Millions are finding Jesus in cyberspace

"And then he [Jesus] told them [his disciples], “You are to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere" Mark 16:15.

Two thousand years ago, when Jesus issued this command to a fledgling Christian church, it might have seemed like a daunting task given the fact that the disciples traveled mostly on foot back then. These early Christians were the foot soldiers responsible for spreading the gospel throughout the then known world that included Asia and Africa. Little could they have envisioned a day when Christians could connect with millions of people in Europe, North and South America, Antarctica and Australia via the Internet with one click. Fast forward to the 21st century where millions of seekers are finding God from the comfort of their PCs, tablet computers and smartphones.

The Internet is giving Christians yet another way to deliver the good news of the gospel to virtual millions through online chatrooms, social networking, webcasts and weblogs. The Internet's ability to reach an audience of millions inspired Campus Crusade for Christ to create an online evangelism start-up in 2004. Its success launched Global Media Outreach (GMO) as a viable tool for evangelism. Since going live, over  50 million people have logged onto GMO's  many websites and made decisions for Christ.

In 2011, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) launched "Peace with God," an online evangelism website. BGEA's trained volunteer online missionaries converse with visitors via a chatroom. Visitors can ask any question, but at some point, the conversation always turns to whether they have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Currently, over 3 million online visitors have logged onto PeacewithGod.net and made decisions to accept Christ. Another popular online evangelism website is "Need Him." Through its radio and TV spots, "Need Him" encourages listeners to call an 800 number to speak with an online counselor about their spiritual concerns. About the reach of online evangelism, a blogger writes:

"Many people in desperate need of the gospel stop in Christian chatrooms, hoping to meet someone who can lead them to God. They think of Christians as experts in how to be saved and how to live a meaningful life. Some of these desperate people know that they are lost. They want someone to help them become Christians, and they say so as they enter the chatrooms." (From ilovejesus.com)

According to GMO's Michelle Diedrich, online evangelism reaches a wider audience today than any other means of spreading the gospel:

"We are the first generation - ever - to hold in our hands the technology to give every person on earth multiple chances to accept Jesus Christ. More people use the Internet than go to church." 

Sharing Jesus with little ones

Diedrich explains, however, that online evangelism is intended to complement, not replace, traditional church programs and services. Q Place president Mary Schaller favors a [more] traditional face-to-face approach to evangelism. She shares her thoughts on the subject:

"The obvious advantages to digital spiritual dialogue are its convenience, flexibility, accessibility and anonymity. Yet our culture is caught in a problematic paradox: Despite the increasing digital interconnectivity, people continue to grow more socially disconnected and lonely because most of the conversation is superficial. Can you have meaningful, life- changing digital conversations and relationships? I believe to a certain extent you can, but they don’t take the place of being in the same room with people."

Facebook is yet another cyber way Christians have found to meet and connect old and new friends to Christ. Facebook is gaining popularity as a place to share scripture, testimonies, church happenings and invite others to evangelistic gatherings. Likewise, weblogs have expanded the reach of the gospel across continents. When I first started writing my blogs, The Gospel to GO and The Gospel to GO: London,  I didn't know whether they would find an audience. To my surprise, using Google Analytics, I discovered that the blogs have a worldwide audience spanning five of the seven continents--- just shows the power of the Internet. Antarctica and Australia, it's time to come onboard.

But where does all this cyber-evangelizing leave the lowly foot soldier of the gospel in the scheme of things? The Bible says that foot soldiers are still valued as the preferred method for communicating the gospel to others:

"And how can anyone tell them without being sent by the Lord? The Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news. Romans 10:15"

Evangelism team at Siloam Baptist Church

Online evangelism will never diminish the local church's role as an evangelizing body of believers. Online converts will always need a physical church to call home where they can practice their new faith, and build relationships. Local churches provide that personal touch, and face-to-face contact that the Internet cannot. The fact is many men and women who have trusted Jesus as their Savior, did so because a friend or a stranger simply took the time to explain the gospel to them. Online evangelism neither eliminates the need nor the responsibility of local churches to engage in vigorous soulwinning efforts in their communities. Siloam Baptist Church in Norristown, PA, USA is an example of  how the local church can embrace the soulwinning aspect of its mission (view slideshow). Every month, members of Siloam's GO!Team take to the streets surrounding the church to engage with the residents and pray for the neighborhood.

