Impact of Digital Evangelism Continues to Grow in the Bay Area

Digital communication has become one of the most effective ways of reaching an audience, and this includes an audience looking for God. In today’s society, digital evangelism is becoming central to spreading the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s message. San Francisco, in California, United States, is currently at the heart of Central California Conference’s digital evangelism campaign, and the impacts are becoming clear.

San Francisco is a diverse community that is difficult to reach through many traditional methods of outreach. More than 40 percent of the residents speak a language other than English, and some of these languages include Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Russian, and Korean. The language barriers, cultural differences, and accessibility issues make it a good place to implement digital evangelism and see its direct impacts. Digital missionaries use social media platforms to connect with each person in their own language, helping God reveal His love to them through these resources.

Mark Ferrell, lead pastor of the San Francisco Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, explained, “It’s challenging to go door-to-door since most homes have gates. Handing out brochures is also tough because people receive so many already. So, we’re always seeking new ways to connect with people.”

People in today’s world are often more interested in their phones than in talking to people face to face, and many people find this frustrating.  However, this societal change can be used in ministry. “There’s an ancient wise saying that states, ‘Don’t curse the darkness, but light a candle,’ ” Ferrell said. “And our church decided to light the candle by reaching out to the people in our community through their digital doors — phones and computers. This is what digital evangelism is all about. Digital evangelism is reaching out to people through their smartphones and through social media.”

Ceejay is one example of the ongoing impact this ministry is having in the Bay Area. Ceejay is a registered nurse in the emergency department, but he was having some problems at his work. “I was just browsing my Facebook page, and a San Francisco Central prayer request ad came up asking, ‘What specifically can we pray for?’ ” He responded by saying he’d like them to pray about the job he had recently begun.

“I started with a conversation about my concern, and I praise the Lord because I’m still currently working at the same hospital,” Ceejay said. Not only has he been able to do well in his new job, but he also began Bible studies and is even attending the local Adventist church. This is less than a month after connecting with the church through digital evangelism.

Michelle Derecho, one of the local missionaries in the digital evangelism campaign, spoke directly to Ceejay in June 2024. She helped connect him with the San Francisco Central church and led him in Bible studies. She did not immediately ask him to start Bible studies or go to church, but started by simply being willing to meet him at the local mall and introduce him to other people who cared. Many people are just looking for a direct connection with another human being who cares, not someone trying to flood them with information.

“I did not tell him about our religion. I did not tell him I wanted to give him Bible studies. We had an online conversation. I asked him about his life, what has happening to him, and he started to share his concerns,” Derecho said. A few days after their online conversation began, Derecho met Ceejay in the Stonestown Mall in San Francisco, along with another one of Derecho’s Bible students. This led to starting Ceejay’s own personal Bible studies, and they are now halfway finished with these studies.

The digital evangelism group in San Francisco now has more than 150 people interested in Bible studies, counseling, and learning more about God. These groups are being reached through social media, which leads to direct contact, friendships, Bible studies, people attending church and becoming members of the Seventh-day Adventist movement. In today’s digital age, the church ministry is reaching far beyond its walls. It is reaching into the lives of people through their computers, their phones, and leading them to Christ through digital evangelism.