The way we engage with our communities has changed dramatically over the last month for pastors and leaders around the world. Church leaders are searching for simple and effective digital solutions to stay authentically connected with their communities during this season.

Justin and Janae Klatt, founders and lead pastors of Imagine Church, recently sat down with our team as guests on our podcast, Equip and Engage, to discuss their virtual church based out of Phoenix, AZ.  What began as a traditional church plant in 2017 transformed into an online church by 2019. This shift occurred after they started holding and recording their weekly services to disciple people who lived out of state.

For Janae, meeting together online and not in person was a major challenge. However, she realized that as leaders, a key to trusting God to help us build something new is, “believing we serve the greatest innovator and creator of all time.” This comes with resolve for the Klatt’s that God knows the answers to how our plans will play out, and the outcome is often drastically different from what we imagined.  

Today, Imagine Church’s mission is to be a global collective of locally-led communities who gather either virtually or in a local venue, to help cultivate community discipleship and authentic relationship with Jesus.

Here are 5 insights into how churches can leverage technology in order to cultivate discipleship and nurture community through remote gatherings:

1. GETTING THINGS RIGHT TAKES TIME.

• Be willing to experiment. Try new methods, new tools, new teams, and learn from any failures.

2. YOU NEED A TEAM

• Going virtual can be harder than it looks. Build a team to help you with video, audio, editing, and social media.

3. ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION.

• Use your custom mobile app, website, and social media as tools to brainstorm and build an online discipleship program.

4. INVITE EVERYONE TO GATHER TOGETHER ONLINE

• It’s still important to be together to worship, watch the messages, and then have discussions.

5. SEE THIS AS A WAY TO SERVE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT ATTEND TRADITIONAL WEEKEND SERVICES.

• For example, truck drivers, RVers, deployed military and their families, hospital patients, and many others.

These 5 insights can help any church grow their online influence with or without meeting together physically. As churches around the world are innovating during this time, we’re dedicated to working with you as your partner in digital engagement. Today, this concept of spiritual community goes beyond simply watching a sermon. With the right tools, churches can provide discipleship, create meaningful connections, and build authentic relationships with their communities.

You can listen to the full podcast with Justin and Janae Klatt head here.

To learn more about the Subsplash Platform and how you can leverage technology to take steps towards enhancing your online presence, let’s chat.

If you’re currently utilizing the Subsplash Platform to reach your community and want to discuss these methods more, connect with your Client Success Manager today.

Related articles you may find helpful:

• 5 things every church should consider before gathering
• How to set up live streaming for your church
• Ultimate guide to church giving apps
• The essential guide to text-to-give for churches

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