When technology is a blessing

Dillon Mares was weighed down by guilt. Baptized as a teenager, Dillon had drifted away from attending church. Now in his late 20s, he had a busy social life and successful career, but he couldn’t help feeling that something was missing. In May 2024, he searched for help online and submitted a form that popped up that offered to connect him with a local church.

Phil Bischoff, staff minister of outreach and youth ministry at CrossWalk, Phoenix/Laveen, Ariz., received a notification that a new contact had come in. He opened Dillon’s form and read, “I want to draw closer to God. I’m still trying to grasp the idea of receiving grace even after all the sins I’ve committed and I’m tired of the spiritual stress I’ve been going through. I want to get to know God and His Word more.”

CrossWalk during his “Christian Essentials” church membership class. Dillon Mares in white shirt with a black crossover bag — Dillon Mares (back row, third from the left, and also right) with other classmates and leaders at CrossWalk during his “Christian Essentials” church membership class.

Bischoff responded with a welcoming message and an invitation to connect on the phone or at church. The two met, and Dillon began attending services at CrossWalk in Midtown Phoenix. In August, Dillon took a membership class there known as “Christian Essentials.” In September, he became a member.

“I’m so glad I found CrossWalk,” Dillon told Bischoff when they connected for coffee soon after he joined. “I feel God’s love here. I feel God’s grace here. . . . So many of my friends don’t know the love of God, and I wish they would.”

The next evening Dillon was killed in a hit-and-run car accident.

Bischoff was asked to speak at his funeral, during which he shared the gospel message that he’d also shared with Dillon. A message that he may not have been able to share if CrossWalk hadn’t begun using a technology solution that connects people like Dillon who are searching for answers and for help to local churches.

This modern method of outreach fits well with CrossWalk’s overall outreach strategy, which Bischoff summarizes as meeting people where they are at and then walking beside them and equipping members to reach out where they are every day. This method of outreach also works well because CrossWalk has a strong group of ministries that serve the hurting such as a recovery ministry, a grief support group, care for those going through divorce, and more. These are often issues for which people reach out for help through the online form.

“I think we often hear about the evils of technology, and lots of evils can be done through it,” says Bischoff. “But it was because of technology that we got connected to Dillon. So praise God for that! There is good that comes from technology.”

WELS AI Summit

Thirty WELS members met at Divine Savior, Doral, Fla., from Feb. 21–23, to discuss the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and the church. Pastors, teachers, staff ministers, missionaries, employees at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry, and lay members learned more about AI and its current and potential future impact on WELS ministry. Attendees discussed ethical as well as practical issues. WELS Technology spearheaded the event and is working to provide resources that can help ministries across the synod as this technology continues to develop.

Thirty WELS members met at Divine Savior, Doral, Fla., a large group of men and women posing for a photo