Digital Missions and the Future of Gospel Work in Virtual Spaces
As everyday life becomes increasingly digital, the way we think about missions is shifting as well. More people are living, working, and building community online, raising important questions about how we share the gospel in a connected world. Our partner, The Church Digital, is embracing this shift not just as a challenge, but as a mission field. They equip digital missionaries to engage real people in real digital communities and treat platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and virtual reality as places where the gospel can take root. In the interview that follows, Jeff Reed shares how they define digital missions, how they’re equipping a global network of digital missionaries, and the stories of transformation already taking place online.
Read MoreDigital Missions and the Future of Gospel Work in Virtual Spaces
Reliant Mission | Jun 12, 2025, 13:46 PM
As everyday life becomes increasingly digital, the way we think about missions is shifting as well. More people are living, working, and building community online, raising important questions about how we share the gospel in a connected world. Our partner, The Church Digital, is embracing this shift not just as a challenge, but as a mission field. They equip digital missionaries to engage real people in real digital communities and treat platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and virtual reality as places where the gospel can take root. In the interview that follows, Jeff Reed shares how they define digital missions, how they’re equipping a global network of digital missionaries, and the stories of transformation already taking place online.
INTERVIEW WITH JEFF REED – THE CHURCH DIGITAL
Hosted by Jon Crawford
Jon: Jeff, thanks so much for making the time to meet. Let’s jump in. We’re talking about something we’re seeing emerge in the Kingdom of God—a growing number of people engaging in digital missions. To start, can you share how you define digital missions?
Jeff: A digital missionary is someone who uses cloud-based technology and digital tools to share the gospel, build relationships, and disciple others closer to Jesus. This can look like a full-time missionary raising support to focus entirely on digital spaces or someone being co-vocational, using the 6 hours a day we all spend on digital devices, to connect other people to God.
At The Church Digital, we’ve worked with people on a variety of platforms—Twitch streamers, Virtual Reality (VR) missionaries, and those building relationships in multiplayer online games like Rust, Final Fantasy, or Grand Theft Auto. Others are running Facebook groups, creating TikTok Bible content, or uploading YouTube sermons. Each digital missionary’s approach is different, but they all recognize the real value of digital communities and use those spaces to share the gospel and disciple others.
Jon: I love the range you’re describing—from someone using the time they spend online for intentional ministry to someone dedicated full-time vocationally to being a digital missionary. You mentioned digital communities as real places. Can you share more about what you mean by that?
Jeff: Sure. A lot of our VR friends use the term “IRL”—in real life—to distinguish the virtual from the physical. But I’ve always found that term problematic. It implies that what happens in digital spaces isn’t real, which isn’t true. I’ve met people who’ve experienced emotional and spiritual wounds in virtual spaces—like one woman I spoke with who still carries deep emotional scars from something that happened to her in VR six years ago. What happens online is real because real people are involved, with real feelings and real spiritual needs.
And from a theological perspective, some people claim that God can’t meet people in virtual reality because it’s man-made. But that’s laughable to me. Are we saying that we’ve somehow created a space where God’s presence can’t reach? Of course not. There’s no place, digital or physical, where the Holy Spirit can’t move. God’s work in digital spaces is just as real and valid as in any other context.
Jon: That’s so important to acknowledge. You’ve mentioned to me before how the former U.S. Surgeon General described loneliness as an epidemic, especially among Gen Z and Gen Alpha—the most digitally connected generations, and yet still grappling with isolation.
Jeff: Exactly. These generations are navigating an unprecedented digital landscape. They have more access to technology than ever, yet they’re still searching for meaningful connections. The Surgeon General’s report highlighted that digital communities have the potential to address this issue. It isn’t about abandoning technology, but rather about using it more intentionally—about embracing digital spaces to cultivate genuine relationships and combat loneliness.
That’s what we believe at The Church Digital. Digital communities are not just tools to drive people into buildings. They’re communities in their own right, and the gospel belongs in those spaces. Traditional mission agencies look at countries like India or Brazil; we look at platforms like TikTok, Twitch, and Discord. We see platforms as places. Our goal is to send missionaries into those digital communities, just as we’d send them to physical ones.
Jon: I really appreciate that perspective. What are some practical ways The Church Digital is equipping people for this kind of ministry?
Jeff: Our main program is called “Equipping Digital Missionaries.” It’s straightforward. We run global cohorts and courses to train digital missionaries. In the U.S., most digital missionaries are tech-savvy creatives without formal seminary training. They often feel misunderstood or isolated, so we come alongside them to validate their work, connect them with others, and offer training on missiology and digital ministry strategies.
Globally, we see the opposite. Many missionaries outside the U.S. have strong theological and missiological backgrounds, but they lack technical expertise. So, we’re shifting to help them learn the digital tools they need to extend their reach.
It’s all about contextualization. What works in VR may not work on Facebook. And what’s effective in Sub-Saharan Africa might not translate to urban Miami. We don’t hand people a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, we provide a framework and teach them to think critically about their specific context.
Jon: Can you share some stories that illustrate the breadth of ministry you are seeing in digital missions, and its impact?
Jeff: At our last Digital Missionary Conference, we had over 1,100 in attendance from 85 countries. That was a huge affirmation that this work is resonating globally.
One VR church helped three or four individuals navigate suicidal thoughts in a single month and saw real healing. Another VR ministry, Metacrusade, recorded more than 1,000 conversions in the VR platform Rec Room.
In the streaming space, churches like Lux Church and XP Church are thriving on Twitch. Their audiences range from gamers to grandmothers, with some of the most unexpected attendees becoming active members. One example is a neo-pagan atheist who joined a VR church just to troll (mess with) it. After weeks of listening, she started helping with tech and eventually found Jesus.
On Facebook, Dr. John Harris’s discipleship group has reconnected many de-churched individuals. Anne Bosarge leads a WhatsApp-based ministry that’s reaching thousands across Africa. She’s built a global volunteer team serving people she’s never even met in person. These are gospel strategies that happen to be digital, and they’re bearing fruit.
Jon: That’s incredible. So, where do you see digital missions going in the next few years?
Jeff: I see it continuing to grow globally. As more missionaries realize the need to reach digital natives, the demand for training will only increase. Contextualization will become even more vital, and we’ll see more innovative approaches emerge as people adapt to their specific digital communities.
As this grows and changes, we’re committed to fostering community among digital missionaries. We’re gathering the “island of misfit toys”—those who don’t fit traditional church molds—and saying, “You’re not alone. Let’s do this together.”
Jon: I love that vision. Thanks, Jeff, for sharing your insights and for leading the way in this space. We’re excited to keep learning from you and partnering with The Church Digital in this mission.
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