Home: News Archive: April 2002

"Like two blind people having a conversation."

Occasionally I am asked how one can have truly effective ministry in a person's life using the internet. Is Internet Ministry (or "e-ministry") really a valid type of gospel service? My answer is a resounding "YES!"

E-Ministry may not be face-to-face, visual communication, but it is communication nonetheless--and it is very meaningful. You don't have to see the person in front of you in order to know what they're saying. People without the gift of sight can attest to that.

Multitudes have trusted in Christ as a result of seeing the Jesus film, hearing gospel radio, reading Christian tracts and books including the Bible. The world wide web appropriates the best elements of each of these, but in addition is truly interactive. The internet user is not passive, but an active participant.

The internet can also be intensely personal. On the net, strangers reveal more of their personal lives than they would ever dare to in a face-to-face conversation with the people where they live. This is particularly true of the Muslim world.

The web offers a Muslim safe haven in which he can think new thoughts without fear of reprisal. It frees him to question mistaken beliefs of his birth society while he learns faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. It allows him to stand with others like him in a world-wide community of followers of Jesus, even if there is no one else like him in his hometown.

Meaningful, interactive, personal--all these describe e-ministry. We are glad to be a part of it. We're also very happy to know that you are interested in using every means to reach as many as possible.

"Bits and bytes"

1. ABWE Canada has selected our internet ministry to be its "Project 2002". About $7,000 of $20,000 goal has been raised so far. This fund-raising effort is intended to give a boost to our ailing ministry support account. We have received some new monthly support in the last few months, but are still lacking about $1,000 CDN per month of what is needed. We appreciate very much this tangible vote of confidence by the mission, as well as the gifts of God's people, so many of whom we have never met.

2. The Al-Kitab Scripture Research Institute web site ministry will benefit greatly from two new resources to offer to students who complete Bible study courses. The first is a special edition of Matthew's Gospel for Muslim readers published by International Bible Society. The second is a special Muslim-friendly New Testament which I hope to receive later this week. It is hoped that offering these free prizes will encourage more people to not only visit the site but become members and complete courses.

3. We have a growing list of interested individuals willing to help out on an occasional or part-time basis as course checkers and/or electronic penpals. Very soon I will be contacting the whole group of them to get them started on preparation for their ministry. If you have interest in being part of that group and don't know for sure you told me so, please drop me an email declaring your willingness. Thanks.

4. We are learning how much caring for the needs of 5 teenagers in today's world stretches one's faith and resources. In addition to her many other duties and roles, Karen is also studying in a graduate level TESL program with the University of Saskatchewan through distance learning (TESL=Teaching English as a Second Language). She is finding the assignments difficult.

5. Karen and I enjoyed some long overdue R&R recently when a church in California asked us to speak in their missions conference. We stayed on for four more days to take in the sights--just the two of us. It was kind of like a second honeymoon. A big thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Anderson who manned the fort in our absence.

Thank you for your prayers about these matters. We may not be in the jungles of Bangladesh, but we feel the need for God's help as much, or perhaps more than we ever did there.

George for all