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Internet
October 1995
Establishing the Church On the Electronic Frontier
By Jerry Woods
This article gives commentary advocating that the Church should play a defining role in the shape of the new culture that is currently being formed on the Internet. If a Christian based on-line community is not established, it will permit by default those who would use the Internet for purposes that are less than Godly to direct the course the on-line culture will take. On the other hand, if a Christian based on-line service is erected and nurtured, it will be the "model" virtual community.
The phrase "virtual community," for the sake of this discussion, shall be defined as the existence of a group of individuals that share like interests and exploit the resources of the Internet, electronic Bulletin Boards, or other on-line services to make contact with each other and extend themselves to other people in this environment. Make no mistake--the Internet is the largest electronic network in the world; not a fad that will soon pass. In a recent Newsweek article it is stated that the population of the Internet is doubling every 53 days. With that projected growth rate, the population will be well over 300 million by 1998. And there are other reasons why the Internet is here to stay: it provides a low cost advertising solution for business, it provides an easy way to acquire large amounts of information quickly, and it provides a personal communication platform on a global scale. Since the technology behind the Internet has not "settled into its own" yet, there is still time for the Church to establish an influence. This writing is to serve as a wake-up call for all those that would participate in the presence of a Christian based on-line community that extends to the Internet. Buzz words like Gopher, Archie, Veronica, E-mail, Chat Rooms, and World Wide Web are quickly becoming part of our everyday vocabulary.
The rapid growth of hate literature and pornography on the Internet can be attributed to the fact the Internet gives a new vehicle for personal intimacy and freedom. With the use of a personal computer one can now make contact with a broad spectrum of humanity to express thoughts and ideas without the burden of accountability to any centralized authority. Millions of users are discovering that they can be part of a virtual community and be appreciated in that community just by assuming a screen identity.
The Church must realize that there is a new mission field forming on the phonelines, modems and computer screens of the world. The Internet contains a wealth of pertinent content that can be useful in increaseing the church's knowledge. Users may now "visit" far away lands by simply entering a few keystrokes. By establishing the Christian Community on the Internet, we don't just offer another alternative lifestyle, but we display the only lifestyle that extols the benefits of a community with the Lord.
The Role of the Church
Once we establish our on-line community, our goal should be one that intends to spread the good news of the Gospel by developing an on-line network that models the blueprint of the Kingdom of God through righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. We do this by setting the standard with our presence and not by participating in the activities on the net that are anti-God. Instead, we are to reach out with a love and respect which firmly asserts our position and thereby asserts our authority and influence.
Since the Internet has no official central regulation, the only way to change the direction would be through influence and not through politics and activism. The Church must play the dual roles of builder and advocate of this technology with more than just pious platitudes. It has to show itself capable of enduring the rigors of scrutiny given by those who hold adverse doctrines.
The high tech backdrop that computer based communications provides, coupled with the persuasiveness of the Internet, set the perfect stage that will grab the sound-bite oriented attention span of the secular world. A Gospel influenced on-line community would allow the attributes of the Kingdom of God to be displayed in such a manner that will draw others to it and influence positive change in Western culture and the world. This change must begin within the physical walls of the Church, namely, with those who sit in the pew. The Church should recognize the potential of this vehicle to minister itself as well. With chat rooms and E-mail there is now a low cost way to console, encourage and help bear each other's burdens. It is very enjoyable to learn how to compose your thoughts in a concise manner. Being on the Internet can be fun.
We are to prepare for use by God in this arena. We are to create an on-line environment that fosters intelligent discourse and encourages a high level of inquiry. We should firmly state that our express purpose is one that reaches out to all of humanity in love. The Internet is a perfect place to meet and correspond with people from every nation and cultural background.
If the Church is to play a defining role in the shape of the burgeoning on-line culture, what form should that role take? To adequately understand this question, it would be beneficial to understand the defining role played by Christianity throughout history.
Since the death of Christ, advancements in different types of technology associated with Christianity, (if not directly driven by the inextricable influence of the message of Christianity) have been made. From the use of Christian slaves that helped build the Roman viaducts, from Michelangelo's study of the human torso and anatomy, to the events that lead to the invention of the Guttenberg printing press, to the written entries of Christopher Columbus' diary of his reasons for coming to a new land, all have strong ties in Christianity's prompting. However, the Church deviated from the original message of the Gospel and started to be critical of those who would dare to use any technological breakthrough. Many times the Church has not involved itself in certain areas for fear that they might be contaminated; as is seen by its reluctance to become politically active as a collective body in the democratic process of America. By not properly using the technologies and communication systems made available to them, the lethargy in the Church help thrust this country on a downward moral spiral. It hasn't been until recently (the last 25 years) that the Church has recognized the need to become a player in different technological fields to distribute the Gospel.
At this point in the development of culture on the Internet, there are no socially and politically correct doctrines. The Church is in a strategic place in this development because it can show the benefits of a right relationship with God.
The Next Step
The Church should take advantage of the opportunity to purchase computers, modems and dedicated phone lines and learn how to proficiently traverse the unlimited boundaries of cyberspace. With close to 40 million users on the Internet, the Church should develop a strategy that will articulate its views without being a hinderance to others who might believe that the Internet is amoral or indifferent to any morality.
People are hungry for something that will help them overcome what ever bondage is in their lives. Some members of the clergy have begun on-line counseling services. One minister expressed this as a preferred way of counseling for some because there is no physical contact, so some people are spared the embarrassment of meeting face to face. Just as the Apostle Paul blazed the trail of new frontiers, we should be no less eager to go forth in boldness holding the high principles and values we esteem and espouse.
As we go forth, we are to remember that this frenzied joining of person to the Internet is in many ways another attempt to escape the reality of the truth. Let us be prepared to meet them head on with the fact that the truth is a liberating force. Remember that the Gospel is a message; a message of hope that contains information on how to live a victorious life. The message is as strong today as it has ever been. Let us remember that the first Information Superhighway was the road to the Cross.
Jerry Woods is the president and CEO of Coherent Light Services, a computer peripherals service company based in Fort Worth, TX. He has a BSEE degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. He is launching a new Christian on-line service in late October, called The Kingdom On-line Family Network. Jerry is just one of the exhibitors at Inspiration '95!
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