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Post by melinky on Oct 30, 2004 16:51:08 GMT -5
Do you think it's possible to bring a non-believer, or doubting-believer to Christ through the web?
What do you suppose God thinks about the internet?
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Post by TheArchDuke on Nov 8, 2004 0:04:20 GMT -5
Do you think it's possible to bring a non-believer, or doubting-believer to Christ through the web? What do you suppose God thinks about the internet? i once witnessed to a friend of mine named Anna over Instant messenger and she became a christian. for months she grew and grew and even went on some mission trips. i've never met her in person but she doesn't live very far away. unfortunately it is hard to keep track of people over the internet and i haven't talked to her in almost a year and a half. keep her in your prayers. |
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Post by Soulfyre on Nov 9, 2004 11:23:06 GMT -5
Do you think it's possible to bring a non-believer, or doubting-believer to Christ through the web? What do you suppose God thinks about the internet? Excellent, thoughtful questions, Melinda! Although one could look at the internet for its dangerous anonymity, and its potential effect of encouraging people to live in a partly real, partly "mythical" cyber reality, to the exclusion of having personal interaction. Certainly this is a concern, for we shouldn't use our computers to distance us from people and effective personal ministry. But in other ways, the computer can be a great blessing. We have, at our fingertips, access to information and people at speeds unheard of in generations previous. Just in this forum, I can interact with Christian brothers and sisters all over the globe. Questions can be discussed, views can be debated, we can learn from one another, exhort one another, encourage one another, and pray for one another. And to some who may visit, this may be the most real and honest interaction they have had one-on-one with Christians. Now as to whether people can be saved...well, salvation is God's domain. We can plant seeds, and water them, and feed them, and see that they have light...but it is God who gives the increase. It is our concern...even our duty...to proclaim the gospel and preach the word, in season and out of season, instructing with great patience. If we do this prayerfully, we are being obedient, and God will bless our simple efforts with his mighty work. So yes, I believe God can use even this venue as instrumental to effect his calling, and I hope we all pray to that effect. God bless and keep you and yours, Matthew  |
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Post by jweyman on Nov 11, 2004 10:11:33 GMT -5
I find it difficult to do more than maintain a consistant testimony online. I've tried sharing my faith online, but everyone seems to have defenses up once they plug in, so to speak. Then again, we profess to know the truth. Because of this, we 'hardened' to opposing messages. I would expect that it's the same for a non-believer as well. The internet just seems to heighten that defense, for whatever reason.
As far as encouragement goes, that is limited as well. We can give reccomended reading, biblical advice, and friendly encouragement... but nothing seems to be as effective as real human contact. I would also guess that the lack of accountability factors in here too. It's much easier for people to lie or avoid topics when you're typing instead of talking. So, while being a useful tool, the 'net can't compete with live fellowship.
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Post by melinky on Nov 11, 2004 11:02:45 GMT -5
One thing that can be said in favor of the online community is that it's easy to anonymously seek information about Christianity. On the other hand, the bad thing about the online community is that it's easy to anonymously seek information about Christianity. There is a lot of strange stuff out there.  Melinda |
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Post by Soulfyre on Nov 11, 2004 22:46:28 GMT -5
I find it difficult to do more than maintain a consistant testimony online. I've tried sharing my faith online, but everyone seems to have defenses up once they plug in, so to speak. Then again, we profess to know the truth. Because of this, we 'hardened' to opposing messages. I would expect that it's the same for a non-believer as well. The internet just seems to heighten that defense, for whatever reason. It can both heighten defenses and lower defenses. As a medium of communication to which more people are becoming accustomed (many people now communicate with distant friends, relatives, and business acquaintances through e-mail and occaisionally IM. The internet is beginning to be used for multiple purchase activities, from auctions to access to retail stores and pharmacies. And for good or for ill. people are used to varying degrees of intimacy in online chatrooms. So it would be difficult to assess with any across the board accuracy someone's heightened defenses. I find that I react to people personally, whether face to face or keyboard to keyboard. The depth, extent, and accuracy of communicationi depends somewhat on establishing a reasonably trusting arragement. And that is generally accomplished in the same way it would be done face to face...the extended conversations about various topics, questioning and answering, and learning sufficiently about one another to make an initial, if tentative, assessment of integrity, honesty, and shared values. The fact that this is accomplished online means that I work without vocal, and tactile cues. But in a culture no longer used to writing, I think the ability to use writing to relate to one another is again growing. As far as encouragement goes, that is limited as well. We can give reccomended reading, biblical advice, and friendly encouragement... but nothing seems to be as effective as real human contact. I would also guess that the lack of accountability factors in here too. It's much easier for people to lie or avoid topics when you're typing instead of