Date
12-4-2025
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
Rodney Phillips
Keywords
Community engagement, Digital ministry, Groundwire (Discord/ECHO), Narrative research, Pastoral care, Peer-to-Peer care, Spiritual care
Disciplines
Practical Theology | Psychology
Recommended Citation
Ondo, Andrew J., "Determining the Efficacy of a Digital Small-Group Formatted Spiritual Care Program in Increasing Ministry Volunteer Resiliency and Retention at Groundwire" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7733.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7733
Abstract
This project examined the efficacy of biblically informed, trauma-aware, peer-to-peer spiritual care systems within the solely digital ministry context of Groundwire. The study addressed the growing need for effective pastoral care in digitally mediated environments, where formation and fragmentation occur simultaneously and traditional leadership structures are often absent. The purpose was to design, implement, and evaluate a protocol that could cultivate the core concepts of resilience, intentionality, and wisdom among participants, reinforcing both practical resilience and retention. An action-oriented, primarily qualitative methodology was utilized. The final sample population consisted of eleven Groundwire participants engaged in peer-to-peer care on Discord, with comparative metrics drawn from ECHO. Data collection included narrative accounts, surveys, and thematic analysis of participant interactions. Scripture, prayer and worship, and community engagement were intentionally employed as the primary tools of formation, ensuring that spiritual care was both biblically grounded and experientially accessible. The intervention was implemented within Groundwire’s ministry ecosystem, and results demonstrated that when trauma-informed awareness, narrative listening, and mission-anchored presence were integrated with these tools, participants reported deeper trust, sustained engagement, and measurable growth in the identified core concepts. Summative findings indicate that the research protocol proved efficacious in strengthening the quality and sustainability of peer-to-peer spiritual care in the identified context. Moreover, the principles validated herein are transferable to other digital ministries. This project contributes to the broader field of digital ministry by offering a replicable framework that integrates theological reflection, clinical insight, and systems analysis, equipping ministries to engage meaningfully in digital spaces.
