Reassessing Digital Engagement, Part II
A hard question worth asking is, what does effectiveness in evangelism and discipleship really look like, and in what ways do digital techniques support these best discipleship practices?
A hard question worth asking is, what does effectiveness in evangelism and discipleship really look like, and in what ways do digital techniques support these best discipleship practices?
By redeeming technology, Christians can redefine their engagement in the Great Commission and empower the discipleship of the next generation to carry global missions forward.
Long-time internet missionary, Sean Cheng, discusses the ways that digital evangelism has changed over the last 28 years—from bulletin boards to online forums to blogs to social media. He also addresses the ways that government regulations have created both challenges and opportunities. Finally, he talks about the calling to internet ministry.
From a radio program to a fully online seminary, Liangyou Seminary has been a key institution for training and equipping pastors and leaders in China. Luke Cheng walks us through the seminary’s forty-year history, showcasing the ingenuity and perseverance necessary to get biblical training to China’s believers.
“Get shut down and get shut down often,” recommends Travis Todd, in describing his approach as a digital evangelist in China. As the government tightens restrictions on online Christian content, his team focuses on sharing Jesus with as many people as possible, not on building a brand.
Dr. Harris and Reed’s relational approach applies for individuals to begin relationships with Chinese people in various online spaces and understand their needs. The content of the book needs to be further contextualized for a local Chinese audience, where relationship building will have more nuances in both cultural and digital landscapes.
Despite all the regulations and restrictions that the Chinese government puts in place to limit religious content on the internet, digital evangelism is alive and well and bearing fruit. The articles in this issue focus on what God is doing through digital engagement, not on what the Chinese government tries to prevent.
What is the best way for Christians to engage others online? What tools are available to help spread the gospel effectively? The guest editors of the upcoming ChinaSource Quarterly attempt to answer these questions and give readers a taste of what’s to come.
The author explores the opportunities as well as negative effects brought by increased freedom of speech allowed in China in recent years. He then discusses why communication ethics and public theology need attention. Finally, he addresses the more recent, stringent regulations and overall tightening of freedom of expression and what is being done to respond to these changes.
Due to the licensing and real-name requirements, these regulations… certainly make it more difficult for individuals and unregistered churches to put religious content online.
Suggestions for Chinese Christians and Church Leaders.
Despite the Chinese Communist Party’s increasing oversight of Christian life in China today, there is a gray space between the nation’s political tensions, economic revolution, and spiritual revivals that begs for greater reflection and sustained inquiry: the “walled garden” of China’s internet.