Date

5-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

Dr. Ramon Moran

Keywords

asynchronous, online learning, digital discipleship, digital reformation, hybrid church, online church, theology, apologetics, theologetics, gospel literacy

Disciplines

Practical Theology | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

The world is currently living through a digital reformation. The advent of the smartphone has forever changed the way people share information and communicate. In the same way that the technological advancement of Gutenberg's printing press fueled the Protestant Reformation, the widespread rapid adoption of the smartphone has begun a digital reformation. Just as academia has proven education can be accomplished online, so too can the local church adopt online teaching strategies. Teaching has always been foundational to formation in the faith. Now, in the era of digital reformation, the local church can take full advantage of tools like asynchronous online learning, formerly reserved for more academic settings. In this research, an eight-week course combining theology and apologetic defense of the gospel was created and deployed in Catalyst Community Church of Wilmington, Delaware to explore the use of online asynchronous learning in a local church setting. Two significant findings of this research were: (1) previous exposure to online learning had little predictive effect on the engagement and achievements of church participants, and (2) the reading material selected for teaching in a local church setting must be considered and selected carefully. The findings bode well not only for the future use of asynchronous teaching in Catalyst Community Church, but also offer helpful insights for other ministry settings seeking to navigate the new world of digital disciple-making.

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