Guest Writer - Andrew Estes
Every generation of Christian leaders has wrestled with the same question: How do we make disciples using the tools of our time?
For centuries, church buildings were the primary tool—cathedrals, chapels, and stained-glass windows designed to teach and shape believers. Then came the printing press, and Martin Luther’s Bible translations spread like wildfire, fueling the Reformation.
Fast forward to the 1940s: C.S. Lewis turned a BBC radio microphone into a pulpit, delivering wartime talks that would eventually become Mere Christianity. In the 1950s, televangelists like Pat Robertson and The 700 Club brought the Gospel into living rooms through television. In the early 2000s, Craig Groeschel and others launched the first fully online church campuses—a radical idea then, but one that paved the way for digital discipleship tools like YouVersion, now with over 500 million downloads.
Today, churches aren’t just livestreaming sermons—they’re utilizing AI and social media, rapidly adapting to new technology, and even commissioning digital missionaries to baptize avatars in the metaverse (Yes, that last one is true!). As technology evolves, so do new opportunities for disciple-making.
The question isn’t if the Church should use these tools, but how we can use them wisely to facilitate real disciple-making growth and continue what Jesus started so we can see no place left without the Gospel.
The digital landscape has created new opportunities for churches to invest in the discipleship of their congregations. While in-person gatherings remain essential, online learning can complement these efforts by providing accessible, consistent, and intentional pathways for spiritual growth. Churches that harness these tools effectively can rapidly advance their discipleship training and create a lasting impact.
Why Online Learning Matters For Discipleship
Discipleship is not just about attending a Bible study or a Sunday service—it’s about growing in Christ and equipping believers for the work of ministry. In an increasingly digital world, church technology now has the ability to expand its reach and reinforce teachings through online learning platforms.
Here are a few key reasons why churches should consider incorporating online learning into their disciple-making efforts:
- Accessibility: People can engage with discipleship training at their own pace, whether at home, during a commute, or in a small group setting.
- Scalability: Online content allows churches to equip more people without the constraints of physical meeting spaces.
- Consistency: A well-designed online course ensures that everyone receives the same foundational teaching, aligning members with the church’s mission and theological framework.
- Engagement: Digital content can create more touchpoints throughout the week, reinforcing Sunday teachings and encouraging ongoing spiritual growth.
In today’s fast-paced world, church leaders can no longer assume that regular attendees show up every Sunday. Busy schedules, travel, and family commitments often mean that even committed churchgoers may only attend services once a month—yet still identify that they have a church home. According to Church Answers, this trend is becoming more common, reshaping the way churches must think about discipleship and engagement.
While we can whine and complain as church leaders, assuming these people are no longer “committed,” it’s our current reality. Churches can no longer take a slow, casual approach to discipleship, assuming they have decades to teach people. Instead, an intentional strategy is needed—one that meets people where they are and equips them quickly and effectively. Online learning provides a scalable way to reinforce discipleship, making training available beyond Sunday services and ensuring that believers continue growing in their faith, even when life keeps them from attending every week.
Beginning With the End In Mind – Discipleship Measures
Simple and Cost-Effective Ways to Start
Most churches desire to make disciples, but few have a clear, shared definition of what a disciple actually looks like. Without this clarity, discipleship efforts (no matter how cool the technology is) often feel scattered. Imagine a teacher designing a course without learning outcomes. How would they measure success? The same is true for disciple-making. Without clearly defined character traits and competencies, churches risk producing attendees rather than fully formed disciples.
At RunFree.co, our Pivvot Vision Framing helps leaders identify the specific marks of a disciple in their context so that every training opportunity is intentionally designed to develop those outcomes. The result? A church that doesn’t just talk about making disciples but truly trains people to multiply.
We want to help transform churches from just teaching centers to disciple-making training centers. Instead of moving people from content to content (“head and ears” knowledge), we need to move people from practice to practice (“hand and feet” training).
Once you know what you’re training toward, you can begin developing your content. Churches don’t need to make a massive investment to begin leveraging online learning for discipleship. Here are a few practical and scalable ways to get started:
1. YouTube Playlists for Discipleship Training
One of the easiest ways to start is by curating a YouTube playlist featuring sermon clips, Bible study lessons, or practical discipleship training videos. Churches can:
- Create a structured learning path by organizing videos in a logical sequence.
