7 Stats that Show Why Online Ministry Matters

Jeff Reed, a former Online Minister, founder of The Church Digital and the Director of Digital Church Planting for Stadia often says that prior to Covid he was often told that he was out of his mind thinking that Online Ministry was an effective ministry. He would often share that it was an uphill battle meeting with Senior Ministers as he tried to convince them of why online ministry matters and how it can be used to reach people for Christ.

Well, Covid changed things. In the blink of an eye Churches all over the world were online only. A lot of these Churches had no digital presence before covid. There was so much digital progress Churches and ministries made with online ministry during 2020. While we have made so much success with online ministry, things are staring to change again. Now that people are meeting more and more in person and the Covid vaccine is being distributed world wide, I am hearing of more Churches lessening their online footprint to focus more on in person gatherings. Not that there is anything wrong with in person gatherings but it doesn’t have to be an either/or situation. You can still continue to do online ministry. It can and should be an integrated part into your Church’s ministry strategy long term.

If you are wondering why I believe online ministry should continue to be a priority and why online ministry matters, here are just SOME of the recent stats and numbers out there that will highlight this.

80% of U.S. parents of children 11 and under say their kids watch YouTube (Source: Pew Research Centre).

• Why it matters: Children and teens are watching videos on YouTube. Is your Church or Children’s Ministry preparing content about Christ on YouTube? There is a lot of opportunity on YouTube for your Church.

200 million Instagram users visit at least one business profile daily and 81% of people use Instagram to help research products and services (Source: Hootsuite).

• Why it matters: People aren’t just on Instagram to look at pretty pictures. They are on Instagram to research. Make sure what you are posting on Instagram gives people a proper reflection on what your Church is about.

In the United States, 70% of Twitter users are male. Twitter is also the number 1 Social Media Platform in Japan (Source: Hootsuite).

• Why it matters: When you are trying to be a Digital Missionary on Twitter, you need to know your audience. Twitter is very popular with men in the U.S.. So tailor your content to men and appeal to what interests them. And Twitter is only growing in popularity all across the board. It still isn’t as popular as other apps, but they are doing things now that will only draw more people to it. It’s already very popular in Japan and it will become increasingly popular in America as well.

The percentage of U.S.-based TikTok users by age: 10-19 – 32.5%, 20-29 – 29.5%, 30-39 – 16.4%, 40-49 – 13.9%, 50+ – 7.1% (Source: Wallaroom Media).

• Why it matters: TikTok is wildly popular but it has often been characterized as an app for kids. These stats prove that TikTok isn’t just for Gen Z. There are people of all ages making videos so the potential reach for you and your Church is huge.

Contrary to popular belief, 72.8% of Facebook users are within the 18–44 years old range with the highest percentage of those users range from 25-34 years old (Source: Sprout Social).

• Why it matters: These are millennials that were often turned off by Facebook. However, more and more of them are on it. That means Facebook can still be used to reach younger adults, not just Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.

As of February 28, 2021, the Bible App from YouVersion has been downloaded over 465 million times (Source: Bible App).

• Why it matters: People are still reading the Bible, even if it isn’t on paperback. And there are so many tools in the App that you can utilize for your ministry. You can upload sermon notes and do Group Bible Studies.

Clubhouse has 10 million weekly active users, up from 600,000 in December 2020 (Source: Backlinko).

• Why it matters: Clubhouse is invite only for iPhone users only but there is a lot of energy behind it. People are using it for social learning and engaging in longer conversations. Learn more about it here. Also, hear Rey DeArmas share about ways you can use it for ministry here.

Conclusion 

Numbers matter and Church leaders are just as addicted to tracking numbers as any other business or group that wants to determine how effective they are doing. These are just 7 stats out of many I can highlight. But, they show why online ministry matters and these stats prove that the digital mission field is ripe for harvest. People are online and will continue to be online. Just because your Church or ministry can meet more in person doesn’t mean that you have to give up all the digital advancement you have made. Keep making digital progress and keep investing so that we can continue to reach people for Christ.

What do you think? What other stats or numbers do you have to demonstrate why online ministry matters? Share them and your experiences below or on social media use my twitter handle @tapounder or #ymsidekick when you share. 

Want to learn digital tools to expand your reach in ministry in this new online world we are living in? Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group!