It was a headline with all the right stuff: Need for Online Missionaries Rises as Web Outreach Booms
It exuded tremendous passion for the Great Commission.
It sizzled with the energy of global media.
It reflected an urgent need.
Another article reported on a study that says online evangelism is producing real disciples for Christ.
One thing is for sure.
Online spiritual seekers are flocking to the ‘electronic’ front door of the church in unprecedented numbers.
Here are twenty-five reasons why today is a good day to consider using digital media to share the good news of Jesus.
1. Two million people go online every day to seek help with spiritual issues like loneliness, addictions, suicide, abuse, divorce, hopelessness. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37)
2. God has created a network to reach these searching hearts pleading for someone to, “Please tell me about Jesus.” “By all possible means, I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)
3. Technology makes it possible to travel anywhere in the world without ever leaving home, even to the 64 countries, or about one-third of all nations, with “high or very high restrictions on religion.” (2009 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life) “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)
4. You have a love for the lost and have always wanted to become more active in personal evangelism.
5. You don’t have to leave your job, take a vacation, go to seminary or raise thousands of dollars to share the Bible, pray, or conduct personal ministry with real people.
6. Any Christian with an Internet connection can do it — students, teachers, stay at home moms, pastors, business executives, farmers, doctors, soldiers.
7. Training is not difficult and can be done online from home on your own schedule.
8. You don’t have to know who is open to the gospel. Discipleship websites such as GodLife and Jesus.net share the basics of Christian growth, in multiple languages and then these new believers and seekers come to you ready to take the next step.
9. The ministry is personal and can go “very deep,” as evidenced by this actual response:
Hi. How are you? I just feel like sharing. Please don’t stop communicating with me. I don’t feel loved. Do you think God will help me? Hope, Zambia
10. You don’t have to be an expert in evangelism. You will have access to outstanding resources to help you respond like Bible Questions Answered.
11. You will guide new believers into doing online Bible studies individually or encourage them to join a weekly online small group Bible study. When possible you will get them connected to other Christians and local churches.
12. You will pray for those who are struggling and others who haven’t yet learned how to pray.
13. In your lifetime you would never be able to physically impact the amount of people you can reach online. (submitted by Amanda Sims from LifeChurch.tv)
14. You will join a community of workers doing online ministry from all over the U.S. and world…exchange online evangelism techniques, share stories of God at work and pray for one another.
15. You will be encouraged by personal testimonies from fellow online workers:
One thing I’ve learned about life as an online missionary, it can be kinda lonely in a sense. We send out emails and often don’t hear back. But today, I received this from Zulu, who I’ve corresponded with a few times:
I enjoy msges from GodLife sent to me. I can now testify how wonderful is God. A prayer request about my marriage i sent to you. I’ve been praying & things are happening, my marriage is founded on love. Me & my spouse are understanding & respecting each other. I pray to God that soon we will be going to church together. Thank you Keith & Godlife for praying with me. I can see God’s compassion on me. He is my ever present helper.
Her last two phrases really impacted and spoke to me. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! -Keith
16. It’s a way to balance out recreational uses of technology with redemptive ones.
17. It’s safe! No one sees your e-mail address and no one can send you spam. It only takes a few minutes a day to respond to an email inquiry.
18. It’s one of the most cost effective evangelism approaches ever developed. It will enable you to help churches that have been forced to reduce giving to missions and missionaries due to the current economic crisis. (See the Barna Group report.)
19. You will deepen your own understanding of foundational truths and strengthen your confidence for talking about your faith with others.
20. The world is increasingly online and you believe the future of ministry must include some form of digital missions to stay relevant.
21. You could be the catalyst for getting an online missions program started in your church.
22. Your pulse quickens at the idea of partnering with media ministries using cutting-edge technology to share the gospel worldwide through video, text, mobile phones and in multiple languages.
23. It concerns you to know that if Christians aren’t online to answer the questions of spiritual seekers and to tell them about Jesus, they are vulnerable to false teachings and other destructive forces.
24. The digital “Roman road” has been built and will soon connect everyone on earth, making it conceivable that you are in the generation that will complete the Great Commission.
25. The Matthew 28 mandate, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,” doesn’t leave anyone out.
All nations must certainly include the nations and people that can be reached online.
Also, consider adding Internet Evangelism Day to your calendar and promoting it to your church. It will be held June 1, 2014. The Internet Evangelism Day website shares numerous ideas for anyone interested in Internet Evangelism. Internet Evangelism Day can be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Paper.li.
Internet evangelism doesn’t replace other methods of sharing the gospel. But, let me assure you of four things as you pray and consider online missions. (1) If you have a heart for the Lord and use the Internet, you can be an online missionary. (2) You will touch real lives. (3) The Spirit will help you respond. (4) God will bless you.