A Thought Experiment
Imagine Paul today, planning his missionary strategy. He sits down with Timothy and asks: "How can we make the most disciples, in the most places, with the greatest depth, in the time we have?"
Would Paul reject modern technology? Would he insist on doing things the first-century way? Or would he look at the tools available and ask, "How can we use these for God's kingdom?"
Paul: The Strategic Adopter
We know from Scripture that Paul was incredibly strategic:
- He targeted key cities along major trade routes
- He adapted his approach to different audiences
- He used every resource available (his Roman citizenship, his education, his tentmaking skill)
- He built teams and networks rather than working alone
- He leveraged technology (writing, roads, couriers) maximally
This wasn't worldly pragmatism—it was faithful stewardship. Paul saw everything as a tool that could be sanctified and used for God's purposes.
What Paul Would Love About Disciply
1. Leadership Multiplication
Paul's entire strategy was based on developing leaders who would develop others (2 Timothy 2:2). Disciply's leadership management features would enable him to:
- Track multiple leaders' development simultaneously
- Ensure consistent training across regions
- Identify emerging leaders early
- Stay connected with leaders he couldn't physically visit
2. Distance Discipleship
Paul wrote letters because he couldn't be everywhere. With Disciply, he could:
- Share teaching instantly across all churches
- Stay connected with disciples in real-time
- Monitor spiritual health from afar
- Provide immediate guidance when issues arose
3. Systematic Paths
Paul had clear stages of growth: milk for babies, solid food for the mature (1 Cor 3:2, Heb 5:14). Disciply's pathway features would help him:
- Create consistent discipleship processes
- Track individuals' progress through stages
- Ensure no one falls through the cracks
- Measure effectiveness of different approaches
4. Oversight Without Burden
Paul desperately wanted to know how churches were doing (1 Thess 3:5, Phil 2:19). Disciply would let him:
- See engagement levels without traveling
- Identify problems before they explode
- Celebrate wins he might otherwise miss
- Shepherd more people more effectively
5. Multilingual Reach
Paul valued speaking to people in their own language (1 Cor 14). Disciply's multilingual support would enable:
- Gospel presentation in any tongue
- Resources accessible to all cultures
- Breaking down barriers to understanding
- Truly universal access
"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible." - 1 Corinthians 9:19
Technology as Stewardship
Here's the key insight: Using available technology isn't compromise—it's stewardship.
In Jesus' parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the master condemned the servant who buried his resources rather than investing them. The same principle applies to the tools God has given our generation.
To refuse to use available technology for ministry is like:
- Having a printing press but insisting on hand-copying books
- Having a car but insisting on walking
- Having antibiotics but refusing to use them
- Having electricity but lighting candles
It's not more spiritual—it's less faithful to the stewardship we've been given.
The Real Question
The question isn't: "Is it okay to use technology for discipleship?"
The question is: "How can we use technology most faithfully for discipleship?"
Paul would ask:
- Does it help us make more disciples?
- Does it strengthen relationships or replace them?
- Does it multiply leaders?
- Does it maintain theological integrity?
- Does it honor God and serve people?
If the answer is yes, Paul would use it without hesitation.
Our Responsibility
We've been given tools Paul never dreamed of. With them comes responsibility:
- To steward them wisely
- To use them for God's glory, not our own
- To prioritize people over platforms
- To stay dependent on the Holy Spirit
- To maximize kingdom impact
Tools like Disciply aren't distractions from "real ministry"—they're enablers of it. They're our generation's scribes, couriers, and roads. They're the tools God has given us to fulfill the Great Commission.
The Choice
Paul used every tool available to him. Will we do the same?
When we stand before God, will He commend us for faithfully stewarding the resources He gave? Or will He find that we buried our talents, refusing to use the very tools that could have multiplied our impact?
Technology isn't the enemy of discipleship—it's a tool for it. The question is: will we use it?