Technology in Evangelism - Joey Ferrell (FSOP Lectureship)
*** The following is a manuscript from The 2026 Florida School of Preaching Lectureship. This lesson and many more can be found at the FSOP YouTube page or www.fsop.net webpage.
Technology in Evangelism
Joey Ferrell
It was 5:58 p.m. on Christmas Day 2004 in Golden, Colorado, when the first seismic
waves arrived from halfway around the world. A massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake that
had just struck off the coast of Sumatra at 7:58 a.m. local time sent vibrations racing
through the Earth’s crust at several kilometers per second, eventually reaching the
sensors that track global seismicity at the USGS [United States Geological Survey]
National Earthquake Information Center.
Inside the building nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the skeleton crew
working the holiday shift noticed something dramatic. Their computer screens were
lighting up with incoming data from seismic stations across the globe. What first
appeared as subtle squiggles quickly grew into dramatic spikes as the primary waves
arrived, followed by even larger secondary waves. (Koehler)
Someone might ask how this story relates to evangelism, and more specifically, how it
relates to technology usage in evangelism. The answer lies not within just the spectrum of this
particular part of the article, but with the tragic aftermath that continued to be reported. The
United States Geologic Survey (USGS) article continues with these heart-wrenching details
about that overly-active night of tragedy in 2004.
The most haunting moment came when they realized the danger for the Indian Ocean
region. Their scientific training told them that an earthquake this large, in that location,
would have displaced an enormous amount of water. Tsunami waves were likely already
racing across the ocean at jet-plane speeds.
The team knew that every minute counted. They began reaching out to their international
contacts and tsunami warning centers, though at the time there was no comprehensive
warning system in the Indian Ocean that could disseminate warnings to the public.
As the scientists worked through the night, reports began trickling in from the region.
The first news of devastating tsunami waves hitting coastlines confirmed their worst
fears. The earthquake they had measured from their computers in Colorado was
unleashing one of the deadliest disasters in recorded history.
The scope of loss became incomprehensible. Entire communities vanished. Villages that
had stood for centuries disappeared. The tsunami claimed more lives in a few hours than
any other natural disaster of the 21st century.
Indonesia: Over 167,000 fatalities
Sri Lanka: More than 35,000 fatalities
India: Around 18,000 fatalities
Thailand: Over 8,000 fatalities
And thousands more across other affected nations. (Koehler)
A difficult and record-breaking disaster taking hundreds of thousands of lives and
changing the dynamics and geography of many landscapes for what may seem like an eternity is
extremely hard to read, discuss, and comprehend. More importantly, however, is the fate of an
even greater number of lives—not physical lives, but spiritual lives, the souls which may die in a
lost condition or souls who do not remain faithful to our Lord.
In the Book of Ezekiel, God charged the prophet with being a “watchman” of His people.
The charge of being a watchman was clearly denoted in Ezekiel 3:16-21; 33:7-10. This role of
becoming a watchman had serious implications not only to the people being watched (i.e., the
children of Israel), but also to the person watching. This seriousness is seen in the language God
used:
“When I say to the wicked, “You shall surely die,” and you give him no warning, norspeak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked manshall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19Yet, if you warn thewicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. ”
The children of Israel should have known the laws, the punishment for disobeying them,
as well as the ultimate reward for compliance. However, God used Ezekiel in that process of
maintaining the understanding of what he, and the people should have known from God’s own
edicts. What about the Gentiles in the New Testament age? How would they know what God
expected of them for their own souls to be saved? How would the Jews, who no longer had the
former covenant in place, know what they must do to become a Christian?
The simple answer is somewhat complex, yet it maintains its simplicity through one word
that is not found in any Bible translation today. That word is evangelism. Evangelism is a word
that can be traced back to the same Greek word translated “angel,” or “messenger.” An angel, or
messenger, in this context would be someone who heralds the good news of the gospel. Today,
many will use this word to describe a preacher, sometimes called an evangelist. In part, this is
true. After all, the apostle Paul declared, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have
not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall
they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14-15).
