There is no question that social media has changed the way people communicate. It has also created new ministry opportunities. However, as with any cultural shift, the Church must approach it with godly wisdom and a Kingdom perspective.

In my previous article, I detailed some of the effects that social media and digital technologies are having on our interpersonal relationships — including increasing interpersonal distance, a decline in human empathy, and greater division. I now want to consider ways the Church can respond.

We must look first to our model for ministry: Jesus. In doing so, we see that Jesus prioritized quality over quantity. That’s not to say He didn’t have compassion on the masses. He preached to them, fed them and healed the sick among them. Yet some of the most noted accounts of His ministry were in small, interpersonal contexts rather than large group gatherings.

That leads us to ask: What would Jesus tweet? Would He be more with concerned with attracting followers on Instagram or teaching His actual followers to live out His Word? Would He spend more time curating an online presence or being physically present with the individuals He discipled?

At times, Jesus sent away crowds (Matthew 15:39) and withdrew from crowds (Matthew 8:18; Mark 3:7). In fact, He spent most of His time with a small group of people. And while looking with compassion on the large crowds of people, He didn’t pray for a bigger amphitheater or venue to host them. He told His disciples to pray for more laborers. He asked the Father for more workers — more people — instead of a new technology to engage the crowds.

In today’s culture, certain techno-centric values can creep into our ministry perspectives. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t employ technologies and use them for specific tasks. But Christianity, at its heart, is an intimate, interpersonal faith journey and not a mass communication event.

So how can churches reach large numbers of people without losing authenticity or the ability to form relationships? How can churches in a social media age accomplish Jesus’ mandate to make disciples — an interpersonal-level mission?

Prioritize the Interpersonal Relationship

First, we must focus on individuals. Christianity is an interpersonal faith embedded in community. We frequently throw around the term “community.” But at the core, community involves relationships with other people.

How does the first-century context of community translate to our technological society? It doesn’t. We are worlds apart from the Early Church. Yet we must still find ways to connect with individual people without “hacking” relationships through technological substitutes.

Jesus ministered to large crowds, but He also made ample time for individuals.

When someone is lost or hurting, the Shepherd leaves the crowd to rescue the one. In Mark 7, when Jesus heals a deaf and mute man, He deliberately takes him away from the crowd and ministers to him in a one-on-one personal encounter. In Matthew 9, when Jesus raises a dead girl back to life, He sends the crowd out of the room. He even diverts His travel to speak with one Samaritan woman in John 4.

Christianity, at its heart, is an intimate, interpersonal faith journey and not a mass communication event.

This approach differs from some crowd-based church growth strategies today. Yes, we must address the crowd, but we must also disciple individuals who sit in our sanctuaries and auditoriums. Jesus was interested in and concerned with individual people. By spending His life investing in a group of 12, He set the example of ministry for all of us.

Though other communication methods might have seemed better suited for a greater dissemination of His message, Jesus deliberately chose to spend His limited time on earth personally teaching and touching people. Why? Because the personal encounter with the Master is what is transformative.

Critique Your Use of Technology

Second, we must ask the bigger questions about how we are using digital technologies and social media. Rather than accepting the mantra of the technophiles that technology will save the world, we should ask some critical questions.

It’s tempting to use a technology just because it’s there, but we need to take a step back and ask: Should we use it? Here are some questions to consider regarding the use of technologies in our churches:

• What is the problem that this new technology solves for our church?
• Is this a problem that really needs a solution?
• What new problems do we create by solving this problem?
• How will this technology affect our commitment to interpersonal ministry?

Again, this doesn’t mean we should eliminate the use of these digital platforms, only that we should use them with eyes wide open — knowing what, when, how and why we employ them.

Develop Interpersonal Strategies

Third, churches must develop intentional strategies for building deeper and more intimate interpersonal relationships among their congregants. Admittedly, this is difficult because our culture is moving in the opposite direction. However, we cannot simply give in to the societal tide.

Small group ministries are an absolute necessity. The word “community” can’t just be a marketing scheme or talking point. We must intentionally foster, nurture and create community.

One way to address this is to train church leadership in interpersonal and small group communication. It’s imperative that church leaders develop their interpersonal skills and that churches teach these skills to lay ministry leaders.

Interpersonal communication skills can be learned and strengthened — even for people with introverted personalities. Doing so creates an environment where deeper interpersonal relationships can blossom and grow.

As foreign as this may sound in today’s culture, God has called us to make disciples. Newer communication technologies can do amazing things, and we should employ them as tools, but we must never think that we can substitute them for the interpersonal experience necessary for authentic discipleship.

A more interpersonal methodology isn’t easy. Yet that is what our Leader set as the example for us to follow.