Members of LHM’s Digital Conversation Team (DCT) are helping those facing difficult life issues or asking spiritual questions. The DCT is currently enlisting caring individuals who can spare a few hours each week to serve others online. The initial goal is to have 60 trained DCT volunteers answering people’s questions online.
Individuals may first encounter the idea of serving others online as a DCT member when they take the Digital Conversation Pledge found at www.lhm.org/pledge. In fact, the pledge is a good prelude to joining the DCT. Those pledging say that “I recognize that how I use my digital voice matters. I want to use my unique voice in a way that pleases God, lifts others up, and makes a real difference in this world.”
After taking the pledge, participants will receive a daily email for seven days. “After that, I’ll drop them a personal e-mail introducing them to the mission of the DCT,” said Rachel Legouté, manager of digital development for LHM. “They’re invited to fill out an application for the DCT if they so choose. We have had good luck in finding DCT members this way.”
Serving on the DCT takes some key ingredients: sensitivity, empathy, and good communication skills. Legouté said, “Great DCT members love talking to people, even those they’ve never met. They enjoy helping people who are experiencing troubles in their world, and they really love connecting with those who are asking big questions about life and faith. They also don’t mind taking a little extra time each week to answer a post sent to them from THRED or other online forums.”
Here’s an online exchange that shows a DCT member responding to a comment on THRED. The user writes, “It’s hard for me to make tough decisions about where God is calling me. I’m seeking guidance from my pastor at this time and praying for God’s will to be done.”
The DCT member replied, “I have been where you are, and sometimes it is difficult to know which direction God is calling us to. What I do sometimes, especially when I’m really frustrated, is to surrender the situation to God completely … where you literally ask God to take the situation from you. You become ‘okay’ with whatever the outcome will be, and know that whatever happens, God is in control. His decisions for us are always in our best interest.”
To become a DCT member, take the Digital Conversation Pledge at www.lhm.org/pledge.