In this lesson, the dynamics of evangelism are going to be tested not in the first century
context but in the twenty-first century. The reality is that evangelism, as well as preaching the
word, has continued to change drastically in methodology throughout those many years since
Paul penned those very words. It is the responsibility of the church to proclaim that message
being preached (1 Cor. 1; Rom. 10, Gal. 1).
Technology As An Expedient
What is the the best way to evangelize or preach the word today? We must preach the
truth! How do we do that? Expediently. Who is to do that? The charge and command goes out to
every Christian (cf. Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16). What method is most successful? That is not
an easy answer because it differs in certain situations. However, in this discussion, we will focus
on the weight of technology in evangelism today and how the future will continue to shape the
way lost souls can be brought unto the saving message of Jesus.
The first task is to show that technology in evangelism is not only practical, but it is
biblical as long as it is used expediently (cf. 1 Cor. 10:23). When God commissioned Noah to
build the ark to save himself and his family, He gave him a blueprint with dimensions, material
specifications, and qualifications. In order for that boat to float, Noah had to stick to the basics of
what God told him. What God did not tell Noah was how to acquire the wood, how to measure
the size, how to cut the wood, and how to form it so the boat would float. History does not reveal
that there had been any type of a vessel built like that before. Did God have to spell out every
single action for Noah? Certainly not. There were expedients. Did Noah use a hammer he bought
at the hardware store? Well, or course not, he would have had to devise a way to work with what
he had, what God had given to him to use, and a lot of trial and error. No wonder it took so many
years to build what can be built in a fraction of the time today with our technology. Technology
is not the outcome. It is an expedient tool that never changed the overall outcome. This principle
of using tools can be found all throughout the pages of our printed Bibles, which ironically, are
available today because of technology! Imagine if God’s word was completely written on tablets
of stone that were carved by hand!
Innovation is seen throughout the Bible as displayed by God’s prophets and in the New
Testament, by the apostles as they traveled with Jesus and went on yet another product of
technology; namely, roads. Roman roads are some of the longest lasting roads built in the world.
Paul would later use shipping routes, primitive mail systems, and even written laws to help
spread the gospel as rapidly as possible. John wrote to Gaius, “had many things to write, but I do
not wish to write to you with pen and ink” (3 Jn. 13). What is “pen and ink”? In this case, it is
technology. No longer were things recorded on tablets of stone, but on scrolls and codices using
ink and papyrus. God certainly authorized His people to use these tools by the examples He gave
us.
So, what about our century? What tools can be used today to evangelize and make the
kingdom stronger? With the pattern we have seen in the early church, as well as the patriarchal
usage of technology, it would be feasible to say that any tool that God has given us to utilize, if
used in the proper manner, would be an effective and profitable means to further the teaching of
the gospel.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts
1:8). The apostles were given this declaration straight from our Lord. The miraculous power
coming through the Holy Spirit will be seen on the day of Pentecost through the apostles’
preaching at the beginning of Christ’s church (Acts 2:1-47). Throughout the next few chapters of
Acts, this plan starts to be put into action with the spreading of the gospel. Christians set out on
foot and by boat proclaiming that gospel to “all the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Is that still
possible to accomplish today? If the apostles and the followers of Jesus could do it in a world
that was without our “advanced” technology, taking days, weeks, months, and years to travel to
meet those who had not heard, how much better is it today with the ability to send a message,
make a phone call, or publish a plea to any and all across not just a town, not just a state, not just
a country, but around the world? This is amazing to even consider.
Technology’s Value
With this in mind, research has shown that technology has a very vital and growing role
in evangelism. The form of technology has changed, but the principle remains constant and
continues to grow. Whether some technology actually improves or detracts is another topic.
However, to deny that technology has aided in communication would be dishonest. In 2019,
Clement reported that the following questions were some of the most popular questions
surrounding religion in the world on search engines: “Is God real? What happens when we die?