talking. So, while being a useful tool, the 'net can't compete with live fellowship. Paul, in the New Testament, spent a great deal of time sending letters through trusted friends in the ministry to various Christian communities withiin which he had ministered, or to whom he hoped to ministry. In them he taught, persuaded, admonished, rebuked, and encouraged. All in the "person" of a printed page. In fact much of the Jews relationship to God at the time of Jesus was through the "printed" scrolls of the tanakh (the torah, nabiim, and kethubim--or law, prophets and writings). Both Judaism and Christianity are very much faiths for whom the written word is foundational to life and doctrine. The drawback to such written communication was always the absence of the person in the physical sense (although no less a person than the Holy Spirit commends the Holy Scriptures to our hearts and minds). Aside from the immediate context of accountability in the community of Christ, the scriptures lack immediate accountability. While we might argue that in reality, no accountability could be more immediate and present than that of the Holy Sprit, our own proneness to sinful behavior would seem to indicate that, to our own shame, we treat accountability before God in a different way than accountability to family, friends, or secular authorities. Written communication--letters, e-mails, forums--will never take the place of the immediate Christian community. But they are important, nonetheless. People can lie in person with the same facility that they can lie in writing. But one has more time to consider words read rather than spoken. One can take a time to sift the meaning, compose a response, organize and argument or rebuttal, or carefully choose the words that can provide encouragement or consolation. In a fallen world, all forms of communication have their deceits. But our God, who was not silent, spoke into a fallen world through his Son, and has continued to speak to our hearts by the Holy Spirit and his written word. While our written words are feeble in comparison, they carry the thoughts of our hearts and minds. Forums can give the opportunity for many of the members of the Body of Christ, who might not otherwise meet each other this side of glory, the opportunity to share together and build one another up. It can provide us the opportunity to speak to friends around the world, otherwise isolated from us, with a a sense of intimacy and immediacy never before possible with written communication. All in all, the validity of any forum...the power of any forum...rests in our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives in and through us, and our willing surrender to his will. God bless, Matthew (soulfyre) |
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Post by Kenny on Nov 20, 2004 22:54:12 GMT -5
Do you think it's possible to bring a non-believer, or doubting-believer to Christ through the web? What do you suppose God thinks about the internet? Done it once personally, and probably have planted many seeds over the web. My website is geared towards non believers and doubting believers, and stuck-on-a-question non believers...lol I love what I do. |
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Post by Soulfyre on Nov 20, 2004 23:19:27 GMT -5
Kenny's website is a good example of a site with an outreach. Many young people are technically savvy, web-aware, and more easily reached by a person behind a computer wielding a keyboard than a man behind a pulpit preaching a sermon. Our churches need to be more aware of the outreach and teaching capabilities of the internet to reach and increasingly post-modern culture (IMHO). God bless, Matthew (soulfyre) |
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Post by rgrove on Dec 23, 2004 21:48:18 GMT -5
Do you think it's possible to bring a non-believer, or doubting-believer to Christ through the web? Yes. The life changing resurrection power of the Holy Spirit can strike using any and all means to draw sinners to Himself. Internet included. Human contact is still optimal, though. God created man a social being so it's MUCH more effective to be able to model Christ for the unbeliever in person and bring them into the Christian community in real life. The Internet will never replace missionary endeavors and regular Christians reaching out to those in their immediate communities. He brought it into existence as with everything else that exists to His glory and our benefit. The postmill in me believes it's just another method God is actively using to continually reconcile this lost world unto himself. Like so many things in life the Internet is inherently a good thing. It's abused by sinners just as we manage to abuse so many other things that were intended for His glory and our benefit. But that shouldn't prevent us from using it as it was intended. In Christ, Ron |
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Post by Soulfyre on Dec 24, 2004 3:03:48 GMT -5
Yes. The life changing resurrection power of the Holy Spirit can strike using any and all means to draw sinners to Himself. Internet included. Human contact is still optimal, though. God created man a social being so it's MUCH more effective to be able to model Christ for the unbeliever in person and bring them into the Christian community in real life. The Internet will never replace missionary endeavors and regular Christians reaching out to those in their immediate communities.... In Christ, Ron Thank you for making what I believe is an important point. Tools are effective if used properly (and, of course, all tools that God uses, He, by definition, uses properly). But the church, the community of the King, is God's chosen vehicle through which we we learn, share together, encourage one another, exhort one another to faith and good works, weep and rejoice with one another, and love one another. God created the human community for a reason. Far too often our "spirituality" is allowed to become a mental exercise, a worship that turns inward, a fully self-centered experience. This is why the Christian community, and our worship as a community, is so important. A