XtianNinja

Digital ministries are beset with a myriad of challenges. Ever-changing technology, high-level skillsets, creative thinking, long hours, fighting algorithms, making high-quality, competitive content, counselling and community building through text, following up with vulnerable viewers, and more… but when I think about the most difficult thing I’ve had to face in my two years in full-time digital ministries, the answer is easy: raising support – but not for the reason you think. 

Individual Christians and churches have been extremely supportive of what my teams and I are doing through the XtianNinja channel and TACO Network. Through Ko-Fi, direct giving, and even old-fashioned cheques in the mail, they keep their support going despite not being able to be given a tax receipt (yet! but we’re working on it!)

The struggle comes when talking to denominations and larger Christian organizations. There exists in many of them, funds, grants, and partnership programs for new ministries, but whenever I present what I do I hear the same thing: 

“We absolutely love what you’re doing and affirm your calling from God to do it. It’s obvious that the Lord has gifted you and is blessing you like crazy. However, your ministry is so new and different that we have no idea how to fit you into our system. Even though we want to partner with you, we are prevented because our organization isn’t ready to support digital ministries.” 

I recently sent this to someone I’ve been asking for advice from:

More than anything, I’m getting frustrated with churches and denominations who recognize our work and calling – but “can’t help” because the ministry is so new. I know how cutting edge and blessed what we’re doing is – and how much I can do to help other ministries enter into the digital space. I know how unique my skills and abilities are to get the job done – and how special my teams are – and I’m so frustrated that money is an issue. There’s so much in the world being used for so many useless, fruitless, stupid things! My wife and I are good at budgeting, have zero debt, and used to doing a lot with a little. I love what I do and work hard – but dang do I ever hate the money stuff. Thanks for listening.

How You Can Help

The only way this is going to change is if ministry leaders do the hard work of educating themselves and updating their corporate visions, mission statements, constitutions, by-laws, committees, and everything else to include and validate the pioneer digital missions that have been emerging online over the past decade.

So please, if you are connected to a denomination, church ministry board, or leadership team, consider spending time thinking through how you can serve the lost, lonely, and disenfranchised all over the world – in some of the darkest places imaginable – who are literally unreachable by traditional missions.

Contact me (or another established and trusted digital ministry leader) and let’s talk about what that would look like. If you want a primer, I suggest looking through this postwhich includes my ministry overview document (which you can print and share) and a series of videos with examples of what my digital ministry looks like.

Here’s the link:
https://ko-fi.com/Post/The-GREATEST-Ministry-Presentation-of-All-Time-K3K3I1UVB

Thank you so much for your time and I hope to talk to you soon!