Do you feel God has called you into ministry? Are you unsure if he has, but you have a desire to share God’s love with others and feel using the internet to do that is a good fit for you? I suggest that you pray on it and ask God if this is your purpose? Let Him lead you, as you walk the path that He has prescribed for your life.
Recently, I have seen several ministers looking for direct on how to further develop their church communities. That got me to thinking. How many others out there have experienced a similar situation but had no idea where to begin? Also, I know some pastors that have not taken full advantage of the internet to further their existing ministries but really should. No matter what your personal situation is, here are a few strategies that may help you in this endeavor.
The first question that you have to satisfy is; “Will my online ministry really help others?” If the answer is “Yes”, sharing your biblical knowledge and testimony online can definitely help others. Then you have satisfied the most important criteria. So many people are online more than they are offline. How else will these people be reached if not through the very source they are on the majority of the time?
I am a firm believer, God wants us to use the internet to reach others. I don’t know how many times I’ve searched online for help in my times of doubt or when I am going through a spiritual storm. And God always seems to lead me to a website that helps to give me strength and the knowledge to grow my connection with Him.
We all have a voice that is unique and a story that others can relate to better than they could to someone else’s. No matter what you have been through, many others have struggled with the same things and need to hear God’s words through your testimony to help them in their time of need.
Social media can be a tremendous asset if properly leveraged. Sharing your posts on platforms like Facebook and Twitter can help you find readers. Google is also a great way to get new readers to your site or blog. Pinterest is also a great resource for many as it provides a form of thousands of new readers daily.
If you aren’t overly tech savvy, here are some resources that I have found to be beneficial. So if you believe that God does, in fact, want you to do this, you first need to start your website. That means you will need to find a good hosting company. Think of this like renting space on the internet. You have two options here. You could either go through a free host or a paid host. Before you decide to just go for the free host, I want to explain some things that will help you decide if that’s really the best option for you.
If you want your online ministry to be taken seriously, you are going to have to invest in it. But it’s actually surprisingly affordable to do. There are many hosts out there that you can choose from, but I personally recommend Bluehost. Visit: www.bluehost.com and for $2.95 a month, you can develop a fully functional website that is professional and visually appealing.
Lastly, there are so many reasons to start your own online ministry and so many ways you can go about it. But most importantly, anyone can do it. We all have something unique to offer the world and this just might be what God has called you to do. May God bless you on your journey to inspire others and share the good news of the gospel message...