| Summary: | The opening decade of the 21st century has seen a marked expansion in the influence of
digital technology on virtually all fields of human endeavour. Nowhere else is the vitality of
this new digital world more apparent than in its influence on human communication and
social interaction – a reality lucidly reflected in the rise of so-called digital social networks over
the last decade. Known to many in the form of popular Internet based services like the social
media platforms Facebook and Twitter, these social networks typically allow individuals to
construct a public profile, articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection,
and then interact with those connections.
Since the internet has always been a natural place for those of faith to take their questions
and practices, it comes as no surprise that social media is increasingly being adopted as a
ministry tool in churches all over the world. The primary objective of these social media
initiatives is simple: advancing the case of the local church by promoting a sense of community
between believers – in other words, to foster koinonia. The term koinonia, denoting the ideas
of communion, participation, fellowship and sharing, is a rich concept used to describe the
deep sense of community encountered in the New Testament church. Yet, while fostering
koinonia is a primary goal of social media use in congregational settings, it is still unclear
whether the theoretical expectations we have of this brand new communicational tool will be
met in practice over the long term. This leaves a central question: Can the use of digital social
networks in a church context help foster true koinonia – especially in urban congregations,
where the impact of lifestyle pressures on relationships is often more pronounced?
Answering this question requires, firstly, a biblically correct picture of the characteristics of
true koinonia, which must be understood against the backdrop of the Trinitarian nature of
God, while also drawing from related references in the Old Testament, as well as Lukan,
Johannine, Pauline, and other sources. These sources reveal koinonia as a concept with a deep
relational focus, revolving around elements of unity, sharing, caring, and witnessing. Secondly,
it is necessary to properly define the idea of a social network, and to demonstrate how these
networks have been used in practice in the urban congregational environment.
With this understanding of koinonia and a robust definition of social media as a foundation, a
basic qualitative study is undertaken on three campuses of Hillsong Church, in Cape Town,
New York, and Sydney, respectively. Semi-structured interviews reveal a high degree of
interconnection between congregants across the campuses, and indicate that church
members communicate with each other frequently through social media channels. Despite an
awareness of the limitations inherent in computer-based interaction, congregants indicate
that social media use has a positive impact on their relationships, contributing to a greater
sense of unity. Moreover, church members reveal that they use social media as a platform for
encouragement and witness, and indicate that online participation helps them overcome
practical relational challenges associated with city life. Nevertheless, few participants consider
the exclusion of those without Internet access, or the impact of constant connectivity on their
lives.
Based on this information, it is possible to develop a new praxis that is more closely aligned to
the biblical ideal of koinonia. The effective management of computer-mediated relationships
is paramount, while practical aspects related to dealing with addictive online behaviour also
need to be considered. Connections between individuals and the larger communities around
them are also of import, including the way that church members express their care for one
another by sharing encouraging content online. The practice of using social media platforms to
witness to others also comes to the fore, and strategies for dealing with the so-called digital
divide are considered. In summary, digital social networks appear to provide the church with a
unique opportunity to foster true koinonia, despite the limitations of computer-mediated
communication. === PhD (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015
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