How do I know I’m saved? Why is there so much suffering in the world?” Along with these
questions, it was also reported that “77% of Americans are on social media” (Clement).
With those types of questions and statistics from almost seven years ago, it is hard to say
that technology does not play a very vital role in communication with others about God and the
gospel. Another survey from over two decades ago reported:
Digital discipleship and evangelism are ways to activate the social influence of a church
membership, building bridges to the local community, developing a meaningful
understanding of felt needs, and determining relevant ways to serve the community (both
in and outside the church). It’s also a strategy to scale up friendship evangelism and
empower individuals to be actively involved in the larger goals and mission of your
church. However, millennials can spend up to 18 hours a day consuming media in the
form of movies, podcasts, social media, video games, reading, etc. (McCarthy and
Richter)
Imagine how those statements and statistics have changed in the past two decades with an
entirely new generation of young adults moving into the digital world. The current social media
platforms now have record numbers of users growing daily as well as new platforms being born
as time continues. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, seems to have taken on its unfair share of space
in the cyber world today as well. Each day brings something new and exciting in the digital
world. Some platforms succeed and are seemingly like magnets to the next generation, while
even our older generations find some platforms to be their electronic “fix.” The online world has
become an eclectic host of personalities, including those who do not want to communicate in
person, or face-to-face (i.e., introverts).
Caution To Churches
The church must be extremely careful, however, as the positives of technology can
quickly turn a page and become negative, turning away people who are searching for the truth.
“Digital evangelism, using technology to spread the message of faith, has become increasingly
prevalent today. While some see it as a valuable tool for reaching a wider audience, others view
it as a dilution of traditional religious practices” (Opade, 15). The ramifications of content being
instant, even in the spiritual realm, complicate learning what is truth, as oposed to what may be
an alternate ideology. With the fast-paced growth of AI (Artificial Intelligence), computers are
generating real-time answers to any question asked, drawing images that are skewed in their
nature, and even producing video content, even from those who have been deceased for a much
longer time than computers have existed! How do we determine when and how much data to
trust in our digital evangelism efforts? That is the question that will be strongly asked for many
years to come, evidenced by the host of fake content seen recently. No story can be verified
easily. Pictures can be distorted to a point that every detail can be questioned. The same will
apply to how people will conduct efforts through technology, as well as how people will learn the
answers to their own spiritual questions. Thus, extreme caution must be utilized in the usage and
adherence of these technological tools.
Opade continues in this same article stating what is already evident, even this very
lectureship, when we use technology to record and distribute these lessons through electronic
means.
It has opened up new opportunities for evangelism, allowing religious organisations to
reach a wider audience, engage with individuals in new and innovative ways, and adapt
to their followers’ changing needs and preferences. Technology has also allowed
religious organisations to reach a global audience, breaking down geographical barriers
and creating opportunities for cross-cultural communication. Technology has allowed all
of us to become domestic and foreign missionaries. (16)
While being stewards of this new method of spreading the gospel, balance must be kept (in local
work and on foreign soil) in order to maintain the integrity of the message. Consideration needs
to be given to the potential that technology can have negative influences on the church, causing it
to become a commercial footprint in a world of already confusing religious beliefs. Opade
stresses concern about the real possibility of becoming impersonal and losing community, or
local church fellowship. When people “join the assembly online” or benevolent needs are
distributed elecetronically from afar, we lose personal involvement with one another.
Another one of the fiercest challenges Opade identifies can be the engagement of false
ideologies through the digital format.