Ultimately, the gospel's power does not depend on a particular methodology but rather on its relational ---God2man2man ---connection. Whether that connection is communicated over Internet or over a backyard fence, this is the penultimate message that Christians have to share with the world.

"And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14"

MISSION POSSIBLE

Stone carving at the Hermitage in the Bahamas

When I became a born again Christian, the first thing I wanted to do was to tell everybody about Jesus and how He saved my life. The urge to tell somebody is a natural response after being touched by the divine presence of God. Every person Jesus touched, healed or delivered in the Bible, was gripped by this same urgency to tell others about it.

One of my favorite examples of this is the Samaritan woman, who after a divine encounter with the Messiah at a well, went straight home and told the whole town about her experience: "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ (John 4)?" This woman got saved and went straight to the mission field---her neighbors. As a result of her testimony, many in her town got saved. 

Jesus told His first disciples that He would make them "fishers of men." This struck a cord with these men because back in those days catching fish was hard work with long days, harsh conditions and often little reward. Jesus, however, convinced them to hang up their fishing nets and go with Him to learn a new skill---winning souls for the Kingdom. 

This was God's purpose for His disciples then; it is His purpose for us as His disciples now---winning souls for the Kingdom. When Jesus saves you, He calls you to partner with Him in saving other lost souls. Jesus' instructions are clear and straightforward: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father (God) and of the Son (Jesus) and of the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19)." Some "Christians" develop a case of selective disobedience when they read those words. Perhaps, they think it doesn't apply to them, so they don't do evangelistic outreach; they never invite an unsaved person to church; and they wouldn't be caught dead on the mission field.

Yet out of gratitude, out of love for Christ, every born again Christian will naturally want to see others come to Christ and to be used of God for that purpose. If you do not have a heart burden for lost souls then something is wrong. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, we read: "Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith. if you pass the test, you will discover that Christ is living in you. but if Christ isn't living in you, you have failed." We know that we are in Christ when we care about and do the things Christ cared about and did. Saving the lost was number one on His list. Where does it fall on yours? Is it even on your list to begin with? 

There's a church in Pennsylvania that has at the exit from its parking lot a sign, which reads: "You are now entering the mission field." I remember being struck by the profound truth of that statement. When you leave the comforts of your home in the morning or evening, has the thought ever occurred to you that you are entering your mission field? When you leave for church on Sunday mornings, and you encounter people on the streets or glancing out of windows at you, does it ever dawn on you that you are passing through your mission field?  When you walk or jog through your neighborhood or village on any given day, do you imagine your neighbors as your mission field? 

Funny isn't it how vast the mission field has become. No longer is the mission field some foreign or faraway place that people go off to aid the less fortunate around the world. The truth is, while we have always thought of it as being elsewhere, the mission field has, in fact, always been right at our doorstep. When the Bible talks about loving your neighbor as yourself or giving bread to your neighbor if he is hungry, it's telling us to care for those around us, those whose immediate needs are staring us in the face. Your neighbor is any person that you come in contact who needs help. Often, their need for help is a pathway you can use to help them find Christ. Pray about every situation and ask God to guide you.

God may not be calling you to a foreign mission field [although the need is great] but he does expect you to do the work of a missionary right where you are. This week as you exit the doors of your church or place of worship let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, and say to yourself, "I'm now entering my mission field."

  

4 reasons why we should care about missions

Reason 1 – Because Jesus cares.  Jesus was a missionary sent by God.  A missionary is one sent out to teach, preach and aid others.

Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in the Jewish meeting places and preaching the good news about God’s kingdom. He also healed every kind of disease and sickness. Matt 4:23

Jesus went to every town and village. He taught in their meeting places and preached the good news about God’s kingdom. Jesus also healed every kind of disease and sickness. Matt 9:35

Reason 2 – Because Jesus established his church as a missionary church. Read the book of Acts, it chronicles Christ’s commission for the church and the early missionary journeys of the church.

