Christian Internet Apologetics
by Lambert Dolphin, Elaine Stedman, Mike McKenna, and Ted Wise.
Paraclete Forum Team Members
used by special written permission
The Internet has exploded as a world-wide easy-access means of communication crossing every border, nationality, culture, race or religion.
To some, the Internet is an impersonal library of knowledge and information. For many it is fast and easy way to send email to friends, colleagues, and relatives. Others exploit the Internet for business solicitations and advertising. The pornography industry on Internet amounts of many billions of dollars of revenue and enough revenue to drive most of the new Internet technologies-- such as live stream video and instant sexual encounters on demand. Newsgroups, Support Groups and Chat Rooms Abound--on every conceivable subject and for all possible motives. Every group or individual who wants a platform, a soap-box, a place to be heard (whether he or she is sound or a crackpot) can find an audience for the small price of a modem and a monthly connection fee via local ISP.
We wish to discuss none of the above. In the past three years our team has learned from experience that the Internet can be a powerful medium for the communication of the Christian faith. This includes evangelism, apologetics, edification of Christians, comfort, prayer, teaching, encouragement and instruction.
We strongly believe the Internet is not, and will never be, a substitute for the local church. The Body of Christ exists in cities, towns and villages almost everywhere in the world and is ordained by God--without any doubt--as the place where Christians are to gather regularly for fellowship, prayer, teaching and worship-as a family.
Christian "ministry" on Internet can be as simple as making sermons, teachings, Bible studies, study helps and reference material available in what are really public libraries. This requires little or no interaction with the readers and users, but it only the first step.
We all entered Internet Christian service in mid-1995 when we began to make the sermons of the late Ray C. Stedman available on Internet. When all of Ray's readily available sermons were on line, we then added the sermons of our PBC pastors, current and former. We followed with interest the responses in our guest book and we noted with surprise and amazement the daily web logs that told us hundred then thousands of people were reading these sermons per day.
Since then we have moved into full-scale Internet Christian activity-both responding to and initiating email discussions with "strangers" and also writing article and providing additional resources on subjects that are not being currently addressed by many churches.
Our comments are based on our experience and hopefully can be of benefit to others who are getting started in Cyberspace.
Email Guidelines for Christian Internet Apologetics
Here is a check list of some of the factors that make Christian Internet Apologetics or reasoning unique. We try to keep in mind the following:
1. We do not have any visual cues, body language, or background on the person writing, so caution is important and assumptions or pre-judgments useless. We know next to nothing about the other party. Are they old, young, smart, serious or pulling our virtual legs? What are their lives, families, churches and friends like? Face to face clues about the person are missing in cyberspace and it takes a while to learn to read between the lines for a sense of their individuality.
2. As Jesus' representatives we try to keep our focus on what Jesus would have said--and is still saying--in the Bible. Jesus was a very good listener. He put a lot of nervous people at ease.
You may be the first Christian that the email writer has ever written to. Frequently we have just one opportunity to successfully communicate with the person at the other end. Don't forget hospitality. Thank the people who take the time to comment on their beliefs and yours as well. Invite them to read a paper or a book that you think might be helpful or interesting. Provide a link for the sake of easy access. We may not be able to offer a glass of cold water but we can leave a refreshing impression.
3. "A soft answer turns away wrath." If the writer is angry, deliberately go easy and be prepared to change your mind on something you have written where you may need to be corrected. It is amazing how much this helps.
4. Avoid Christian "code" words like saved, justified, fellowship, spirit filled, sanctified, redeemed, etc. They are fine to use with those who are familiar with what they mean, but definitions vary from group to group. Over use of code words has led us to the sad state of affairs of being frequently misunderstood by the very Christians who use them the most. Non-believers don't know what these words mean (see next section). Work diligently to speak to modern man in the language modern man uses. Finding new words may be difficult at first, but English is a tongue and the Holy Spirit will enable you to write about the same eternal unchanging Biblical truths more comprehensibly than code words do.
