What’s the Digital Discipleship Ecosystem?

Have you ever put a piece of content into the online world and wondered why it got stuck, with no views, no engagement and no shares? While the Digital Discipleship Ecosystem can’t explain all of it, it can surely provide a starting point to understanding why.

There are many roles within the Digital Discipleship Ecosystem; each of them work towards helping to create a digital discipleship movement that shows loves and shares the compelling story of God.

We invite you to review the various roles in digital discipleship and try to understand how you fit into the ecosystem. Don’t be surprised if you see yourself in more than one of the roles and even if you recognise some of your friends and family members as well.

Visionaries

Visionaries thrive in environments where they need to re-imagine things or build something from scratch. They start new projects because they see things that other people don’t see and understand the impact that things not yet created can have.

Content Creators

Creators are our creatives. They are in their sweet spot when they are writing, building, drawing, recording or taking photos. They are our storytellers and our people with big imaginations, and we value them.

Content Distributors

Content distributors are generous with their platforms because they offer to share content from content creators on their personal spaces, on their ministry pages and in social media groups. Sharing content in this way gives the content legs and allows it to be seen by many people.

This is often the weakest areas of the digital discipleship ecosystem. Many organisations are full of prolific creators. They have archives that are full of projects that have been completed, books that have been written and videos that have been created, many of which go unwatched, unread and unlistened to.

Strengthening this part of the system can make a real impact.

Content Engagers

Engagers are great conversationalists both online and offline. They engage in discussions in different parts of the internet and talk about challenging topics in ways that allow people to still be friendly with them afterwards.

While we can all be engagers, some people are specially skilled in this way and their contribution to the digital space is impactful.

Content Curators

Many larger entities fall into the category of being curators, though others can be curators as well. You can think of a curator like a museum or a library that brings together a series of resources, both theirs and the resources of others, to provide support to the communities they serve.

Supporters

A supporter, within the Digital Discipleship Ecosystem is akin to someone like Jonathan was to David in the Bible story. Supporters are encouragers and cheerleaders of the ministry. This support could be given financially or through verbal affirmation or materials that can help the church or ministry fulfil its mission.

Influencers 

Influencers can be content creators, distributors or engagers, however, influencers recognise that the words they say online can have a large impact on a wider group of people than the average digital disciple. Therefore they understand they have more responsibility to be accountable for their words and actions online.

Good Neighbours

Good neighbours are like the good Samaritan because they see needs and are intentional in meeting those needs. They may be compelled to order a meal online and have it delivered, pray or find another way to minister. The needs they help with may be spotted online or in person and fulfilled in person or online.

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Perhaps you run a ministry or serve in the communications department at your local church or perhaps you work in a corporate-level ministry. However you’re positioned to serve, consider the various roles we’ve listed above.

Think about how you might create a system to empower people, with these different skills, to help your church or ministry share the compelling story of Jesus Christ in the digital space.

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