But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” Acts 1:8

Reason 3 – Because every follower of Christ is called to be a missionary. The great commission makes it a commandment.  You would not disobey a direct order from a judge, policeman or military officials, yet many disobey this direct order from Jesus:

Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matt 28:19

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23

Reason 4 – Because Jesus left the work of missions in our hands

I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father. John 14:12

If it's Saturday, I must be in...

"The people who are now living in darkness will see a great light. They are now living in a very dark land. But a light will shine on them." (Isaiah 9:2)

...PARIS. Bonjour, mon amis.

With time winding down, I thought it would be nice to take a day trip. So off I went this morning at about 5:00 am to catch the Eurostar from London for the approximately two hour high speed train ride to the "City of Lights." I've always wanted to go to Paris. Being this close, I was not going to miss out on the opportunity. Day trips in the US, from Philadelphia for example, often mean taking a train or a car to New York City or to Washington, DC, both roughly two hours away. On the European continent, a day trip can be to France, Belgium, Germany or some other nearby country in two hours or less. That's what's so exciting and strategic about being in Europe. At the train station, I talked with two Canadians who are in London for the Olympics. One of them mentioned that they had just made a side trip to Portugal and Spain, about an hour from London by plane.

Some impressions about Paris

After arriving at Gard du Nord train station in Paris, I took a tour bus in order to maximize my time and make getting around a little easier. Like London, Paris is a city right out of the pages of history. On the bus, I was able to see all of the famous landmarks...the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Seine River, Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, Château de Versailles and my most favorite, the majestic Eiffel Tower. These timeless monuments are still holding their own against the backdrop of a modern day Paris, which is showing signs of internal decay. I was surprised at how dirty the streets were in many areas. At different points, I passed by people on the street begging. One lady, caked in filth, was asleep on a bench.

I don't recall seeing any active places of worship during my visit. I purposely wore my tee shirt with the  "Lay Witnesses for Christ" logo to see if anyone would react or ask me about it. No one even noticed. And if they did, no one said anything to me. According to a source, "the majority of French do not actively practice any faith, and an increasing percentage indicates they are atheist or agnostic." And it shows on the faces of the people and in the lifestyle I observed. As Christians, we are so focused on sending missionaries to Africa, Asia, Central and South America and to so-called impoverished countries like Haiti. We need to send missionaries to Paris. And to places like Holland and Sweden. I'm sure that God already has a remnant there, but we need to pray, specifically, that the light of the Gospel will penetrate the darkness in these countries.

Breaking down the barriers

On my way back to the train for my return trip, I passed by two older men sitting on a bench who were having a rather loud conversation in another language. I actually passed by them, but halfway up the street, the Spirit said, "Go back." So I did. When I got to the men, I motioned with my hands for them the move apart on the bench so I could sit down between them. Since I don't really speak French, I just got right to the point. I told them my name ("Je suis Carolyn") and called them my brothers ("Mes freres"). I told them that God loves them. Then I spoke to them in French, "Mon coeur est pour vous" pointing to my heart.

I gave them each a Gospel track translated into French that I just happened to put in my travel bag that morning! I told them that they were going to die one day ("mort") and that if they wanted to go to heaven (pointing to the sky) they needed to believe in Jesus and pray this prayer from the heart:

Cher Dieu, je sais que je suis un pécheur. Je vous remercie pour l'envoi de Jésus mourir pour mes péchés. Je veux me détourner de mes péchés et de croire en Jésus en ce moment. Montrez-moi comment vivre et je vais chercher à vous suivre le reste de ma vie. Au nom de Jésus, Amen!

One of the men looked at me, smiled and kept repeating in French what sounded like "missionary," but I can't be sure. I just smiled and hoped what he was saying was good. We parted company and I walked to the train feeling like my trip hadn't been a total disappointment. At least, I had planted a seed in the hearts of those two men. Maybe that (and they) were the whole purpose for my coming to Paris in the first place?

Becoming a passionate witness

Christians are called to plant seeds. When Christians stop being concerned about what to say or what people will think of us, we will be uninhibited in sharing the Gospel with others. And if we ask, the Holy Spirit will embolden us and fill us with compassion for the lost. We are God's seed planters! Pray that the seeds, which were planted in London and Paris during this mission trip, will grow and multiply to the glory of God. After all, this really is our purpose and our mission.

   

Power lunch

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses..."Acts 1:7-9

A man I met on a London street invited me to lunch the other day. But before I go into detail about that let me tell you how the day started.

After breakfast, the Lay Witness teams were transported by van to Kingsway International Christian Center, a local church where the night's big event, "An Evening with the Stars," was taking place. It would be a televised event featuring past Olympic athletes giving their testimonies, worship and singing followed by an evangelistic message. Except for being televised, this has been the format each night at various churches here in the UK since I've been here. A word of thanks to our host churches. The church members and volunteers at the various churches have been so gracious to us in treating us like we are celebrities. Talk about "having church," nobody can beat our African and Caribbean brothers and sisters at joyful, spirit-filled worship. I have been so taken with them, I have invited them all to the US to show us how it's done.

My assignment this day was to distribute leaflets on the street about this event and invite people to come. This time I was without a partner. I feel pretty good about London right now so I'm not afraid to venture out trusting God to take care of me. So here I am out on the street handing out leaflets when I see an older lady walking in my direction with a worried look on her face. I looked at her thinking: "Should I approach her or not? She probably wouldn't be interested." Finally, I decided to push past those assumptions and give it a try.

I'll fast forward a bit here. The woman's name is Gloria. Gloria was on her way to see about her granddaughter, Janet, who is currently in hospital on life support due to a serious medical condition. Instinctively, I asked Gloria if I could pray with her for her granddaughter and she agreed.  In GO!Team fashion, right on the busy London street, I lifted up a prayer to almighty God for Janet's life. When I finished, Gloria thanked me. As we continued talking, the conversation got around to her own relationship with the Lord. She gave me the usual "I believe in God" responses. I don't know if what happened with the old man the previous day had anything to do with it but I was determined not to let this one get away.

Gloria gave all the usual and customary excuses for not wanting to accept the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ that day. And I exposed them one by one for what they were...excuses. Finally, I said to her: "We just prayed to God to save your granddaughter's life today. Why not trust Him to do the same for you today?" Finally, Gloria had no more excuses left. She recited the sinner's prayer asking Jesus into her heart and life. Hallelujah. God sent me 3,548 miles from Pennsylvania to London for this divine appointment with Gloria just because He loves her that much! 

Now about my lunch companion. Further up the road, I decided to cross the roadway to the other side. My intention was to work the other side of the street, then head back to the church. When I got to the other side, I saw a man watching me hand out the leaflets. He came up to me and asked what I was doing. I told him I was inviting people in the community to come to an evangelistic event at the church just down the block. Well, this opened up a plethora of questions from him about religion, Jesus, God, Christianity...you name it. I was being challenged by this handsome, intellectual, 60 year old Barbadian gentleman. He had as many questions as opinions on the subject of religion, many of which I could not respond to. However, we were respectful of each other's point of view much like Jesus was with the woman at the well in John 4 of the Bible.

Finally, I said, "Look you obviously know a lot more about systems of religion than I do. I can only tell you from personal experience what I believe and why. I shared my testimony with him about how I had achieved a measure of success early in my life only to have it all come crashing down around me. I felt an emptiness inside like something had died in me. Nothing I tried would get rid of it. One day, as I thought about ending my life, the Lord spoke to me audibly and spared my life to the saving of my soul. Then I told him about another time when a man tried to abduct me at gunpoint and how the Lord protected me when the gun jammed causing the man to run away, which saved my life. He was clearly intrigued by what I had shared. That's when he asked me to lunch.

We walked just down the street to a small cafe where we talked some more over a meal of jerk chicken, peas and rice and ginger beer. At some point, Grantley asked me if I thought there was something after this life. And I told him that according to my belief as a Christian, we believe there is eternal life through Jesus Christ. That's why we have hope. To which he responded that he tries to be a good person, hoping this will count for something in the end.

Grantley, if you're reading this, I may not have been able to persuade you to become a follower of Jesus Christ today; but keep seeking after God who says to everyone: "When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." (Jeremiah 29:13, MSG). "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13)."
Blessings and peace, my brother.