There are two ways to think of a digital missioner –
what she does (function),
and what applications her work can have (scope).  
Let’s talk Scope, first.

Scope of a Digital Missioner

The Scope of a Digital Missioner is two-fold and cyclical. Think the yin-yang symbol. The  yin flows into the yang, and the yang into the yin, and within the center of each one is a teeny bit of the other. Right? Right. Okay.

Yin: Pastoral Care. The scope of work includes pastoral care of parishioners and members of community.

Yang: Evangelism-Formation-Mission. The yang is a little more complex – it’s another constantly shifting cycle. Reaching new people, forming the people we have, equipping people for mission in the world. The work of a Digital Missioner applies here, too.

Functions of a Digital Missioner

The Functions of a Digital Missioner are four-fold and constant, like the four main points of a compass rose.

Early Adopter. The Digital Missioner is the early adopter of new technology, platforms, paradigms and systems. Not only does she adopt them early, she provides analysis and recommendations. She is the early warning system for new, useful innovation and keeps the Church on her toes, instead of decades behind. (If not centuries. Let’s not be centuries behind anymore, shall we?)

Leadership Formation. The Digital Missioner is here provide leadership formation, teaching and mentoring so that clergy and lay leaders can easily and seamlessly integrate useful innovation into their pastoral care, evangelism, formation and mission activities.

Content Creation & Development. The Digital Missioner provides original content – copy – as well as edited and redacted content for the variety of platforms – eBooks, Apps, sites and more.

Architecture Creation & Development. The Digital Missioner creates original architecture and works with others to develop a community’s vision of the needed innovation – the App itself, the eBook, the site itself, and not simply the content within it.