- Include teachings from their own pastors or curated content from trusted ministry leaders.
- Encourage small groups or individuals to engage with the content and discuss/implement key takeaways.
2. Affordable Online Learning Platforms
For churches that want to offer a more structured and interactive learning experience, there are several affordable platforms to consider:
- Mission 17’s StoryPath ($99/month): This awesome new software leverages texting to drip training videos daily and acts as a continual reminder to engage in training. StoryPath allows churches to create custom discipleship training paths based on the character traits and competencies they want to develop in their members.
- Ministry Grid ($500/year): Provides a customizable platform for leadership and discipleship training, offering structured courses on ministry essentials.
- Explore other Learning Management Systems (LMS) that can offer flexible options for churches that want to create custom courses. One I’ve used for years is Thinkific.
3. Podcasts
In addition to structured courses, some churches have started weekly podcasts to reinforce their discipleship efforts. Launching a Podcast isn’t as overwhelming as it sounds. You can jump on Spotify and have your first episode up tonight! Podcasts provide an opportunity to:
- Dive deeper into the previous week’s sermon.
- Address felt needs and culturally relevant topics.
- Share interviews and testimonies that highlight discipleship growth within the church community.
- Encourage ongoing engagement between Sundays.
4. Utilizing Church Management Software for Discipleship
Church management software can be a powerful tool to help structure, track, and automate discipleship efforts. By leveraging features such as:
- Process Management: Create discipleship workflows with due dates for courses, check-ins, and completion milestones.
- Automated Communication: Use email automation and follow-up reminders to keep participants engaged and accountable.
- Church App Integration: Send push notifications with reminders for new discipleship training, small group content, or response prompts.
- Reply Words for Engagement: Set up keyword replies via text messaging to invite people to courses, encourage participation, and gather feedback.
By integrating these digital tools, churches can ensure that their discipleship efforts remain structured, accessible, and engaging for their congregation.
Moving Forward: Evaluating Your Church’s Discipleship Strategy
Church leaders should regularly assess their discipleship processes and consider whether online learning could help reinforce their efforts. Here are a few questions to reflect on:
- What key areas of discipleship need more intentional development in our church?
- Are we providing resources that help our members grow beyond Sunday services?
- What digital tools can we implement to create more touchpoints for discipleship throughout the week?
By incorporating online learning and digital content, churches can provide ongoing, structured, and engaging discipleship opportunities that support spiritual growth in today’s digital age.
Conclusion: The Future of Discipleship is Intentional
As Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22, NIV). The Church must be just as adaptable—leveraging every tool available to make disciples who multiply. The mission of reaching the nations through disciple-making hasn’t changed, but the tools available to us have. With online learning, churches can make discipleship more accessible, scalable, and intentional than ever before.
However, technology alone isn’t the answer. Without a clear discipleship framework, churches risk using digital tools to create more content rather than more disciples. That’s why defining your Discipleship Measures (the character traits and competencies of a fully-formed disciple) is essential.
If your church lacks a clear discipleship framework, it may be time to rethink your approach. Learn more about creating a disciple-making training center at RunFree.co.
When churches align their efforts with a clear vision, they can train believers effectively—wherever they are—and advance the Kingdom Gospel.
Guest Author - Andrew Estes
As a certified trainer, coach, and navigator, Andrew Estes has led churches and individuals to find and focus God’s dream for their life and ministry since 2016. After years of serving as a pastor on multiple church staffs, Andrew works as a Church Vision Coach for RunFree.co, leading churches in Pivvot Vision Framing, and as the Director of Training for Nexus: Church Planting & Leader Care. His breadth of experience in ministry gives him a unique position as a Fractional Pastor and Life Coach to serve you and your team well.
Andrew is pursuing his MAOL from the Townsend Institute at Concordia University Irvine. He holds a Bachelor of Biblical Literature from Ozark Christian College. Andrew lives in Loveland, CO, with his wife Megan and four children.
