Hints on How to
Minister Effectively
on the Internet.

As mentioned on the main page, there are many advantages to witnessing to others on the internet. That also means that ministering in a chat environment is a little different than ministering in real life. People are more contraversial, because there is no fear of physical backlash. People are prone to bend the truth, as there is little to no way to verify if they are telling lies or not. And people tend to eavesdrop more, as is common in most public chats. So, needless to say, one must be very careful in creating an approach to minister to those in chat rooms.

W-E-B Outreach, a ministry similar to S.T.R.I.K.E. in many respects, has a very in-depth site for those who would like more information on how to apply yourself for Christ on the internet. Check it out at www.webauthors.org/guide

Below are some of our own suggestions for chatting with non-believers:

-If you know you are going into a very notorious chat room (one known for it's sexual leanings and rampant cursing, etc.) it is reccomended that you go in pairs. This isn't for safety reasons (obviously!), but two heads are better than one. It helps to be accountable to another believer in the same chat room. Temptation affects everyone, even the strongest believer. Please don't let this stop you from going solo if you feel led to, or if the opportunity arises

-Encourage other christians to 'come out of the closet'. Oftentimes, even in a sinful chat room theme, you will discover there are christians in the wings who attend church regularly and claim to be born again. Curiosity draws them in, and peer pressure keeps them quiet. If you are being outspoken with your beliefs, are sensible in your apporach (not snotty or condemming, or self-righteous) and ask other christians in the room to identify themselves, then you automatically have an instant ministry team! Keep Jesus the main theme, and ask them to help witness for Christ. (And tell them about S.T.R.I.K.E!)

-Never gang-up on the chat-room's "shock-jock". Almost every chat room has some joker who thinks he's being cool by constantly chanting Satanic verses, cursing rampantly, condemming God, and asking for sexual favors. Any chat room regular knows what we're talking about, here! Resist the temptation to 'fight back'. Rather, be loving and kind-- Though not accepting of his/her behavior. Tell him, "Jesus loves you", and encourage other believers in the room to pray for this lost soul. Private messages have been known to work in these situations. Insulting will only encourage him/her to lash out more.

-Beware of political disagreements! There will always be somebody who will want to distract you from the message of Christ and drag you into a debate about world events, "other religions", politics, or other contemporary topics. These kind of discussions are fine for breaking the ice and for getting to know somebody. But in trying to win a soul for Christ, they can be distracting, and can break the room down into conservatives/liberals/moderates, or evangelicals/ecumenicals. Don't let your message be politicized! Stick with Christ!

Look out for sex. As most of you are fully aware of, there is a great deal of that being discussed in most secular chat rooms. We're all susceptible to seduction, and we ask that none of you get distracted from the Lord's service in order to satisfy certain chemicals in the body called hormones. It's no shame to flirt (if you're single) Some of our S.T.R.I.K.E. members have met their b/f or g/f through chat. But PLEASE beware of offers to go into private chats to have 'cyber-sex'.

Most importantly, "Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing."

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