digital ministry outreach Have more short training
  • Offer more training as part of EDM, and be more consistent.
  • share some specifics for how to use a platform(s) for church leaders. eg youtube, twitch, tiktok, insta What is enough effort vs not enough effort?
  • Talk a bit more about digital wellbeing and online safeguarding.

Care and mentoring for leaders in the field (5)

  • Be more intentional with emotional or mentoring support for outpost leaders.
  • Reach to Everyone for mentenship
  • Support us and many more to take digital mission full blown. For massive kingdom harvest.
  • To have mentors to help digital missionaries how to implement their online ministry and form teams.
  • Train and support our team financially to run a sustainable digital mission. We are growing a big vision.

Go beyond the US, starting with South Asia (5)

  • Build teams geographically, as each region has its own strengths and challenges. This will allow us to narrow down the root problems and address them effectively.
  • I wish church digital started building and investing in leadership in South Asia and contextualise it accordingly.
  • I wish TCD expressively plan and create vision casting among the metropolitan cities in India and South Asia in the near future.
  • Think beyond the US
  • Wish the Church Digital help me in digital tool, comprehensive relevant trainings and support me in funding to lead in concrete base and presence of TCD in South Asia.

Work alongside churches, their leaders and other ministries (4)

  • Keep challenging church leaders. Maybe engage in the irony to present at in person events with church leaders about digital ministry. Provide some specifics for how to use a platform(s) for churches
  • maybe you do, but provide stats/case studies/testimonies for church leadership to get on board with digital ministry
  • Sit down conversations with big churches and tech companies.
  • Would collaborate with other Bible training ministries globally like CBS.

More time together, and more prayer (7)

  • Establish a culture of prayer
  • Have more community hangouts amongst leaders and also TCD fam (general group)
  • have more opportunities for us to meet and greet each other, fellowship, network, and have fun. if these things already happen, I need to catch up. I have been quite busy, admittedly.
  • Have more room for older saints that are tech savvy
  • Organise regular sessions for each member missionary to explain their vision, mission and opportunities.
  • Provide connections and help find people to work together
  • Understand more about your ministry!

Be where people are: Facebook and short video (5)

  • offer resources to locate the folks we are trying to reach digitally
  • Post more short-form content.
  • reach more non christians
  • Share more on Facebook
  • Use Facebook more for announcements

Keep going (4)

  • I love you just the way you are
  • I'm not so opinionated on what others should do. Keep following the Lord! Maybe consider looking outside the bubble
  • it's ok like this
  • Just keep on like this. It is a blessing. Truly. I am thankful to be part of [TCD]. It's a peaceful space and I deeply appreciate this. I've had excellent advices through TCD brothers and sisters.
Other answers (2)
  • help
  • I am not much involved in digital church. I mainly use WhatsApp to share the gospel among other ways.
A hard season. We intend to come out of it changed. Every change on this page starts at the town hall.
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