Reaching people where life is increasingly lived

Facilitator: Matthias K. Boehning, EEA Operations Manager 

Across Europe, mission is entering new spaces. Social media, gaming communities, online relationships and artificial intelligence are not simply communication tools anymore — they are environments in which millions of Europeans spend significant parts of their lives, form relationships, explore identity and ask questions about meaning and faith.

Digital Missions invites us to explore what faithful Christian presence and evangelism can look like in these emerging mission fields. Across three linked Hope Labs, we will move from understanding the changing digital landscape, through real examples of innovative digital mission, towards practical strategies that churches, Evangelical Alliances and mission organisations can develop together.

Hope Lab 1: New mission fields — going where people are

Expert Contributor: Daniel Schoenke, Co-Lead Unit Digital | Lead Team Gaming at Allianz Mission e. V. (Germany)

What does mission look like in the places where gamers already meet, play and build friendships? Drawing on work by Allianz-Mission and Main Quest Ministries, we will explore how Christian gamers connect their faith with their passion for gaming, build trust within gaming communities and create space for others to encounter God’s love. We will also ask how churches can support this work and move beyond misunderstandings about gaming.

Hope Lab 2: Christian influencers — from audience to relationship

Expert Contributor: Deborah van der Bij, Christian content creator with 267k subscribers on YouTube and 78k followers on Instagram (Netherlands)

Social media has created a new generation of Christian communicators who reach people far beyond church structures. We will explore authenticity, storytelling, algorithms, personal witness and the opportunities — and pressures — that come with becoming a recognisable Christian voice online.

Hope Lab 3: AI and the future of digital mission

Expert Contributor: Chris Goswami, Former Vice President of Communications at a Silicon Valley tech company and Founder of the AI Christian Partnership (UK)

Artificial intelligence opens remarkable possibilities for multilingual evangelism, translation, content creation, research, accessibility and engagement. At the same time, it raises profound questions about truth, authenticity, privacy, human relationships and spiritual formation. We will explore how AI can serve rather than replace human mission, drawing on practical Christian principles of transparency, accountability, human dignity, privacy and discernment.

Throughout the Lab, participants will encounter real examples, practitioners and emerging models, while working together on a bigger question: How can the Evangelical movement in Europe move from simply using digital tools to intentionally entering digital spaces as mission fields?

For leaders of churches, Evangelical Alliances, mission organisations, digital ministries and networks · Three linked 90-minute sessions