Tech Is A Tool Drawing People Into Community
Incarnate church is the main thing — digital ministry is the distant second. And it should always intentionally draw people into gathering together.
This week on The Shock Absorber, Brayden jumps on the couch with me and
to talk about the practice of Soul Revival Church’s Communications Ministry Team.So far in this mini-series, we have been looking at the theology of communications and the strategy that we employ.
In this penultimate episode, we kick off with a dive into 90s culture, especially what we experienced coming out of the UK — Oasis, Britpop, Euro ’96, Tony Blair, Spice Girls, and rave culture. Francis Fukuyama’s The End of History and The Last Man explains how this was a moment of optimism that shaped a whole generation. But with the internet now splintering culture and attention, could anything like that happen again?
From there, we turn to what the internet has done to church life. COVID forced churches online, and while it opened opportunities for wider reach, it also highlighted the tension: digital tools often push us toward individualistic, algorithm-driven consumption. But church is incarnational by nature — gathered, embodied, and communal.
So what does the practice of Communications look like at Soul Revival? With Joel on the guest lounge, I ask him to expand on the various elements of the ministry team he oversess:
Discipleship & Mission – making content that is authentic, insightful, entertaining, and ultimately drawing people to Jesus.
Website – designed for newcomers rather than a place of news for members.
Podcasts – The Shock Absorber (external facing), Chip Lunch (internal community), and sermon podcast.
Technology – a tool, but never more important than real relationships.
Newsletters & touchpoints – drawing people into the weekly gathering, not just promoting events.
Ultimately, digital ministry is supplemental. It’s not the end goal, but when done well, it provides multiple pathways for people to grow in loving God and loving others, while always pointing back to the embodied gathering of the church.
Listen along on your favourite podcasting app, or click through on one of the links below.