Benefits of the Internet to the Christian Youth

BENEFITS OF THE INTERNET TO THE CHRISTIAN YOUTH

Adebayo Ola Afolaranmi

Introduction: The Great Commission
While Jesus Christ left the earth after His resurrection, He gave a mandate popularly known as the Great Commission to His disciples. This can be found in Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:46-49, and Acts 1:8. The disciples and other faithful Christians carried out this mandate in various ways. This resulted in many Christian ministries. One of the tools for Christian ministry is the Internet. It was as if the Psalmist had known about this when he said: "Praise be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle" (144:1).
The Internet
The Internet came in to existence because of advancement in information and communication technologies and the need to share information globally. It has become a powerful means of communication because it is broad, fast, and grows quickly. It has turned the world into global village with more connection to transmit information at speeds almost instantaneously.
The Need for Internet Christian Ministries (Internet Ministry)
The evolution of the Internet has been seen as the handiwork of God. The Internet and other aspects of information and communication technology are not about technology at all - they are about the Great Commission. The Internet has become the new mission field of the twenty-first century and a positive tool for evangelisation. In fulfilling the mandate of the Great Commission, youth and other Christians have a great opportunity to use the Internet. Modern communications, particularly the Internet, not only offers us a variety of media that convey the Good News but gave birth to a 'new culture'. It is indeed a potential to spread Good News! The Internet is not the only means of communicating Christ to the world but is the most appropriate means to integrate the Good News of Jesus Christ to the new culture in which the Church is.
The Challenges of the Internet
Some of these...