The pandemic of 2020 has awakened the church to the need and opportunity to engage people beyond the buildings and programs of in-person ministry. In the words of church leader Carey Nieuwhof, “Everyone we’re trying to reach is online.” With our in-person ministry currently limited, and with so many competing voices online, we cannot offer sporadic, mediocre digital content in hopes that people will find us and hang with us until our buildings open again. We want to seize this moment to build a high-quality digital ministry platform that will not only enable our ministry through the pandemic but will enhance and expand our ministry for decades to come.
A DIGITAL MINISTRY INITIATIVE
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:19
OUR CHALLENGE
“I truly believe this is a pivotal moment for the church. God is doing a new thing – opening our eyes to new ways of being the church and to new people waiting to hear the good news of God’s love and purpose for their lives.” - Bryan Wilkerson, Senior Pastor
AN EXTENDING GRACE STORY
OUR VISION
Our vision is to build a state-of-the-art digital ministry that will enable us to reach, disciple, and mobilize more people than ever before in our history.
Reach more people
By engaging seekers with high-quality, gospel-centered content that speaks to their needs, points them toward Christ, and connects them to the Grace Chapel community.
Disciple more people
By providing believers with online groups, devotional resources, and a self-directed spiritual formation pathway.
Mobilize more people
By equipping people to reach out with shareable content, experiences, and connections, as well as resourcing other churches and our mission partners.
THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING
We learned how to “do church” and “be the church” differently and more effectively than we ever thought possible. We moved our ministries online and empowered our people to live out the mission of Christ where they live and work. As a result, thousands of people have engaged with us, some for the very first time. We, as a church family, are still serving, growing, and experiencing community in the midst of the pandemic. And we are finding new ways to serve our communities through food banks, encouragement to front line workers, and resources to those most vulnerable in greater Boston.
STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS
These components of a digital ministry platform will work in tandem with our physical ministries to children, students and adults. We believe we can reach, disciple, and mobilize more people with strategic investments in the following areas:
Worship – The Sunday Experience
Community – An online campus
Outreach – Social Media/Digital Marketing
Discipleship – Learning Management System
Shepherding – Church Management System
All of these elements of our digital ministry platform will be accomplished with Grace Chapel staff and by engaging a whole new group of lay leaders and volunteers.
A BOLD VISION
We believe this bold, innovative, and outwardly-focused vision will lead to exponential growth and Kingdom impact in the next decade and beyond.
Our digital ministry platform will enable us to:
Reach tens of thousands of seeking people right where they are – online – and help them take the next step on their spiritual journey.
Revitalize our campus ministries with new tools for discipling, connecting, and caring for children, students, and adults at every stage of life.
Respond to opportunities for new Grace Chapel locations:
- strategic partnerships like we have with Christ’s Church of Amherst, NH
- microsites and pop-up churches at assisted living facilities, apartment complexes, prisons, university campuses, etc.
- new campuses in under-served communities
Resource other churches and our regional and global mission partners with strategic funding and shared technology, facilities, and expertise.
CAN YOU IMAGINE
- Grace.org becoming the go-to destination in New England for people seeking spiritual help and connection?
- Tens of thousands of people experiencing grace online every week by engaging with uplifting content and virtual community?
- Younger generations connecting with church in ways that are most natural and more accessible to them.
- Regional and global partners having the digital resources to effectively minister to people in their settings?
Digital Ministry Initiative components