Furthermore, there are concerns about the quality of religious education provided
through digital platforms, with some arguing that it is impossible to convey the same
level of depth and understanding through a digital medium. Others argue that digital
evangelism promotes a consumerist approach to religion, where individuals choose
religious content according to their preferences rather than engaging in a holistic
approach to faith … Digital evangelism raises concerns about the spread of
misinformation and disinformation. (20)
“Virtual worship” falls into this same category when thinking about the shift from
community and personal involvement. Many people who have not been able to physically attend
services have an entire new platform in which they can interact. However, when the physical
need of some people turns into a convenience to other people, worship for some loses or at least
lessens much of its God-given purpose (cf. Jn. 4:23-24; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). The virtual
platform cannot become a replacement for the worship described in the Bible. Christians cannot
“meet together” to partake of the Lord’s Supper “online.” Christians can participate in their own
breaking of bread. However, watching from a screen is not the same as sitting with brothers and
sisters in Christ to “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). Singing along with
the video is a good opportunity, once again, for those who are impaired from being at the
assembly of the saints. However, this too falls short of “teaching one another in psalms, hymns,
and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16). While online streaming, or archiving of worship services, can be
a good resource for those who are not able to attend, caution should be used with this platform,
not only as a member of the body, but especially from the perspective of the local church’s
eldership. Can a person place membership with a congregation if he or she has only “attended”
online? Some might say yes, but while there is no biblical precedent to say that it is not possible,
it would seem to be an extreme reach to say a people can be members of a congregation with
whom they have never assembled in person. Again, this is where balance must come into the
practices of Christians and the local church. Convenience and/or denominational tactics to
bolster membership numbers should not be the motivating factor for accepting people into local
church membership who have only “attended” online.
Helpful Technological Tools
What are some ways technology can be used in evangelism by the local church and
individual Christians? There are a host of ideas that can certainly fit into this growing
opportunity, and the list of tools and resources could continually grow. However, there are some
that seem to be much more effective than others in today’s online venue. What is important to
remember is that as technology changes so do the consumers of learning. Even though it may not
be equal in every way, technology is not much more than the modern printing press. Likewise, it
takes time to build the basics in order to be successful.
It is simply a transformation from the invention of the printing press in the 15th Century
to the adoption of the World Wide Web in the 1990s. It took Gutenberg about twenty
years to develop the right process for making the letters, arranging them in suitable press,
developing the right ink, and bringing all the components together into a practical
system. (Danaan, 63)
Websites
Probably one of the most important online technology tools that can be used is one that
has been around for quite a while. Yet, there are many missed opportunities when it comes to the
effective design, implementation, and usage of this tool. The world-wide-web (internet) is
today’s yellow pages, media commercial, mailer, and telemarketing program all packaged into
one simple and usually affordable concept. From early HTML coding of some pretty-basic onepage
informational sites of the mid 1990’s era to the advanced scripting and template based
websites of today, millions of people are able to search, find, and communicate with businesses,
people, organizations, churches in a matter of seconds. Online shopping has changed the retail
mindset of many consumers and businesses alike. Evangelism is no different.
When someone is searching for a “church,” why would they look any other way than they
may look for a business or a social platform? Studies indicate they do not! According to one
researcher, “80% of people visit a church’s website before attending in person“ (Gordon). With
that many people looking, or “shopping,” for a church on the internet, a lack of, or even worse,
an outdated, broken, or non-strategic website could do much more harm than good in trying to
reach souls. Websites need to look professional. The website needs to have immediate
information such as the church name, address, maybe a map, some way to contact someone, and
service times. All of this information has to be up to date and correct. A website, for example,
needs to indicate if a congregation meets at a different time in the summer than in the winter. A
visitor arriving an hour later at the end of the worship service most likely will not return.
Websites can be relatively inexpensive to build, but can be very costly if not managed
properly. Here are two important considerations. First, there are “free,” or ad-based, hosting
services. However, these are extremely risky for a church setting. There is little to no control over
what ads are shown or to what other web pages are referred to next. It is better to pay a little for
an ad-free website host. Second, it is not best practice to assign this role to just the preacher, a
deacon, or even just a member. There should always be a fall-back in the event that something
happens to the person that “owns” the site, or the URL. Sometimes, it may be best to allow
someone outside of the congregation, such as a service, own and manage the site with secondary
admins and moderators within the congregation. If there are multiple users, put an action plan in
place with expectations defined with what should or should not be posted. After all, this is a
representation of every member of the congregation. Most importantly, the website represents
our unity with Christ.
