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Digital pastor understands the importance of embracing the digital realm while cherishing the essence of in-person connections. Join Joey and Jason in this thought-provoking episode as they unravel the fascinating relationship between digital expressions of the church and their impact on in-person experiences. Discover how these two worlds coexist harmoniously, reaching diverse audiences and creating meaningful connections.

On this episode, Jason and Joey will chat with Mindy Caliguire from SoulCare.com. Today an increasing number of people are looking for communities using digital platforms, and Digital Pastors are on the frontlines meeting and connecting with people from all walks of life. We must pay attention to the health of our souls before going out to help others. 

Mindy is the co-founder and president of Soul Care (www.soulcare.com), a spiritual formation ministry that exists to increase soul health in the Body of Christ. She has served in executive leadership at Gloo (www.gloo.us), and at the Willow Creek Association (WCA). She speaks and advises organizations including Cherith Analytics, Stadia Church Planting, Compassion International, various churches and ministries across the US and beyond. The Soul Care team serves organizations including Christ Church of the Valley, Dallas Theological Seminary, Plum Creek Church, and more. Mindy’s books include Discovering Soul Care and Spiritual Friendship, from InterVarsity Press and STIR from Zondervan/HCC.

As we all navigate through the post-Covid season, churches all over the globe are looking for new ways to reach people for Christ. We are seeing many churches let go of the online ministry in hopes people will just go back into their buildings, but maybe this may not be the best way to reach people and lead them to Christ in today's culture. More than ever, the role of the Digital Pastor in your church is vital to your outreach strategy, but what is the role of the pastor who will utilize digital platforms to do ministry and meet people where they are? On this episode, Joey, Jason, and our special guest Jeff Reed shine some light on how church leaders should look at and deploy a successful digital ministry by hiring the right digital pastor.

About Jeff

In June 2000, Jeff led his first Online Bible Study, taking 75 people around the planet through the book of James using a text-based system called Ultimate BB. He was doing digital ministry way before it was cool. Founding THECHURCH.DIGITAL in 2018, Jeff’s passions have evolved into helping churches (and individuals too!) find their calling through digital discipleship, releasing people on digital mission, and planting multiplying digital churches. This pursuit is realized through DigitalChurch.Network, an organic, decentralized network for digital expressions of church. The DCN vision is achieved by working with the team NewThing Network. Jeff also champions Metaverse Church development as the Director of Metaverse Church NEXT for Leadership Network, and works closely Exponential and other globally facing, multiplication friendly, gospel-centric organizations.

Jeff married his high-school sweetheart, Amy, and has two kids, and a dog. They live in Miami, Florida.

Jay Kranda is the Online Community Pastor at Saddleback Church. Oversees an online community of online groups and home groups around the globe. Co-author of “State of the Online Church” and "Going Beyond Streaming". Graduate of Biola University and Talbot School of Theology. Loves the NBA, cold coffee, and chess. Married to Jody and have 2 boys and 1 girl.

Jason Poling serves as lead pastor for Cornerstone Church in Yuba City, CA. Cornerstone planted its first virtual reality church campus in 2020, making it the first church to exist as a hybrid congregation, existing in both physical and virtual space. Three additional campuses have been planted in VR since then. Jason also helped Cornerstone establish the first biblical counseling center in the Metaverse. Jason received his Master of Divinity at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. He and his wife, Gwen, have three children.  Jason loves helping other pastors inspire their congregations to reach all worlds - including the Metaverse - for Christ!

Dave Adamson, who is known to most people as AussieDave, has been in full-time ministry since 2008.

In 2020, Dave and his family returned to Australia so he could become the Director of Orange Australia and New Zealand. Orange is a church strategy company, best known for its kids and student curriculum used by churches around the world. Dave is the host of the Think Orange Podcast for Family Ministries leaders and is a well-known speaker at events, including Orange Conference.

Dave also leads physical and virtual tours of the Holy Land, researches the 1st-century cultural context of Jesus and Hebrew words for his popular daily Instagram devotions and YouTube channel, and has written three books including 52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know, and the best-seller, MetaChurch: How To Use Digital Ministry to Reach People And Make Disciples.