Bridging the gap: Developing an alternative entry point for Christian formation at Church of the Servant United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Church of the Servant United Methodist Church is a large suburban congregation in Northwest Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In spite of remarkable success and growth since its founding in 1968, the congregation still faces challenges in making disciples of Jesus Christ. Particularly, we have seen challenges in connecting worship participants with traditional forms of Christian formation. This is sometimes particularly challenging with younger adults. The overarching purpose of this project was to develop an alternative entry point for Christian formation at Church of the Servant UMC that will reach out to those who have failed to connect to Christian formation through traditional means such as the Sunday school model.;In spite of incredibly rapid growth of social media forms such as Facebook.com, the Church as a whole has failed to integrate opportunities for Christian growth and formation using social media. This project explores the development of an online opportunity to experience Christian formation. Furthermore, it was our hope that this avenue would allow those who have failed to connect with the traditional model to connect for the first time.;Somewhat surprisingly, when comparing this new means of connection during the 2009 season of Lent to our traditional "brick & mortar" classrooms, we saw a distinct difference in peoples experience. In summation, the Facebook virtual classroom provided a means of connection for many people who would not have otherwise connected to formation and relationship. However, the deeper, more sustained relationships developed in the traditional classes seemed to be one of the most meaningful ways that people developed and grew in their faith.;The desired outcome of this project was to bridge the gap from periphery to Christian formation. However, the outcomes tended to suggest that instead of being a bridge from periphery to formation, the virtual classroom served as a bridge from depersonalized participant to personal connection. As a whole, I believe it will be the synergy between virtual and "face-to-face" ministry that will hold the most potential for the future of ministry in an ever-changing world.