virtual "community", however lively, will not replace the church. A virtual community may serve an important role in other ways, however. It can be a God-send to those who have little access to a local Christian community--especially to shut-ins. It may also serve as a way in which people may safely share their questions and concerns in a somewhat anonymous way. I say this to the shame of Christian congregations whose self-righteous piety and "grapevine" of gossip (in the guise of prayer groups) turn away people who desperately need the healing and forgiveness of God, but fear baring their soul to a Christian friend, lest they see a condemning look or are asked intrusive questions from someone in the check out stand at their grocery store whom they barely know, who heard the intimate details through the "tell-a-Christian" line (you know--telegraph, telephone, "tell-a-Christian"). But this does not diminish the fact that it is God's intention that the church be the primary source of this help, healing, and restoration. Parachurch groups, televised church services, and online ministries may be bridemaids, but are NOT the Bride. God bless you and yours, Matthew (soulfyre) |
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Post by melinky on Dec 24, 2004 11:36:01 GMT -5
Thank you for making what I believe is an important point. Tools are effective if used properly (and, of course, all tools that God uses, He, by definition, uses properly). But the church, the community of the King, is God's chosen vehicle through which we we learn, share together, encourage one another, exhort one another to faith and good works, weep and rejoice with one another, and love one another. God created the human community for a reason. Far too often our "spirituality" is allowed to become a mental exercise, a worship that turns inward, a fully self-centered experience. This is why the Christian community, and our worship as a community, is so important. A virtual "community", however lively, will not replace the church. A virtual community may serve an important role in other ways, however. It can be a God-send to those who have little access to a local Christian community--especially to shut-ins. It may also serve as a way in which people may safely share their questions and concerns in a somewhat anonymous way. I say this to the shame of Christian congregations whose self-righteous piety and "grapevine" of gossip (in the guise of prayer groups) turn away people who desperately need the healing and forgiveness of God, but fear baring their soul to a Christian friend, lest they see a condemning look or are asked intrusive questions from someone in the check out stand at their grocery store whom they barely know, who heard the intimate details through the "tell-a-Christian" line (you know--telegraph, telephone, "tell-a-Christian"). But this does not diminish the fact that it is God's intention that the church be the primary source of this help, healing, and restoration. Parachurch groups, televised church services, and online ministries may be bridemaids, but are NOT the Bride. God bless you and yours, Matthew (soulfyre) I'd like to think of cyber-ministries as a good possible first step for a wary non-believer to start. If he/she finds true caring, sharing and real Christian ethics in an online community, he/she might begin to desire a more personal sense of commmunity in the form of a church. I have to say that this community has been a God-send to me. I know that I can safely discuss anything here and be treated with respect and care while recieving very diverse replies to my questions. I also feel that this community is an extension of my church family. Melinda |
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Post by Soulfyre on Dec 24, 2004 15:31:26 GMT -5
I'd like to think of cyber-ministries as a good possible first step for a wary non-believer to start. If he/she finds true caring, sharing and real Christian ethics in an online community, he/she might begin to desire a more personal sense of commmunity in the form of a church. I have to say that this community has been a God-send to me. I know that I can safely discuss anything here and be treated with respect and care while recieving very diverse replies to my questions. I also feel that this community is an extension of my church family. Melinda I pray that we continue to be so, Melinda. I truly wish I could meet each one of you, for your participation has meant so very much to me. But I pray that this forum will encourage all who participate to share their giftedness with a local church, as God's chosen community of love and support. For it is the church that God has chosen to be the vehicle of the truth of the gospel of His Son Jesus Christ, as we share with one another and with the world the Living Word and very words of our Lord. Far before the United States Army, the church was commissioned to take the message of Jesus' atoning death and our justification, redemption, and restoration, that, being believed, truly allows the believer to "be all that [he or she] can be." God bless and keep you all, Matthew (soulfyre) |
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Juan
Catechumen
Keep it pithy!
Posts: 16
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Post by Juan on Dec 25, 2004 18:49:57 GMT -5
I remember when I first became a Christian and I started bringing in my beliefs into my regular on line dealings. I've always been a tech geek, and so I was very social on the net.
After I had been Christian a year, I started, not realizing it, counseling a great deal of junior highers on-line. They wanted a rush of meeting someone online, and I was around. Most of them were suicidal, and I was able to help them appreciate life a little bit.
That was a successful ministry. And it didn't take me any formal training. God used me where I was at-- online.
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Post by Soulfyre on Dec 26, 2004 3:22:29 GMT -5
Good point! And great to see you post again, Juan! God bless and keep you, brother... Matthew (soulfyre) |
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