Social Media
Social media is becoming a very rapidly growing arena. It is also surpassing websites as a
norm for consuming content and searching for answers to many questions, including those about
religion. In 2016, Joseph Kidder noted:
Major organizations now use social media for customer service, brand awareness,
marketing, sales, research, and more. The level of influence and engagement that an
organization can have through social media is infinite. Therefore, your own church’s
social media platform needs to be timely and relevant. There are many of these kinds of
media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Each of these sites has several
opportunities for witnessing and evangelism. If Facebook were a country, it would be the
third-largest country in the world. There are more than 500 million users on Facebook.
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. More than 1 billion unique
users visit YouTube each month. (30)
Consider how that number has grown in the past ten years not only with YouTube,
Facebook, but a host of other social media platforms, including one of the most popular “reels
based” platform, TikTok. Other platforms quickly adopted the immediate success of TikTok by
introducing their own versions of short-form video content. Today, there are even major
platforms that will take a long-form video, a sermon for example, and clip it up into relevant
portions of sixty to ninety second content. This will grab the attention of viewers much easier
than the long-form companion. A true key to being successful with this, however, is to make sure
to include links to the full video that may be hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, or a host of other
platforms, including large storage provider app hosts.
Social media has definitely impacted today’s world and does not seem to be slowing
down anytime soon. As the church continues to reach souls, these methods and platforms are
certainly long-term solutions that need to be considered as a way to grow the kingdom. However,
as with websites, administrators, moderators, control of the page, constant moderation of
interactions, and marriages to other platforms such as a church website cross-posting content is
imperative. A “dead” social media page or a “stale” website will turn away visitors very quickly.
In 2025, Facebook made a major change to the way video is offered. In 2020, many
congregations found that live-streaming was a quick response to the COVID pandemic and the
accompanying hysteria among some. That method still serves a great purpose today in being able
to reach those who may be shut in or unable to attend worship services. However, as discussed
earlier, live-streaming is not a replacement for worship and never should have been. With the
changes that Facebook has made, many congregations now have “dead” Facebook pages, which
do more harm than good. All live videos now self-delete after thirty days, oftentimes leaving the
page with a post from many months or even years prior being the first thing users see. Content
has to be produced and delivered to these pages in order to be effective. A congregation should
consider such things as sharing a good work’s content, or a daily Bible verse or inspirational
quote with a picture (and make sure permissions are used and there is no copyright infringement).
Some programs will allow linking to their content and automatically post something daily. There
are several automated posting tools available for free or lower cost. These will help keep the
content flowing regularly.
Radio And Television
The discussion of technology in evangelism certainly cannot end without mentioning
some of the age-old platforms that many know have had great successes. Several ministry
programs among churches of Christ have locally, regionally, nationally, and even globally
syndicated television programs. Others may have a predecessor in radio. Both of these platforms
work nicely along with the websites and social media platforms.
There is one major challenge to radio and televison platforms. A preacher cannot just
decide one day that he will be a televised minister. Using The Gospel of Christ as an example,
the equipment that the studio uses in production carried a price tag from a 2023 revamp of tens of
thousands of dollars. After production, there is the storage and editing component. These costs
are in the thousands per year as well. In addition to storage and editing costs, there is captioning
(required by television standards), delivery, and broadcast costs. One week of a nationwide
broadcast, or even regional and local markets, can cost well into the thousands for a twenty-eight
minute and thirty second video, which also must include opening and closing credits and specific
disclaimers that condense the actual, spiritual content to about twenty-five minutes. The point
here is that television is not inexpensive by any means, and this effort requires not only a lot of
funding, but also a lot of time, energy, and commitment. The rewards, however, are certainly
seen in the fruit of harvest (cf. Jn. 4:34-38). It is common to hear of several baptisms every year
from the television and radio arenas.
