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Let’s explore how it started and how it’s going with Rev. Dr. Jevon Caldwell-Gross, a seasoned pastor and fellow practitioner in digital ministry. We explore the challenges and opportunities of reaching people outside of Sunday mornings and implementing strategies like master classes. Pastor J shares invaluable insights on adapting preaching styles to engage online audience, the importance of creating content beyond traditional services, the power of master classes, and the need for pastors to learn how to reach people through various digital platforms. Stay tuned as we explore the fascinating journey of Jevon Caldwell-Gross and discover how digital ministry is shaping the future of the church.
The Rev. Dr. Jevon Caldwell-Gross has been a transformational ministry thought leader for over a decade. Serving in a variety of contexts, ranging from urban cities to multicultural suburban communities, Pastor J is known for his ability to connect with different audiences and to make the gospel accessible and practical.
Pastor J’s journey has brought him to one of the largest United Methodist churches in the country, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, located in Indianapolis, IN. There he serves as the Teaching Pastor and as the Online Campus Pastor. As a Pastor, Author and Professor, his mission is and has always been to equip churches and congregational leaders for relevant and effective ministry in a rapidly changing society. He’s got a lot of passion for seeing the church reach into the community… and it’s going to spread through this conversation.
This session of Pastoring in the Digital Parish is presented by:
Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities is a new and comprehensive resource that continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on its trusted policies and procedures.
To learn more go to Safer Sanctuaries.org or call 800-972-0433.
In this episode:
(00:01) Digital minister Jevon Caldwell-Gross discusses reaching online audiences and the future of the church.
(03:42) Transitioned from teaching pastor to supervising communications. Prioritized online worship due to COVID. Increased focus on ministering to online congregation.
(06:48) Data importance: Encouraging connection and anonymity.
(09:39) Creating content that benefits congregations and communities.
(14:33) Adapting sermons for online audience, trial and error approach.
(17:37) Church needs to adapt to online platforms.
(20:46) Reaching people outside Sunday, strategy and engagement.
(25:41) Metrics show engagement and reach of congregation.
(32:09) Target audience: 30-45 year olds. Facebook not effective. Focused on TikTok and Instagram. Strategic content creation for specific platforms. Effective for reaching new members.
(36:17) Clarity is important for congregations’ priorities.
(41:35) Transitioning from church ministry to teaching, writing, and consulting in order to help churches and individuals discover new ways of experiencing and sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
(44:55) Thanks for listening to Pastor in the Digital Parish. Season 6 is over, but check out our follow-up episodes on church live streaming and evangelism through social media. Thanks to our sponsors and connect with us on Facebook. New season coming soon.
For more from Pastoring in the Digital Parish: https://www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish