Pastoring in the Digital Parish
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
The digital parish from TikTok to Discord with Bethany Peerbolte
Let’s get to know the Rev. Bethany Peerbolte and hear how it started and how it’s going in her online ministry, called “Our Tapestry.” Bethany shares how her digital ministry journey started somewhat mistakenly through some viral TikTok videos. She shares stories and practices of building community in digital spaces, increasing online engagement in church, and connecting with people beyond the church.
Bethany is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church, USA. She currently runs the all-online expression of church known as Our Tapestry–which is a plant of the Denver Presbytery. She seeks to support people in “theological deserts” and give everyone access to pastoral care, faith formation, and loving community.
In this episode:
(00:00) Explore digital ministry by learning from experts.
(03:33) TikTok algorithm shows concerning Christian content.
(08:51) Providing pastoral support online.
(10:30) Started small text chain, expanded to Discord.
(15:52) Rethinking church practices in the digital age.
(17:34) Discussing church leadership and financial questions.
(20:21) Intentionally scrolling for viral content, finding storytelling inspiration.
(28:40) Progressive Millennials and Gen Z embrace social justice.
(33:20) Creating safe online space for youth group.
(35:32) Interesting metrics drive impactful discussions and engagement.
(43:21) TikTok offers diverse first-hand perspectives.
(47:08) Stories inform our digital ministry practice, share experiences.
Pastoring in the Digital Parish is a production of Resource UMC. For show notes and more episodes: www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free