Is Digital Ministry the Church’s New Narthex? A Conversation with Rev. Joseph Wolyniak

What does it mean for the church to show up faithfully in a digital world? In this conversation, Pastor Nate Preisinger sits down with Pastor Joseph Wolyniak to talk about the Narthex Project — a Lilly-funded initiative helping churches rethink digital ministry in a post-Christian age. Together they explore storytelling, online faithfulness, loving enemies in comment sections, and how the gospel speaks to deep human woundedness.

This isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about sharing hope in a noisy world.

What You’ll Learn:

Why digital ministry is a bridge, not the destination

How storytelling reflects the heart of Jesus’ ministry

What it means to choose faithfulness over visible results

Why “love your enemies” matters online

How everyday Christians can practice digital evangelism

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction to the Narthex Project

2:00 Why churches had to pivot online

4:30 Who are the “nones” and the spiritual-but-not-religious?

10:00 Faithfulness vs. measurable success

12:00 Is the church just playing the algorithm game?

16:00 Digital evangelism and digital tithing

21:00 Building church for people who aren’t here yet

26:00 Jesus as storyteller

31:00 Reintroducing people to Jesus

34:30 Trauma, original sin, and healing

37:30 Loving enemies in a digital world

44:00 Marching toward, not against

If this conversation encourages you, like this video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who’s wrestling with faith in a digital world. Your engagement helps more people encounter hope.

Connect with Bethany:

📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO

🌐 Learn more: https://www.bethany-denver.org