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Church Communications

Digital Ministry Is Real Ministry: Why Online Outreach Matters for the Church

· Updated · by · 2 min read

A tablet, stylus, and earbuds on a wooden desk

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When I was nine years old, I started a Harry Potter forum with some friends from around the world. We had no idea what we were doing — we were just kids who loved books and wanted to find other kids who did too. But what we accidentally created was an online community, a place where people felt less alone.

If a nine-year-old in 1999 could accidentally build meaningful online relationships, I’m convinced the church can do it on purpose in 2025.

Where People Are, the Church Should Be

Here’s a stat that should wake every church leader up: about three in ten U.S. adults say they’re online “almost constantly.” Roughly eight in ten go online multiple times per day. People are not just browsing. They’re living significant portions of their lives online.

The apostle Paul used the Roman roads, the most advanced communication infrastructure of his day, to spread the gospel as far and fast as possible. Our Roman roads are the internet. Are we using them?

What Digital Marketing Actually Means for Churches

Digital marketing isn’t just running Facebook ads. It’s the entire ecosystem of how your church shows up online:

  • Your website and how easily it can be found (SEO)
  • Your social media presence and the content you post
  • Your email newsletter and how often you send it
  • Your Google Business Profile and the reviews that live there
  • Your YouTube channel and whether anyone watches it
  • The digital ads you may or may not be running

All of these are digital marketing. And all of them either help people find your church or don’t.

The COVID Moment We Can’t Forget

During the second week of the COVID-19 pandemic, Google searches including the word “prayer” surged to an all-time high: 100% interest. People were scared, lonely, and searching for hope. They went online looking for answers.

Many churches weren’t ready. They weren’t livestreaming. They didn’t have a strong web presence. The harvest was plentiful, but many churches weren’t in the field.

We can’t let that happen again.

Digital Marketing Is Measurable

One of the things I love about digital marketing compared to, say, a billboard. You can measure it. You can see exactly how many people visited your website, how long they stayed, what they clicked on, and whether they came back. You can see which posts got engagement and which ones flopped. You can refine and improve constantly.

That kind of data is a gift. Use it.

Where to Start

If you’re overwhelmed, start small: Google your church. What comes up? Can you find service times? Is your address correct? Is there a photo? These are basic, and they matter enormously to a first-time seeker.

Then pick one digital channel and do it really well. One great Instagram account beats five mediocre ones every time.

The gospel is the same as it’s always been. The tools have changed. Let’s use them.

📖 This post was inspired by my book Church Communications Methods and Marketing (B&H Academic, 2022). If you found this helpful, the book goes much deeper. Grab a copy on Amazon and keep building your communications ministry.