Other Platforms: Present And Future
A host of other technology platforms are available for congregations to use today and
well into the future. Podcasts, apps, blogs, USB drives, and even AI have surfaced as good tools,
and these provide almost instant content to anyone, anywhere. When Jesus said to “Go” (Mt.
28:19-20), He was talking to a group of disciples who only had a limited opportunity of travel.
They could only go where they could walk, ride an animal, or journey on a boat. Today, with
technology, the church can “Go” all over the world in a matter off seconds. Mark 16:15-16 gives
the command to “Go into all the world,” and technology has given the open door. Are there
limitations? Certainly. A person that may be watching a livestream in another country cannot
simply “come forward as the invitation song is led,” which needs to be a consideration of how
congregations reach and deliver the soul-saving message. The method is not where limits are
drawn, but the message is. Paul wrote to the Galatians, warning them to not speak or receive any
other gospel than what they received from Paul and his coworkers (Gal. 1:6-9). Technology
should never be used to change the gospel message, but its use can be paramount to how
effective and how far-reaching the message will be delivered.
Conclusion
From the beginning of the written word, God has revealed His approval for using tools in
the hands of humans to accomplish His commands and to fulfill His will. The Bible reveals Noah
using tools to accomplish what God wanted from him (Gen. 6). Isaiah recorded using forging to
make tools as a blacksmith (Isa. 44:12). Paul used Roman roads and ocean navigational
technology to travel for the purpose of spreading the gospel. Jesus certainly commanded that the
gospel be preached to all the world (Mt. 24:14; 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16). As seen with these
passages, technology clearly fits an authorized expedient to “become all things to all men, that I
[or we] might by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:22). If Paul were here today, would the question
arise about technology being included in “all means?” The answer works itself out in how we use
technology expediently for evangelism! After all, God wants good stewards. Technology can be
used for bad, but certainly it has great potential in its use for good. If God provides individuals
and congregations with ways to use technology through media, computers, internet, television,
smartphones, translation software, artificial intelligence, and countless unidentified technology
platforms that will surely come in the future, then would not technology fit consistently with how
God has always worked through His people to spread His message? The answer to that question
ultimately lies with God and with human autonomy. The Bible clearly states that the message is
to be spread (Mt. 28:18-20), and technology is certainly a biblically and morally expedient way to
sow the seed of the kingdom.
Works Cited
All Bible quotations are taken from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.
Clement, J. “U.S. Population with a Social Media Profile 2019.” Statista. 9 Aug. 2019. 2 Nov. 2025
<www.statista.com/statistics/273476/percentage-of-us-population-with-a-social-networkprofile/>.
Danaan, Godfrey Naanlang. “Mass Media and Christian Evangelisation in the Digital Age: Towards
Sustaining ‘Mission’ in the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos.” Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol.
5.7 (2020): 61-73.
Gordon, Joshua. “Church Website Statistics for Pastors—the Lead Pastor.” 10 Church Website Statistics
Every Pastor Needs To Know. 14 Oct. 2025 <theleadpastor.com/church-management/churchwebsite-
statistics>.
Kidder, S. Joseph. “Using Social Media for Evangelism.” Ministry: International Journal for Pastors.
Vol. 88.2 (Feb. 2016):30. 2 Nov. 2025 <digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/340>.
Koehler, Heidi. “The Night the Earth Shook.” USGS. 19 Dec. 2024. 2 Nov. 2025
<www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/night-earth-shook>.
McCarthy, Niall, and Felix Richter. “Infographic: Millennials Rack Up 18 Hours of Media Use Per Day.”
Statista Infographics. 13 Mar. 2014. 2 Nov. 2025 <www.statista.com/chart/2002/timemillennials-
spend-interacting-with-media>.
Opade, Ochenia Faith. “Perspectives on Digital Evangelism: Exploring the Intersection of Technology
and Faith.” African Journal of Culture, History, Religion and Traditions. Vol. 6.2 (14 Aug.
2023):15-24 2 Nov. 2025 <https://doi.org/10.52589/ajchrt-idap2p2m>.