Discerning the Digital Audience

Evangelism requires that we learn about our audience. In this fast-changing world, this means churches will need to discover different ways to engage people, invite them to hear the gospel, and proclaim the Word. But there is something more to consider. It can also mean that we ought to discern how our own lack of digital aptitude and understanding may affect overall strategies.

Are you a digital immigrant?

Immigrants are people who grew up in a different society and moved to another country to live. They must learn a new culture and a language to successfully assimilate into a new way of life.

A digital immigrant must also learn a new language and a new culture. They didn’t grow up with the internet or smart phones, so they will struggle to understand digital natives (people under the age of 35) who grew up with technology.

An interesting example is how you define the “American Dream.”  As America emerged 250 years ago to begin a new category of a country with a radically different point of view, the “land of opportunity” attracted millions of immigrants who desired freedom and democracy. The same type of dynamic is being ushered into our society right now. A different category is being pursued that is based on freedom and agency that people desire. The difference is that it no longer requires a physical presence.

People are redefining their “dream” through remote work, cryptocurrency, digital or lifestyle business, automation, and access (capital or education). And this is no longer uniquely American. This new pursuit goes way beyond the imagination and comprehension of digital immigrants — with many choosing to separate themselves entirely by refusing to learn the culture and language of digital natives.  (Reference: “A New Category of the American Dream.”

Over a hundred years ago, immigrants poured into the U.S. and gathered to form churches using their native language to worship and sought to preserve their culture. Digital immigrants are feeling like they are losing their language and culture, because today’s world is so unfamiliar. They will be reluctant to change nor desire to listen to ideas presented by digital natives, because it is a struggle to acquire the aptitude and understanding of their language and culture.

This could be a big reason why churches are closing and why digital natives are choosing to avoid coming to church on Sunday morning. They desire to exercise their freedom and agency that a secular digital world provides and promotes. Digital natives are choosing to stay home, worship remotely, and seek purpose that exercises a faith in Christ instead of what appears as going through the motions.

Discerning a digital life in Christ means to acknowledge how digital immigrants view today’s world. It’s hard to learn a new language and culture, but we can appreciate the new dynamic of technology without necessarily understanding it.