5. Give the writer every benefit of the doubt and say what ever good things can be honestly said (without flattery). The person writing has found the incentive and taken the time to write. Try to sense their real motive. Pray to understand what is between the lines. Be sensitive to what may be the inner needs of the inquirer when writing back. If you can successfully make friends, they will probably write back and tell you more about what is really bothering them. Everyone wants to be liked, accepted, and valued for who they are and what they have to say. It makes a huge difference to be kind and gracious, avoiding self-righteousness, and opinionated, pompous arrogance, especially when disagreements arise. If you lack discernment or wisdom on an issue perhaps one of your friends can suggest an answer or approach. However, be careful not to betray confidences.
6. "Esteem the other person as better than yourselves." Make an effort to see the other person as ultimately surpassing you in spiritual maturity even if they are still in the process of becoming a believer. Jesus valued us while we were still in our sins. Use what John The Baptist said as an objective, "He must increase, but I must decrease..." (John 3:30). Success should be measured by the growth of those to whom we minister, not our own. An important principle of ministry is that Jesus enters into every Spirit-led conversation to remove death and to impart life:
For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. (2 Cor. 4:6-12)
7. Be confident that God will complete what he has begun in the person. God's grace CAN change everything. As the folks who like to use code words say, "Resurrection power works best in a cemetery." Paul said, "Where sin abounded, there grace abounded all the more..." Is the difficult, angry, argumentative, arrogant person you are "talking" to one of God's elect? Will he or she perhaps come to the Lord years from now because of seeds planted now? What was I like before I became a Christian as seen by others?
A little of your own testimony is powerful truth and can not really be refuted. After all, it happened to you and you can't truthfully tell your story without including the grace of God.
8. Put a little salt in what you are saying. Try something that is slightly provocative and avoid pat, simplistic answers. See if or how the writer responds to a change of subject next time. Often the correspondent will deliberately avoid replying to issues you have raised that they may not want to look at. Gently and lovingly stir up the other person to look at his or her issues in a different light. (See below)
9. As a representative of the Most High God we speak for the King Himself. We do not speak for the church but for a Person who is higher than the church who is God over all. You may be the first real Christian this person has met. Be a trustworthy Ambassador of the Great King. Paul said,
"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy." (1 Cor. 4:1-2).
10. In writing to non-Christians you may have to undo damage that some "church" or well meaning churchy friends have already done to the person. Allow the fragrance of "Authentic Christianity" to flow through you. The person you are writing to may be suffering from the effects of abuse, a dysfunctional family, or chronic health problems. Initially they may not tell you any of this.
11. Bible based theology says that everyone is totally depraved and the human heart is 100% deceitful (Romans 1-3). Grace is new to lost people. Try to determine if the person is open to grace. Nobody wants to hear about how sinful they are and nobody wants to do the right thing. If you see that they are practicing one of the "new" self-improvement philosophies, then minister grace not Law. We serve God under the New Covenant. (Incidentally, the term and the idea of living by the New Covenant is foreign to MOST Christians we meet on the Internet).
12. Most people who write us haven't a clue about what the true "Church" is. The idea of Christ living in people and making them part of His Body is totally foreign to them. Therefore we can leave the subject of the Church out of most discussions because the real issue starts with a personal relationship with Jesus. We need to be all things to all men and meet people where they are. Be careful, avoid sounding like an in-group church person talking to an out-group sinner.
13. In an email exchange it is important to keep copies of previous correspondence handy to refresh your memory. Some people have a remarkable ability to pick up a conversation right were they left off. It takes time to develop a talent like that, but it is a worthwhile skill to cultivate. Even if they do not remember the words you sent them and have forgotten what you have said, avoid repetition in your replies. Because we represent Jesus, do not treat any piece of personal email as unimportant or insignificant.
"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law--though not being myself under the law--that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law--not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ--that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." (1 Cor. 9:16-23)
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